Pasta with Meatballs in a delicious Red Sauce

I had some chicken minced meat in the refirgerator that I planned to cook for dinner. The list of dishes like the cutlet, kheema paratha, a curry did not meet with much favour with the teen and so I decided to tempt the pasta queen with some pasta and meatballs. I didn't have spaghetti on hand which is the usual combination and so decided to serve it on a bed of macaroni cooked and sauteed in a mix of butter and olive oil. A simple meal for a weeknight dinner that doesn't require you to sweat it out in the kitchen.

Ingredients for the meatballs in red sauce
For the meat balls:
Minced meat(I used chicken minced meat) - 250 gms
Breadcrumbs(I used powdered cornflakes instead of the regular breadcrumbs) - 1/2 cup
Dried herbs - 1/2 tsp
Grated cheese(I used cheddar) - 10 gms
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt -1/4 to 1/2 tsp(the cheese is also salted and the red sauce gravy too will have salt in it)

For the red sauce:
Tomatoes - 3 medium sized
Garlic - 3 to 4 cloves
Dried herbs - 1/4 to 1/2 tsp
Grated cheese - 2 tbsp
Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Store bought pasta sauce - 1 heaped tsp
Salt to taste
Olive oil - 2 tbsp

Method:
1- Take a glass bowl and add in the ingredients "for the meatballs) except the minced meat. Mix to even distribute all ingredients. Now add in the minced meat and let it mix well and coat with all ingredients. Make 12- 15 medium sized balls and keep aside.
2- Chop the tomatoes and add it alongwith the garlic cloves in the blender. Make a smooth paste.
3- Take a flat bottomed pan. Add olive oil and the tomato and garlic mixture. Let cook for 3-4  mins covered(add 2 to 3 tbsp of water if required. Now add the dried herbs , store bought pasta sauce and pepper powder. Cover and let cook for another 4-5 minutes. You need to cook on low to medium flame and really have patience or else the tomatoes will still be raw and not give the sauce/gravy the desired  taste or flavour.
4- At this stage, add in the meatballs one at a time with a spoon carefully so that they don't break(the breadcrumbs will give it a good binding and hold it together). Scoop little of the sauce with a spoon and pour over each meatball. Cook covered for another 4-5 minutes. Open adjust salt and seasoning. Add in 1 tbsp of the grated cheese into the sauce. Cover and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes. You will see the oil oozing out from the sides. Give it a careful stir so as not to break the meatballs. Garnish with the remaining grated cheese(you may also added finely chopped parsley). Cover and keep aside for 5 minutes. Serve on a bed of pasta. Enjoy!!

Pasta in White Sauce With Mushrooms Tomato and Capsicum

This pasta was a part of our lunch last week. For all who are regular here definitely know by now how the pasta in all its varied flavours and tastes(a little soft corner for the pasta in white sauce thought) is a favourite with the daughter and so the endeavour to try out new variations each time. Dal rice two days in a stretch and the happiness quotient coming to the table seems to be dipping at a fast pace and so a meal like this which is sheer happiness and polished off in no time is a great idea both for her and me. Fast to cook and good to eat with veggies and nutrition thrown in keeps me happy and she is thrilled at finding pasta on the lunch menu. It is a total win-win situation. This has come to be favourite. Here is my pasta in white sauce with mushrooms tomato and capsicum. For those who want to make a few more additions, you may add strips of chicken and corn too.

Ingredients
For the White Sauce :
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp maida/all purpose flour
2 cups milk

For the Pasta :
Pasta - 100 gms (boiled and strained)
Tomato - 1 medium sized chopped into small pieces
Capsicum - 1 medium chopped into small pieces
Salt - to taste
Pepper - 1tsp
Garlic - 1 tsp (minced)
Oil - 1 tbsp
Oregano (dried) - 1/2 tsp
Mushrooms - 5 to 6 chopped fine or to the size of your choice

