What to do with two boxes of Macaroni?

Question

My co-workers husband works for a pasta company and today she brought in two big boxes of macaroni in cute shapes, now I don't know what to make with them. They are like pirate ships and stuff like that. This is just macaroni, plain, no cheese.

I don't eat much pasta so I have no recipes. What would you all suggest?

Answer 1

MAC N CHEESE (OF COURSE!)

1 (7-ounce) box (2 cups) uncooked dried elbow macaroni
1/4 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups LAND O LAKES® Milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (8-ounce) package (2 cups) LAND O LAKES® Cheddar Cheese, cubed 1/2 inch
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
1 tablespoon LAND O LAKES® Butter, melted
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley


Heat oven to 350°F. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain. Meanwhile, melt 1/4 cup butter in 3-quart saucepan until sizzling; stir in flour. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth and bubbly (1 minute). Add milk and salt. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened (3 to 4 minutes). Stir in cooked macaroni and cheese. Spoon into ungreased 2-quart casserole. Stir together all remaining ingredients in small bowl; sprinkle over macaroni and cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through and golden brown.
TIP: For a gourmet flavor, stir in 3 ounces cubed cream cheese and 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard with the milk.


MACARONI SALAD

5 cups elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
1 cup Miracle Whip (I usually add more)
1 cup chopped red bell peppers
1 cup chopped cucumbers
1 (8 ounce) package cheddar cheese, cubed (I sometimes use colby/jack)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Mix ingredients until well blended; refrigerate.
I usually make this a day ahead so that the flavors meld.
Before serving, i usually add more Miracle Whip.

CASHEW CHICKEN CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
3 cups cubed cooked chicken
1/2 cup cubed process American cheese
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 (8 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 1/3 cups milk
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
2/3 cup crushed saltine crackers
3/4 cup cashew halves

DIRECTIONS
In a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish, layer the first seven ingredients in the order listed. In a bowl, combine the soups, milk and broth. Pour over water chestnuts. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Toss butter and cracker crumbs; sprinkle over casserole. Top with cashews.
Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until macaroni is tender.

MINESTRONE SOUP

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 (14 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 cups water
1 (15 ounce) can baby peas
1 cup finely chopped carrots
1 (14 ounce) can chopped spinach, drained
1 beef bouillon cube
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

DIRECTIONS
Place the beef, onion, and garlic in a skillet over medium heat. Cook until beef is evenly brown and onion is tender. Drain grease.
Transfer beef, onion, and garlic to a large pot. Mix in tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, peas, carrots, spinach, bouillon cube, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and cook 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add more water or tomato sauce as needed.
Stir macaroni into the soup. Season with Italian seasoning. Continue cooking 10 minutes, or until macaroni is tender.

Answer 2

Here a couple of guidelines. When you have pastas with little crevices, a thinner sauce with very small or forkable sized ingredients is best.

So you could do a marinara with parmesan cheese. The sauce can be thinned slightly to enter the little crevices and the cheese will get in there too.

If you like vegetables with your pasta, you could add steamed broccoli, zuchinni, halved cherry tomatoes...etc to your marinara.

A nice pesto would also work well.

If you want meat, make sure it's forkable. Meaning it's about the same size as the pasta so that you can poke it and the pasta for well balanced bites.

Answer 3

boil the macaroni, fry some bacon crispy. get two large cans of whole tomatoes, open the cans, mash up the tomatoes, get a large package of Colby style cheese. slice up the cheese and layer the macaroni then put tomatoes over the macaroni and then the cheese, and then the bacon. repeat the layers, add salt and pepper to each layer. Back in oven for 30 to 45 minutes make sure the oven is pre heated.

Answer 4

Cook the macaroni until it's 2/3 done and bake it in a dish in the oven covered with tomato sauce minced beef and cheese, like a manicotti.

Answer 5

Add some milk, butter and Velveeta cheese to noodles( after boiling them as per box directions). Or you could add a jar of spaghetti sauce, or add some peppers and seasoning and some dressing of your choice and chill for some pasta salad. Or you could add them to some soup that would be good with noodles. If you have kids around you could do art projects with them too!

Answer 6

Mix some extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil together, and pour over hot cooked macaroni. Season with S/P to taste.

Simple and delish!

Answer 7

ok. be thankful for it!!! I would take great advantage of this, as we are pasta eaters in my house!! ok, plain psta? have kids?? plain with a little garlic / margiarine, with a pinch of salt and parmesan cheese is a great comfort food, and easy, too! add peas and some sliced , grilled chicken, makes a great meal. look in allrecipes. com for awesome pasta recipes. chicken casserole, or tuna casserole comes to mind when I read your question, though.

Answer 8

Those unusual shapes are to interest small kids at mealtime. Serve topped with homemade or Jar sauce and grated cheese. I like Classico brand tomato & basil flavor best. Add meat if you like.

Answer 9

My kids love Pasta with just a little bit of butter on it and nothing else. Use it like you would spaghetti, add a meat sauce or alfredo sauce.

Answer 10

What about tuna casserole, or cold tuna salad?

Tuna Salad:
Noodles
Tuna
Mayo
Celery
Sweet Peas
Onion
mushroom

Not sure what the name of this one is but:
Noodles
mozz cheese (cubed)
italian dressing
green pepper
onion
celery
carrot
summer sausage
cucumber
cherry tomato

Both are very good...

Answer 11

Hello:

You could make goulash with all of that macaroni or some macaroni salad.