I’d like to be under the sea
In an octopus’ garden in the shade
He’d let us in, knows where we’ve been
In his octopus’ garden in the shade

This is a very kid friendly dish. I saw it somewhere on the internet and I don’t know where, so if I swiped this great idea from you please let me know and I will giveyou due credit and blog linkage.

How cute are these octopi?  And it really does not get easier.  Ramen noodles, spinach, and hot dogs.  That’s it.  A quick and super simple lunch or dinner…or even after school snack.  You could do the same with spagetti or fettucine noodles.  Just slice the bottom 3/4 of the hot dog lengthwise into 8 sections, leaving them attached to the hot dog at the top.  When you boil them the cut part will curl up with a mind of its  own, more or less, and you will have octopi look alikes.  Cook the spinach in with the ramen noodles and there you have it!  A great, kid friendly meal.

This is my entry to Presto Pasta.    This week’s Presto Pasta is hosted by Katie, One Little Corner of the World.  To submit your own pasta dish follow the guidelines found here. Ruth, of Once Upon A Feast, is the brilliant mind behind Presto Pasta and this is number 109!!!

Images:Marye Audet

Post from: Baking Delights

When I am looking for a dinner recipe that is quick, easy, and cheap, pizza burgers come to mind.  They come to mind when I am not looking for that kind of recipe, too, because they are just that good.

When I was growing up in Pennsylvania we used to go to this pizza place that was called Frankie and Johnny’s.  I don’t remember a whole lot about it except that the seats were blue vinyl, it smelled heavenly, and they had the best hoagies, pizza, and pizza burgers in the known universe.

One thing that you may not realize is that pizza sauce is different in different parts of the country.  I have lived on both coasts as well as in the middle, and there is no pizza sauce anywhere like what you get in the Philadelphia area.  I don’t care what anyone says.  The sauce in Texas is too bland, in Chicago it is too sweet, and in California it is too…sophisticated.  I love the heavy-oregano-sweet peppers-anise-spicy-tomato flavor of East coast pizza.

I never could replicate it just right and I never seemed to be able to find a canned sauce that was right…until I tried Newman’s Own Sockarooni Pasta Sauce.  Wow.

This is the real deal.  A lot of times if I don’t have time to make sauce this is what I use, it is perfect for pizza…and pizza burgers.

Oh yeah.  Pizza burgers. ahem…..Pizza burgers are like Sloppy Joes but not.  The sauce is a tangy pizza sauce (perfectly reproduced by the aforementioned sauce) and then you melt mozzarella over the top.  Add some chips or fries and you have an awesome, quick, easy and cheap dinner.  If you have time try serving these on homemade hamburger buns, and add garlic powder in with the salt when you are making the dough.  Yum.

Pizza Burgers

• 2 lbs of  lean ground beef, browned and drained.
• I jar Newmans Own Sockarooni Pasta Sauce
• 8 hamburger buns
• 1 to 2 cups mozzarella cheese (depends on how much cheese you like) OR 8 slices provolone

1. Pour the sauce over the cooked meat.
2. Spoon the mixture on a large hamburger bun.
3. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese or lay a slice of provolone over the top.
4. Put under the broiler just to melt the cheese.
5. Put the other half of the bun on top and eat when hot.

Serves 8

Image:Marye Audet (c)2009

Post from: Baking Delights