Pasta might not be the first thing you think about when it comes to the holidays, but for my family it’s the ultimate comfort food, and with some plum tomatoes and spinach it looks pretty festive too!
Every now and then I just crave some tomatoes and noodles. It’s a real simple recipe, and it can be whipped up very quickly, but for me this is the dish to cure bad days.
When I was little my mother used to make a similar dish for use kids, and every time it was different, but it was always delicious. My mother would throw whatever she had in the cupboards at the time, and would still come out perfect, and us kids would gobble it up.
Now as a grown up I still find myself wanting this meal, but I’ve made a couple additions along the way from opting for low-salt ingredients, ground chicken/turkey, low fat cheese, and even including spinach.
My favorite though has got to be including whole tomatoes (no salt preferably), and hand crushing them. This is a great way to get your kids involved with the cooking process just make sure they don’t squirt each other (or the walls) because the liquid in these little guys really can travel. Grab a big pot or bowl and get the kids to squish them in there, trust me they’ll have a blast. Just make sure they wash their hands first. Also too because you get cook the sauce over low heat they can even get in there and help you stir, and add spices! I think it’s always great when you can include them in the process they’ll feel so much more connected to the process, and who knows they just might ask for you to pass the stinky cheese.
FESTIVE & FUN PASTA
INGREDIENTS
1 can whole (no salt) tomatoes
1 cup of salsa
1 TBS sriracha sauce sauce
1 package of ground chicken or turkey
1 package of no-yolk egg noodles
1 TBS Garlic Powder
1 TBS Onion Powder
1 TBS oregano
1 TBS basil
1/2 cup mozzerella cheese
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese (and more for topping).
DIRECTIONS
Cook pasta according to directions, drain and set aside. Toss in olive oil to avoid them sticking together.
Cook ground chicken (I usually do this is in a big pot, so I can use it later for everything).
Prepare the tomatoes, and combine to the ground chicken.
Add salsa, siracha sauce, and spices.
Let the meat sauce simmer for about 20 minutes on low (with a cover), if you’re in a hurry because you have screaming children just skip the simmer, and heat thoroughly and move to the next step.
Add cooked noodles to the sauce, cheese, and parm to combine.
Serve hot with a great salad, or stemmed veggies. Feel free to sprinkle some more Parmesan cheese at the table.
This recipe also makes for great leftovers, so don’t worry if you have any left over (that’s if you have any leftover of course).
What are some recipes you like to make with your kids? or the kids in your life? Take the #BetterFoodForAll Challenge with Sobeys and you could win $1,000 in groceries! Or follow the #BetterFoodForAll hashtag on Twitter and Instagram for more holiday recipe inspiration from Canadians.
x short presents
*This post was sponsored by Sobeys, but all opinions expressed are my own. Thank you for supporting my sponsors. ![]()