Method:
1- Boil Pasta in enough water with some salt. When done strain and wash thoroughly under cold running water. Keep aside.
2- Take a pan and add the butter and oil. Add the minced garlic and saute for a minute till the raw smell of garlic disappears. Now add the chopped tomato and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chopped capsicum amd mushrooms and saute till all the water content of the mushrooms dry up completely.
3- Now add the 2 tbsp of maida and saute for a minute or two. Add the milk little by little and keep stirring. Make sure to add the milk little by little or else you may have lumps forming that will spoil the complete texture of your white sauce.
4- Add in the oregano, salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning. Let boil till the white sauce thickens and is of the desired consistency. Do not let it thicken too much as white sauce will thicken on its own too as it rests.
Switch off gas and transfer to a serving dish. Serve hot. You may add your choice of sides to add to your meal.

Mushroom and Chicken Pasta Recipe in White Sauce

Simple Pasta recipes that are easy to cook are what that I like. Fast to cook and good to eat. My daughter loves pasta, in fact “love” is an understatement …my vocabulary failed to come up with a better word to describe this extreme emotion. She can eat pasta almost any time of the day and be absolutely contented and happy. Have been making it atleast once a week or sometimes twice (the mom in me does not agree with any more pasta in the diet). She however, just doesn’t seem to have enough of it. This is a dish that she loves at the local restaurant and I have been trying hard to fine tune it to get to the perfect restaurant taste. It is one of her favorite pasta recipes although she hasn’t yet certified my dish to be a replica of the one made in the restaurant (I am happy as long as it can bring a smile to her face). I have made this so many times in the past few months that can do it almost blindfolded. The entire effort is to see her happy and enjoy the meal.

Mushrooms and chicken, my favourite too and yes, this is one that I too like to indulge in. A bowl of pasta we share and catch up on the happenings in school and life. It is amazing how time flies when you just sit down to talk, really interesting conversation it can be with a teenager. Adele, Victorious and iCarly have suddenly become such a vital part of my life. Fashion, hairstyles, high heels, the latest music and yes, some studies there is so much happening here. I am in fact, reliving my teen days with my little teenager taking me along on the roller coaster ride that makes life so beautiful and interesting.

Oh, I seemed to have taken off completely on the ride called life, here is coming back to the pasta recipe which is going to be re-created again tonight being Friday night…movie and pasta, a great combo.

Ingredients for the Chicken Pasta Recipe
Pasta -200 gms (boiled and drained) (have used macaroni here, you may substitute it with penne)
All purpose flour or maida – 1 tbsp
Garlic powder – 1 tsp(you may use fresh finely chopped garlic instead)
Paprika- 1 tsp
Parsley – 1 tsp (have used dried parsley here)
Pepper powder – ½ tsp
Milk – 1 to 1.5 cups
Butter/oil – 2 tbsp
Onions – 2 to 3 tbsp ( very finely chopped)
Chicken – 200 gms boneless (cut into very small pieces)
Mushroom – 100 gms( put in a bowl of hot water, remove wash and chop finely)
Salt – to taste

Method for making Chicken Pasta Recipe:

1-Boil pasta, drain and keep aside coating it with a spoon of oil.

2-Take a heavy bottomed pan and add in the 1 tbsp of oil/butter. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté till soft and golden brown. When the onions are almost done add in the chicken, a little salt (make sure to keep the salt right as you have added salt while boiling pasta and now will add more salt while making the white sauce). Saute and let the chicken cook. You know the chicken is done when the pink colour changes to white. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Take off the stove and keep aside.

3-In another pan, add the tbsp of all purpose flour and keep stirring till it turns golden brown and there is a nice aroma that fills the air. Add in the butter and mix. Mix in the milk little by little stirring continuously to avoid any lumps. Add the paprika, pepper powder and garlic powder and mix well. Add salt to taste. Keep stirring to ensure that you have a nice lump free mixture. Your white sauce should be thick however, flowy in consistency. The white sauce will thicken as it cools so make sure that you don’t make it too thick.

4-Add in the onion and chicken mixture. Mix well. Now add the boiled pasta and mix thoroughly. Garnish with parsley. Serve hot. You have a complete meal for 2 that will disappear in minutes.