A wonderful soup. You can experiment with toppings. (Revised September 2020)

Ingredients:
One 16 oz. package of frozen corn, yellow or white, or both
3/4 pound red potatoes, cut into bite size pieces
One medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 quarter size pieces fresh ginger, minced
Two serrano or jalapeno chilies, sliced thin, or red pepper flakes, or cayenne, all to taste. The soup should be a little spicy.
3 tablespoons olive oil
One can full fat coconut milk
2 cups vegetable stock or water
One teaspoon plus of salt
Lime wedges for squeezing, and chopped pickled jalapenos for garnish

Directions:
Saute the onions, garlic, ginger and peppers in the olive oil a few minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1/2 hour.
When you are ready, use your potato masher or an immersion blender to thicken the soup.
Garnish with the pickled jalapeno and squeeze some lime while you eat.

This is terrific. Made in one pot too. If you buy the pesto it takes only minutes. You need to find  "stringless" sugar snap peas. You can also make it with fresh green beans. (Revised September 2020)

Ingredients:
One half of a 7 oz. container pre-made pesto, or more to taste. (For a real thrill, you can pound your own pesto here). The NYT has good basic blender recipe here.
3/4 lb. Linguine pasta
8 oz. unpeeled baby red potatoes, sliced into 1/4" pieces
8 oz. "Mann's" or similar stringless sugar snap peas, or a handful of green beans cut bite size
Cilantro for serving

Directions:
Warm a serving bowl in the oven.
Boil salted water. Add the potatoes and cook 5 or 6 minutes. Add the pasta and cook until just done, usually 8 to ten minutes. Add the peas or beans for the last minute or so, to heat them. (You can also just leave the peas or beans in the bottom of  your colander. They will heat when you drain the pasta/potatoes.)
Drain, mix with the pesto a little at a time in the warm bowl, and serve with cilantro.

 Corn cut from the cob, and a lime/yogurt dressing make this a great summer dinner salad. Find your freshest corn and ripest cherry tomatoes. This make a lot of salad, so maybe a lunch too. (Updated June 2020)

Ingredients:
3 pieces corn on cob
One can black or red beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 pound chunky pasta, shells or similar
Handful cherry tomatoes, halved
Three stalks celery, sliced
Small head or four or five leaves of Romaine lettuce, chopped, or a couple handfuls of baby spinach
Half of red bell pepper, sliced thin
One lime for the dressing, and plain Greek whole milk or 2% Greek yogurt. We like Fage because of the consistency.

Dressing:
To half a cup of plain Greek yogurt add 2 cloves finely chopped garlic, the juice of one lime, 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, three tablespoons olive oil, fresh ground pepper and a half teaspoon salt. Add a little cayenne if you are feeling frisky.
Whisk with a fork.

Directions:
Slice the corn kernels off the cobs, and add them to your boiling pasta for the last minute of cooking.
Drain the pasta and corn in cold water, and add to the other salad ingredients. Garnish with a dollop of dressing and serve with extra dressing on the side. Sprinkle with ground pepper or cayenne for color.

 This has been moving up the charts at our house. A fun change, and really easy. Really. (Edited September 7, 2020)

Ingredients:
The zest and juice of one lemon
1/2 small container of full fat Ricotta (about a cup)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
3/4 pound large shells or any pasta you are fond of.

Directions:
While you are boiling the salted water for your pasta, mix the cheeses, the lemon juice and the zest in your large sauce pan or wok. No heat required. I like to add a half teaspoon of salt, fresh pepper and a little cayenne too.
A few minutes before your pasta is done, take 1/2 cup of the pasta water and mix it with the cheese mixture.
When the pasta is done, drain it, then blend it into the cheese mixture. Done. Serve and garnish with black pepper and a few hot pepper flakes.

