Penne al Salsa di Pomodoro e Aglio

Don't be scared of the fancy-sounding name.  This is but some fancy macaroni I whipped up using what's in my pantry, which was some leftover Tomato Garlic Dip, good ol' Corned Beef and grated Parmesan.  I think this is a good choice if you're short on time and want something quick and easy both on skills and on the pocket. 

PENNE AL SALSA DI POMODORO EL AGLIO (Penne in Tomato Garlic Sauce)

What's In It?

500 g. Penne Rigate, cooked according to package directions
200 g. (one jar) of Tomato Garlic Dip
200 g. (one can) of Corned Beef
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced
half a head of garlic, peeled and mashed
3 tablespoons cooking oil
1/8 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon oregano (optional)

Kitchen Conjugations:

Heat cooking oil over medium heat in a wok or a deep non-stick pan.  Saute onions for one minute or until soft and translucent, then add garlic and continue sauteing for about 30 seconds.  Add in the corned beef. Stir fry for about a minute, then season with salt, pepper and oregano (if using). Stir in the tomato garlic dip, let boil then bring heat down to let the mixture simmer for one and a half minutes.

Add in the cooked penne. Pour in the olive oil and toss the mixture to allow even distribution and coating.  Check and adjust seasonings.

Top with parmesan cheese.  Serve while hot.

Note:  You can also add sliced mushrooms and finely-diced red bell peppers when the corned beef is half-cooked, then stir-fry for another 30 seconds before adding in the tomato garlic dip.

Saucy Breakfast Hotdogs

My mom was the Queen of Up-cycling and Re-purposing.  She had mastered the art of 'disguising' and 're-presenting' leftovers so that they are still welcomed at the dining table and eaten with gusto (or unknowingly, hahaha!) such that no food is wasted nor thrown away.  

Saucy Breakfast Hotdogs is one such upcycled dish.  Its recent outing in our home was in the morning after my little boy's birthday party, because we had leftover cocktail hotdogs and I had a considerable stash of repacked tomato catsup, leftover from take-outs and food deliveries. (That's another habit I got from my mom-- stashing repacked condiments for later, specifically for baon or picnics or anywhere bringing condiments in bottles is impractical.)

Apart from taking away the monotony of fried food, the sauce in this dish acts as an extender, allowing the dish to feed more people, making it a good choice for budget-conscious moms!

SAUCY BREAKFAST HOTDOGS

What's In It?

15-20 pieces cooked cocktail hotdogs or 5-6 pieces cooked regular hotdogs, sliced into 3s
5-6 sachets tomato catsup (or 5-6 tablespoons tomato catsup)
2 tablespoons cooking oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and mashed
1 small onion, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup water
pepper and salt to taste

Kitchen Conjugations:

Heat cooking oil over medium heat in a wok or deep pan. Saute garlic and onion for one and a half minutes or until the onion slices become soft and translucent.  Add in the hotdogs and stir fry for a minute.  Pour in the water and the catsup, stir to combine.  Let boil then lower heat to allow the mixture to simmer for one minute.  Check and adjust seasonings.

Serve hot with steamed rice.  Enjoy!

Note:  Boiled eggs, peeled then halved or quartered, may be used instead of hotdogs.