Penne with Pesto Cream sauce and Stuffed Mushrooms

I have made a decision regarding the food blog.

I originally started posting as meals, because everyone usually makes a meal. Then I went to the individual recipe thing as that seemed to be the format many liked. Then I realized that everyone who writes a blog is doing the same thing as everyone else. They are either copying the Pioneer Woman's format on their food blogs or just post individual recipes.

I have decided that most of us make more than just one thing when we cook, and a good majority of people who look at recipes and new ideas are women or parents or people who cook for more than just themselves.

This makes things easy on me as well as my readers. You guys get a one page meal with multiple recipes and how to get everything ready in sequence, AND I don't have to make a million posts for individual recipes. This saves us both time in our busy, hectic lives.

There is a search option, so I am guessing people will use that if they are looking for something specific.

That being said, here is the next meal-like recipe. Jill, I made the stuffed mushrooms just for you so I could fulfill the request for the recipe :-)

I needed something to go with the Stuffed Mushrooms and pasta or steak is always a good option. As steak is not in my budget, this became a vegetarian meal.

Now, before you run off, adding steak or chicken is a cinch and is very yummy. That makes this meal easy for split households as well. Cut your meat up into strips and saute with some olive oil and garlic and serve over the top of the noodles. Or grill/fry/bake your meat of choice and serve off to the side. The steak with blue cheese butter is a good meat dish to go with this.

Looks totally yummy right?

So... Grab your ingredients. You'll need 8-10 large mushrooms, frozen spinach, bread crumbs, an egg, cheese of choice,  medium sized onion, noodles, alfredo sauce, pesto sauce and capers if you have them. Also grab some chicken or vegy bouillon or better than bouillon if you have it. 

Ok. Now. Micro-nuke the spinach. My 8 mushrooms took about 1/2 c of thawed spinach. 

Stem the mushrooms and clean out the fluffy white flesh the stems leave on the inside while the spinach is getting de-icy. Chop 1/2 the onion and the mushroom stems into tiny bits. 

Get out your cheese and shred if needed or in my case, using goat cheese...

I crumbled it. 

Like this. Amount is up to you. I used about 1/2 c.

Mix the ingredients together. Spinach, onion, stems, cheese, 1/4 c bread crumbs, 1 egg, 1 tbs garlic powder and a pinch of basil. 

Oh yeah, forgot to mention those. 

Spoon stuffing into mushrooms and mound. Yes, your hand will get dirty 'cause you have to kinda mold the stuffing to the top a bit, but its ok. That's what sinks are for. 

Mushrooms stuffed, pop in oven at 350 for maybe 20 mins.

Meanwhile, as the mushrooms are getting all happy boil some water and get the pasta going. Pop in a couple of teaspoons of bouillon to make it taste even better.

Mix half the pesto and half the alfredo together in a microwave save thingy.

Get a salad made or whatever veggie you intend on making.

Check the mushrooms. Now top with some more cheese, and put under broiler for about 2 mins. 

When they come out they should look like this. Ish.

When the noodles are done cooking, drain them and nuke the sauce.

And then you are done. Plate the noodles, top with sauce.  

And see what the beautiful mushrooms look like inside... MMMMMM.

Stuffed Mushrooms
8-10 large mushrooms
1/2 c spinach, thawed
3/4 c goat cheese crumbled or mozzarella shredded plus 1/4 c.
1 Tbs garlic powder
1/4c bread crumbs
Mushrooms stems, minced
1/2 onion, minced
1 egg

Stem the mushrooms and clean out cavity or any remaining stem parts. Mix together rest of ingredients except 1/4c of cheese. Spoon into mushrooms and mound slightly over top. Bake at 350 for 15 mins. Top with other 1/4 c of cheese. Broil until cheese melts and is slightly browned. 

Penne with Pesto Cream Sauce
1 lb Penne
Jar of pesto
Jar of alfredo sauce
3 Tbs capers

Boil pasta. Mix 1/2 jar pesto with 1/2 jar alfredo. Drain pasta. Add capers. Top with sauce. 

Serve with salad, bread or other vegetable. 

Calling all Bachelors - Eggplant Parmesan - An easy meal to impress with

You go to an italian restaurant. You order the eggplant parmesana. It comes to you all soft and covered in cheese and sauce with a side of noodles. Melt in your mouth yummy right?

You go home thinking, "I wish I could make something that yummy". But alas, you think your meager cooking skills are too lacking to make something so complex and delicious. 

