Crap, My Kid has a Spelling Test Tomorrow Noodle Thing
I don’t know about your school, but for some reason mine likes to think they’re a grade ahead of everything. Which means my second grader is getting spelling words on a third grade level. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not touting my kid as ‘reading on a third grade level.’ I’m criticizing my school for giving my second grader third grade words which make my life hell on Thursday night because I have to Google the ‘Gentle Cindy’ rule and remind myself what a digraph is despite the fact that people pay me to write.
So the way I see it, you have two choices:
1. Order take-out (or delivery if you’re lucky enough to live in a city with decent food delivery) or
2. Make a noodle thing. My first choice is always number one. But since this is a cooking blog I guess I need to cook something.
Noodle things (I never use the word casserole for the same reason I don’t drive a minivan) are easy. Noodle things are filling. Noodle things have the potential to incorporate nutritional value. For these reasons I like noodle things.
Tonight’s noodle thing will be made while simultaneously helping my second grader study for her spelling test.
*Spelling Test Study Tip*
Have your child ‘teach’ you at dinner. Put her in charge of a lesson plan and have her come up with a test for you (and the rest of the family) to learn her spelling words so she thinks she’s getting one up on you. Give her treats to hand out if you follow her directions. In the end she’ll have learned what you already knew!
If you have spinach in your freezer you will be having a spinach noodle thing.
If you have mushrooms in your fridge you will be having a mushroom noodle thing.
If you have ground turkey (or chicken) in your fridge you will be having a turkey noodle thing. (see where I’m going with this?) Feel free to combine any of the above ingredients for a combo noodle thing or delete any if you are Kosher or vegetarian.
Ingredients
- 1 box noodles (any size or shape – this is basically lasagna without the layering)
- 1 jar tomato sauce
- Red wine that you’re already drinking
- 1 package ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- S&P
- Garlic powder
- 1 package shredded mozzarella cheese
- Parsley flakes
Directions:
- Cook pasta according to box. While pasta is cooking, have student write each spelling word three times on a piece of paper. If using ground meat, sauté until no longer pink in a separate pan with an ice cube (great fat reducing tip!). If using mushrooms, sauté until soft. If using frozen spinach, rinse in colander and squeeze until dry. You can also sauté the spinach. Throw a little salt into the mixture while cooking.
- Drain pasta.
- Give kid small bowl of plain noodles to eat while studying words along with a plastic knife. Have kid chop pasta into pieces by syllable. Wrench (no chops) Sen-tence (one chop). Diff-er-ent (three chops) Games always make studying easier.
- Pour remaining pasta into a bowl. Mix ricotta cheese with egg. Pour ricotta and egg mixture into pasta.
- Pour jar of sauce into mixture and add a drop or two of the red wine from your glass. Add meat and/or vegetables to mixture. *note, if you are using the spinach, make sure you mix it thoroughly with the ricotta cheese first so it gets out the clumps.Sprinkle a little garlic powder into the mixture.
- When student annoys you during preparation, use spelling words to show her how she is annoying you. “Talia, please use a DIFFERENT tone of voice with me when you are asking me for Halloween candy the minute you walk in the door.” “Ryan, the fact that you peed on the couch really puts a WRENCH in our evening plans.”
- Pour mixture into baking dish.Top with shredded cheese. Remind student that she is still supposed to be studying when you find her rummaging through the pantry. “Talia, do I have to repeat my SENTENCE twice? You are not allowed to have three boxes of Nerds.”
- Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until cheese bubbles. No need to preheat. Who remembers to do that anyway?
Tags: one pan, Pasta, ricotta 
I stumbled onto your blog as I was looking at other co-bloggers Potato and Ham soup recipes. You are killing me!! LOVE your writing! Been laughing out loud as I am a single mom of 2 boys and I completely relate! I, as of today, have just taken on a Management position that I know will leave me unable to make the wonderful meals my boys are accustomed to. I am taking notes! Keep up the great work (feel free to visit my recipe blog…who know’s there may be a bit of inspiration there for you)
Thanks, Sheri! I look forward to checking out your blog. Appreciate the feedback!
I found this website on facebook last night and have been laughing my “arss” off every since. I really like this blog and am bookmarking it for me to go to for recipes (of course) but, for a good chuckle too! Keep up the good work as I plan on keeping up with YOUR blog.
Thank you for the laugh (Red wine that you’re already drinking.) We call it Toxic Thursday ’round here, because there is always a test or project that we’ve put off working on all week! Noodle things, perfect recipe!
Just stumbled across your blog and I’m loving it! “I never use the word casserole for the same reason I don’t drive a minivan” LOL. Having just moved overseas and not gotten used to measuring things in this strange land of “it’s not the US”….I am appreciating your no measurements approach! Thanks for a laugh and some great recipes.
Thanks so much for reading and for your nice comments! Hope the recipes help to ease your transition to the U.S.!