A summer version of beans and rice. Really tasty, good for you, and easy to make.  (Revised September 2, 2020)

Ingredients:
One cup rice, cooked like this, then cooled. Basmati is good for this. Brown rice is great too.
3 small fresh corn, kernels sliced off. Fresh corn does not need to be cooked.
One can black beans, rinsed and drained
One can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained.
On half red onion, chopped
Half a bell pepper, your choice of color(s)
Half a bunch of cilantro, chopped
Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
One minced garlic clove
One tablespoon sugar, one teaspoon each of salt and Dijon mustard, fresh ground pepper

Directions:
Whisk together the dressing ingredients.
Prepare the vegetables in a large bowl, add the dressing, and chill until ready to serve.

There may be better sandwiches, and perhaps faster to make sandwiches, but there is no better tasting, faster to make sandwich.  An unexpectedly rewarding texture. The ingredients are important.

Ingredients:
Arnold or Pepperidge Farm seeded rye
Skippy Chunky peanut butter
Claussen Kosher dill sandwich slice pickles

Directions:
There is debate whether to coat both or one slice. I like both.

Cold pasta for hot days. You can use most any vegetable you like. If you have a dinner party, serve the vegetables and sauce on the side in separate bowls so your guests can build their own meals. The recipe is easy to scale up. *Try cooking the sauce. (Updated June 16, 2020)

Ingredients:
12 oz. pasta. I like Linguini or Fettuccine. (To make the pasta easier to cook and eat, you can break the pieces in half by bending the box over the counter. Be sure to stir the pasta when you first put it in the boiling water to stop the pieces from sticking together).
5 or 6 leaves or small heart of Romaine lettuce, cut into bite size pieces
4 stalks of celery, sliced
Handful of pea pods, bite size
Half a small red onion, sliced thin.
Cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, de-seeded and sliced 1/4 inch
One tablespoon toasted sesame oil to mix with cold cooked pasta

Directions:
Cook the pasta in salted water. While the water is heating, make the sauce: Mix together 4 tablespoons
good soy sauce, 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, 3 teaspoons sugar, and 2 cloves finely minced garlic.*
When the pasta is done, drain and rinse in cold water, put in your serving bowl and mix with the tablespoon of sesame oil. Refrigerate until well chilled.
When ready, mix the vegetables with the pasta and serve with the sauce on the side.
*Try this with the sauce: Mix the ingredients in a small sauce pan. In a cup mix 2 teaspoons cornstarch with a tablespoon of water to make a slurry. Heat the sauce ingredients until just simmering, and stir while slowly adding the cornstarch. It will thicken. Let it cool and use it normally. The sauce sticks to the pasta and has a deeper flavor.

Fun and fast to put together, and a family favorite. You can use any short pasta. Probably the most popular of these recipes. (Revised 4/10/20)

Ingredients:
1 medium cucumber
1/2 pound small pasta
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
1/2 of 9 oz bag of baby spinach
1/2 cup of Kalamata olives (bulk baby olives from Amazon save you a ton)
1/2 red onion
1/2 of a 6oz block of feta cheese

Directions:
Make the dressing first: Combine 4 Tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or  red wine vinegar, 1 finely minced garlic clove, 1 teaspoon each of salt, sugar, Dijon mustard and 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper. Whisk together with a fork. Let it sit while you make the salad.

Cook the pasta al dente, drain and rinse with cold water
Cut off ends of cucumber, peel and slice it lengthwise.Use a spoon to remove the seeds. Stack the halves and cut into 1/4" slices.
Cut cherry tomatoes in half
Cut red onion into thin slices
Roughly chop the Kalamata olives
Put all the above in a large bowl with the spinach, crumble the feta on top, add the dressing and toss well.

Now my vice of choice. A coconut variation of the 666er. (Revised 6/9/20)

Ingredients:
Ghiradelli 60% dark chocolate baking chips
Baker's sweet coconut flakes

Directions:
Put about an ounce of chips in as many baking cups as you like, put cups on a plate and microwave for three minutes. Take out and stir about a tablespoon of coconut flakes into each cup using  a toothpick.. Cool. Freeze. Despair.

A tangy mostly yogurt dressing and almost total nutrition make this a very easy lunch or dinner. You have to chill it for best flavor and texture. A slaw for survivalists: if you keep these ingredients in the bunker you can probably make it to the End of Days.

