Pasta is a very popular item to serve, both as a meal and as a side dish. Many easy chicken recipes can be made with pasta, and it is also a stand-alone dinner item that is often served with various bread recipes. Different sauces can be added to change the taste, and you can include nearly any vegetable as well. Simple preparations include things such as spaghetti and meatballs and macaroni and cheese, whereas more complex meals include dishes such as lasagna or ravioli. Easy chicken recipes that can be made without a lot of fuss are things like casserole dishes and pasta salad.

Cooking pasta is fairly easy to do if you keep some basic tips in mind. Always follow the directions on the package for best results, and employ some of the following for additional help if you need it:

• Make sure that you are using a lot of water so that the pasta doesn't stick together when boiling.
• Stir pasta frequently while cooking; again to help keep it from sticking together.
• Don't overcook the pasta. Check it at about eight minutes to see if it is done.
• Drain right away when the pasta is cooked to the right consistency.
• You can add sauce and toss with the pasta or plate it and then add sauce; it is a matter of preference. It can help to go light on the sauce and serve extra at the table so that people can adjust the amount accordingly.
• Many pastas go well with grated cheese. You may want to serve some on the side so that people can add if they like. Grated Parmesan or Romano are both good choices.

Sauce options that are very popular include the following:

• Marinara--a simple red sauce.
• Meat sauce--red sauce with beef.
• Alfredo sauce--white, creamy sauce.
• Olive oil and garlic.

There are many other sauce options as well. You can find recipes for tomato cream sauce, vodka sauce and many others on our site. You may also want to look at our garlic bread recipes to see if you can find one you would like to try with a pasta dish. They go very well together. Other bread recipes that are delicious with pasta include bruschetta and fresh, warm rolls.

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