We always remember not to food shop the week before we’re going away. It doesn’t make sense to buy anything that will just sit through the weekend and perhaps rot, or be forgotten about, etc.

We ALWAYS remember not to food shop the week before we’re going away.

We always forget that this will mean there’s nothing to eat when we get home.

This time we got lucky. In a last minute decision to meet Mom out for dinner one night last week, the chicken that was supposed to be our meal for that night went in the freezer. Sunday night when we got home from Boston, we thawed it out and EHH grilled some chicken for dinner with a nice spicy rub on it and a side of grilled zucchini (I remembered not to food shop. I did not remember to cancel my Door-to-Door Organics delivery. Shut-up.)

I had planned on grocery shopping after work yesterday. I LOATHE grocery shopping. I’ve stated my extreme hatred for the sport before. I LOATHE it. I prefer Peapod. I want to make out with Peapod. I also missed my kid a LOT yesterday, as I do on most Monday’s, after spending three whole days with her sweet little face. Peapod won not only because it saved me from the act of physical shopping, but also because it got me home to her about 30 minutes earlier. Win/Win.

I placed our Peapod order and headed home only to realize…

We had absolutely nothing to eat for dinner.

Which was totally a reason for me to go to the grocery store.

But I REALLY didn’t wanna. Like stomp my feet and WHINE LOUDLY didn’t wanna.

We had just come home from Boston where we tend to spend a little too much money. I had just placed a grocery order upwards of $150. We have daycare bills due, mortgage, etc. I was determined to save us from the convenience of ordering out and build some dinner from the contents of our pantry.

(You people all know I can’t cook, right? That I have been known to accidentally broil toast? So what the HELL was I thinking? I was thinking that if this didn’t work, there was always pancakes. But no syrup.)

We always have pasta. I have Italian heritage. If I ever go to the pantry and have it be without pasta, another nook in hell for my soul will simultaneously form. I knew pasta would be the bulk of our meal. We did not have Olive Oil. Which kind of made me go hmmm when pondering how the HELL I was going to make the pasta.

I thumbed through other canned items; Pumpkin, chicken gravy, black olives, vegetable soup, diced tomatoes, hearts of palm, cannellini beans, more pumpkin, more diced tomatoes.

Mom was playing with Bean in the other room and when I told her I was trying to make something for dinner out of the pantry contents, she took that opportunity to remind me I should’ve just gone to the store.

Which I did not.

So was she going to help me? Or mock me.

(Both)

She has some funktastic app on her iPhone (ed. note: All Recipes. Downloaded that mutha!) that she was able to put in some ingredients and wham. A recipe actually matched.

Last night I made Greek Pasta with Tomatoes and White Beans.

Only mine wasn’t so Greek since I didn’t have any Feta.

The recipe called for:

- 2 cans of Italian style diced tomatoes (check)

- 1 can cannellini beans (check)

- Fresh Spinach, washed & chopped (check – see aforementioned forgetfulness on canceling the Door-to-Door Organics order)

- Penne Pasta (Meh – angel hair will have to do)

- 1/2 cup of crumbled feta cheese

There was a note on the recipe that mentioned simmering the tomatoes with a little garlic, oregano and basil. I had all three! So I did that. And people? There were no measurements listed on any of those three ingredients so I GUESSED and it was GOOD. (I used two cloves of garlic, diced small. And about a teaspoon of both the oregano and basil.)

Directions:

1) Cook the pasta as desired.

2) Combine tomatoes and beans, garlic, and spices in a LARGE (trust me you need the large one. I had to switch because the spinach wouldn’t fit) skillet. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

3) Add spinach to the sauce; cook until spinach wilts, stirring constantly.

4) Serve sauce over pasta and sprinkle with Feta.

I was convinced my husband would hate it because of the beans, but I would just tell him to pick them out because we were being ECONOMICAL IF IT KILLED US, DAMMIT! Turns out I WAS WRONG. AND HE LOVED IT!

It was a really good, easy, light recipe that I will definitely make again.

Maybe with the feta next time.

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Some nutritional notes.

Serves 4.
The recipe listing says there’s about 460 calories and 5.9g of fat per serving.
All of my ingredients happened to be organic with the exception of the pasta. This was merely an accident since I don’t tend to buy every grocery item organic, but I will say that the flavor and taste was very pure. The spinach looked fantastic and fresh and a very bright green. I never thought I’d be a proponent of organic items, but the more I use them and the more I think about poisoning myself with preservatives a little less than before, the more appealing going organic sounds.

Hmm. Next blog topic; my position on going organic…?