Or maybe you're having your new girl over and want to impress her with your suave cooking skills but are truly clueless. This would definitely impress her but too hard right?

Nope. You're wrong. Eggplant Parmesean is the easiest thing in the world to make. No really. It is. It involves slicing, a few herbs, some cheese and an oven. You can do that right?

Sure you can.

See easy. And fast too. And you can continue playing on Facebook and Pinterest while it cooks. Triple bonus!

So first you need an eggplant. There are multiple types and any will do. The long skinny ones I reserve for thai cooking, but would be fun for an appetizer or kid sized pieces. I used a regular old purple eggplant. 

I lied. First, get your oven rarin' to go by setting it to about 350. If your oven is retarded like mine, 375ish.

Now, chop off the ends of your purple orb. Oooh. Orb. Giggle. I like that word. Sounds dirty and silly all at the same time. Giggle.

Ehem. Sorry. Slice into 1/2 inch sized pieces. 

Lay them on a baking sheet in a single layer. One eggplant was enough for 2 adults and 2 kids here. 

Next, spray with olive oil and sprinkle with some herbage.

Herbage used this day was:

Basil

Oregano

Lemon Pepper

Salt

Garlic

Just shake it on, being messy is ok!

No really. It is!

Ok. If you want clean up to be easy 'cause your lazy like me then use a piece of tin foil over the pan before you lay your slices down. Makes clean up a snap.

Just recycle the foil k? K.

Wax paper is a good option too. Recycle that too when your done.

Look at you being all green and stuff!

*Sniff* I'm so proud.

*Clears throat* 

Ok. So. Your eggplant is almost really happy. Its crying for cheese. 

Mozzarella to be exact.

Be prepared, I am going to go Alton Brown on you...

Ready?

Are you sure?

There are a few types of Mozzarella out there. I usually use either the kind you get in a block that is half plastic or the kind you get in a roll that is 100% mozzarella, no plastic involved. 

They both get yummy and melty. The fresh mozz is creamier, meltier and well, better for you. (No plastic). It is also about the same price as the blocks.

Ok. I'm done doing Alton Brown. He'd probably go into a lot more scientific detail. I won't subject you to that. :-)

Where do you get them you ask? Oh.Well. Any decent grocer has them, usually located by the ricotta cheese. I get it from Costco. Double pack for $6. Lasts through 3 pizzas and this plus a little for snacking.

Spread on your mozz. If you are using shredded, it is doubly important, for ease of cleaning up, that you use foil or wax paper to line your pan. Burnt melted cheese is a bitch to get off.

Trust me.

Ooooh. See. Can you here the eggplant rejoice at the yumminess layered on? 

You can't? 

Well, put your darn ear closer to the picture...

See? Amazing right?

So then you slide those puppies into the oven. It should be hot by now.

Let them cook for 15 mins or so.

In the meantime, you can dump in your noodles into that pot of boiling water you started. 

You can get out your jar of sauce too and get it nuked. If you were feeling adventurous and made it from scratch, then use that. Make it before you start the other stuff. It would be step 1 in this meal.

Scratch Marinara Sauce Recipe Here

Go play on your computer or watch T.V. while waiting.

Or you could chop some lettuce and tomato and onion and cucumber and make a salad to go with dinner. Then you would be really impressing the girl.

Oooh. Or make some garlic bread. Slices of bread, add butter, sprinkle with garlic and stick  in the oven.

When your eggplant is done is should look like this...

Put a couple on a plate, douse with sauce, add some noodles on the side and douse with sauce. If you got REALLY fancy for that special girl you are impressing, put the salad in a small bowl, and a put the bread in the middle of the table on a nice plate. No, not the poker one. A NICE one. 

Crack open some red wine, light a couple of candles and you are set to impress. 

Bet you even get a kiss for your troubles!

Penne with Marinara and Meatballs, Orange-feta salad.

A simple italian-esque meal for a weeknight. Mildly healthy, very yummy, and kid approved. I like kid approved and easy. 

Start with noodles. I picked penne this round. Get your pot of water boiling with a little salt and oil added to it.

Because it keeps noodles from sticking, makes the water boil faster and adds an little something extra.

Geez! So many questions!

Ok. So while the water is getting all bubblyish, chop one onion, 2-3 mushrooms, 1/2 bell pepper and 1/2 a summer squash into chunks. You can add whatever veggies you have in bits and pieces. 

