"Pasta"bilities - SRS Meeting March 4, 2010

Buy it: Rice, Pasta and Potatoes are very cheap to buy and when sealed probably can be stored for 30 years. You can buy these items from the LDS Cannery in #10 cans or from your local grocery store. Rice, Pasta and Potaotes will not last as long when not sealed in #10 cans..

Store it: Rice, Pasta & Potatoes can be stored in almost any airtight container. I use my rice most frequently, so my rice is in a 5 gallon container. My pasta was bought on sale and is still in it's original packaging, and is part of my 3 months to a year supply. My potatoes are from the cannery in #10 cans and are part of my long term storage. Here is the original post on Storage Containers.

Use it: Pasta, Rice and Potatoes are very versitle and can be used as part of many main dishes, as well as a great side dish. Click on the links to check out our recipes for Rice, Rice blends, Rice-A-Roni, Potatoes & Pasta!

Newsletter: The entire newsletter can be downloaded here. Click on the links to view our posts on Preparing & Storing Pasta, What Can You Do With a Pound of Pasta?, Rice Basics, & Types of Rice, Potatoes for Food Storage & Green Living (Cloth Diapering)!

What Can You Do with 1 Pound of Pasta?

This week our Self-Reliant Meeting is all about pasta, rice and potatoes. Here is a great article on pasta for you.

What can you do with 1 lb. of pasta?

Do you get tired of the same old turkey sandwich for lunch everyday? Well why not shake things up a little and consider adding a little variety with some different pastas? Start Sunday by cooking up a pound of pasta - any short variety will do - penne, fusilli, farfalle. Just rinse with cold water after cooking, toss with a touch of olive oil, and refrigerate for later. When ready to use, mix up 1 1/2 cups of cooked pasta with one of the following variations and season with salt and pepper, if desired...

Monday: Mediterranean Pasta

1/2 cup chickpeas
1/2 cup arugula
1/4 cup crumbled Feta
2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Tuesday: Artichoke, Almond & Parmesan Pasta

6 artichoke hearts (from a jar), chopped
2 TBSP chopped roasted almonds
2 TBSP grated Parmesan
2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

Wednesday: Tuna, Red Onion, and Olive Pasta

1 (3 oz) can tuna, drained
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
2 TBSP chopped red onion
2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar

Thursday: Asian Pasta Salad

1 carrot, sliced
1/4 cup English cucumber, diced
1 TBSP canola oil
1 TBSP chopped roasted peanuts
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar

Friday: Chicken and Pesto Pasta

1/2 cup shredded rotisserie chicken
1/4 cup prepared pesto

Pasta Recipes

Download the recipe cards here!

Classic Italian Pasta Salad

8 oz spiral pasta, cooked and drained
2 ½ cups assorted cut-up fresh vegetables (broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, bell peppers, cauliflower, onions, mushrooms, etc)
½ cup cubed mozzarella or cheddar cheese
1/3 cups sliced pitted ripe olives
1 cup Italian dressing
Pepperoni or chicken (optional)

Combine all ingredients except dressing in a large bowl. Add dressing; toss well. Serve chilled or at room temperature

Bowtie Pasta Salad

1 lb bowtie pasta
1 (14 oz) bottle Bernstein's Cheese and Garlic Italian dressing
1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts; drained and chopped
1 (2 oz) pkg pine nuts
1 (4.5 oz) jar sun-dried tomatoes in oil; drained & chopped
1 (4 oz) can parmesan cheese, grated

Cook pasta following directions on box. Chill pasta and toss with a small amount of dressing. Add chopped artichoke hearts. Drain oil from tomatoes, chop if necessary and add to pasta. Add pine nuts and cheese. Add dressing to taste, you will not use the entire bottle. Chill and serve.

Pizza Pasta
by AllRecipes.com

8 ounces rotini pasta
1 pound lean ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
4 ounces sliced pepperoni sausage
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, cook beef with onion until beef is brown. Drain. Combine beef mixture with spaghetti sauce, pepperoni and cooked pasta and pour into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with mozzarella. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden.

Pantry Posse Stew
by Becky G.

1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 tsp dehydrated onion flakes
1/2 tsp oregano
1 TBSP parsley flakes
1 can bean with bacon soup
1 can vegetable soup
1 can vegetable beef soup
1 can ranch style beans
1 can corn
1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
1 soup can of water

Combine all ingredients and simmer until the macaroni is tender & the soup is very hot. If the soup is too thick, add a little water. Serve with scones or corn bread. This makes a hearty soup

Preparing and Storing Pasta

Storing Pasta
Pasta from the LDS Cannery has a shelf life of 30 years. Dry packed pasta has a shelf life of 6 to 8 years. Pasta in its original packaging has a shorter shelf life of 2 to 3 years.

Refrigerate cooked pasta in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days. You may add a little oil (1-2 teaspoons) for each pound of cooked pasta) to help keep it from sticking. Because cooked pasta will continue to absorb flavors and oils from sauces, store cooked pasta separately from sauce.

Getting Started
Use a large enough pot: For each pound of pasta, you will need at least four quarts of water. Add at least two tablespoons of coarse salt after the water comes to a boil.

Preventing Sticking
Enough water and frequent stirring will keep pasta from sticking. Do not add oil to the water – this prevents sauces from clinging to the pasta. Always cook uncovered.

When is it done?
Pasta should be al dente (firm to the bite). If undercooked, it will have a chalky core and floury taste. If overcooked, it will be limp and soggy. When cooking pasta for baking alter, it is especially important that it is al dente as it will continue to cook in the oven. Start tasting the pasta two to three minutes before the end of the cooking time given on the package.

Draining
Before draining the pasts, reserve one to two cups of the cooking water; it contains starch from the pasta that can add body to sauces. After draining, shake the colander a few times. Do not rinse (unless you want it to cool)

Reserving, Cooling and Drying
To reserve pasta for a few minutes, drain, and toss with a little olive oil. To cool pasta for salad or manicotti, run under cold water while draining. To dry. Spread pasta on a sheet pan, and pat with paper towel.

Freezing
The best pasta shapes for freezing are those that are used in baked recipes, such as lasagna, jumbo shells, ziti and manicotti. You’ll have better results if you prepare the recipe and freeze it before baking. To bake, thaw the dish to room temperature and bake as the recipe directs.

If you don’t want to tie up your baking pans in the freezer, line them with plastic wrap before filing. Once food has frozen, lift out, remove plastic wrap, and transfer to resealable freezer bags (label & date); place in freezer. When ready to bake, remove from plastic bag and place in pan to reheat.