This is your chance to throw together a really quick microwave original that's really delicious and shamefully easy to prepare.
Ingredient amounts are approximate. Use what's on hand that looks right.
You can use (and I have used) almost any pasta you like for this dish, including fettucini, vermicelli or even any of the vast selection of raviolis. The packaged refrigerated pastas are easy to use, and seem a little fresher than frozen. I like the smaller tortelloni shell because it folds into the sauce gracefully.
Boil your pasta until done, perhaps 8 minutes for the prepackaged varieties. Add the can of mushrooms about a minute before draining the pasta; this preheats the mushrooms. Add drained pasta and mushrooms to your casserole bowl. Then, in no particular order:
Microwave your frozen spinach, drain (if you added too much water), and add to the bowl . You can get too clever with extra ingredients and seasonsings; I like to stop there.
Gentle fold in about 2/3 jar of Alfredo sauce with a wooden spatula. At this point you are really done. For an extra touch you can top with slices of mild white cheese such as monterey jack.
The dish should still be plenty hot enough to serve without additional heating. A quick trip to the oven to lightly brown the cheese topping might be an added touch if you are careful not to dry out the casserole.
Why is this even called a casserole if baking is not really required? The pyrex bowl will allow rewarming leftovers, if any, for a second or third day for a single diner. The lid is a handy way to cover for refrigeration until the next day.
You can also substitute other vegetables for the spinach though I have found spinach is the most natural "fit". Green peas and pearll onions are nice, though they do tend to oversadow the delicate flavors of the other ingredients.
Hint: A part-empty jar of Alfredo sauce is only good for a few days after opening. Spoon leftover sauce into a small closed microwave container and freeze.
Serves 2-3 with or without a side dish. Garlic bread is a nice side. Enjoy!
1-1-2007
