Family Chow Hall

Simplest Spaghetti Ever

May 11th, 2011

Yesterday was one of those days when I bustled around the house a lot… got groceries, did laundry, and general housecleaning. Now, even though my pantry, fridge, and freezer were full, well, I didn’t really PLAN supper. No meat thawed - you know the drill.

What I came up with was just about one of the best spaghetti dishes I’ve ever served. Four simple ingredients and it was done in about 20 minutes. I put some prepared chicken and fish in the oven to go along with it and we were set!

So… the Simplest Spaghetti Ever

1 box of spaghetti — my favorite brand is Barilla
4 cups water
1 whole red pepper from my jar of roasted red peppers
1 box of chopped spinach in butter sauce
1 jar prepared Alfredo sauce — no favorite brand

Since I recently got some new cookware, I have this wonderful deep saute pan that can actually hold enough food for my family. I served 8 people last night and there was leftover spaghetti. (Confession: my two youngest ate only a negligible amount of spaghetti. One had pigged out on popcorn, the other has a problem with green foods.)

So, I brought the 4 cups of water - I was guessing on this amount, but it worked perfectly - to a boil in my deep saute pan. (a large frying pan will do) This method is similar to making Hamburger Helper, only it’s going to taste quite a bit better. Once boiling, add the spaghetti. I broke it up so it was shorter — easier to eat and easier to stir. Lower the temperature and put a lid on it. Watch the clock, this will only take about 10 minutes. Next, dice up the red pepper into small bits and throw it into the pan. Next the spinach — it may need a minute in the microwave, then add to the spaghetti. After each addition, I try to replace the lid as quickly as possible. When the 10 minutes are up, remove the lid, stir it up a bit, then add the jar of Alfredo sauce. If it’s a little watery, let it sit with the lid off for a couple of minutes. Stir it up and serve.

I truly wish I had taken pictures for you - it was very appealing visually, with the bright green bits of spinach and tiny pieces of red pepper.

Get inspired — maybe you would rather have onions and bacon bits in yours. Or garlic and cherry tomatoes. Or… mushrooms and artichokes? The possibilities seem endless.

Enjoy!

Entry Filed under: Recipes