Ingredients:
One small cabbage, enough to make about a pound sliced. Slice it thinly like cole slaw.
One can of red kidney beans drained and rinsed
One half pound of pasta
One half red onion sliced thinly and chopped once or twice
One carrot grated
1/2 cup Greek yogurt, whole milk works best
1/4 cup Hellman's Original mayonnaise (not low fat) 

Directions:
For the dressing combine 1/2 cup Greek yogurt with 1/4 cup Hellman's mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons cider vinegar, one tablespoon sugar, one teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper. Whisk together with a fork.
Cook the pasta in salted water until done, drain and rinse with cold water. In a large bowl combine all the ingredients with the dressing, and chill for at least a half an hour. It is even better the next day.

Spanish Brown lentils are available in some specialty stores, but you don't need them for this recipe. They just sound tastier. Use any color lentil but red, which get mushy. This is the only simple lentil salad recipe that I actually want to eat, not just take to the pot luck fund raiser. (Updated 6/4/20)

Ingredients:
One cup of brown or green lentils (You can buy Spanish Pardina brown lentils direct from the farm, Look up Palouse Brand)
2 1/2 cups water
Half a small red onion chopped
One small red bell pepper chopped
One cucumber, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, de-seeded with a spoon, the halves cut into 1/2"strips, then chopped 1/4" long.
2 cups parsley leaves.
Feta cheese for garnish
Romaine lettuce or other green as bed for serving optional

Directions:
Cook the lentils in the 2 1/2 cups water or stock with  1/2 teaspoon salt for 30-35 minutes, then put in a colander, rinse with cold water and let sit until you are ready.
Make the dressing: Combine 5 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, one clove of garlic finely minced or put through a press, 1 full teaspoon Dijon mustard, and a little more than a 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and sugar, and whisk to combine.
When you are all set, combine the lentils, the vegetables and the dressing, serve and garnish with some feta cheese.
A bed of greens for serving is a nice addition, Romaine, Iceberg, or baby spinach.

 Served at room temperature or chilled, this is a great meal year round. The dressing  mixes with the Romaine/celery while you eat. (Revised 5/23/20)

Ingredients:
One cup dried small pasta
Two cans (drained and rinsed) or 3 cups cooked white (Cannellini) beans
One bunch of scallions, green parts, sliced half inch long
1/2 cup or more Kalamata olives, roughly chopped (you can get a cool little barrel of them from Amazon.)
Handful cherry tomatoes, halved
One head of packaged Romaine hearts, cut crosswise into 1/2" strips, then halved lengthwise
2" of a celery bunch cut crosswise into quarter inch slices.

For the dressing: Add 2 cloves minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon each of sugar and salt, black pepper to taste and a tablespoon of Dijon or Spicy Brown mustard to 5 tablespoons of olive oil and  2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or vinegar. Whisk with a fork.

Directions:
Cook the pasta, rinse and add to a bowl with the rest of the ingredients, (except the lettuce and celery),
and mix with the dressing.
Divide the Romaine and celery mixture into two large serving bowls. Push the lettuce to the edges of the bowl. Heap the Provencal mixture in the centers of the bowls and serve.
Hint: In the summer you can slice off kernels of fresh corn and then add them into the pasta pot for the last minute of cooking,  rinse both the pasta and corn in a colander and add to the dish.

If you can find ripe tomatoes, this is great. No cooking except for the pasta. Thanks to Rose Shulman for the inspiration.

Ingredients:
3/4 pound ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 can of small red beans or your bean of choice, rinsed and drained
1 cup of Ditalini pasta. You can use any small pasta or pearl couscous. I liked the sound of Ditalini.
One large garlic clove, finely minced or put through a press.
1/3 cup chopped basil
1/2 cup chopped red onion
A couple scallions, white parts chopped, green parts 1/2"
Romaine, Spinach or Iceberg to make a bed of greens in your bowl.
A sprinkling of feta cheese

Directions:
In a large bowl combine the tomatoes, garlic, onion, basil and scallions with a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, a teaspoon of salt and some fresh black pepper. Let it sit at least 15 minutes while you make your pasta. Stir a few times.
When you are ready put the beans in a colander, dump the cooked pasta on top, rinse both with cold water. Then add the pasta and beans to the tomato mixture, and mix well. Make a bed of  greens in your bowl, add the mixture, and crumble some feta on top.

