I’m in the middle of several projects that are keeping me very busy. I have found strange truth in the phrase, “I meet myself coming and going.”

Finding time to cook is difficult and instead I’ve been making quick simple meals including leftovers and sandwiches.
Friday night I made a very simple pasta sauce. It makes enough for dinner with some left over to freeze for another day. Now that it’s just David and me, I’m working on making smaller meals. If we have leftovers, I want to re-purpose them in an interesting way.

Rigatoni with Pomodoro Sauce
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 bunch fresh basil
2 quarts canned tomatoes
1 carrot
1 pinch red pepper flakes
2-3 Parmesan cheese rinds
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. butter

Begin by heating the oil to medium-low and cook the whole garlic cloves until they turn a light golden brown. Then add the basil (stems and all), tomatoes, whole carrot, red pepper flakes and cheese rinds. Turn the heat to low and cover. Simmer the sauce low and slow for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove the garlic, carrot, basil stems and cheese rinds. The garlic and basil add flavor, the carrot naturally sweetens and the Parmesan cheese rinds partially melt into the sauce making it rich and creamy. Taste the sauce. I added a little pepper, but found that the cheese rinds added enough salty seasoning.

If you prefer a smoother sauce, purée it. I like a rustic sauce with pieces of tomatoes, so if need be, I smush the larger pieces with a fork. David likes to cut up the carrot and the garlic and add it into his pasta.

Stir a little butter into the sauce until it melts, making the sauce even thicker and richer. Toss with your favorite pasta. I used rigatoni because it holds the sauce well. It made a nice light dinner when served with a green salad.

Another quick and light dinner was made with garden zucchini, green onions, leafy greens, corn and canned garbanzo beans for added protein. I recommend tossing all ingredients together and then serving over torn greens because leftover greens wilt, but the rest of the salad stores well.

Zucchini, Corn and Garbanzo Bean Salad
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
3 green onions, chopped
1 cup corn, kernels cut off the cob
2 zucchini squashes, cubed
Fresh greens, like romaine, arugula, spinach and/or chard
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 c. olive oil
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Parmesan cheese, grated

Mix ingredients garbanzo beans through zucchini together. Create a simple dressing by whisking lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, salt and pepper together. Toss with the vegetables. Serve mixture over a bed of fresh salad greens. Top with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese.