Something to add to pasta

http://www.mccormick.com/Spices-and-Flavors/Recipe-Mixes/Italian/Thick–Zesty-Spaghetti-Sauce-Mix

"… At home I would be quite happy with some ketchup…." thank you for clarifying that we don't have to try very hard to satisfy you.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/quick_healthy_meals_with_an_ultralight_cook_kit.html#.VLuu4saJk5R

He has some great sauces in here that I think are vegan

Fast food ketchup packets actually travel pretty well and are shelf-stable.

Tubes of concentrated tomato paste are more flavorful and have much less water weight than ketchup.

Olive oil is high in calories as is Parmesan cheese. Both travel well and combine nicely on pasts.

Pesto isn't as easy to pack securely, but a little goes a long way and adds calories.

"Pasta spice mix" is very light and adds some interest.

Seasoned bread crumbs go well on mac&cheese. Maybe on other pasts as well.

Sliced some Italian dry salami into the pasta for some protein and fat calories.

At KFC you can buy single serve packets of Newman's Classic Italian salad dressing. Package a couple tablespoons of dried "parmasean". At camp, add to cooked, drained, pasta.

(you can also get Newman's Southwest salad dressing, which can be used in a number of "beans and potatoes" meals.)

Check out Packit Gourmet: http://www.packitgourmet.com/Condiments–Seasonings-c26.html

Boatloads of stuff, and many different items that would be great on pasta.

minimus.biz

They have about every kind of sauce or condiment in small, sample-size packets. Cheap.

–B.G.–

Thanks, everyone.

BTW, I did take some mini packets of ketchup, but one packet per bowl of angel hair proved to be insufficient :) At this point just about anything would be better than just plain pasta, so very helpful.

Update: I went to my local grocery chain (King Soopers, Kroegers) and got Knorr's Alfredo, Pesto and 4 Cheese sauce mix. Also, Thick and Zesty. Made a bowl of elbows and tried with each sauce. Awesome. So good, I could eat this stuff at home!

Thick and zesty needs tomato paste, apparently. I see some tomato paste tubes in store, does such a thing as dried tomato paste even exist?

I am reading some mixed reviews on Amazon on Marconi small olive oil packets mentioned here and in other places; some people complain of leakage. Is that your experience? I am packing for a long distance trip and super paranoid about olive oil leaking.

***

Since everyone has been so helpful, what's the easiest way to add some protein to dinners? realized that on my last week long hike I did not bring almost any proteins (except for dry milk), just sugary energy bars and couscous dinners. I have packed some beef sticks this time. Beans are questionable to me, since I am not sure I can fully digest them. Yet, if some beans would be quick to cook, it could work (I have a single person tent).

I've never had a packet of oil leak. Buy from Minimus.

BTW, yes, there are different tubes of pastes at the store, look up high in the pasta section. You can get pesto, garlic, sundried tomato and more…..

If you're looking for some protein to add, check the Mexican section for carne seca (dry meat). It is both dried and shredded, and reconstitutes sorta well (!). Usually a bit chewy! You can make your own by putting 1" square pieces of jerky in a blender, or even dry or smoke your own jerky – but the pre-made stuff is less work.

Are probably the lightest marinara components you carry.

As to adding protein,I like dried or cured meats like Jerky ,dried sausage and pepperoni(in pasta).

I like foil packets of Tuna,Salmon or Chicken as well.

Gotta have me some Spam Singles :)

Shelf Life= Lasts longer than the shelf it sits on ;)

I have gotten olive oil packets from Subway shops. Not all of them have packets. Winco has dried refried beans in the bulk section. Cook very quickly.
Kelly

Yeah! Olive oil, Parmesan, pine nuts, chopped salami, kalamata olives, dehydrated onion and garlic, dried basil or capers would all make pasta interesting— not necessarily all at once. Tossed with smoked salmon is to die for. Probably not best in bear country!

Ketchup? The horror! :)

At home, I mix a few big spoonfuls of natural peanut butter with sriracha hot sauce and a little adobo seasoning (Latin spice mix of salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, turmeric) in a small (2 oz capacity) tupperware container with a tight lid, then put it in a ziploc. Leave some of the water in with the noodles when you drain them and spoon it all in; it'll dissolve and give you spicy peanut noodles or peanut noodle soup depending on how much water you left in.

Could also use several single-serving packets of peanut butter, hot sauce, salt and pepper if you don't want to carry a tupperware.

tuna pouches for protein.. French fried onions for calories, crunch and tastiness.

I second Stephen's recommendation for Carne Seca. I put it in my meals before I boil the water, so it has some time to rehydrate. Fatty, salty, and lots of protein – it's great stuff.

[…]

Bison- Cranberry bars are 1 1/2 oz., 200 calories, 11 g. protein, and are about 1 1/2" X 3 1/2" X 1/2" They taste great… kind of like jerky but a little bit moist and with fruit added. Amazon has them wicked cheap right now ($2.89 for a pack of ten, through "Lucky Vitamins"), but that won't last. Normally they're about $3 each.

>"Since you say ketchup, I'm thinking you are looking for the non-gourmet stuff. Find some pre-cooked ready-to-eat vienna sausages, or pre-cooked hotdogs, or even the pre-cooked ready to eat bacon."

But that doesn't mean we can't help him up his game. There are also pre-cooked chicken-apple sausages or chorizo or cajun-style for something a little spicier. Just look for "pre-cooked" on the label. Between that, and all the salt in them, I'd be comfortable with them for 1-2 days at room temperature. Beyond that, I'd start with them frozen, double-bagged, and stored with my sleeping bag wrapped around them.

>"stop by fast food place, get a dry well-done cooked burger patty. . . another quick is to hit up Subway sandwich store and buy the cooked meatballs from them, then add to your pasta."

Good idea for some variety and ease of preparation. Pre-cooked burgers and pre-cooked meatballs are in the frozen food section in bulk for a lot less $$ than from a fast-food restaurant.

it's not really an addition to pasta, but a few moments ago i ordered 12 x 12oz corn DeBoles corn pastas from iHerb.com for 27 bucks delivered.
i thought that was a pretty sweet deal, so i posted it here.

cheers,
peter v.

In a separate bowl, stir together soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar until sugar is completely dissolved. Slice Spam luncheon meat lengthwise into 10 slices, or to desired thickness, and marinate in sauce for 5 minutes.

Mike Clelland has a Peanut Sauce recipe in his Backpackin' Light book. I like the flavor of peanut sauce on many different dishes. Look for Peanut Sauce recipes on the ramen forums.

Bacon Bits come in both vegetable protein with imitation bacon flavor, and real bacon bits. They are next to the salad dressings at the market.

For slivers of jerky or thin sliced sausage sticks, slice them at home. On the trail, add to the pot when you start the water. Add powdered gravy mix to your pasta & jerky, if you like salt. Garlic powder is light and potent.

the easiest way to add some protein to dinners?

I like freeze dried sausage granules in spaghetti. Also smoked salmon. Also Hormel sells cooked bacon, which is stable at room temperatures until you open the package.

The Hormel bacon is good, then soak it in soy sauce for extra protein.

–B.G.–