Easy Pasta Carbonara

While not a true pasta carbonara, as I've taken a few shortcuts, like using ramen, I think the ease of this recipe more than makes up for any alteration.

Carbonara is traditionally made with pancetta, but I prefer the additional robustness that bacon brings to the dish. Both pancetta and bacon are made from pork belly that has been cured with salts and, often, other spices. But bacon is also smoked, though usually "cold-smoked," at temperatures that do not cook the meat. Both pancetta and bacon should be cooked before consuming.

Ingredients

- 1½ Cups water
- 1 Package Ramen Noodles, flavor as preferred
- 2 Tbsp Bacon Bits, to taste; real bacon, please
- 1 Egg, large, whipped smooth
- 1 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese, grated, or more, to taste
- ¼ to ½ tsp Ground Black Pepper, liberal amount, to taste

A few notes about the ingredients

- Keeping in mind that this is a certified Effort-Less recipe, I'm suggesting the use of prepared ingredients, but feel free to prepare your own.

- The Black Pepper is more an ingredient than a seasoning, so it should have a noticeable presence in the eating.

- The Egg will not be fully cooked but will manifest as a creamy sauce

- The amount of water is less than the usual 2 Cups. That and adding the seasoning before the noodles is meant to concentrate the flavor in the noodles, since the pasta is to be drained.

Preparation

- In an appropriately-sized sauce pan, add the Ramen seasoning (from the included packet) to the water and bring to a boil.

- Add the noodles and boil for three minutes, or according to package instructions.

- Whip or beat the egg until smooth, blending-in the Parmesan Cheese and liberal amounts of Black Pepper.

- Drain the pasta.

- Immediately stir the egg mixture into the hot noodles.

- Mix in the Bacon Bits, amount to taste.

- Plate the noodles and top with more Black Pepper and Parmesan Cheese.

Serves 1

;^)

Chicken Garlic Poached Eggs

This recipe is based on Sopa de Ajo, a Spanish garlic soup. But simpler.






Ingredients

• 1 Cup Water
• 1 Teaspoon Chicken Bouillon
• ½ Teaspoon Granulated Garlic or Garlic Powder, NOT garlic salt
• ¼ Teaspoon Paprika
• (Optional) Thinly sliced garlic, to taste
• 2 Large Eggs
• 2 Slices of Bread

Directions

• In a small non-stick skillet or saucepan, combine first four (optional five) items. Heat to boil. Adjust to taste.
• Meanwhile, break the eggs into a ramekin or small bowl.
• Toast the bread.
• When the broth is boiling, gently drop in the eggs, reduce heat to medium-low, cover pan or pot.
• Cook covered for three minutes or until desired doneness.

Serve

Serve the eggs and broth over the toast. This dish works equally well for breakfast, lunch, or supper.

Tips

• Adjust the flavors to taste. I like the toast dark and plenty of both garlic and paprika flavor, so I tend to add more. Keep in mind, this is not a recipe to enjoy if you are planning a social occasion for later in the day.
• Since I do not use that much of it, I never have broth on hand. Instead, I make up broth from bouillon and water. Bouillons are salty by nature, but some depend more on salt than on actual meat or vegetable flavor. You get what you pay for. I often use bouillon in lieu of salt in appropriate recipes. My preferred brands are Knorr and Better Than Bouillon; the latter must be refrigerated after opening.
• Cooking for one, I've found it more economical to keep dehydrated vegetables on hand. Minced onions, minced carrots, sliced garlic, and chopped celery are in my pantry and will keep practically forever. I usually reconstitute by five to ten minutes in hot water.

;^)

Ice Cream Cone Sundae

I enjoy the standard waffle cone as much as I do the ice cream. This recipe emphasizes that delicious cone taste.







Ingredients
Toaster Waffle
Ice Cream
Toppings (optional)

Directions                               Preheat Toaster Oven to 400°F
In a pre-heated toaster oven, BAKE (do NOT toast) the waffle directly on the wire rack. The purpose is to crisp the waffle throughout, not just on its surface. In my toaster oven, this takes about seven minutes.

Serve
Topped with Ice Cream, flavor of your choice
Enhanced with toppings, as may be desired

;^)

Chocolate Sundae Syrup

This recipe, the one our Mom used, produces, hands-down, the best-tasting chocolate sundae syrup I have ever enjoyed. I've been making it, myself, for nearly a half century. This sauce has a rich chocolate flavor and, despite the sugar, still retains a hint of dark chocolate overtones. And it's pretty simple to make.

Ingredients
1  Cup Hershey's Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
4  Cups Granulated Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Salt

2  Cups Water
1  Teaspoon Vanilla

Directions
1. In a suitably-sized saucepan, combine first three (dry) ingredients thoroughly. Mixing the powder into the sugar helps it to dissolve when the water is added in the next step.
2. Add Water and Vanilla and stir to mix well.
3. Heat to boiling, mixing continuously.
4. Simmer for three minutes, stirring often.

Serve
Hot or cold, over ice cream or whatever comes to mind
Mix into hot or cold milk

Store
In refrigerator.

;^)

Sesame Ramen Noodle Salad

While I am a big fan of noodles and pasta in soups and sauce dishes, I have never much cottoned to pasta salads. Macaroni salad, to me, has always just ... felt sad. Still, there has always been one pasta salad that I liked. Not just liked, but really liked: Sesame Noodles.
There are a wide variety of recipes for sesame noodles. Many use peanut butter or a similar nut or vegetable base. This recipe does not.

Ingredients
2  3-ounce packages of Ramen Noodles (optional flavor choice)
2  Tablespoons of toasted Sesame Oil
¼ Cup Soy Sauce
2  Tablespoons Brown Sugar (optional light, dark, or even
    granulated sugar)
2  Cups Water (Organic, non-GMO, gluten-free water is best.)

Optional Ingredients
Rice Vinegar
Vegetable Oil
Toasted Sesame Seeds

Preparation
A. In a saucepan add 1 Ramen Flavor Packet to 2 Cups of water.
B. Bring water to boil.
C. (Optional) Break up noodle blocks. (Best done before you open the wrapper.)
D. Add 2 packages of Ramen Noodles to boiling water. Be sure all noodles are in direct contact with water (the reason you might want to break up the noodle blocks). Boil for 3 Minutes.
E. In a bowl, mix Brown Sugar, Soy Sauce, and Sesame Oil together.
F. Add cooked Noodles to Sugar-Soy mixture, stir together.
G. (Optional) Sprinkle with toasted Sesame Seeds.

Enjoy warm.

Wikimedia Commons

For a cold salad, prepare as above, adding 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil and 1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar to the Soy-Sugar Mix. Chill prepared noodles, covered, in refrigerator.

Serves one. Or four.

;^)