Budget-friendly pasta delight: Delicious meals made easy

When I want to prepare a quick and affordable dinner, I often turn to this recipe. It might sound like a student's favorite dish, but it's something the whole family can enjoy. Even the kids won't have complaints. Plus, you can use up any leftovers from the fridge.

The base of this dish is pasta. While the recipe recommends spirals, feel free to use whichever type you have in your cabinet. Just avoid using very tiny noodles. The next ingredient is hot dogs, which you can substitute with sausage. Adding canned tomatoes and yellow cheese gives the dish an Italian flair.

Hot dogs and sausage are not meats frequently recommended by dietitians. However, even experts acknowledge that their composition is the most crucial factor. They should simply contain as much meat as possible. This way, they provide more nutritional value and fewer calories, making them acceptable for occasional enjoyment. Hot dogs generally have a long shelf life. Perhaps you bought them before the holidays for breakfast, and they’ve been sitting in the fridge? In that case, cook some pasta, and you'll have a quick dinner ready in no time.

Ingredients:

• 5 oz pasta spirals,
• 3-4 hot dogs,
• half an onion,
• a can of diced tomatoes,
• a piece of yellow cheese,
• several mushrooms,
• salt and pepper, and paprika to taste,
• parsley for garnish.

Instructions:

1. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
2. Peel and chop the onion, and sauté it in a bit of oil.
3. Add peeled and chopped mushrooms, and sauté them.
4. Add hot dogs sliced into rings.
5. Pour canned tomatoes over everything and add the pasta.
6. Mix and season to taste.
7. Serve the dish with grated cheese and garnish with parsley.