Oops, I Forgot

Its one of those days when I forgot, like many of you to take something out for dinner. Uh oh, what do I do now? I have a couple of quick pasta back-ups. I buy a large quantity of cheese tortellini and portion it out into freezer bags. I can either put the tortellini in hot boiling water for 10 minutes, or I can use spaghetti noodles. Sometimes I will substitute penne pasta. I make either a Poor Man's Alfredo Sauce or a tomato-based sauce.

Poor Man's Alfredo Sauce

Take 2 tablespoon of oil or butter heat at a low temperature adding teaspoon of salt, pepper, and garlic. Add two tablespoons of powder parmesan cheese, heat until the cheese  starts to looks melted. Add in a can of mushroom soup and a 1/2 cup of milk, mix until a creamy consistency. Add in half a cup of shredded cheese of any kind, stir until melted into the sauce. You can also add leftover chicken and or peas.

Tomato Spaghetti Sauce
Sauté 2 tablespoons of oil or butter or margarine with a teaspoon of salt, pepper, onion power, and garlic. Add a tablespoon of oregano, chives, Bay leaf, and basil. Sautéing helps to pull out the flavor of the dried herbs. Simmer on low for five minutes. You can add chopped onions, mushrooms, or even carrots or zucchini, depending on your likes. Sauté for another five minutes or until the vegetables are soft.  Add tomato sauce and/or any form of tomatoes (fresh, whole, diced, paste, etc.). Simmer on medium to low heat until it's time to serve it. The longer it simmers, the better it will taste. Serve over any variety of pasta , top with any kind of cheese, sprinkle with parsley.

Add a salad and garlic bread for a quick meal that feeds six.