Monday, June 15, 2009

Pasta Bar and Garlicky Green Beans

I used to go to a restaurant in college that had a pasta bar, where you could choose different shapes of pasta and different sauces.  I always loved that, and sometimes my Mom would also make two different sauces.  So, I thought I would try it!  I made a marinara sauce with crushed tomatoes and hearty spaghetti sauce blend and alfredo extraordinaire.  I added a pinch of sugar and a little salt to the marinara and I substituted half chicken broth for the butter called for on the package of the alfredo and I liked it much better--less greasy.  It was a little thinner in consistency, so next time I might just use less milk.  

I also made a side of garlicky green beans.  I'm not kidding when I say these tasted exactly like the garlicky green beans at a chinese restaurant I go to.  Yes this was an Italian meal, but garlic goes with everything, right?  I sautéed them in a little roasted garlic grapeseed oil and then seasoned them with california style garlic pepper.  I'm a little addicted to the garlic pepper.  It now sits out on my counter with my oils because I use it so often.  I might have even added some of it to the marinara sauce!




Once again, Maegan approves! Why is it that a baby eating is cute, but I would never post a picture of my 10-year-old "approving"?

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