Ever been faced with making dinner for a family or a group of friends? Wondered what you could whip up one pot and have everyone happy? This base recipe (yuk yuk, I crack myself up!) can be played with to go from simple to gourmet. One note: You will need a large pot, a 3 Liter or bigger is your best choice.
Base Camp Pasta
Ingredients:
- 5 cups water
- 16 ounces small pasta shapes, cook time of under 8 minutes
- 4 packets broth concentrate, or 4 tsp lower sodium bouillon, or 4 Tbsp homemade broth powder
- 1 Tbsp dried onions
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp or 1 packet olive oil
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese (green can kind)
Directions:
Add everything but the cheese to a large pot, at least 3 Liters or up, in size. Bring to a boil, stirring often, then turn down flame and let gently bubble for about 8 minutes, or until pasta is tender. Stir often while cooking, and reduce flame as needed. Take off heat, stir in cheese, and let sit for a few minutes to melt.
Serves 4 to 8, depending on appetite size, and if you serve other food with it (such as a loaf of gourmet bread).
Add-Ins to consider, use as many or few as you like:
- 1 to 2 7-ounce pouches of chicken (add after cooking, fold in and let warm up)
- 1 drained can chickpeas
- 1 cup Freeze-dried vegetables, presoaked in 1 cup water (add any remaining water in with veggies, at the stage of adding in all ingredients)
- 2 fresh tomatoes, chopped up, add in with other ingredients
- Fresh vegetables, finely chopped (about a cup), add in with other ingredients
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in ½ cup water for 15 minutes (add any remaining water in with veggies, at the stage of adding in all ingredients)
- 1 small lemon, juiced, and added in at end, or 1 packet True Lemon