This kid-friendly pasta is not only for children, any adult will love it! It is packed full of cheddar, bacon, and tomatoes and comes with an easy homemade dressing.
The Food Network has been having new shows of the Pioneer Woman lately. She is one of my new favs. Ina still is in the first place, but I just love to watch her cook and learn about her life and family. Much more interesting than mine is anyway. On Saturday's show, she made this pasta. I wanted to make it right away since I had all the ingredients on hand. This pasta should be called Kid and Adult Friendly Pasta. You just don't have to be a kid to enjoy this one. It has 3 of my favorite ingredients in there: cheese, bacon, and tomatoes. Can't go wrong with that!
Lightened Up Version for WW
One thing I love about Ree's recipes is that that they can easily be adapted to make more WW friendly. Use fat-free or low-fat ingredients for the mayo, milk, and cheese. Instead of bacon sub turkey bacon. The points below are calculated with ingredients using fat-free.
For low point bacon, check out Aldi's brand Appleton Farms. 3 slices are 2 points.
How to make Kid Friendly Pasta
Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Then drain and rinse in cold water until cool. Set aside.
Cut the bacon into ½-inch pieces and throw it into a large skillet. Saute until slightly crisp, and then remove to a paper-towel-lined-plate.
For the dressing, mix the mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, salt, and sugar(if using) in a small bowl.
Stir together the pasta, dressing, tomatoes, bacon, Cheddar and green onions in a large mixing bowl.
Taste for seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if needed. Stir in the basil at the end. Makes 8 servings, serving size 1 cup.
Other Recipes To Try
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Kid Friendly Pasta
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 20 min
- Yield: 8 1x
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fun-shaped pasta such as radiatore
- 8 slices thin bacon
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup milk
- 4 tablespoons white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Dash sugar optional
- 10 ounces grape tomatoes (yellow and red) halved lengthwise
- ½ pound Cheddar, cut into small cubes
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced Ground black pepper
- 24 whole basil leaves, chiffonade
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Then drain and rinse in cold water until cool. Set aside.
- Cut the bacon into ½-inch pieces and throw it into a large skillet. Saute until slightly crisp, and then remove to a paper-towel-lined-plate.
- For the dressing, mix the mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, salt, and sugar(if using) in a small bowl.
- Stir together the pasta, dressing, tomatoes, bacon, Cheddar and green onions in a large mixing bowl.
- Taste for seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if needed. Stir in the basil at the end. Makes 8 servings, serving size 1 ½ cups
Notes
MyWW points: Blue: 9; Green: 9; Purple: 9 (using all fat-free ingredients)
- Category: Easy
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 413
- Sugar: 3.7g
- Fat: 23.2g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 34.7g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 15.5g
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