Pasta with broccoli and mushrooms and an event

Macaroni/pasta would be one of the snacks served by mom when we came from school. We used to be so hungry and our plate would be empty in minutes. How we use to just love this!!! The preperation was so simple, and indianized, pasta mixed with onions and tomatoes with a tempering of mustard and cumin seeds , something like upma.
After a few years, mom learnt making the white sauce along with lots of butter, cheese and flour and I just fell in love with this one and liked it more than the traditional version.
After having only these two lovely versions for a long time, I explored the other possibilities of pasta making. I started using an assortment of vegetables such as broccoli, mushrooms,zucchini, even squash to name a few .Baking pasta with lots of cheese and white sauce was another option .
Then there are so many varieties of them which go well with a specific combination of sauces and herbs. You could use bechamel sauce or white sauce or the popular tomato sauce or the pesto.Some goes well in soups while come in salads.
Then the other ingredients which could go into your pasta are nuts such as walnuts, or herbs such mint, cilantro,parsley olives, basil , different variety of cheeses , saffron or even lentils. The list is just vast and unending.
So its just like pizza , you choose what goes into your pasta.

Cooking with pasta- An event
So then how do you make your pasta? Why dont we have a food blog event on this? Send me your pasta entries in whatever way you use them- maybe a one pot dish or salad or soups or on your pizza or some traditional method, on stove top, in a microwave or your convectional oven or some indianized version .. Its just your creation and imagination on how you present it.

About pasta- Courtesy - wikipedia
Pasta (Italian pasta, from Latin pasta "dough, pastry cake", from Greek παστά (pasta) "barley porridge"^[1]) is a generic term for foods made from an unleavened dough of wheat or buckwheatflour and water, sometimes with other ingredients such as eggs and vegetable extracts. Pastas include noodles in various lengths, widths and shapes, and varieties that are filled with other ingredients like ravioli and tortellini. The word pasta is also used to refer to dishes in which pasta products are a primary ingredient. It is usually served with sauce. There are hundreds of different shapes of pasta with at least locally recognized names.^[2] Examples include spaghettirods), macaroni (tubes or cylinders), fusilli (swirls), and lasagne (sheets). Two other noodles, gnocchi and spätzle, are sometimes considered pasta. They are both traditional in parts of Italy.Pasta is categorized in two basic styles: dried and fresh. Dried pasta made without eggs can be stored for up to two years under ideal conditions, while fresh pasta will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator.^[3] Pasta is generally cooked by boiling.
Rules for participation
1. Cook any vegetarian dish using pasta. Eggs not allowed.
2. Send me your dish before 6th of april 2010'.
3. You dont have to post me your entry through e-mail. Just leave a comment in the comment section of this post. Leave a link to your recipe.I will include it in the round up.
4. If non-bloggers are interested in paricipating in this event. Then you can send me your recipe along with the picture at creativesaga@gmail.com. I will publish your recipe as well as include it in the round up.
5.You can send unlimited entries.
6.You can send the entry from your archives. Just repost it in a new post and send me the link.
7. Use the logo for the event for spreading the word.



I am sure to come up with a lot of pasta dishes in my future posts and hope the same from you. Until then check out this one!!!

Ingredients-

Pasta (any type)- 1 cup
Onion- 1 sliced fine
Crushed garlic- a teaspoon
Broccoli- a cup of florets
Mushroom- a cup chopped lenghtwise
Pasta/pizza sauce- 2tbsp (Store bought) or refer here to make the pizza sauce
Pepper cumin powder- 1tsp
Salt to taste
Grated cheese- 1 tbsp (optional)
Butter- 1tsp

Method-
Boil the pasta in some water till it turns soft. Drain the water and wash them under running water to avoid sticking. Melt a teaspoon of butter in a pan. Add the crushed garlic along with onions and saute for few seconds. Now add the chopped broccoli and mushroom along with the salt and pepper cumin powder. Saute and cook till crisp and soft. Now add the cooked pasta. Mix well and add the pasta sauce. Mix well and cook for few more minutes. Add the cheese and mix wel before serving.