From Linda Larsen,
Your Guide to Busy Cooks.
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I just love it when new ideas pop into my head. It has been awhile since the 'five ingredient recipe' theme has been the main topic here at Busy Cooks. Let's fix that today!

Pasta is a staple ingredient in my kitchen. I love all the different shapes and sizes of pasta, including dried, refrigerated, fresh, and frozen. Pasta is very easy to cook, kids and adults like it, and it can be transformed into brand new recipes using just a few ingredients.

The trick to inventing five ingredient recipes is to look for grocery items that combine several ingredients into one package. For instance, the frozen chopped bell pepper and onion stir fry combination is one of my favorite shortcut ingredients. Dried herb mixes, salsas and sauces, dry pasta and bean mixes, salads and prepared food from the deli, and seasoned canned vegetables are all essentials in the five ingredient pantry. Also, be sure to use the freshest and best quality ingredients that you can find in these recipes. Each ingredient's flavor and color stand out in these simple recipes so they need to be the best.

Enjoy these five ingredient pasta main dishes and salads; and remember, substituting your own favorite ingredients for those called for in a recipe is what makes cooking a creative challenge!

Five Ingredient Pasta Main Dishes

• Pesto Peppers with Penne
• Chicken Spaghetti
• Tuna Alfredo Casserole
• Chicken Manicotti
• Chicken Tortellini Casserole
• Ziti Chicken Casserole
• Cheesy Crockpot Tortellini
• Ravioli with Corn
• Herbed Mostaccioli
• Mac and Cheese Casserole
• Red and White Tortellini
• Tomato Pesto Spaghetti
• Beans and Pasta in Clam Sauce
• TexMex Chicken and Fettuccine
• Tortellini with Peas and Parmesan

Five Ingredient Pasta Salad Recipes

• Pasta Crab Salad
• Chicken Melon Salad
• Ham and Pineapple Salad
• Bean and Pasta Salad
• Shrimp Vegetable Salad
• Spinach Tortellini Salad
• Ranch Ham Salad
• Three Bean Pasta Salad
• Tortellini Vegetable Salad
• Pasta Cabbage Salad