You know the ones. There is not enough to make a side, but too much to just pitch.

This is one of those later in the week meals to get rid of the bits and pieces of other stuff you made.

Throw the veggies into a skillet with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

The water should be close to ready now, so add in your noodles.

Un-bag some meatballs too and get those in a pot or in the nuker. Add a little sauce to them to keep them form getting dry on the edges.

Meatballs you ask?

Costco carries in giant bags. You can also get them from a normal grocer. I like the big bags because we use them for all sorts of meals.

Next add a red sauce of choice. This one was the 3 cheese by Ragu.

Remember that blue cheese and garlic butter you made waaaaaaay back when?

Probably shoved in the back of a drawer in the fridge completely forgotten. 

Ya. I do it too. 

Fish it out and throw in the sauce mix. May as well use it for a good purpose right?

By now it smells yummy and you need a snack.

Have a snack.

If you haven't had this before, you must. It's crack in popcorn form. Don't get out the whole bag. Trust e. You won't eat dinner.

Now you cut up the veggies and stuff for the salad.

I generally use, for the 5 of us, 1/2 head of romaine, 1/4 onion, 1/2 bell pepper, some sort of fruit  (in this case and orange) and a sprinkle of a salty cheese like gorgonzola, bleu cheese or feta. In this case, it's feta.

Oranges

Oh. Tomato and cucumber too. 1/2 of each. If you have them. 

Assemble to make this gorgeous salad.

Have another bite of popcorn.

The noodles should be done by now, so drain them.

Put a few in a dish, top with meatballs and sauce. Get your salad on there too. A vinaigrette works the best IMO. But if you are a hard-core ranch person, I won't tell.

Now go sit down and watch some Big Bang Theory. Try not to snort sauce out your nose. Trust me, it hurts.

Homemade Marinara Sauce

This is a long task. Be forewarned. Long task.

Its worth it though. This is one of those things you start on a Saturday morning and let cook all day as you do your weekly housecleaning.

It makes the house smell yummy too.

I suppose you could do this as a slow cooker thing. No reason why not.

First and foremost, pour yourself a nice tall glass of Wild Cherry Pepsi. Or wine. Wine is good too.

Ready?

Ok.

The ingredient list is long.

Tomatoes-Roma 6-10.

1 onion

1 bell pepper

5-6 cloves garlic

Some sort of squash, zuchinni or yellow squash. 1 should be fine

Carrots, 2-3.

Celery, 1 or 2 stalks

Mushrooms. 5 or 6 pounds. Just kidding! Geez! 5 or 6 should be fine. Baby Bella's if you can find them for a reasonable price or wild mushrooms work well too.

On occasion I will throw in broccoli, artichokes, sun dried tomatoes, or eggplant. This can totally be one of those whatever is left of my veggie drawer kind of thing.

Wine. A little for you, a little for the sauce.

So let's start with that.

Chop onion, pepper, and celery (trinity) into bits. Chop garlic coarsely.

Saute in olive oil until translucent and smelling yummy. Sprinkle some salt and pepper in there.

While getting all happy, chop everything else into bits or chunk. However you like your veggies. I like mine chunky.

These are examples of chunks. 

Asparagus. I totally forgot to mention asparagus. This works too, or you can use it as a side for the noodles later.

Toss everything else but tomatoes in and saute for a few minutes. 

Put in tomatoes. I usually end up using more than I think I need. I said 10 above. Sometimes its more. Depends on how many other veggies I put in.

Beautiful makings this is. In the above picture, I cheated. I used some tomatoes and a can as well. I didn't have a ton of fresh left and didn't feel like getting out for just mater's.

No worries. You can do the same. I won't hunt you down, I promise. (Fingers crossed behind back)

Add a dash of red wine. Take a sip. Ok another. Maybe one more.

Add a tablespoon of sugar.

Now on to the herbage.

Important stuff, herbage is.

Here we have...

Oregano

Basil

Garlic powder (cause you can never have too much garlic)

Lemon Pepper

Here's how much to use of each.

About that much. Can you tell I don't like measuring herbage?

Measuring is overrated. 

Ok. Baking is the ONLY exception.

Err on the side of too little and you'll be fine.

If you are anal about measuring...this is about 1.5 tsp, give or take.

So for the oregano, 1 of those is fine. For the garlic 2-3, basil 2-3, lemon pepper 1 or 2. If you have rosemary, 1 is good. 

