Forget home-style packaged foods; these 100 percent homemade dinner are the real deal. Make your own convenience items, such as sauces, nut butters, and baking mixes, as well as treats like chips, fruit leather, and snack cakes. Each of these grocery store faves is made with fewer (and more pronounceable!) ingredients than anything you'd buy in a store. It's nothing but the good stuff!

Ingredients

2 1/3 - cups all-purpose flour
1/2 - teaspoon salt
2 - eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 - cup water
1 - teaspoon vegetable oil or olive oil

Directions
In a large bowl stir together 2 cups of the flour and salt. Make a well in center of flour mixture. In a small bowl combine eggs, the water, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture; stir to combine.

Sprinkle a clean work surface with the remaining 1/3 cup flour. Turn dough out onto floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic (8 to 10 minutes). Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Divide dough into four portions.

On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 12-inch square. Lightly dust both sides of dough square with additional flour. Let stand, uncovered, 20 minutes; cut as desired. If using a pasta machine, pass each portion through machine according to the manufacturer's directions until 1/16 inch thick, dusting dough with flour as needed. Let stand; cut as desired.

To serve pasta immediately, cook in a large amount of boiling salted water until al dente, stirring occasionally; drain. Cook fettuccine or linguine 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, bow ties or lasagna noodles 2 to 3 minutes, and ravioli or tortellini 7 to 9 minutes.

To store cut pasta, spread it on a wire cooling rack or hang it from a pasta-drying rack or clothes hanger. Let dry up to 2 hours. Place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Or dry pasta at least 1 hour; place in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze up to 8 months.

From the Test Kitchen
FOOD PROCESSOR DIRECTIONS:

Place steel blade in a food processor. Add the 2 1/3 cup flour, salt, and eggs; cover and process until mixture resembles fine crumbs. With processor running, slowly pour the water and oil through feed tube. Continue processing just until dough forms a ball. Transfer to a lightly floured surface. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Divide dough into four portions. Continue as directed in Step 3.

TO MAKE AHEAD:

Prepare as directed through Step 2. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container; freeze up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator; continue as directed in Step 3.

HERBED PASTA:

Prepare as directed, except stir 2 tablespoons snipped fresh basil, thyme, or sage or 1 teaspoon dried basil, thyme, or sage, crushed, into the flour mixture before adding egg mixture.

SPINACH PASTA:

Prepare as directed, except increase flour to 2 3/4 cups, reduce water to 1/4 cup, and stir 1/4 cup cooked spinach, well drained and finely chopped, into egg mixture before adding to flour mixture.

Per 1 cup cooked pasta: 294 cal., 10 g total fat (1 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat), 85 mg chol., 269 mg sodium, 54 g carbo., 2 g fiber, 10 g pro.

Daily Values: 21% vit. A, 1% vit. C, 3% calcium, 22% iron

Exchanges: 3 1/2 Starch

Other: 1 g monounsaturated fat, 1 g. polyunsaturated fat, 0 g sugar

RAVIOLI OR TORTELLINI:

To shape ravioli, cut rolled dough into 2-inch-wide strips. Leaving a 1/2-inch margin around the edges, place about 1 teaspoon desired filling at 1-inch intervals on one strip of dough. Using a pastry brush or your finger, moisten dough with water around the mounds of filling. Lay a second strip of dough over the first. Using the side of your hand, press the pasta around each mound so that the two moistened strips stick together. Using a fluted pastry wheel or sharp knife, cut pasta between mounds to separate into individual ravioli.

To shape tortellini, cut rolled dough into circles with a 1 1/2-inch round cutter; reroll scraps as needed. Place 1/4 teaspoon desired filling in center of each circle. Fold circle in half to make a half-moon; press edges of dough together with fingers to seal, moistening with water if needed. Place index finger against the fold; bend tortellini around your finger, bringing the outer two corners together. Press one corner over the other, moistening with water if needed and pinching firmly to secure. Let dry a few minutes before cooking.

Nutrition Facts (Homemade Noodles)
Per serving: 255 kcal cal., 3 g fat (1 g sat. fat, 1 g polyunsaturated fat, 1 g monounsatured fat), 85 mg chol., 262 mg sodium, 46 g carb., 2 g fiber, 0 g sugar, 8 g pro. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet