Quick and tasty dinner:Pasta and 2 sauce alternatives!

Hello there! Moi! Aloha! :)

I know,it looks as if I've abandoned the blog .I can't believe it's almost 2 months since I last posted something. My excuse for the lack of content is : a) I traveled to Finland in July-August for a little over 2 weeks and b) I've been in a post-vacation sad mood ever since I got back .

It was a lovely WWOOF-ing experience in Southern Finland,but this is post is not going to be about that.If you want me to dedicate an article to my volunteering experience(and how you can travel very cheap  in exchange for volunteering),please do let me know !

Today's article is about pasta and 2 delicious sauces that you can prepare in under 15 minutes .I don't know what it is about pasta but I'm sure you've noticed that people of all ages love it,including kids(and you know how hard it is to get kids to eat ).

The pasta I use for these sauces is either gnocchi or fusilli.Of course you can also use ditalini,gomiti,penne rigate or any other exotic sounding pasta you can find :) I don't recommend spaghetti or any thin type of pasta.

I'm a tomato person.I love tomatoes to death and I used to eat pasta only with tomato sauce but  today's recipes are for "white" sauces.

A. Alfredo sauce

200 ml milk (200 ml lapte)
1/2 tbsp butter (1 lingura unt)
1/2 tbsp all purpose flour (1/2 lingura faina)
3 tbsp grated hard cheese (3 linguri cascaval ras)
2 garlic cloves,minced (2 catei de usturoi,tocati marunt)
a pinch of salt and ground black pepper (sare si piper dupa gust)

Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour,stirring constantly.(Topiti untul la foc mediu.Adaugati faina,amestecand constant.)
Gradually add the milk,stirring constantly.(Adaugati laptele gradual,amestecand constant)
Add the grated hard cheese,minced garlic,salt and pepper and let it simmer for 2 more minutes.(Adaugati cascavalul ras,usturoiul tocat,sare si piper si lasati amestecul la foc mic inca 2 minute)

B.Mushroom sauce

3 tbsp butter (3 linguri unt)
1 onion,minced (1 ceapa uscata,tocata marunt)
2 cloves garlic,minced( 2 catei de usturoi,tocati marunt)
115 grams fresh mushrooms,sliced ( 115 g ciuperci proaspete,taiate)
1/2 tsp dried basil( 1/2 lingurita busuioc uscat)
1/4 tsp salt (1/4 lingurita sare)
1/8 tsp ground black pepper (1/8 lingurita piper macinat)
30 g all purpose flour(30 g faina)
250 ml milk( 250 ml lapte)

Melt the butter over medium heat.Add the onion and garlic and saute about 3-5 minutes until the onion is translucent.Add mushrooms,basil,salt and pepper and saute 5 to 10 more minutes.(Topiti untul la foc mediu.Adaugati ceapa si usturoiul si caliti 3-5 minute pana cand ceapa devine translucida.Adaugati ciupercile,busuiocul,sarea si piperul si lasati amestecul pe foc inca 5-10 minute.)

Remove pan from the heat and add the flour.Gradually add milk,stirring constantly.(Luati vasul de pe foc si adaugati faina.Adaugati laptele gradual,amestecand constant)

Return the pan to heat until sauce thickens and comes to a boil.Reduce heat and let it simmer for 2 more minutes.(Readuceti vasul pe foc si lasati-l pana cand sosul se ingroasa si da in clocot.Dati focul mai mic si mai lasati-l la foc inca 2 minute)



Bon appetit !