Quick & Tasty

I don’t have a dishwasher. I don’t even have hot water in my kitchen. I drag it by the bucketful from the bathroom. Consequently, the mere thought of a large pile of dishes is at times enough to deter me from cooking. On nights when I’m either short on time or on energy, my go-to meal is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (with homemade jam of course). However, earlier this semester, much to my chagrin one evening I realized I was out of bread. I had students coming over in a little bit, so needed a dinner to throw together quickly. And I didn’t want a lot of dishes to do. I happened to be craving my lemon cream sauce, but knew I didn’t have the time to put it together. Instead, I whipped up a quick variation of lemon pasta using ingredients I always have on hand and one pan. Dinner was ready in about 15 minutes, it was delicious and there were hardly any dishes. I knew I had a winner. Now, this concoction is not going to win any cooking challenges, and nor is it likely to fill up the ravenous males in your life, but for a quick light meal it’s absolutely perfect. You could throw in some sauteed chicken for protein, but for me that would mean dirtying another pan. 

So here’s what I did (if you’re the type that likes precise measurements, turn away now). Cook up some linguine, and while it’s cooking cut up some cherry tomatoes. By the way, the following are ingredients I almost always have in my fridge: tomatoes, lemons, onions, and garlic. Always. Just in case you were wondering. Back to the pasta. If you want to, you can use a strainer. I’m lazy, and aim for fewest number of dishes possible, so I use the lid of the pot and gingerly fight against the linguine slipping out. Return the pot with the linguine to the stove on very low heat. Drop in some butter (probably about a tablespoon) and a little bit of olive oil; not too much, you don’t want greasy noodles. Go light and you can always add more. Squeeze in about half a lemon’s worth of juice (depending on the size and juicyness of the lemon). Generously dump in some dried herbs–I use basil and thyme. If you have fresh herbs? Even better. My basil plant has yet to get to pickable size. I also sprinkle in a bit of lemon pepper and garlic powder. At this point, taste a noodle. Add more of any of the above ingredients to your taste and preference. I warned you about the preciseness of this recipe. Add in the tomatoes and stir around until they’re just warm. (If I had spinach on hand, I might have added some of that as well.) If your mother taught you good manners, transfer pasta to a bowl. If you want one less dish, proceed to prepare to eat from the pan. I have yet to bring myself to do that (good work mom), but I will in no way look down upon you. And here’s the vital step…pour on the parmesan cheese. Don’t hold back. Parmesan cheese is your friend. If you have fresh, consider yourself a lucky man/woman. If yours comes from a green can as well, don’t worry, it’ll do. Then, and here’s the important point, eat and enjoy. You’ll enjoy it even more if you have some leftover italian herb bread to accompany it.

Fast. Easy. Few dishes. Perfection.