Spaghetti DeepDish 4 College Cooking

Finding new ways to have traditional meals is always fun and great for putting a twist into dinner.

I have seen this concept of a "spaghetti pie" on multiple occasions, but when I realized how darn easy it was to make (and super delicious)...it seemed perfect for college cooking!! Let's go!

Spaghetti DeepDish

Equipment:

12" Springform (or plain old pyrex rectangle)

Large mixing bowl

Large skillet

Ingredients:

1 lb ground hamburger or sirloin

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 lb spaghetti, cooked al dente and drained

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 cups marinara sauce

1/2 cup ricotta

1 cup mozzarella, divided half

1/2 cup parmesan, grated

1/2-1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp salt

Fresh ground pepper

1-2 Tbls freshly chopped parsley (optional)

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands.

2. Preheat oven to 350F degrees and spray your pan with non-stick PAM.

3. Saute onions until translucent.

4. Add meat, garlic, 1 tsp salt, and ground pepper. Brown meat. Set aside.

5. Boil and drain pasta. Drizzle with oil. Set aside.

6. In a large mixing bowl, add marinara, ricotta, 50% mozzarella, parmesan, pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

7. Add pasta and cooled meat mixture.

8. Stir well and pour into the prepared form.

9. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and a little extra parmesan.

10. Bake at 350F degrees x 25-30 minutes until top is golden brown.

Always try to invite a few friends for this dish. Prep some extra marinara sauce and parmesan for sprinkling! Add awesome Garlic Bread or a simple salad.

Meyer Lemon Mock Alfredo

Sunshine. Summer. Citrus. 

It all comes together in this linguini or bucatini pasta dish perfect for college cooking and college budgeting! Less than 24 hours after making this for dinner…Jon had consumed the rest for breakfast! 

If you can boil pasta and put a few ingredients into a magic-bullet blender, this is perfect for college living on a tight grocery budget; and, can be done with little or no skills! Honestly! 

Eat better! Cook smarter! Save money! Eat together!

(Adapted from The Cooking Light 2015 Dinner Tonight Magazine)

Meyer Lemon Mock Alfredo

Equipment:

Magic Bullet Blender

Large Pot (for boiling pasta)

Large Non-stick skillet

Ingredients:

8 oz long pasta, any type (1/2 box)

1cup pasta water, set aside

1/2 cup Part-Skim Ricotta cheese

1/4 cup Meyer lemon (or regular lemon) juice
2 tsp grated or zested Meyer lemon rind

1/4 cup Heavy Whipping cream
1/4 cup chopped chives

1/4 cup Parmesan

1 tsp kosher salt 
1/2 tsp fresh pepper

Optional For Special Occasions / Added Protein:

Seared / Sautéed shrimp
Seared / Sauteed chicken breast

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands.

2. Boil your pasta. Drain & set aside 1cup pasta water. Prep your ingredients.

3. In a magic-bullet blender, combine 1/3-1/2 cup of pasta water, lemon zest, ricotta,cream, and juice.
4. Pulse until well-combined.

5. Heat a large skillet over MEDIUM heat and add the ricotta cream sauce.
6. Cook for 1-2 minutes until heated.

7. Add the cooked pasta, chives, salt, and pepper. 

8. If pasta too sticky, gradually add 1-2 Tbls of remaining pasta water.
9. Remove from heat and stir in parmesan.

If mom and dad have bought your groceries. or your celebrating an awesome event and achievement, take it up a notch with a few seared shrimp. Or, sear a chicken breast for some added protein if you can't live without the meat.