My very busy friend Josie is always asking me for fast and easy meal ideas. These pasta recipes are easy to make, have a quick prep time, and as a bonus are inexpensive. I’m so confident that they are super easy, I am recommending them for newbie cooks. I think teens can prepare many of these. I recommend them for students, singles, busy executives and anyone who laments “I can’t cook.” Hopefully these recipes appeal to the accomplished but busy cook as well.

Recipes have 2 to 5 ingredients. Serve with soup or a salad, or a vegetable side, and you have a meal for 4 people. Big eaters, larger family, or no side dishes? No problem, these recipes are easy to double. Singles and couples, you’ll have another meal for already cooked for later.

If you know you’re going to be short on time when it comes time to cook your meal, consider cooking your pasta ahead of time. Salt the cook water. Toss cooked, drained pasta with 1-2 T butter or oil. Pasta reheats well in the microwave. At our house we just work the refrigerated pasta into the warm sauce until heated all the way through.

SPAGHETTI

1 lb of ground beef, browned and drained

1 large can or jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce

1 lb of spaghetti noodles, cooked and drained

Parmesan cheese

1. Combine ground beef with sauce in large saucepan or in skillet.

2. Cover and simmer. Heat thoroughly. I prefer to simmer at least an hour, until the hamburger texture changes.

3. Serve over hot pasta.

VARIATIONS:

Brown onions, peppers, or garlic with ground beef.

Add sliced mushrooms or capers.

Use ½ lb ground beef and ½ lb ground pork or Italian sausage.

Serve over spiral pasta or other favorite pasta.

TURKEY TETRAZZINI

1 large or 2 small cans of cream of chicken soup

1 cup milk

1 large can of turkey, with juice

1 lb of linguini, cooked and drained

1. Pour soup, milk and turkey into large saucepan or skillet.

2. Cover and simmer. Heat thoroughly.

3. Serve over hot pasta.

VARIATIONS:

Brown onions and mushrooms and add to soup and meat mixture.

Add a small can of corn for texture, and a half can of English peas.

Use a can of chicken instead of turkey.

Serve over other favorite pasta.

ANGEL HAIR PASTA AND SHRIMP

1 lb frozen shrimp, shell and tail off

1 large can or jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce

1 lb of angel hair pasta, cooked and drained

Butter or olive oil

Parmesan cheese

1. Rinse to thaw shrimp. Drain thoroughly.

2. Sauté shrimp in hot skillet in olive oil or butter. Skillet must be hot or shrimp will essentially boil. You want it to lightly fry. Set shrimp aside.

3. Pour can or jar of spaghetti sauce in your skillet. On low, heat thoroughly.

4. Add shrimp to sauce.

5. Pour sauce with shrimp over the pasta. Sprinkle parmesan.

VARIATION:

Sauté shrimp with garlic.

Prepare with shrimp and Italian sausages.

CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI FETTUCCINI

1 lb fettuccini, cooked and drained

1 large can of chicken, with juice

2 jars of alfredo sauce

1 bag frozen baby broccoli florets

Parmesan cheese

1. Pour both jars of alfredo sauce into skillet.

2. Add chicken with juice.

3. On low, heat thoroughly.

4. Steam broccoli, or boil and drain. Broccoli should still be a little firm, and bright green.

5. Pour sauce over pasta. Arrange broccoli on top. Sprinkle parmesan.

VARIATIONS:

Use grilled chicken, sliced into strips instead of canned chicken.

Use other favorite pasta.

BOWTIE PASTA WITH SEAFOOD

1 lb bowtie pasta, cooked and drained

1 lb frozen shrimp, shell and tail off

2 jars of alfredo sauce

Butter or olive oil

Parmesan cheese

1. Rinse to thaw shrimp. Drain thoroughly.

2. Sauté shrimp in hot skillet in olive oil or butter. Skillet must be hot or shrimp will

essentially boil. You want it to lightly fry. Set shrimp aside.

3. Pour both jars of alfredo sauce into skillet. On low, heat thoroughly.

4. Add shrimp to sauce.

5. Pour sauce over pasta.

VARIATION:

Use bay or sea scallops instead of shrimp.

These dishes are prepared with packaged noodles and sauces. These are the packaged products I’ve found to be the best flavors. They are quick and easy to prepare, and I have used them many times over the years for quick meals.

