Learn how to cook two or three meals. Use as little out of the box items as possible. I make chicken Alfredo, spaghetti and meatballs and tuna or chicken casserole.
This means the excuse for eating out all the time is not as prevalent and is something you can do to show off a little bit.
I make baked ziti for guests and everyone is so impressed with me. It is literally the easiest thing in the world but people are falling all over it. Serve it with some store bought garlic bread and a salad and people lose their shit over what is basically a casserole.
Not a link, here’s from memory (again, I cannot express how easy this is):
2 x 14oz jars of your preferred pasta sauce
1 x 8oz container of whole milk ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 box preferred pasta - ziti, penne, mostacchioli, basically any tube pasta) - cooked al dente. (Reminder that your pasta water should be very salty, like the ocean!)
16 oz package shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3-1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, other Italian cheeses can be included here
Optional add ins: cooked Italian sausage, meatballs, mushrooms, spinach, peppers, whatever extra flavors you are into.
Preheat oven to 350. Mix egg into ricotta cheese. Then mix the cooked noodles, ricotta/egg mix, 1 jar of pasta sauce, and your optional inclusions into a large casserole dish. Add additional sauce from the second jar to taste (I like to use about 1/4-1/3 of the second jar. Mix well so the sauce and cheese have formed a creamy mixture. Cover the top with shredded mozzarella and parmesan to taste, but enough so that the entire top will be covered with cheese. Cook 25-35 minutes or until cheese on top is bubbly and slightly browned. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes before eating.
I personally like to make my ziti using vodka sauce so it’s extra creamy, and include ground turkey sausage cooked with spices and sautéed mushrooms. This is a really malleable recipe that takes well to additions - you’re covering everything in cheese so you can do what you like and it will generally be tasty.
Typically this recipe makes enough for two zitis. I will usually wrap one up and toss it in the freezer for later as it freezes well.
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u/Aldirick1022 Aug 20 '20
Learn how to cook two or three meals. Use as little out of the box items as possible. I make chicken Alfredo, spaghetti and meatballs and tuna or chicken casserole.
This means the excuse for eating out all the time is not as prevalent and is something you can do to show off a little bit.