When it comes to my family’s favorite foods, one of them would have to be pasta. Sometimes I use pasta in my main dishes and often do I use pasta to make delicious side dishes. In celebration of World Pasta Day today (October 25) I am sharing with you two recipes I just created the last couple days to share with you in honor of this fun foodie day. Here are the Barilla products I received to help me celebrate!
My family LOVES lasagna and I seem to be making it quite often. Normally I use noodles that I have to cook. I then make a sauce with ground beef and create a cheese layer that includes Ricotta cheese, Mozzarella cheese, an egg. This week I made lasagna a little different and I even used to no boil lasagna shells to help save a little bit of time in preparation. I made the recipe “Barilla No-Boil Lasagne with Marinara Sauce, Ground Beef and Béchamel” that can be found in the “The Modern Family Pasta Cookbook“.
Below is a picture of the recipe that I was making and then a couple pictures of the lasagna before it was put in the oven.
After it was done, I was interested to see what it tasted light and also what my kids were going to say.
The reason I was interested was the whole idea of the Béchamel sauce that I made as part of the recipe. This was different than how I normally make my lasagna, so I was hoping the kids were going to like it. When I took my first bite I knew I liked it. I was a little skeptical at first because of the no-boil noodles, but I knew to make sure they were covered in sauce when I put them in the oven so they all cooked through very well.
My daughter Hannah complimented the lasagna at the beginning of our meal. To my surprise, the kids said they like this lasagna better than how I normally cook it. They actually ate leftovers the next day. Looks like I will be making it again!
Now for the Barilla No-Boil Lasagne with Marinara Sauce, Ground Beef and Béchamel recipe:
- 1 box Barilla No-Boil Lasagne
- 1 quart milk
- 7 tablespoons butter
- 5 tablespoons flour
- Salt – to taste
- Black pepper – to taste
- 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated and divided
- 1 jar Barilla Marina Sauce
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a medium sized pot, HEAT milk. At the same time, in another similar sized pot, MELT butter and whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Slowly WHISK the warm milk into the roux, bring to a simmer and season with salt and pepper. REMOVE from heat and sir in 3/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
- Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, COOK the beef until slightly brown, add the marinara sauce and 1/2 jar of water, season with salt and pepper and simmer until it is reduced.
- SPRAY a 13×9 inch glass baking pan with cooking spray. On the bottom of the pan, PLACE 1/6 of the béchamel sauce and cover with 3 sheets of no-boil lasagne. TOP with 1/6 of the béchamel and 1/5 of the meat sauce and continue alternating with the lasagne sheets for 4 more layers.
- The final layer should be béchamel topped with sauce and the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese. BAKE for 20 minutes covered with foil, then uncovered for five for minutes or until corners are brown and bubbling.
Some Pasta Stats Time!
For many households, pasta can provide the perfect meal solution for time-limited households. Now for some pasta stats that you might not know.
- Pasta is recognized by parents and non-parents as a tasty (88%) and easy (87%) meal option and one that can be prepared using on-hand ingredients from a pantry (82%).
- Other benefits of pasta that help alleviate chaotic schedules include that it is versatile (52%), a quick go-to meal (51%) and allows for multitasking while it’s cooking (44%).
Now check out this interesting pasta infographic:
(Click the image above to see a larger image size)
I love pasta HOT and I also love to eat it COLD. I want to share with you another recipe for a pasta salad that I LOVE to make. Not only does this pasta salad taste pretty good, it is also easy to make. Take a peek below and tell me if you would take a bite.
When we BBQ and have guests over, I always like to make pasta salad. This recipe is something that is a great side dish and also serves quite a few people.
Here is my recipe for Easy Cheesey Ditalini Pasta Salad:
EAsy Cheesy Ditalini Pasta Salad Recipe
- 1 box Barilla Ditalini
- 20-30 olives (chopped)
- 8oz block cheddar cheese – cubed
- 2/3 cup sour cream
- 2/3 cup mayo
- 1/3 cup relish
- 1/3 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 tbs mustard
- Salt & Pepper – to taste
- Cook noodles per directions on the box for al dente texture, around 10 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again.
- In a bowl add sour cream, mayo, relish, salt, pepper and mustard and set aside.
- In a large bowl add noodles, olives, cheese and carrots and stir.
- Add sour cream/mayo mixture and blend well.
Barilla happens to be one my FAVORITE pasta brands. Not only do they have an awesome variety of pasta products, they are also hosting a great promotion to help feed those in need. When you visit Barilla’s Facebook page, you can “Share A Hug” to help fight hunger and reach their ultimate goal of donating 200,000 meals. The first 25,000 that “Share a Hug” will receive a product coupon and everyone gets a copy of the cookbook download.
Will you be celebrating World Pasta Day today? If yes, please leave me a comment and let me know what kind of pasta you will be eating?
“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Barilla. I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank-you for participating.”
Yum.Yum.Yum!! I could eat pasta every night!
Mmmm I love pasta!
Great recipes – thank you! We love pasta around here too. I always try to sneak in the whole grain when I can!
That is a lot of pasta! And that lasagna looks good?
We love pasta here, and I guess I will have to make some for dinner tonight!
I love, love, love pasta and can’t wait to try your recipes.
I love pasta. These recipes look great!
YUM! I’m def. going to the store so we can celebrate.
KAs
Yum — lasagna sounds so good right now!
I’m so craving pasta, too!
Every day should be pasta day.
I have to try these recipes.. they look yummy
I love pasta and Barilla is my brand of choice! I was just thinking that it’s been a while since I last made lasagna – thanks for the recipe!
Looks fantastic!
That pasta salad looks good!
The Cheesy Ditalini Pasta Salad Recipe looks amazing! My husband would enjoy it, too!
The lasagna sounds delicious…I always overcook it when I boil it, so this version may come out better for me.
Both of those look delicious. I can’t decide which one I want to try first!
I love Barilla pasta, it is THE best! Your recipe looks so yummy and I can’t wait to give it a try.
Wow, I had no idea there was such a thing as “No-boil” noodles! I LOVE lasagna but I don’t make it as often as I like because it’s a lot of prep – not having to boil the noodles would certainly save some time. I love Barilla!
I’ve been using the no-boil noodles too, for lasagna. They save a TON of time and work great as long as you have sauce on top of them!
I’m making lasagna next weekend, I love no-boil noodles so easy!
I love pasta so I was thrilled to hear about World Pasta Day. Your dishes look delicious and I can’t wait to try them and the others in the cookbook as well.
oh my deliciousness!
Yum they both look great!
That pasta salad looks so yummy!
Looks delicious!
It’s been so long since I had lazanga! I need to make some!
My favorite to eat with my homemade sauce is the rigatoni. I love all pastas thought.
I also like Pasta Salad.This recipe sounds YUMMY!
Oh my gosh I have got to try that pasta salad – that looks AWESOME!
Sidenote – I have GOT to stop blog hopping late at night… I am starving now LOL
I haven’t have Ditalini pasta salad in ages. I think I was a teenager, the last time I had it. My mother would made it often during the summer months. Yours looks like what my mom made…yum!
Barilla Pasta is really good, I want to try that lasagna recipe, thanks for posting it
sibabe64 at ptd dot net
I love pasta! Thank you for the recipes!
These look yummy!
I would definitely add less relish to the ditalini salad