Partially mashed white beans make a sauce for this neat combination of tastes and textures.

Ingredients:
8 oz. small pasta, your choice
One can Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 to 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
One small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
One small lemon (juice and zest)
One large or two small bunches of parsley, about 3+ cups of leaves. I use flat leaf, and just chop the head off the bunch.
1/2 teaspoon salt, pinch of hot pepper flakes, ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 cups water or vegetable stock

Directions:
Combine the parsley, Parmesan and lemon juice and zest in a bowl
Saute the onion, garlic, pepper flakes salt and pepper until the onion is soft, a few minutes.
Add the beans and stock, bring to a boil, and simmer covered for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, and mash about half the beans to thicken the sauce. Then cook the pasta until almost done, drain and add to the sauce. Bring heat up to just a boil, stir, turn off the heat, cover, and let the pasta and bean liquid sit for 3 or 4 minutes while the pasta finishes cooking and absorbs the extra liquid.
Add the bowl of parsley, cheese and lemon, stir, and serve with additional Parmesan if it suits you.

 The highway to diet hell is paved with these dark chocolate treats. Three and a half minutes from start to perdition.

Ingredients:
Ghiradelli 60% dark chocolate baking chips
Crumbled nuts (peanuts, almonds, whatever)
Salt

Directions: (Revised)
Put about an ounce of chocolate chips in a small paper muffin cup (Betty Crocker, 50 to a package).. Put cups on a plate, put plate in microwave for 3 minutes. You want the chips to just melt. Take out, add some nuts, mix with a toothpick, sprinkle a little coarse salt on top, cool and freeze.
The first one is free. Don't eat the paper.
(Actually, we have found the silicone baking cups work very well)

This is a kind of wonderful alchemy from Rose Shulman of the NYT. The marinade is cold, the pasta is hot, and the result is startling. A little hard to believe something so simple and so easy to make, is so good. You can serve it hot or room temperature. (Revised March 2020)

Ingredients:
3/4 pound fusille, orecchiette, or other pasta.
One pint of ripe cherry tomatoes
2 small or one large garlic clove, minced fine
1 cup firmly packed arugula
3 or 4 basil leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper
Parmesan for grating.

Directions:
Halve or quarter the tomatoes, chop the arugula, "sliver" or finely chop the basil, mince the garlic, and put in a large bowl with the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix and let marinate for 15 minutes or more. Stir the mixture a few times while it sits.
There is no hurry. When you are ready, cook the pasta and add it to the bowl, mix together and serve with the Parmesan. It is good hot, warm or room temperature.

Almost worthwhile getting a cold so you can have this. Use any noodle or mushroom you like. Don't make it if you are horrified of salt.

Ingredients:
One pound of mushrooms chopped very coarsely
Half a pound of noodles, your choice
One medium onion, chopped fine
4 cloves of garlic, minced
One small bunch of scallions, chopped fine. Leave 4" of green parts and cut them 1/2" for garnish
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup good soy sauce. Low sodium soy sauce is not good soy sauce, OK?
1/4 cup rice or red wine vinegar
3 cups vegetable stock or water. Add more if you want a weaker broth

Directions:
In your wok or deep pan saute the garlic, onions, scallions and pepper flakes on medium-high heat, then add the chopped mushrooms. Cook and stir the mushrooms until they lose most of their water and are browned, about ten minutes.
Add the soy sauce, vinegar, water or vegetable stock and sesame oil, and cook at a simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and relax. When you have finished your drink, put your noodles in boiling salted water and cook until almost done. Drain and add them to the broth, and cook for a minute or two.
Put the noodles into your bowls with tongs, then ladle the mushroom broth on top, and add the scallion slices.

Another very simple and surprising meal. And it is so good for you that you will live into your 90's and die in your sleep after winning the dance marathon.

