Entertaining on the fly AND on a budget
our dear friend made plans with us yesterday to come over for the day. I was excited as we haven't seen him for awhile and offered to make lunch/dessert. At the time, I had no idea what I was offering to make! Let's see what I was able to pull together from what I already had.
We all know pasta is a dish that can easily feed several "on a dime"but you don't want your guest to feel like they're just eating what You could throw together. There are simple things you can do to "spruce it up" and still stay within in your budget.
This dish was $4 and easily fed all three of us with some to spare.
I used:
8oz cooked elbow noodles
Left-over sausage from breakfast and 1/4lb ground beef
1cup pasta sauce
1/2 onion and 4 diced mushrooms
1 1/2c shredded mozzarella
I browned the meat with garlic powder and parsley and put it on a towel to drain the grease. Then, using the same pan I sautéed the mushrooms and onions (this is a great way to make your clean up easier and marry the flavors!) I stirred all that together with the sauce and mixed it in with the cooked and drained pasta. Then, topped it with some freshly shredded mozzarella in an 8" baking dish. Closer to time, I put it in the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes.
Then, I pulled some bread out of the freezer the night before to thaw. I've been saving these breadsticks. They were only 1.00 from the deli and hold well in the freezer until I'm ready to use them. They only take a minute in the oven.
For dessert, we had blackberry cobbler. Cobbler is SO easy and versatile. I had 2 cups of blackberries that had been picked and washed.
For the dough I sifted together
1/2c sugar,
1cup flour,
2tsp baking powder
and then added 1/4c melted butter and about 1 cup of milk.
I poured the berries on top, sprinkled with sugar and then drizzled over 1/2 cup water.
This will create a "syrup" when it bakes in the oven.
This also goes in at 350 in a greased 8-9" baking pan.
so, I just put it in the oven with the pasta and kept an eye on them both as their cooking times are a little different.
Entertaining is SO fun and doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. More often than not, friends just want to hang out. Food is always a plus BUT if they are true friends, they are there for the company! (I could make a sandwich and Jeff would thank me then offer to wash his plate!)
We also spent some time cooling off in the pool after lunch. Phoenix loves her uncle Jeff.
He bought her an early birthday present! I'm probably more excited than I should be but we needed a baby gate! Like with the food, gifts don't have to be expensive or fancy. I love practical gifts!
We all know pasta is a dish that can easily feed several "on a dime"but you don't want your guest to feel like they're just eating what You could throw together. There are simple things you can do to "spruce it up" and still stay within in your budget.
This dish was $4 and easily fed all three of us with some to spare.
I used:
8oz cooked elbow noodles
Left-over sausage from breakfast and 1/4lb ground beef
1cup pasta sauce
1/2 onion and 4 diced mushrooms
1 1/2c shredded mozzarella
I browned the meat with garlic powder and parsley and put it on a towel to drain the grease. Then, using the same pan I sautéed the mushrooms and onions (this is a great way to make your clean up easier and marry the flavors!) I stirred all that together with the sauce and mixed it in with the cooked and drained pasta. Then, topped it with some freshly shredded mozzarella in an 8" baking dish. Closer to time, I put it in the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes.
Then, I pulled some bread out of the freezer the night before to thaw. I've been saving these breadsticks. They were only 1.00 from the deli and hold well in the freezer until I'm ready to use them. They only take a minute in the oven.
For dessert, we had blackberry cobbler. Cobbler is SO easy and versatile. I had 2 cups of blackberries that had been picked and washed.
For the dough I sifted together
1/2c sugar,
1cup flour,
2tsp baking powder
and then added 1/4c melted butter and about 1 cup of milk.
I poured the berries on top, sprinkled with sugar and then drizzled over 1/2 cup water.
This will create a "syrup" when it bakes in the oven.
This also goes in at 350 in a greased 8-9" baking pan.
so, I just put it in the oven with the pasta and kept an eye on them both as their cooking times are a little different.
Entertaining is SO fun and doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. More often than not, friends just want to hang out. Food is always a plus BUT if they are true friends, they are there for the company! (I could make a sandwich and Jeff would thank me then offer to wash his plate!)
We also spent some time cooling off in the pool after lunch. Phoenix loves her uncle Jeff.
He bought her an early birthday present! I'm probably more excited than I should be but we needed a baby gate! Like with the food, gifts don't have to be expensive or fancy. I love practical gifts!
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