I had an epiphany while surfing the web last Friday. I was reading my favorite blogs and stumbled upon Sweetnicks which had a post about Pasta With Chicken Sausage and Broccoli. Cate wrote about cooking this meal which is nutritious and delicious but easy for a family on the go. With only six ingredients, three of which I had on hand, two I could easily switch to something I had on hand, and one that was fairly inexpensive, I made a plan. I hear many people say that they sometimes will make main dishes for their families on the weekends so the weeknights are less stressful but the food is still up to their standards. I thought that since I am almost always only cooking for myself, I should try this, but instead of cooking many dishes, one or two would suffice to last me at least three days throughout the week. I don’t mind repetition when it comes to food, especially if it means an easier meal and more money in my pocket. I decided to try this recipe out for myself.
I dedicated Sunday night to be my cook-for-the-week night. I gathered all the ingredients (including my sustitutes) and went to town. Note: picture quality is lacking because I haven’t exactly informed all of my roommates that I have a blog (I don’t really know why, I’m just kind of shy about it I guess), so I tried to hide the camera as I took pictures. I really should just tell them. Anyway, this is what I began with.
I used chicken instead of chicken sausage, only because I had it on hand. I’m sure the sausage would taste a lot better, but again, I’m doing this to save time and money. I also used mostaccioli instead of rigatoni which I also had on hand. Instead of buying a head of broccoli, I bought a bag of already cut broccoli so I can use it as a side dish with other meals. The rest I used straight from the recipe. The onion is in a bag because I chop one up and use it throughout the week in tuna, wraps, pasta, etc. until it runs out. One onion lasts a long time when cooking for one.
What I really liked about this dish is that it only involves one pot and one pan. We don’t have a dishwasher, so easy cleanup is very important to me when cooking. After I finished cooking it, I transferred it straight into a large storage container. I didn’t even eat if for supper! I stole a quick bite which was very tasty, and then made myself a tuna sandwich with pepperoni. I added the pepperoni because I was feeling ambitious, and it was actually very good.
And there you have it. If you liked the looks of this, head over to Sweetnicks for the recipe. Because this recipe made so much I probably can live off of it for four days! I’ll see if I get sick of it. I have lots of options to switch it up though, so I’m sure I’ll be fine. There are always roommates to feed, as well. How many of you cook your meals ahead of time? Any suggestions? I hope everyone had a great weekend!
This post is a part of Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam.
That looks great! As I cook 5-6 nights a week, I am always looking for good and easy recipes – this one looks like a winner.
delicious! I love chicken, pasta and broccoli, and that it only uses one pan!
MMMM that looks good. You could always freeze individual portions in baggies. Some sun dried tomatoes would be good in that too. Wow, making me hungry!