TUNA PEAS MAC AND CHEESE

2 boxes spiral macaroni and cheese

About ¼ cup milk

1 large or 2 small cans tuna

1 can tiny Llessur English peas

1. Cook macaroni, drain.

2. Pour tuna and peas with juices into a pan and heat, then drain.

3. Prepare cheese sauce in pan, add a little more milk.

4. Combine all ingredients in pan and heat together.

HAMBURGER HELPER CHEESEBURGER MACARONI

1 box of Hamburger Helper Cheeseburger Macaroni

Milk per package directions

1 lb hamburger

1. Cook according to directions on the Hamburger Helper box. I find that it takes a bit longer to cook than the package says, and I usually wind up adding another ½ to 1 cup of water.

VARIATIONS:

Doesn’t need anything! In my opinion, this is the best that Hamburger Helper has to offer. It’s been the favorite at our house forever.

HAMBURGER HELPER POTATO STROGANOFF

1 box Hamburger Helper Potato Stroganoff

Milk for preparing noodles per package

1 lb hamburger, browned and drained

1 can Niblet’s corn, drained

1 can beans or peas, drained

1. Soak Hamburger Helper potatoes 15 minutes or so to soften and they will cook better.

2. Drain potatoes, then cook according to directions on the Hamburger Helper box. .

3. Add the drained beans and corn. This gives good texture contrast.

VARIATIONS:

Add 1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt. Stir end just before serving.

LIPTON NOODLES STROGANOFF

2 packages of Knorr Lipton Stroganoff Noodles and Sauce

Milk for preparing noodles per package

1 can of ham, mashed with a fork

1. Cook Stroganoff according to Knorr Lipton directions on the package.

2. Add ham with juice

3. On low, heat thoroughly.

VARIATIONS:

Use canned turkey or chicken.

Add ½ to 1 cup of plain yogurt or sour cream.

TERIYAKI BEEF AND NOODLES

2 packages Lipton Asian Sides Teriyaki Noodles

1 ½ lbs lean beef round steak

1. Slice beef in strips, ¼” thick or less. Brown in skillet. Add oil as needed.

2. Cook noodles according to Lipton directions on the package.

3. Combine meat and noodles in skillet.

PASTA RONI ANGEL HAIR PRIMAVERA

2 packages Rice A Roni Pasta Roni Angel Hair Primavera

Milk per package directions

½ lb frozen shrimp, shelled and tails off

2 T butter or olive oil

1. Cook the pasta according to directions on the Pasta Roni package.

2. Rinse to thaw shrimp. Drain thoroughly.

3. Sauté shrimp in hot skillet in olive oil or butter. Skillet must be hot or shrimp will

essentially boil. You want it to lightly fry. Set shrimp aside.

4. Combine shrimp with noodles and sauce.

KNORR LIPTON PARMESAN NOODLES

2 packages Knorr Lipton Parmesan Noodles

Milk for preparing noodles per package

1 can chicken, with juice

1. Cook the noodles according to the Knorr Lipton package directions.

2. Add chicken with juice.

3. Heat thoroughly on low.

VARIATIONS:

Add ½ to 1 cup of plain yogurt or sour cream.

Top with shredded parmesan.

BONUS: See below in my hub comments, easy Pesto recipe by Simple Tim.

Have I tickled your interest? Are you ready to try some of these fast, easy and cheap recipes? If you’re a novice cook, or just busy with life, build your meal around these main dishes. Just say no to carry out and fast food.

FAST AND EASY RECIPES:

12 Super Fast, Cheap and Easy Main Dishes

12 Super Fast, Cheap and Easy Pasta Recipes

8 Super Fast, Cheap and Easy Casseroles

Super Fast and Easy Soups, Stews and Chowders

Favorite Food from Mom

My Very Favorite Vegetable Soup- Almost Like Mom’s

MOM’S CAKES:

Mom’s Best Layer Cakes 1

Moms Best Layer Cakes 2

Mom’s Best Pound Cakes

Cake Frostings

HOLIDAY TRADITIONS:

Thanksgiving Southern Family Feast Recipes

Fruitcake and Christmas Cookie Recipes

Recipes- My Family’s Traditional Christmas Treats