Quick and Easy Triple Sec Pasta

Note: All quantities are approximate. I’ve never actually measured anything; this has always been made from memory and quantities adjusted depending on how much I want to make. The number of 4 servings comes from the fact that I usually just make this for my husband and I. He takes a bigger serving than I do, and usually goes for seconds. You may have leftover noodles, but when is that a bad thing?

Throw the pasta in some salted, boiling water. Cook to al dente, drain. If you use dried pasta, the noodles will be ready about the time that the sauce is done; if you are using fresh pasta (fresh 4-cheese ravioli goes well with this sauce), start the noodles once the sauce is done and just let the sauce sit on low, stirring occasionally, for the 2 to 3 minutes it takes the noodles to cook.

In a small saucepan, swirl some olive oil in the bottom of the pan. (I have a saucepan with a fairly small center and sides that come up at an angle, and I usually just cover the bottom of the pan.)

Add in a large forkful of flour to the oil and whisk together until combined. You may need to add more oil or more flour until you get to the right consistency for a roux.

(The amount of roux you make will determine how much sauce there is. If you want more sauce, make slightly more roux and it will take that much more milk and triple sec, resulting in more sauce.)

Turn heat to medium/medium-high (I go to about 6/7).

Add in the chicken bouillon before the roux thickens. If you use cubes, break apart with your whisk and stir into the sauce. I usually use the bouillon granules and shake in enough to lightly cover the roux, then stir it all together.

When the roux gets thick, slosh in a good amount of milk and whisk together until combined and thin. When the sauce gets thick again, thin it out with a few good glugs of Triple Sec this time. Whisk together.

Sauce will thicken again, though probably not as much. If it needs to be thinned again, use either milk or Triple Sec. Your choice.

When the sauce has come to the right consistency, turn heat to low and shake in some grated parmesan cheese to taste. This will thicken the sauce slightly.

When the sauce is ready, you have a few options:

1. Plate the noodles, add sauce and serve.
2. Same as above, and top with either broccoli, chicken, or both before adding the sauce.
3. Add the thawed peas to the sauce, let warm for a few minutes and pour over pasta, with or without the chicken.

This dish is my go-to dinner. It comes together very quickly, has all of my favorite things, and my family loves it. I had started to feel quilty for making it so often (like I said; it is very easy, therefore gets made a LOT), but my husband claims that he would eat it nightly!