A few weeks ago I tried this recipe for dinner. It was delicious… well I thought it was delicious. The Father Figure also thought it was delicious and so one child. The other three however, refused to try more than a single mouthful.
I may have lost my mind at that point… just a little bit.
I NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING OTHER THAN MEAT BALLS OR SAUSAGES FOR DINNER!!!!!!
I know I am asking for a lot, I know change is not always easy, but for the love of all things sane and healthy I need to eat something different! I get sick of cooking the same thing over and over again, I get sick of eating it, and I get sick of hearing the same complaints.
From that moment on I became obsessed. I had a mission to add two new dinner recipes to our winter rotation. Two new dinners that everyone would eat.
I trawled the interwebs, went back through all the recipes I’d pinned to my Main Meals board on pinterest, and I almost gave up. It’s hard to even come up with ideas that might, possibly, maybe, in my wildest dreams, be easy to cook, fit within our budget and be liked by all four of my stubborn kids, but I did it.
Yep, I did it. I have come up with one new recipe that is quick and easy, budget friendly, and everyone likes it!
I know, it’s amazing… and I’m sharing my secret recipe with you all here today. May you have as much success with my Pizza Pasta Bake as I have!
- One 500 gm packet of penne pasta -more or less depending on how many people you are serving
- A little olive oil
- One 400 gm tin of crushed tomatoes
- 125 gms salami
- 1 capsicum – diced
- Olives – sliced
- Garlic – to taste
- Mixed herbs
- 2 cups of grated cheese
- Cook your pasta as you would normally.
- While the pasta is cooking heat a little olive in a pan and add as much or as little garlic as you like. Then add the diced capsicum and let it sizzle for a while.
- Add the salami (we use a mild danish salami but use any type you like), sliced olives and the tin of tomatoes. Let it all simmer gentle on the stove while the pasta cooks.
- Meanwhile grease a large baking dish and pop your oven on at a moderate temperature to warm up.
- When the pasta is cooked drain it well and add half the pasta along with half the sauce and about half a cup of cheese to the baking dish and mix gentle till combined. Then add the rest of the pasta, sauce and another half cup of cheese.
- When it is all well combined sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese on the top and bake in the oven until it is bubbling and the cheese has just begun to brown.
- Serve with crusty bread!
I am amazed at how much this pasta dish really does taste like pizza… it’s very odd, but good none the less. My recipe is based, very loosely, on this one from Moms With Crock Pots. I didn’t use a crock pot but you could if you wanted to.
This recipe makes enough for six hungry people with enough left over for one lunch the next day.
Of course you can also put in whatever pizza-ish ingredients you like. Personally I would swap the olives for mushrooms but I know that wouldn’t go down well with half my family so I am taking one for the team and putting up with the olives!
Have you attempted to add any ‘new dinners’ to your repertoire lately? Have you had any success?
I’d love to hear about your never fail, everyone will eat it, meal ideas!
Well done on finding a winner! I am so over trying to please every single member of the family. Sadly at the moment it’s the adults that are missing out as we do less complaining. I need some inspiration in the kitchen at the moment and keep meaning to increase the repertoire…
We go for majority rules here… I hardly ever manage to please everyone but if more kids eat it than don’t it stays! LOL
Do you think pineapple would work?
Personally I think pineapple should stay as far away from anything pizzery as possible… but if you don’t share my disgust I am sure pineapple would be fine! ;)
oh, i am liking this one thanks Kate…I too have been having the same struggles and am trying to only cook one meal for dinner now instead of different for the twins but goodness that has narrowed the field an awful lot….Bit over mince…and mine won’t even eat sausages!
I made this one last night but didn’t have any salami so substituted bacon. Husband two oldest and I loved it, but 4 yo twins weren’t so fussed. Twin 2 likes her pasta with creamed cheese and that is about it. I will be makin this again. Thanks for the recipe.