Sometimes I feel like my kitchen is a lot like a soup kitchen. When it comes to meals I am always catering to each family members individual tastes. Usually this means I'm preparing different meals at the same time to appease everyone. Ahem... my children.
My 4 and 5 year-old are very particular about the food they are served. It can't be to too hot or too cold. It can't contain any spice. Wait... No... That was yesterday's request... Today the food they are served can have a little spice... Wait... No... Scratch that. You catch my drift. Their taste buds change as quickly as the oceans current. It keeps me on my toes.
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The one food that they will always gladly devour is Alphagetti.
Would you believe I actually craved Alphagetti with crumbled Oreo's when I was pregnant with my first? Seriously! It was good. However, that is a whole other story.
The problem I have with Alphagetti is that the canned stuff is crap. It is full of preservatives and sodium. All the stuff I don't want my kids consuming. This is what drove me to come up with a Homemade version of this household favourite. It is made with real food, nutritious, and a great way to sneak vegetables into your children without them even knowing.
Ingredients
1 cup Alphabet Pasta (uncooked)
680ml can of original pasta sauce
1 1/2 cups Vegetable Broth
1/2 cup 2% milk
1 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp fresh minced garlic
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (optional)
1/4 tsp ground oregano
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 cup shredded zucchini or carrots (optional)
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
salt & pepper, to taste
Directions
Bring a pot of water to boil, and cook alphabet pasta until al dente. About 9 to 12 minutes.
In another pot, add broth, pasta sauce, milk, spices, garlic and shredded veggies. Bring sauce to slow simmer over medium heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Once pasta is cooked, drain and stir into sauce. Stir in parmesan cheese.
Remove from heat and let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Note: The Alphaghetti may seem a touch runny when initially removed from heat, but rest assured it will set and thicken as it stands.
You may also want to watch out for that retro monster, the Alphagetti Gobbler.
Adapted from Food & Whine.
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