Bittman Saves the Day (or Dinner, at the very least)

Recipe: Spaghetti with Butter and Parmesan

Page: HTCE p.506 (table p.976) HTCEV p.447

Rating: *****

I could probably write a post with a similar title nearly every week, but tonight is a stellar example. I find out at 5:35 that my husband won't be home until 7 AND we won't be meeting the neighbors at the local Mexican joint for dinner. This is not my hubby's fault; he works in a top secret building some days (and often doesn't know in advance) and there is no phone/cell phone/email access there.

I should mention that I have two 2-year-olds and one 4-year-old. They'd had a pretty good snack, but still... "What to have for dinner?" is suddenly an urgent question.

Sure, I could do pancakes or something breakfasty, but we've had NO veggies all day and I wasn't in the mood for eggs. Ergo, time to check out the top 30 minutes or less recipe list at the back (I had frozen peas and sweet potatoes as my veggie options). Ta da! Spaghetti with Butter and Parmesan. Perfect for a cold winter night. I threw in some frozen peas (I have real issues with needing some green on that dinner plate) and served with a side of sweet potatoes (cooked in the microwave). Time from recipe discovery to dinner on the table? Less than 30 minutes. Processed ingredients used? Nada. Kid-friendly? You betcha. Will hubby enjoy it when he gets home? Absolutely (I even saved some pasta water to add to his pasta when we reheat it).

Recipe Used: Spaghetti with Butter and Parmesan, p. 506

Rating: GREAT! (make sure to add generous salt and pepper; kids sucked it down and asked for more and they're not pasta fans....)

Incidentally, I should mention that I spent (wasted) 15 minutes trying to see if another cookbook had a better idea or even if there were better ideas in the Bittman pasta section. I should know by now that feeding my family, especially on short notice, doesn't have to be gourmet.... just healthy, tasty, and low stress.