Karyn's Kitchen

6 Minute 6 Ingredient Simple Summer Pasta

Looking for summer pasta recipes? Learn to create something delicious and quick with just a few simple ingredients.

Wouldn’t you agree that summer means less is more? It’s especially true when it comes to food. With fresh produce at its peak, it needs very little embellishment before serving. Fewer ingredients and less time in the kitchen equal more time savoring simple pleasures like this 6 minute 6 ingredient summer pasta dish.

This thin spaghetti takes 6 minutes to boil, which was plenty of time to cook the other ingredients in a deep skillet. First, peel your shrimp and put the shells into a saucepan with water to boil. Shrimp stock is priceless and it’s integral to this dish in my opinion. Always boil your shells and freeze the stock for later if you’re not planning to use it right away. What if you bought shrimp that was already peeled? It’s not ideal, but it will work. You can make a quick fish stock using dried bonito flakes from an Asian market or maybe some clam juice. A little chicken broth would do in a pinch.

Ingredients for 2 Main Dish Servings of Summer Pasta:

half a box of thin spaghetti
3 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
10 jumbo shrimp, peeled (shells boiled in water)
5 cloves garlic, minced
a couple glugs of olive oil
a palm full of chopped fresh basil

I started by putting garlic, tomatoes and olive oil into a skillet and cooking on high for a couple of minutes before adding shrimp that I had seasoned with salt. Cooked a few more minutes until shrimp had turned pink and opaque, meaning they were finished. With tongs, I pulled al dente pasta out of its boiling pot and into the skillet of sauce. Tossing with tomatoes and shrimp and judging how much liquid to add, I poured in some strained shrimp stock that had been boiling on the back burner. You could whisk in a smidgeon of butter if you were so inclined.

Here’s where intuitive cooking comes in: How you treat your tomatoes depends on their quality. If mine had been a bit juicier, I might not have cooked them at all. Instead, I would have cooked the shrimp in garlic and olive oil and added tomatoes at the end with the shrimp stock just to warm through. In this case, cooking the tomatoes for a short amount of time allowed them to slump down and release some juicy goodness.

6 ingredient pasta with shrimp in a white bowl. table set for two

Ready to try something similar with clams or mussels? Find out How to Get Skillful With Shellfish next.

What do you think? Are you cooking without a recipe yet? With fresh, quality ingredients, it’s so easy to create a delicious meal without any fuss. Fish filets also cook quickly and pair with pasta with ease. Read My Easy Process For Breezy Success With Fish for more ideas on this topic.

Have Fun With Summer Fruit In a Savory Meal

What can you pair with summer fruit to create a savory meal the whole family will enjoy?

What’s your favorite summer fruit? I love peaches, plums and apricots. The only problem is that sometimes they’re all ripe and ready to be eaten at the same time. While I enjoy eating them for breakfast and snacks, they can also pair well with a more substantial meal.

After putting a chicken into the oven to roast, I pondered how I might serve some peaches with it. I decided that steamed brown rice flavored appropriately could complement both items. Develop your intuition in the kitchen to create something amazing with ingredients on hand. What do you think would tie these various elements together harmoniously?

chicken breast with spiced rice, arugula and summer peaches on a white plate

Here’s How I Spiced Up the Rice to Accompany Summer Fruit:

minced fresh ginger (from my treasure chest of freezer flavor gems)
dried onion flakes
powdered turmeric
ground fenugreek
ground coriander
salt
olive oil

What would coordinate well with this sweet, spicy, floral combination? How about a peppery arugula sautéed in olive oil with garlic until wilted? Drizzled just a touch of balsamic vinegar at the end and plated arugula. While the pan was still hot, I put some freshly sliced peaches into the same skillet and lowered the heat. Flipped them over once they had just a tiny bit of color. I didn’t really want to cook them through, but just to warm them up and bring out their sweetness.

I had intended to use some plums as well, but they were so juicy that they ended up in my mouth instead of the skillet. What can I say? Summer fruit is irresistible! Do you ever use them as a side dish for a savory meal? Get Inspired With an Anchor Ingredient and Free Your Creativity.

Hatching an Easy Plan for Hatch Chiles

Enjoy seasonal produce with this simple hatch chile casserole.

When I saw hatch chiles on sale at the market, I grabbed a handful without knowing what I would do with them. Beautiful, fresh, seasonal produce has a way of seducing me and I always find a delicious way to use it. What’s your favorite preparation for these big, mildly hot peppers?

How about making a simple casserole? When I was first married, my mother-in-law gave me a recipe for a chili relleno casserole using canned chilies, cream, eggs and cheese. I used to serve it with a big pot of chili along with a salad to feed a house full of guests without a lot of fuss. So that was my inspiration for this easy weeknight dinner.

baked hatch chiles in a glass casserole dish

After cutting the tops off the chiles, splitting them in half and removing the seeds, I placed them in a greased casserole dish. Poured in a mixture of beaten eggs and half and half, topped with grated colby jack cheese and baked at 350 for 45 minutes. Sprinkled toasted panko crumbs on top to add a bit of texture in lieu of frying.

Learn to develop your intuition in the kitchen as you get inspired by seasonal produce and start cooking without a recipe. Adjust proportions to suit your needs and let me know what you add or subtract to make a similar casserole.

