Food: Beef over Pasta

Okay! I live by myself and I really don’t cook often. I barely have enough kitchen equipment to make any basic meals (pots and plates). Most of the time I end up ordering in or dining out 99% of the time. So this was a nice change and challenge for me! I started the day by searching the web for an organic grocery store. I found Yogi Organic located at (2233 31st Street Astoria NY 11105). This location is very convenient for me as I live nearby. I decided to buy pasta, accompanied by some of my favorite ingredients, peppers and corn. I followed a whim and stepped into Key Food Super Market next door, and I was lucky enough to find Great Range brand Bison Ground Beef.

To be honest, I really didn’t have a specific recipe in mind. I just had an idea of what I wanted to taste that day. So, I headed home and lined up on the kitchen counter the following ingredients:

Ground Beef

Onion

Corn

Tri-color Pasta

Green and  Yellow Bell Peppers.

I needed to figure out if I wanted to have this to myself or share with someone else. I decided to telephone two friends and asked them if I could come over and cook for them at their place, not to mention they have a larger selection of cookware. (Keep in mind, I don't even have salt at my home!) Thankfully, they were more than happy to accept. I then telephoned my mama and asked her a couple of questions and for tips about how to cook the meat. She refreshed my memory on what she has taught me during my upbringing, and I was set to start my cooking.

The cooking went smoothly! Thank God! Haha. I started prepping the bell peppers by slicing them up. I cooked the meat first and then began cooking the pasta. As fried the beef, I slowly and steadily added seasonings. I stuck to the basics: salt, pepper and garlic. The fat in the beef contributed to a texture similar to that of chili. I salted the pasta water to add flavor. The whole ordeal took around 45-60 minutes, which was far quicker than I had anticipated. Who knew simple cooking could be so easy! I plated the pasta, topped it with my beef "chili" and some Parmesan cheese.
All in all, it was a great experience! My friends and I had a lot of fun; they even helped out a bit with the prep. The food tasted awesome. Be jealous!