If you’re looking for the easiest recipe for a one pot dinner ever, here it is. No measuring!
World’s Easiest One-pot Meal
This was the first meal I ever cooked for Jess. We were helping lead a school trip in the Okefenokee Swamp when I saw what she had in her foodbag. Nothing but packages of dried soup, pretzel sticks, wasibi peas, and other unmentionables. That wouldn’t do, so I said I would just take care of the food. Since then we’ve probably eaten this a hundred times. We take this on every trip.
Eyeball measurements are fine. Most of the time I’m lucky if I can find my spoon much less measure anything.
World’s Easiest One-pot Meal (serves two)
12 ounces of pasta (any kind, we like the tri-colored twist type)
4 ounces or so of Italian dressing (about half a small bottle)
3 ounces of cheese (whatever you have. We use cheddar and parmesan)
1 small onion
3-4 carrots, chopped
1 small can of pineapple chunks
salt and pepper to taste
green onions
Whatever else you want to throw in (nuts, spices, garlic, chicken, etc)
In a 2-liter or larger pot, boil the pasta until soft. Don’t overcook, and watch to make sure it doesn’t boil over. Drain the pasta and return to the pot. (Hint: cut the bottom four inches off a one-gallon milk jug and stab some holes into the bottom. Voila—Instant strainer!) Dice up the cheese, onion, carrots and dump in. Open the can of pineapple, drink the juice, and then stir in the chunks. Add whatever else you have on hand. Stir in the Italian dressing. Eat until you see the bottom of the pot. Burp. Go enjoy the sunset.
What about the meat? Vegatarian meal I presume. Sounds good. Thanks.
You can make this any way you want! I’ll often add a packet of tuna, chicken, or ham to this, but most often just use pasta with a bunch of random veggies. Thanks for the comment.
-JP
Meats are easy enough to add. I often add a tin of tuna, chicken, or ham to this dish. Really, just throw whatever you have in there and it usually works out fine.