Adventures in Gluten (and Sugar) Freedom from a southern blogger chick!

Friday, May 2, 2008

For the kids - Beefaroni

When I was growing up (who am I kidding, until last year when I went GF) I loved Chef-Boy-r-Dee Beefaroni. I know, it's heresy for an Italian to admit that. But I did. That stuff is unhealthy and fat filled. But I loved it.

Today, I discovered another use for Tinkyada Elbow Macaroni -- you can add it straight to hot spaghetti sauce (without pre-cooking the pasta) and in a few minutes -- Beefaroni!

Jeffrey ate two bowls, and I didn't do so badly myself.

Here's the secret: While your spaghetti sauce is still simmering (small bubbles on the sides of the pan) add two cups of UNCOOKED Tinkyada elbows or fusili. Stir carefully to coat all the pasta, cover it tightly, and turn the sauce to low.

In a matter of 20 minutes, you will have perfectly cooked pasta in your sauce.

Now, here's the real secret of the faux beefaroni....I did this IN MY CROCKPOT.

This morning, I put on a pot of my Lazy Spaghetti Sauce -- since I use only the four percent lean Laura's Organic Beef, it cooks in the Crockpot without needing to be drained. I added onions, mushrooms, the raw beef, a container of pesto sauce, and a jar of non-HFCS spaghetti sauce and set it all to simmer high. I turned it down to simmer low after four hours, and it was quite loose and soupy.

At 4 p.m., when I left to get Jeffrey, I added two cups of Tinkyada elbows, and stirred. By the time we got home at about 5 p.m., it was beautifully cooked.

You non-GF folks, you don't have the benefit of doing this, but it's almost worth buying some Tinkyada to try it. Seriously healthy beefaroni -- no additives, no HFCS, low fat. All it needed was a sprinkle of low-fat cheese.

I know you GF folks know how versatile Tinkyada is, but this is crazy easy. No browning. No boiling. Just stir it. Yay!

Much love, and try it. You'll like it. I mean it.

Ging

5 comments:

Mimi said...

Hi!
I found your blog through Foodbuzz, whilst looking up other food bloggers in GA. Although I live in CO, I was born and raised in Savannah, GA.
I think your blog is great and it's nice to run into a fellow Georgian in the food blog world.
Do you know of any other Georgia food bloggers?

Mimi

Sarah said...

Ginger,
I'm going to try this on Sunday. It sounds really good! I linked back here on my weekly menu. Thanks!

Prince Andrew and the Queen Mum said...

wow thanks- will try this. found you via orgjunkie. seriously easy!

Carrie said...

hey girl!
we made this last night. OH Yum!!! How super easy and simple, and you aren't kidding, it did taste like Beef-a-Roni!!! I loved it! Michael actually said he preferred spaghetti and noodles, because he's not a huge fan of spaghetti sauce, but dang if I didn't eat two platefuls!! I LOVE this stuff! And it made a ton, so there was plenty for lunch today and even more for another lunch tomorrow!! Thanks gal!

-carrie @ www.gingerlemongirl.com

Anonymous said...

Yum! Gluten-free kids (all ages) of the world rejoice - Beefaroni is yours again! Thanks Ginger, so easy too!