Fresh is always better, but its not quite time yet to be able to have fresh unless you want to pay out the nose at the store or have and indoor herb garden.

Sigh.

One of these days.

Cook the sauce slowly, on lowish for awhile. The longer it cooks, the better it is.

When you are ready to use it, cook your noodles in salted boiling water (I used ravioli this night)

Fix a veggie (Asparagus this time)

And maybe some bread - Freddies had foccacia in the used bread section so I used that. Have I mentioned my love of used bread? Seriously. Why pay full price?

This is what the whole she-bang looks like. So worth the wait. 

I generally make a huge recipe and freeze it for later. The measurement above feed a fam of 5. 

Signature Dish- Noodles in lemon garlic cream sauce, salad with raspberry vinaigrette, steak with blue cheese butter, foccacia

On occasion...I say that a lot it seems...On very RARE occasion I take the time to make my signature dish.

Why is it signature you ask? Well, this is 100% mine. No altered recipe, all mine. And it was my very very first recipe like that. There are a couple of others. When I make them, I'll post them.

So earlier I posted about Alfredo sauce and said in the once in a great while that I made it, when I did again, I would post pics.

Tonight is one of those nights.

On the menu tonight is Steak with blue-cheese, roasted garlic and herb butter, Homemade noodles with garlic lemon cream sauce, Salad with apples and blue cheese with raspberry vinaigrette and foccacia.

Ok so the foccacia I bought this time because I didn't get home early enough to make making bread feasible. I'll give you the recipe anyway. It's pretty easy.

Let's start with that because it takes the longest.

No. Wait. No. Nevermind.

Oh. Get out the butter so it can warm up. You need it kinda squishy.

The Bread. Although when you bake it, throw in the garlic head covered in olive oil wrapped in foil to bake with it. You'll want it to cool before you squish it.

Foccacia - This is mom's recipe. Again, I don't alter baked goods, usually.

If you have a bread machine, this makes this a million times easier. I don't bake in my bread machine, I just make the dough. I have this thing against bread that is rounded on the end and not length wise. It bothers me.

1c Lukewarm water

1 pkg yeast (2 1/4 teas if you do bulk like we do)

Mis these together. Let them get all happy in the warm bath.

In mixer dump...

1 1/2 c flour

1 Tbs Rosemary

2t salt

3T oil.

Pour in the water mix. Use your dough hook for this it work best. If using the bread maker, liquids first, then dry.

Mix until soft ball forms.

If needed, add more flour.

I always end up adding more flour.

Knead dough until its stiffish.

Get a pan that is a good size at. Err baking sheet. Technicalities sheesh!

Roll dough out into flattened circle of about 1 foot. (12") ONTO THE PAN. Seriously, you don't want to pick it up afterward. No more nice roundish bread...

Stick your fingers in it lightly. Ok act like you are a concert pianist and play the bread. You want little pockmarks, its ok. Really.

Brush top of dough with oil and sprinkle with pepper. Fresh cracked or course, silly. Geez!

Let it rise for 30 mins in a warm but not HOT place.

Bake at 400 fo 20-25 mins. Brush top with oil again and some kosher salt when out of oven.

Don't forget to throw the garlic into the oven.

Next is making the noodles. No it is not hard, so shush. Its very, very easy. And doesn't take forever, just longer than what a quick evening meal requires.

It takes a million ingredients too.

Ready?

You sure?

Ok. Here goes. *Deep breath, cracks fingers

6 eggs

3 C Flour

Whew! *wipes brow* that was tough.

Now what do you do?

Put the flour in a bowl or on a flat surface. Yes, flat. Because a non-flat surface causes gravity issues, that's why.

Fine.

Make a hollow in middle of your pile of flour. Crack in the eggs.

Get a fork. Whisk egg and grab a little flour from the edges as you do, working it into the eggs. Keep grabbing flour until the fork is no good anymore. Then get your hands in there and fluff in flour and squish together.

Now you have enough in there its time to start kneading.

Knead the dough until everything is incorporated together and it makes a stiff ball.

Wrap in oiled plastic wrap and set aside away from heat to rest for 30 mins or so.

If its gonna be longer, throw it in the fridge. No don't literally throw it! Ok. Go clean up the milk you just spilled.

When you are ready to boil the noodles, get the dough out and warm it up to room temp. Roll out so its about 1/16 to 1/8" thick. If you have a fancy pasta attachment for your mixer, use it. If you have a manual machine (like I do) us that.

