Pantry Dinner (Angel Hair Pasta with Trees and Cheese)

• February 03, 2011  |
• by Kirstin Uhrenholdt

Over at Babble.com, we’re sharing one of our favorite quick fix pantry dinner ideas: Angel Hair Pasta with Broccoli, Garlic and Cheese (or Angel Hair Pasta with Trees and Cheese).

We’ve all had those nights. Some of us have them on a regular basis. Nights when you haven’t thought of what to make, when you’ve gotten home late from work or you just didn’t feel like stopping at the market to pick up fresh ingredients. Those are the nights when you should open up your pantry. There’s likely to be a plethora of easy, healthy meals that you can quickly put together.

Angel Hair Pasta with Broccoli, Garlic and Cheese is one of our favorites that literally takes four minutes once the water is boiling in your pot. Perfect for one of those nights you only have time to open the fridge door and sigh, “Diiiiiinner, where are you?”

YOU NEED

1 large head of broccoli

1 pound angel hair pasta

2-4 cloves of garlic sliced paper thin (more or less)

4 tablespoons of olive oil

A pat of butter (optional)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

TO MAKE 6-8 SERVINGS

Start a big pot of water boiling, then salt it to taste like the sea. Grab the broccoli and chop it up finely. Peel the broccoli stem and chop it up too. In a small pan, heat up the olive oil, add the garlic and gently sauté until golden. Add the butter and melt. Take off the heat.

When the pasta water is at a rolling boil, throw both the pasta and broccoli into the pot. Boil until the pasta is done (according to the pasta package) — about 3-4 minutes.  Drain well, then toss with the garlic mixture and Parmesan cheese. Toss up a salad, throw down a tablecloth and merrily sing, “Diiiiinner, here you are!”

Optional Additions (Add at the end of sautéing the garlic):

Freshly chopped herbs, like parsley and basil

A few teaspoons of capers

1 cup chickpeas

Red pepper flakes

A can of drained tuna

A squeeze of lemon

1/2 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes.

Kids can:
Tear the broccoli into bits

Shred the cheese

Tear the herbs

Taste to make sure the noodles are perfect

In The Family Dinner book, we have a bunch of quick fix dinners that parents have shared with us. Do you have a favorite quick fix pantry dinner? If so, please share it with us all!

LINK » “Thursday’s Thought: Angel Hair Pasta with Trees and Cheese”