Cayley's Kitchen Beef Pasta

Another product promoting the ever-simple one-pot meal at an affordable price.

I want to thank the folks who originally came up with one-pot meals. There's something about them that's not only convenient, but able to produce some amazing dishes. As a man, we're always poked fun at when it comes to convenience. For example, yes, I'm guilty of purchasing the "all-in-one shower bottles (shampoo, body wash and conditioner)" because it's just one purchase and that's it. I feel the same with these one-pot meals: You just need one pot and you can cook a full, stomach-friendly dinner in one shot. Less dishes to wash, right?

In case you haven't read our other reviews for one-pot dinners, such as this one by comedian Larry the Cable Guy, these are very easy to prepare, as you mostly need water, milk, ground beef and some patience. While you can follow the instructions on the package, come dissolving the powdered flavor, I'd suggest adding a bit more to also tenderize the pasta. I highly doubt you can fully cook the pasta with one cup of water, so you may want to use your eyes and judge accordingly. What makes this product from Cayley's Kitchen different is the powdered flavoring is mixed in with the uncooked pasta, making it similar to Nissin/Top Ramen noodles—only Nissin's, or Top Ramen's, powdered flavor is packaged separately. Having said that, this meal can be prepared into a quick lunch that you can whip up quickly, especially in a microwave. If you're new here, of all our food reviews, we have been kindly advising against using microwaves when cooking. Why is that? Let's put it this way: If a country like Russia banned them from use, then there's probably a good reason for it (note: I'm not of Russian descent). This is a food review, so we'll let you find out why by doing your own research. Let's digress.

Given how big my appetite is, I often cook two of these. These products also come in different flavors such as stroganoff, cheeseburger and lasagna to name a few. When prepared properly (see and swipe to the third photo above), you have a meal that'll last you the entire day, and that's no exaggeration. If you have a job that uses a lot physical movement or heavy lifting, a meal like this would definitely fit your bill. Cost? We purchased this for 99¢ at the 99 [Cents] Only Store. It may or may not be available, but you may want to check the pasta section to see if they have some in stock. With the addition of ground meat, some water and milk, you're looking at a meal that costs less than $10 to make. At a weird, crazy and unusual time like this, you can save yourself the hassle and prepare this lunch/dinner at home.

The taste? Delicious, and the flavors taste fresh. The pasta is very easy to eat and melds well with the ground beef, without being too overbearing ("overbearing" meaning every bite isn't just all pasta, but a blend of the other parts of the food married with the flavors with it). With a nice mesh of the other ingredients, you're looking at an undiscovered gem that may catch the eyes of youngsters living independently, looking for a more stomach-filling alternative besides the usual ramen noodles. Nothing against ramen noodles, especially now that the weather is getting cold, but you want to change your cravings and try something different. Preparing this requires a little more effort, but that will be worth it. Learn to cook, folks; You'll be so thankful you did.

Whoa, Kris, bro, why not a perfect score?

It pains me to say, given we believe in the policy of honesty, but the reason for the deduction is because of how salty it gets. Luckily, you can more water to off-set the salty content, while cooking to both tenderize the pasta and reduce the sauce to a thick consistency. Cooking and following instructions on the package as is, in our tests, results in a very salty taste. The flavor powder comes off super sharp, as I don't think the average person may be able to handle such salinity bite after bite. I understand meals like these are popular in the South, as Southern foods are most often high on salt, so depending on your taste, just add more water after you pour in the uncooked pasta and use that to both tenderize the noodles and to lower the salt content. I personally don't mind salty foods, but this is one is very strong. Other than that, it's a meal fit for those who want to stay full for the rest of the day.

Besides that critique, I'm loving what Cayley's Kitchen has whipped up. Nowadays, things are running dry due to shortages, power outages, people losing their jobs and many more craziness that I never would have guessed we'd be under (are we back to normal now?). Take your mind off the pessimistic and enjoy this meal. Like instant ramen noodles, you can customize it to your liking, such as adding diced green onions to go with it. It also works as a side dish to your main course, if need be.

Whatever negative energy is hurled your way, you can remove it with a meal like this. Trust me, uplift your spirits and nothing bad will ever take you down: Eat this meal and enjoy!

Kris Caballero

Founder and operator of KCU Network, Kris has been writing since he managed a personal blog made back in late 2005. Officially retired from video production and going back to the computer sciences, Kris enjoys studying Math, Quantum Computing, playing old video/DOS games, and listening to sports radio.

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