Cut noodles into desired width. Powder with flour to keep them from sticking together, because trust me, they will. Like glue on.. well whatever. Like glue.

To cook, boil water with a little oil and salt. Salt is important.

They take like 2 seconds to cook. Well maybe 60, but not very long.

DO NOT COOK UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO EAT! They will become glue if not served fresh.

Ok. Now that that is clear as mud.

Next course errr, part.

Get out the steaks. Throw on some seasoning. Salt, pepper, garlic.

No really. That's it.

I like using strip steaks but my fave is ribeye.

Get out the butter. Warm it up if you forgot to get it out earlier. 20 secs in micro-niker is fine.

You will also need...

2 Tbs blue cheese, crumbled. Or however much you want to put in. I use half of one of those little pre-crumbled cartons.

your head of now very happy roasted garlic.

Pinch of basil

Pinch of thyme

Throw butter in bowl.

No, don't actually throw it! Geez now look at that mess!

Poor counters. Never saw it coming.

Now that you have scraped it off the counter and wall, put it in the bowl. Better.

Add the blue cheese and herbage and then squish the cloves of garlic tip to base to squeeze out all that good squishy stuff inside. Squish. Squish.

Ok now, get a fork. Squish all of your ingredients together. Good job!

Now that your butter is all happy and content, dump it out onto a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper. (To keep mother nature happy, wax paper is better!)

Roll the paper around the butter and help it make a log by pushing it outward a little as you roll. Twist the ends tight until a solid log is formed.

Toss in freezer or fridge. If you like you steaks medium to rare then freezer is better, well done, fridge should be ok.

The steaks can now go into the oven on broil or on the grill. Also if you are going to fix a veggie, like asparagus, then get that to cooking too. (Water, plate, wax paper, microwave for 5 mins)

Get out your alfredo ingredients.

Cream, lemon, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper.

Remember to not add the cheese and lemon juice until the VERY end k?

See recipe for alfredo sauce

I made a salad with mine just 'cause.

If you like the looks of this I used

Lettuce, blue cheese, apples, onions, cucumbers and generally top with a raspberry vinaigrette or other vinegar based dressing.

Yes, apples. Cranberries, blueberries, strawberries, oranges, these are all very yummy in salads. So are nuts...I especially like almonds or pecans caramelized with it. MMMMMMMM.

So in about 5-10 minutes, 15 if you like your steak extra crunchy, dinner is done.

I told you this was a long haul. This is a special, once every now and then, takes a few hours to do kinda meal. Plan ahead. Anticipation is everything.

Now assemble and enjoy!

Oh, ya. I have a serious thing for mushrooms. So i added mushrooms. These are baby bella's 'cause in the PNW we have LOTS of mushrooms for cheap.

Ok. I'm done now :-)

Alfredo

Ok. I promised. No pictures though. I will put them up when I make this again.

This is the base recipe. I add lemon juice and other yumminess as the mood suits.

1/2 pint heavy cream

Ok so this particular day I had no Moz. so I used laughing cow cheese we buy in large quantity. It worked.

Anyway.

wedge of parmesan cheese, grated. Yes the fresh stuff. Not the powdered. Ewww.

Mozzarella...um...4 oz maybe. Ok 1/2 a normal block. Geez.

Grate that too.

Garlic.

Garlic.

Garlic.

You can roast the whole garlic clove in the oven and its extra yummy. Coat in olive oil and wrap in foil. Bake at 250 till it smells good. Squeeze the pods (cloves) into the mix when ready.

Easy.

Heat up the cream. If you are watching your waist line, don't look too hard, you'll go cross eyed.

Kidding.

Use 1/2 n 1/2 or better yet fat free half n half (gasp!). This is my coffee creamer actually. Coffee. Elixir of the gods.

I digress. Alfredo.

Heat creamy liquid substance.

When warm, not boiling, add in cheeses. Stir until melty. Squish garlic. Stir.

Done.

See? Easy.

I do on occasion, as mentioned above, add extra things. Lemon is my favorite for a classic recipe involving fresh, made from scratch noodles and chicken.

Ok. I am really going to bed now.

Night.

Tortellini Primavera with Orange-Ginger Carrots

After tomorrow, if I pass my exams, I will begin the life of a sales rep for an insurance company...out of the world of retail and into the real life of corporate america. Goddess help me.

