Skip to content

COLUMNS: A quick and easy gourmet, macaroni dish

In our busy work-a-day-world, we sometimes don’t have a lot of time to cook dinner.

In our busy work-a-day-world, we sometimes don’t have a lot of time to cook dinner.

That’s when macaroni from a package comes in handy because it’s quick and most people don’t burn boiling water to cook the macaroni.

I ate a lot of macaroni years ago, because it was so easy to make and most recipes don’t take long to cook.

In fact, I think I had about 30 different recipes I made up at the time and  best of all it was fast.

Cook the macaroni, throw in some cream cheese and some tomatoes and voila, dinner was ready.

Many other macaroni recipes do take some time but it’s not like these are gourmet dishes that take some time to prepare.

I wish I had this recipe during the ‘macaroni’ days.

It is quick, easy and great for people who don’t have a lot of extra time to prepare an evening dinner.

One Dish Meal

• Four potatoes sliced

• Two onions sliced

• Three carrots sliced

• One cup frozen peas

• One pound small pork sausage

• 10-ounce tin for condensed tomato soup

• A couple of tomatoes sliced and diced

• One package of macaroni

• Soup can of water

Peel and thinly slice potatoes, carrots, onions and tomato.

Layer half of each vegetable in a two-quart casserole then add in macaroni. Repeat.

Spread peas over top.

Arrange sausages over peas.

If you first prick and boil the sausages for about five minutes much of the fat is removed.

Mix soup and water together, pour over ingredients in casserole and cover.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for one hour.

Remove lid, turn sausages and bake uncovered for another hour until the vegetables are tender. Serves four.

Casseroles are among the easiest of all dishes to make and because there is little effort  involved they are a very popular family fare.

Ever tightening schedules for homemakers and their families have resulted in a need for meals with little preparation, even though this dish takes two hours in the oven it only takes 15 minutes of preparation.

Bye for now and GOOOOD COOKING.

Ken Wilson is a freelance columnist with the Tribune/Weekend Advisor.