Cook the spaghetti. While it’s cooking, in a 12 inch frying pan (preferably non-stick), melt a tablespoon of butter and add a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Add some minced garlic, a couple of shakes of dried basil, a couple of shakes of dried oregano, and a couple (or more) shakes of dried red pepper flakes. Heat until the garlic is cooked but not brown. Shut off the heat.
Drain the spaghetti, get the heat going in the frying pan again until hot. Dump the spaghetti into the frying pan and flip it, letting it sit on the heat for 10 secs or so between flips. Add some parmesan cheese and keep flipping and heating until the cheese just starts to melt.
If you’re flush, add some raw peeled shrimp at the beginning of the saute, or cooked shrimp when you add the spaghetti.
I don’t see why not, but I don’t own a rice cooker and don’t see the point of one. I just use a non-stick pot and basmati rice, which comes out perfect every time.
The place where I take woodworking classes uses old rice cookers to produce steam for bentwood projects.
Take some orzo pasta or simply break spaghetti into short (half inch) pieces. Saute in butter in the bottom of a pot until golden brown. Add rice and water/stock/salt and cook normally. WHen it’s done you’ve got rice pilaf. Yum!
Minced garlic, garlic powder - those are for sissies.
For really razzing up your pasta, use chunks of garlic in the sauce, that have been sauteed or steamed. And find the good spicy garlic varieties, not the pablum sold in the supermarket.
And of course it is difficult to use too much basil.
Pesto. Fresh is best, but for quick-and-easy I buy the jarred stuff from the refrigerated section at Costco (the Kirkland house brand). It freezes well for longer storage, too. A tablespoonful mixed into a bowl of pasta is great!
Easy?
Take white rice and one of those foil packets of Indian sauces that you can get at Trader Joe’s, eg kadhi pakora or palek paneer, for $2. Drop the pouch in the water while you boil the rice.
Or
Cut up some chunks of pork or chicken thighs and stir fry in soy sauce, Indonesian kecap manis, a splash of lemon juice and chopped ginger. Ladle over rice.
Crushed red pepper makes any pasta taste better, but consider changing your pasta from spaghetti to another form. I find the smaller pastas to be more enjoyable to eat. The price is going to be roughly the same, .99 for a box is the current standard in the Chicagoland area and I’d imagine it doesn’t differ too greatly throughout the USA.
I’d look at rigatoni, elbows, or rotini before spaghetti pasta. The smaller shape holds the pasta sauce very well. Pasta sauce is often on sale for .99 or 1.50 at many grocery stores. I like to add oregeno, basil, and crushed peppers. Mushrooms are also a good idea if you like them.
Saute some garlic and onion in olive oil. Add uncooked rice and some vermicelli broken into half-inch pieces, saute until they’re just turning golden then add a can of crushed tomatoes and juice. Simmer until the rice is done - may need to add some more water. Homemade rice-a-roni. It’s also nice with some ground beef added in at the beginning.
Yeah, adding Parmesan has always been standard for me with spaghetti. In fact I’ll sometimes just eat cold spaghetti noodles with powdered Parmesan on them; it’s simple, tasty, and cooling as a lunch on a hot day.
Patak’s mango pickle (or another brand) for your rice. Find it in the “ethnic” section of the grocery store with the other Indian stuff.
Mizithra cheese and butter for your pasta.
I second the pesto idea for pasta. There are so many kinds of sauces you can get (or make) these days, that you can change up the pasta a lot and not get bored for a while.
Alla panna sauce is simple. You just heat some cream with meats and/or vegetables. Stir in some parmesan if you like, or just sprinkle on top. Bacon, ham, pancetta, prosciutto, are all good, you can add diced onions and crushed garlic raw if you have time to heat it for a while, or saute them in butter and stir into the sauce. Pour over pasta, works well with things like penne, shells, tortellini, gnocchi, but it’s fine with any pasta.
If you’re looking to replace the Velveeta block, you can buy a small package of the individually wrapped squares. I have been known to melt a square over my macaroni. Last night I had bow ties with one can of crushed tomatoes, seasoned to my liking, and a small package of creamed spinach. I sprinkled some mozzarella on top and baked it long enough to brown the cheese.