Ingredients:
Two cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
One half of a 7oz. jar of sun dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
Half a 12oz. bag of chopped kale
Three cloves garlic, minced
Tablespoon cider vinegar
Half teaspoon salt, quarter teaspoon black pepper, cayenne pepper

Directions:
In a large bowl add the beans, chopped tomatoes, two tablespoons of the oil from the tomatoes, the vinegar, salt, pepper and cayenne, and mix.
In your wok or deep sauce pan saute the garlic in two tablespoons olive oil, then add the kale and two tablespoons water. Saute the kale until wilted, just a minute or two. Stir in  the bean mixture and heat until just boiling at the edge. Serve.

I am crazy about this dish. Great tasting and easy, a real surprise. Chinese comfort food. My brother Brian found out about this when he was searching for ways to use his tomato harvest. (Updated 12/19)

Ingredients:
One cup of rice, two cups of water, pinch of salt. Make like this.
5 eggs, mush cooked, like this.
One pound ripe tomatoes, quartered. Compari brand is dependable if you don't have a garden. Cherry tomatoes work too.
One small bunch of scallions, white parts chopped, green parts sliced 1/2" long
One tablespoon sugar
One teaspoon salt
Some pepper flakes if you feel like it
Olive oil

Directions:
Put the quartered tomatoes, the scallions, the hot pepper flakes and the sugar and salt in a bowl, mix and let marinate a little.
Cook the rice first, so it will be ready.
Cook the eggs as above, slide into a bowl, rough chop them into largish pieces.
When you are ready, slide the tomato mixture into your hot pan, cook over high heat for a few minutes until the tomatoes start to loose liquid, turn the heat down a little, cover and cook a few minutes more.
You are trying for a lot of tomato liquid plus barely identifiable tomatoes.
Add the eggs to the tomatoes, combine well, and serve over rice.
This dish tastes great with brown rice made with vegetable stock. (Make like white rice but cook 40 minutes)

(If your baby leaves you lone and lorn, make this a great, fast meal for one. Use 1/2 lb. tomatoes, three eggs, 2 teaspoons sugar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, pepper flakes, and put the tomatoes, sugar, salt, scallions and pepper flakes together in a bowl while you cook the rice. When the rice is done, cook the eggs and then the tomato mixture as above. Brown rice also works well in this.)

 Oh boy. This is slightly modified Indian Dal recipe from Nigella Lawson of the NYT.  Wonderful with Jasmine rice on the side. "Dal" is an Indian word for a thick soup made with "pulses": lentils, peas or beans. (modified 11/19)

Ingredients:
One medium sweet potato, about 10 ounces, chopped
One medium yellow or red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 quarter sized pieces of fresh ginger, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup red lentils
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes (or 8 oz. can tomato sauce)
1/2 teaspoon each of turmeric, cumin seed, coriander seed, ground ginger, and 1 teaspoon salt.
1/4 teaspoon each black pepper and cayenne . Grind all the spices together in a mortar and pestle.
About one and a quarter cup water or vegetable stock ( adjust for proper consistency)
1 can coconut milk
For the rice: 1/2 cup jasmine rice, 1 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Directions:
In your soup pot saute the sweet potato, onion, garlic and ginger in the olive oil for about ten minutes, or until the onions are transparent
Add the spices and the lentils and stir until coated with oil
Add the tomatoes, water and coconut milk
Heat until boiling, then reduce to a simmer
(Pause for a minute to get the rice going) 
Cook the dal mixture about 35 minutes, checking and stirring to prevent the dal sticking to bottom of pan. Turn off the heat, use a potato masher to break up and mix the ingredients. The consistency should be like a very thick soup or a puree.
Serve the dal with the rice on the side, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt and some cilantro and cayenne pepper for color.

