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Noodly Surprise - One Dish Dinner Recipe

This is one of my recipes that is easy to make after work, while camping, in advance of camping and then warmed up, etc. I named it "Noodly Surprise" when one of the Scouts in our Troop was trying to put it on a meal plan for a campout. The "surprise" part is that you can substitute some of the ingredients and make it with whatever you have handy. What you end up with is a big dish of pasta that has some protein and a lot of vegetables. Add a glass of milk, or some cheese, and you have all of your food groups in a yummy dinner that makes lots of leftovers for lunches. The leftovers are even good hot or cold.

Ingredients


1 package of pasta (any noodles or spaghetti that you have)
1 jar of pasta sauce (any kind, or make your own)
1 lb of ground meat (hamburger, chicken Italian sausage, bison, lamb)
1 chopped onion (I like yellow sweet onions, but anything is fine)
1 lb of frozen peas and carrots, or 2 chopped zucchini (or canned peas and carrots if you are camping), or maybe some other vegetables that you like
1 chopped, red bell pepper (optional)
3 tsp diced garlic (or more, to taste)
Basil to taste (fresh or dried)
Oregano to taste (fresh or dried)
Black pepper to taste


Preparation

  • Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package
  • While the pasta is cooking, add the meat, onion, and vegetables to a large skillet and brown over medium heat until the meat is cooked through. Drain off any excess fat.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the sauce, basil, oregano, and pepper. Heat until hot. Stir frequently to avoid burning.
  • When the pasta is done and drained, and the sauce is hot, put them together in whichever pot you like and mix them up. 
  • Eat
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Location: Seattle, WA, USA

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