Food Storage Friday: Rosa Pasta with Soda Bread

This is the first in a weekly series where we will share recipes that are only made with nonperishables. As Latter-day Saints we have been asked to store a three-month supply of food, but a food storage isn't only important for members of the Church, it is important for everyone. You never know when the primary breadwinner will lose a job, or another emergency will come up where money will be tight. The last thing you want to worry about is feeding your family. One struggle with food storage is finding recipes that don't use milk, eggs, or other perishable items. These recipes are easy, budget friendly and food storage friendly.


Tonight's dinner is Rosa Pasta with Soda Bread.



The ingredients!


The original recipe for soda bread had to be modified since it called for buttermilk, we are going to use powdered milk and sour it with vinegar. Two tablespoons of vinegar and add enough milk to make two cups.


Make this first so it can sit while you get the rest ready.


The really nice thing about this bread is that it requires no rising, so you can make it right before you start the pasta and it will be done when you're ready for dinner.


The sauce is a mix between equal amounts of Alfredo sauce and marinara sauce. The amount you mix depends upon the size of your family, or how much you like to eat pasta. You can use spaghetti sauce or plain canned tomato sauce. If you use tomato sauce be sure to spice it up a little. I used basil, oregano, pizza seasonings (or parsley would be good) and garlic powder. You can even add a pinch of red pepper flakes to give it a little kick!


Your sauce should be a creamy orange or red color (hence the name "Rosa").


To make the sauce really creamy try this: instead of draining your noodles with a colander, use a slotted spoon and transfer the pasta directly into the serving dish. Add the sauce, and the starchy water that came into the bowl with the pasta will make the dish really creamy.

Any pasta can be used with this dish, that is the beauty of it. Penne is my favorite, but I use whatever I have on hand. Today I had shells and rigatoni!


Add a can (or more) of vegetables for a side and you have a delicious, hearty meal made completely from food storage. Enjoy!

Recipes:
Rosa Pasta (adapted from Hannah's recipe)

1-1/2 cups tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce
1-1/2 cups alfredo sauce
pasta
spices and herbs (if using tomato sauce)

1. Cook pasta according to package directions
2. Mix sauces together and heat
3. Drain water from noodles and add to sauce, mixing until pasta is all covered
4. Serve while hot

Mummy's Brown Soda Bread (adapted from Cooking Light)

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1-1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 cups buttermilk*
cooking spray
*Made from powdered milk and white vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Follow instructions on your powdered milk package to make 2 cups of milk. Pour one cup of milk into a measuring cup and add 2 tablespoons of vinegar, then add more milk to equal two cups. Let sit.
3. Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Make a well in the center of mixture. Add buttermilk to flour mixture; stir until blended (dough will be sticky). Turn dough out onto a generously floured surface; knead lightly 4 to 5 times. Shape dough into an 8-inch round loaf; place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cut a 1/4-inch-deep X in the top of the dough.
4. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400 (do not remove bread from oven); bake 15 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.