It will mark my last day to be able to cook beyond the box for awhile, if things go as planned. We can always hope for more free time than planned, but, well...so ya.

I made pasta. And veggies. A simple, easy meal. And I did it while studying for my exams. Stir. Study. Chop. Study. Stir... you get the idea.

Let's call it... Tortellini Primavera with Orange-Ginger Glazed Carrots.

OOOOOH. That sounds fancy!

Ok so, don't do what I did. You WANT to start with the carrots. They are hard. They take too long to cook. They are yummy when lubed well with butter, brown sugar and ginger.

Oh ya! Start the ginormous pot you use for noodles with water or broth.

Grab some regular sized carrots. I feed a family of 5 (3 adults 2 monkeys) so I grabbed 5 or 6. Chop the carrots thinlyish if you are thinking you will be short on time (for instance, forgetting to cook carrots until the noodles were mostly done and then crying holy shit! The carrots!). Chop evenly about 1/4" thick if you remember to do it before the noodles.

You'll also want:

1/4 c Brown Sugar

1/2 t Ginger

1 Orange (squeeze juice into pot with carrots)

Salt and pepper

Dump all ingredients together in small pot with maybe 1/2 c water. Medium heat, cook until tender. Or until noodles are done, whichever.

Move on, move on. "Clean cup, clean cup, move down move dooooowwwwwn"

Sorry. Channelling my inner Mad Hatter.

Snack.

Gasp! Is that? Why yes, yes it is. The leftover mango salsa (the guac was gone). And a few chips.

I was starving, so sue me.

You will want to add vegies to your noodles. Because you do. Trust me on this.

Sorry, it was steamy. Lenses on cameras and steam don't mix.

See it looks yummy!

Just add the darn veggies, k? K.

My sis is vegetarian, so usually I don't do meat. It's expensive and it's a pain in the butt to make multiple versions. If you want to add chicken, oooh or ham, go for it. No hard feelings. I buy the big bags of frozen, pre-cooked chicken strips at Costco to add in small amounts on occasion.

Back to the vegies.

Chop into chunks the broccoli, mushrooms, artichokes ('cause they are yummy and Costco sells them in big jars and when all else fails for additions to noodles, you have them!) and frozen peas. Yes, peas. Just trust me, will ya?

Don't chop the peas. That would be... interesting.

If you have other veggies hangin' out in small amounts in the frig, toss them in. Squash, cauliflower, carrots, spinach. They all work well. I happened to just want these in today as I have freshly procured them from the local market. (Remember, buy local!)

Saute over medium heat.

At this point your carrots should be good and bubbly. If they aren't cooking fast enough, throw a saucer (or lid if you actually remember where you put them) to speed the cooking.

Next. Noodles. The star of the show.

I am a noodle-a-holic and a sauce making aficionado.

Grab a jar of alfredo from your favorite brand out of the pantry.

Sigh.

Yes, if you want, I will supply a recipe for making it from scratch. It's easy. No really, it is. It just requires more time and more ingredients.

Onward.

Grab noodles of choice. I found, on sale even, dried organic tortellini, the multi-colored kind. Everything should be multi-colored! It makes life more entertaining!

Stupid steam.

Dump noodles in water. Toss in some salt and oil. Olive is my fave, but any will do. If you are feeling REALLY adventurous, you could have heated up some broth instead. MMMMMMMM.

Nom nom nom. Crunch. Nom nom nom.

Oh. Sorry. Chips.

Hum a song. Go study for 5 or 10 minutes. Remember to stir the veggies so they don't burn. The water from the frozen peas and the sweat from the mushrooms should be enough lubricant to prevent that, but you never know.

I'm obsessed with cast iron. It gets hot fast.

.

.

.

Ok. Noodles are done. Dump the sauce into the vegies. Darin the noodles. Or heck, drain them even.

Turn off the stove. (Important tip)

Assemble on plate. Noodles with sauce and vegies over top, carrots on side. If you have bread, use the damn toaster spread it with butter, sprinkle over some garlic powder. Instant garlic bread.

I didn't have bread. I keep forgetting to go to the used bread store by work.

I didn't mix the vegies in the sauce 'cause I have some picky eaters. They need to be able to pick out the mushrooms with ease. Crazy people who don't like mushrooms. I mean really.

So there it is. My simple, final meal.

Wish me luck on the test tomorrow. Now I must go die. 4 am wake up to go to work.