Homemade Spagetti-O's, Sort Of

I saw this recipe on Pinterest a few weeks ago and pinned it on one of my boards.  The original poster of this recipe is here.  When it came time to think about what to do for lunch yesterday, I decided to see if I had everything to make it.  I had most of the ingredients and had to substitute some of the others.


Ingredients

6 cups canned tomato sauce
3-4 cups water
2-3 teaspoons of garlic powder (depending on how garlicky you like it)
1 lb pasta, preferably smaller shapes
1 - 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or Mexican blend works just as well)
1/4-1/2 cup of milk
2 Tablespoons of butter
Salt to taste (I didn't add so that baby could eat)


Directions

1. Combine tomato sauce, water and garlic powder in a large pot.  Bring to a boil.
2.  When the tomato mixture is boiling, add the pasta to the pot.  Cook, stirring frequently (the pasta is tiny, so it's easy to stick to the bottom) for about 20 minutes, or until the pasta is soft.
3.  Stir in cheese until melted.  Add milk, butter and salt to taste.  Taste it, check it out, see how you like the flavors.  Then enjoy it!

 I had penne rigate, so I used that.  I didn't have cheddar cheese, but I had a Mexican cheese blend.  It turned out well enough, that my three children who liked the commercially made Spaghetti-O's said to not buy them again, because this was soooo much better!  The only big change I'd make next time is to stay really close to the pot and not let the boiling get rapid but rather slower because the pasta really absorbs the liquid.  I will probably use farfalle or bow tie pasta next time since it is a big shape for baby to pick up.  She really liked it and had two bowls.

Eating her first bowl.

Waiting for a second bowl.  She fussed when I walked away with her bowl.  Ha ha!

I had to take her amber teething necklace off and clean it, because she was getting the sauce all over it.  She really enjoyed her homemade spaghetti-O's!

And as soon as lunch was done, she got a bath!