Really Cheesy Rotini

10Jan11

I cut half a loaf of french bread on a bias. I melt butter, garlic and onion powder together and use a glazing brush to coat both sides. I sprinkle parsley and bake at 350 until it’s slightly browned. After turning each of the pieces over I add toppings like: Pizza sauce, mushrooms, tomatoes, oregano, black pepper, crushed red pepper, and a little cheese. I use cheddar, mozzarella, fiesta blend or whatever I have hiding in the fridge.

I’ve also used this recipe for mini bagel pizzas. They are much more satisfying than their frozen counterparts and cost lot less if you can manage to make them using ingredients you bought for other recipes. I will be sure to make them sometime soon and get pictures.

I heat up a can of Hunt’s brand pasta sauce because it is less than $1 and is a good basic sauce. The noodles I buy are about $1 and the Parmesan and other ingredients I usually have on hand so all I have to do is buy things to make the garlic bread mentioned above. For the pasta I boil enough water to cover a box of corkscrew-shaped multi-colored noodles. I believe they are called Rotini and they are great for picking up lots of yummy tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese. They cook in around 10 minutes and will vary due to brand, amount and how done you like your noodles.

You could also add a salad or stuffed green peppers, or make this with chicken and a jar of Alfredo sauce. This time I added ground beef and mushrooms to the sauce but vegetables and Italian spices are also good.  I always add a ton of Parmesan be it the powdery version (as seen above) or the shredded variety. Both are tasty additions to this light Italian lunch or wallet-friendly family dinner!

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Tags: dinner, french bread, garlic, lunch, meal ideas, mushroom, pasta, postaday2011, Recipe, tomato