National Pasta Day Recipes

  National Pasta Day - what's not to like? I probably have the most food recipes involving pasta. Just type and enter the word pasta into my blog search window to see them.

I'll save you some search time and highlight some of my most delicious ones below. And click on any recipe name to see the original blog post with tasty text and yummy photo illustrations.

Dried Pasta is still cheap. I find it in my local grocers and Dollar Tree.

If you have a favorite jar or can of tomato sauce, then sprinkle in some dried Italian herbs for a quick pasta sauce.

SpaghettOs are still around since when I ate a can or two in my high school daze.

You should have a pasta sauce to start with. My homemade version is quick and easy to do.

My Tomato Marinara Sauce is a click away, here. Check out the video.

I like recipes that you can devour a few ways. My Lighter than Air Meatballs fit the bill. I usually have the Meatballs in tomato sauce over Pasta. 

You can also make a fat Meatball Sandwich. My Meatballs have a lot of veggies that make them lighter than the average Meatball. I like the addition of spinach and mushrooms in my Meatballs. It's okay to leave out some veggie ingredients for a more solid Meatball. Check out my video below.

For the simplest Pasta recipe, how about canned Sardines in Tomato Sauce? It's ready to go once you've cooked some spaghetti. 

Open a can of Sardines in Tomato Sauce, heat for a minute then top the spaghetti with fish fillets and tomato sauce, it could be easier and quicker to do.

One of my first recipes on this blog was canned Baby Clams with Spaghetti.

I don't find cans of baby clams for 99 cents anymore, but small cans or packages of clams show up quite often and cheaply.

My local Dollar Tree carries small packs of cooked salmon, imitation crab meat, and cans of tuna. I have mint in my small garden, so combine salmon (or, any of the above) and add fresh or frozen peas for my Peas, Mint & Salmon with Pasta. 

The other main sauce for Pasta is made with cream. I like sauteed Mushrooms with Cream and Pasta. 

Another creamy dish is my Ham, Peas, & Cream with Pasta.

My favorite cream Pasta meal is a ripoff recipe called Olive Garden Fettucini Alfredo. 

It's just pasta, cream, and parmesan cheese. Okay to add a little protein and a favorite veggie.

One of my earliest stop-motion videos is Baked Pasta with Cauliflower & Cheese. It's basically a Mac & Cheese with cauliflower. Cauliflower and cheese are a tasty combination.

Let's go from heavy to light. Saute some kale in a little olive oil then add garlic and you have a veggie Pasta. Click on my Pasta with Kale, and Pasta with Brussels Sprouts, here.

You can't get much leaner than my Veggie Pasta Salad. Steam your fave veggies and mix in a light salad dressing to add to cooked pasta. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

I also like frozen, canned, or jars of veggies to add to a Pasta salad like my Peas, Artichoke Hearts, Broccoli & Wheat Pasta recipe.

My nephew Zak has a filling Cajun-style Tuscan Primavera Pasta. 

I always have a fun time when I cook with my family.

Zak's Tuscan Primavera Pasta uses pine nuts. I find them quite expensive. A cheap substitution is bags of nuts I get from Dollar Stores. The amounts are enough for a serving or two. If they are salted it's easy enough to shake the salt off or even rinse the nuts. When you saute them they will dry out. 

Try my Pasta with Garlic and Cashews...or Almonds, or Peanuts, or Walnuts - you get the idea.

You can combine almost any protein to pasta. Chicken is still cheap so try my Chicken & Lemon Cream with Pasta. 

Sometimes, I like ground poultry, now that it is cheaper than ground beef. Everyone likes Baked Lasagna, just add a one-pound package of Ground Chicken or Turkey.

Salami or Pepperoni anchor a pungent pasta sauce. All you are doing is heating up the meat with a little onion and garlic then adding pasta. Click here to read all about it.

A delicious slow-cooking pasta sauce is made with the cheapest cut of beef I can find called beef shank. It has a bone with marrow, so this is an extra-rich meaty sauce. 

The other main ingredients are half a dozen sliced cheap onions. Do try out Pasta alla Genovese. 

I'll end with my most outré entree, a Spaghetti alla Carbonara with Bacon Bits. 

No self-respecting chef would ever use Bacon Bits instead of Panchetta. 

Well, I'm a bottom feeder and proud of it. If you don't want to use Bacon Bits then fry up a couple slices of Bacon and it's still a cheap dish.

Ghost in the Coffee - Halloween Video

October is a scary month. And my nightmares are from things that go bump in the kitchen! 

But don't worry, the Ghastly Gourmand has a pumpkin patch full of recipes for all you ghouls and gals, so keep checking back to see what I have in my creepy cupboard. 

For Halloween, I have a special treat, creepy meat recipes that are devilishly delicious. And, if you have leftover pumpkin flesh then visit me here for a couple of unique Pumpkin Recipes.

So for the next few weeks keep coming back to the Creepy Cheap$kate, then next month it's back to being just a regular Joe knocking around in the kitchen creating tasty treats for anyone on a budget.

So I'll raise a cup of coffee to you and this ghostly month. 

                                Play it here, video runs 1 minute, 52 seconds.

To link or play on YouTube, click here.

Meatball Submarine Sandwich - Recipe

 It's all about the meatballs in a Meatball Sub and my Meatball recipe is loaded. And I make large meatballs so get ready for a big bite!