Another nice surprise made from a modified Rose Shulman recipe. The garlic rubbed baguette toast is boffo.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoon olive oil
2 cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
6 oz. baby spinach
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 largish yellow onion
3 or 4 cloves minced garlic
1 cup vegetable broth or water
1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon cumin seed, pan toasted briefly
Thick sliced french baguette bread, toasted, rubbed with cut cloves of garlic, and drizzled with olive oil
Some fresh lemon slices

Directions:
Toast the cumin seed and then grind it in your mortar and pestle with the salt, pepper and cayenne.
In your large saucepan/pot saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil, add the tomato paste and saute for two minutes more. The paste should darken. Add the ground spices, stock or water, and chickpeas. Bring to a boil, turn heat down and simmer for 10 minutes. Add more water or stock if the mix is too dry. It should be slightly soupy. Turn off the heat. Relax. When you are ready,  toast the bread and prepare as above.
Put your toasted bread in your serving  bowls. Turn the heat back on the chickpea mix, add the spinach and stir and cook until just wilted. Serve on the toast, and add some lemon squeezes while eating.

Sometimes potatoes just hit the spot.  It's great when something unassuming like this works.
Serve it with or without the poached egg.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 1/2 lbs. baby red potatoes cut in half
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
I cup water or vegetable stock
1 cup cilantro chopped coarsely
6 small or three large scallions, white and green parts sliced
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh ground pepper

Directions:
Grind the spices together in your mortar and pestle. Heat the olive oil and saute the onion well, add the ground spices, potatoes and chickpeas, and stir to coat everything. Add the stock or water, heat to just boiling, turn heat down to a simmer, cover, cook 15 minutes, stir, cover, cook another 15 minutes.
Most of the liquid will have been absorbed. Turn off the heat, add the scallions and most of the cilantro. Garnish with the remaining cilantro.

'
Fast and fun, and close enough to the real thing.  It's good with the eggs, but you can do without. (Edited February 2020)

Ingredients:
Half pound of angel hair pasta ( I break the package in half to make the pieces manageable)
1 lime. Use half for sauce and cut other half into thin wedges for squeezing.
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
1/3 cup peanuts, crushed in your mortar and pestle
3 scallions, white parts sliced fine, green parts 1" long.
One carrot,  grated
2 Cups or more of Mung Bean sprouts. If they are packaged, make sure they should be white and crisp. (We just started sprouting our own from seed so we could be sure of freshness.)

Sauce: Mix together the juice of half the lime, one tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, 3 tablespoons good soy sauce, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 2 cloves minced garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or a squirt of Sriracha sauce.

Directions:
Heat the olive oil in your wok or deep saucepan, crack the eggs on the oil, turn off the heat, and just let them sit there. They should partially cook with nice white edges. Relax.
When you are ready, cook the pasta. Drain and put directly on the eggs. Then turn on the heat,  medium high, and stir and cook just a minute or two until the eggs are done. Then turn off the heat, add the vegetables and the sauce, combine everything well, and serve with the crushed peanuts and lime wedges, which are important.

Mac&Cheese for Italian Nobility. This is what it looks like before firing up this really easy Sunday night treat. Butter, whole milk, Parmesan: What's a matta? You scared? Mmmmm.

Ingredients:  (Pay attention to pasta and liquid measurements.)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces Linguini pasta
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper is a nice optional addition)
3 cups water
On cup grated Parmesan. Use the 1/4" holes on your box grater.

Directions:
Use your deep skillet to saute the garlic in the olive oil a minute or two.
Add the rest of the ingredients except the grated Parmesan. Heat to boiling, then turn heat down to a strong simmer. Poke, prod and mix (to keep the pasta from sticking together) until the pasta absorbs the liquid and is creamy, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Turn off heat, add the grated cheese while stirring so the cheese coats the pasta.
Serve hot with a garnish of cilantro or parsley. Add plenty of fresh ground pepper at the table.

Psst. Looking for a good time, sailor? White chocolate company on the road to diet ruin.
(Like 666ers but without the consolation that they might be good for you.)

Ingredients:
Ghiradelli White Chocolate Chips
Ground Cinnamon

Directions:
Put around 3/4 oz. of chips in a paper baking cup, put on a plate, put in microwave. White chocolate melts at a lower temperature, so set your microwave to 'Soften/Melt" select "Chocolate" select "08 oz." and press enter. It should display 3 minutes.
Take out, sprinkle a little ground cinnamon on top, swirl with a toothpick if you want, cool, freeze. Abandon hope.