Pasta Plain and Simple

Sometimes, you just have to work with what you have on hand. This simple yet scrumptious meal is so easy and quick to fix, tuck it back for when you need a miracle!

Pasta, ham, vegetables and cream cheese get the job done effortlessly.

Ingredients:

• ½ box wide egg noodles
• 1 package “California blend” frozen vegetables.
  (cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots), thawed
• 1 package reduced-fat cream cheese
• ¼ tsp Poultry seasonings.
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan (optional)
• 8 ounces sliced cooked ham steak, cut into ½-inch ribbons

Directions

Normally slave starts out by saying you should do your cutting first. However with this dish it is not necessary. Start a pot of plain water to boil. NOTE: any time you have to boil water for pasta, put a lid on it and it will get hotter faster. Also, add the salt to the water after it has reached the boil.
Now this pasta said to cook for 10 minutes,
so set the timer at 7 minutes.

While that heats up, trim and cut the ham steak. You will have plenty of time, don't rush and cut yourself!
Spray a non-stick pan and heat over medium high heat. Stir in the ham pieces and cover, stirring occasionally. This is just to heat it up, not cook it.

When the timer goes off, slowly add the thawed vegetables to the pasta as it cooks.

As the ham reaches temperature (about the time water has returned to a boil), turn off the heat to the skillet and let it sit.

Time an additional 2 minutes for the pasta – vegetable mixture.

Using a slotted spoon (or a cooking spider) Scoop out the pasta mixture. Reserve the hot water in the pot.

With the pasta and vegetables in a large bowl add the cream cheese chunks and the seasonings. Stir to blend. If it is too dry, add about a ¼ cup of hot pasta water and mix in until this is smooth and creamy.
If you like, sprinkle on some Parmesan cheese to top it. 
 
Go easy on the seasonings, this particular brand of vegetables had seasonings already in there. While you can add more, you can't take any away.

Be kind to your guests. Serve this with a side, or desert, of fruit. Just plan on doing this any time you serve a dish with a lot of cheese. Trust me on this! :-)

Now granted this is a simple and easy dish: just 6 ingredients makes you the star and hero of this meal. Really don't know how much simpler slave could make this and still be “home made from scratch”.

This is one of two for my neighbors.

Remember this disco hit?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R36CixkIaIc

Serving my wonderful Master Indy

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.

To nourish, support and maintain.

To gratify, spoil, comfort and please,

to nurture, assist, and sustain

…..I cook!

Please buy slave's cookbook:

The Little Black Book of Indiscreet Recipes by Dan White http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F315Y4I/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_vAT4sb0934RTM via @amazon