A warm Meatball Submarine Sandwich is a thing of beauty. Simply delicious. No need for anything extra but a thick Marinara Sauce. 

You do want a large bread roll to hold all this goodness. It can be a crusty one or a regular soft roll. I find mine in the bargain bin from my local grocery store.

     Click on any photo to see larger.

I'm not embarrassed to admit that I enjoy a fast food Subway Meatball Sandwich. When I order mine I get everything on it. With all the salad toppings available, I go for it: cucumber slices, spinach, sliced tomato and red onion, black olives, and melted cheese, oh boy. 

But when I go to an old-school Italian deli for a Meatball Sub, well it's back to basics, just the Meatballs and Marinara Sauce, please.

For my Loaded Meatball recipe I use ground Italian-style ground pork. Ground pork is a little cheaper than ground beef.

I've made Meatballs with ground turkey I frequently find on sale. Of course, you can use any favorite ground meat(s). 

I mixed ground meat with spinach, sauteed onion, mushrooms, toasted bread, and garlic making a typically heavy, meaty meatball so light it almost floats off the plate.  

Onions and garlic are cheap anytime. You can substitute with dried or powdered versions. 

One package of spinach leaves or a bundle of spinach is enough. You can use frozen spinach, too. (Drain excess liquid from frozen spinach.)

I have a small patio garden with fresh herbs like basil, oregano, sage, and parsley. You can, again, use dried herbs or an Italian Herb Mix.

Maybe you like a more solid Meatball, then leave out the sauteed veggies and toasted bread for a hefty Meatball. If my Meatballs are too large then make them small. Make Meatballs your way - it's all good.

I finish the Meatballs with a canned tomato sauce. I've made an Easy Marinara Sauce (click here) with crushed, diced, whole, and just plain tomato sauce. I add a little red wine in this recipe, but you can just add some water that's sloshed around to rinse the tomato can.

I simmer the Meatballs for at least an hour so the sauce breaks down while absorbing the Meatball flavorings. If you are using whole canned tomatoes then break them apart as the tomato sauce cooks.

Add or subtract any of the above Meatball ingredients. I've made different versions and the Meatballs have all been tasty.  

My Meatball recipe does double duty, not only are they great added to your favorite pasta, but they fit perfectly into a hefty Meatball Sub.

Meatball Submarine Sandwich - VIDEO          Play it here, video runs 5 minutes, 5 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients 

• Bread Rolls - for sandwiches. Okay to use any favorite bread like buns or sliced bread.
• Ground Meat - 1 pound. Okay to use any favorite ground meat including pork, beef, veal, or poultry, or a ground meat mix.
• Spinach - one bunch with most of the stems removed. Okay to use a 6-ounce package of spinach, or frozen spinach.  
• Mushrooms - sliced or chopped. 1 package, about 4 to 5 ounces, of any favorite mushrooms.
• 1 Onion - chopped.
• Garlic - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh or from a jar. Okay to use dried garlic.
• Bread - 2 slices toasted. Break into small pieces to mix into ground meat and sauteed veggies.
• Italian herbs - 1 teaspoon fresh or dried, including basil, oregano, sage, and parsley. For fresh herbs add 2 teaspoons.
• Milk - 1/4 cup, optional.
• Salt & Pepper - to taste, or about half a teaspoon total.
• Oil - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. One tablespoon to saute onion, and one tablespoon to saute Meatballs.

Marinara Sauce

• Tomato Sauce - large 24-ounce can or jar. For a smooth texture use tomato sauce, but I've made chunky sauce with whole, chopped, or crushed tomatoes. Just break up large tomato pieces as the sauce simmers.
• Red or White Wine - about 1 cup. Okay to substitute one cup of water rinsed from the tomato sauce can.

*I find the Meatballs have enough seasonings, so nothing more is needed in the Marinara Sauce.

Directions

In a large pan or pot saute onion for about 5  minutes in a tablespoon of oil until soft.

Add sliced or chopped mushrooms and saute until soft about 5 minutes.

Add chopped garlic and saute for another minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add 1 teaspoon of dried or fresh herbs. 

 Wash the spinach and remove most of the stems. Add spinach and cover the pot to seam spinach to softness for a few minutes. Give them a stir as spinach cooks down.

In a large bowl mix, ground meat, milk, shredded bread, and sauteed veggies.

Form the meat mixture into meatballs, any size you like (I like large ones) and add to the heated pan with oil. 

Brown the meatballs for about 5 minutes on each side. You may need to do it in a couple of batches depending on the size of your pan or pot. Partially covering the pan helps firm up the meatballs by steaming, thus making them easier to turn without breaking apart. 

Deglaze the pan with red wine and add tomato sauce. Add another can of tomato sauce for extra servings (especially for Meatball with Pasta). Okay to substitute red wine with a cup of water or a favorite broth.

 Cover and low simmer meatballs in sauce for 1-2 hours until sauce is reduced by half. Add water or broth if the liquid cooks out too much. I like a thick sauce, but make it the way you like.

When Meatballs in Marinara Sauce is done, build a Meatball Sub. Pour on some Marinara Sauce on the bottom slice of the bread roll. Place enough Meatballs to cover the bottom bread roll slice. Close the roll and chow down.

You can also add any favorite topping like sliced black olives, onion, and cheese.