Dish 1 - Original Recipe
(Click on photo to enlarge)
NOTES/TIPS:
- Since I do not eat meat, I substituted the beef with MorningStar Farms Meal Starters Grillers Recipe Crumbles.
- Likewise, I substituted the beef broth with vegetable broth.
- I added a bit more pasta than what the recipe called for. So when trying this recipe, assess whether you prefer it with more pasta.
- I didn't find sweet yellow pepper when I went shopping for the groceries, so I picked a green bell pepper instead.
- I had most, but not all of the spices; I did not use chili powder, but I added a tad bit of red pepper flakes for just a little kick. Also, I didn't quite follow the measurements for the spices; I played with the seasonings until I was pleased with how the dish tasted! P.S.: You might also find this post on common ingredients' substitutions useful.
- I skipped the cheese at the end, since I was serving this with another already "cheesy" dish.
Dish 2 - Original Recipe
(Click on photo to enlarge)
NOTES/TIPS:
- I used a lot more mushrooms; 3 cups didn't seem enough for me.
- I only used 1 onion and the dish still turned out well: after slicing 1 onion, my eyes had had enough...
- Instead of fresh garlic, I went for a shortcut and used garlic powder.
- Likewise, I used dried basil leaves instead of fresh ones. Unless I plan to use the entire package quickly, I try not to buy fancy fresh herbs; the leftovers always sit in my fridge for days or weeks and go to waste - read money wasted, booooo!