Ingredients for Hatch Chile Casserole:

3 1/2 hatch chiles, halved
4 eggs
1 cup half and half
pinch of salt
4-5 ounces colby jack cheese
handful of toasted panko crumbs

hatch chile relleno casserole with black beans and rice on a white plate on a table set for two.

Why did I use 3 1/2 chiles? Because I had already greased a casserole dish that turned out to be a tad too small for 4. After baking, I thought that I could have just topped the casserole with the remaining half, but no worries. The remainder will go into another dish this week. Maybe an omelet? Who knows?!

What if you have leftover casserole? I reheated it and put into a burrito with pinto beans and salsa for lunch the next day. I don’t claim to make it the way our favorite Mexican restaurant does, but it was delicious and as easy as can be…just like a pot of my Wicked Quick Chili. How will you make it your own?

Want to Know How to Cook Turnip Greens?

Develop your intuition in the kitchen as you learn how to cook turnip greens without a recipe.

Without a suitable place to grow vegetables, I rely on local markets for fresh produce UNLESS a friend shares their bounty. Imagine how thrilled I was to receive a newly harvested turnip from a friend’s garden! I have never seen one so fresh with leaves still attached. A gorgeous green crown with a little sparkling gem at the bottom. Isn’t it darling? Are you wondering how to cook turnip greens?

fresh turnip with greens attached lying in a basket

Never having purchased such a fresh turnip, I had also never had the opportunity to prepare the greens. That was my first order of business, as with other root vegetables: Eat the greens first and the root later. What’s your favorite way to prepare turnip greens?

After washing and roughly chopping the greens, I sautéed them briefly in olive oil with minced garlic and tasted. Deciding they could be sweetened up a bit, I took an ice cube of tomato preserves out of my treasure chest of flavor gems and mixed that in. Grated asiago cheese on top added a saltiness and richer mouthfeel. I enjoyed them this way, but my husband is less a fan of bitter greens than I am. So, next time I might consider starting with some bacon or sausage to balance that out a bit more. More fat mellows the flavor. Or these greens could be combined with milder greens such as beet greens or spinach. How about tossing some raisins or apples in there instead?

turnip greens on a white plate. a slice of pizza and a wedge of asiago in the background

Another idea is to quickly blanch them first as I often do with rapini. That’s delicious with sausage and pasta. Hmm…maybe I could try that dish with the turnip greens next time.

What about the root? Usually I cook turnips, but this one was so fresh and petite that I decided to slice it super thin and put it into a salad raw. Shaved asiago balanced out the sharpness of the turnip. Freshly picked produce is the best!

romaine salad with turnips and asiago on a white plate. Asiago and peeler on the side

Developing your intuition in the kitchen while practicing zero waste cooking without a recipe is so gratifying. Who’s with me?

Look to Italy for Unique Pizza Ideas

You can make Quattro Stagioni pizza at home with a few basic ingredients.

Looking for unique pizza ideas? The beauty of making them at home is that you can create something delicious based on ingredients you have available. Start with a good, store bought pizza dough. Roll it out as thin as you like while preheating your pizza stones in a 500 degree oven. We routinely make two pizzas from one pound of dough. I keep a couple balls of dough in the freezer so we can make them whenever the mood strikes. If you would like to make your own dough from scratch, here’s a recipe from dishcrawl.com.

One of my favorites that can be made with basics I usually have on hand is Quattro Stagioni, meaning the 4 seasons represented by each of the ingredients. We first had it in Venice at one of the few places that was open while everyone else was enjoying siesta. We hadn’t adapted to local time/customs yet that early in the trip.

You can decide if you want to arrange the ingredients separately on each quadrant of the pizza or distribute them evenly, which is the way we often do it.

quattro stagioni pizza on a white plate. red wine on the side

Once you have rolled out the dough and placed on a preheated pizza stone, top with red sauce. Sometimes we use store bought sauce and sometimes I make it myself. Top with mozzarella and follow with the ingredients listed below.

Toppings For Quattro Stagioni Pizza

sliced capicola ham or prosciutto
chopped black olives such as Kalamata
sliced mushrooms
artichoke hearts

Why do I say this is one of those unique pizza ideas that you can make from ingredients on hand? Because even if you don’t have fresh mushrooms or artichokes, you can always keep some in the freezer and canned in the pantry. That’s one of my strategies for being prepared and shopping less often while always having the makings of a great meal.

We don’t buy capicola often, but prosciutto makes a regular appearance at our place, so even if I didn’t buy it for this pizza in particular, it’s likely that I have a few slices sitting in the refrigerator. And guess what? Using even 3 out of 4 of these items still makes a great pizza.

Bake for 10 minutes or until crust is golden.

Ingredients for Basic Red Pizza Sauce:

a few cloves of garlic
canned tomatoes
basil (dried or fresh)
oregano (dried or fresh)
French thyme (dried or fresh)
olive oil

Chop the garlic first and then add the other ingredients to taste and puree. Buon appetito!

By the way, fantastic pizza doesn’t always require red sauce. Learn step by step how to make our favorite pizza without it.

Cold Somen is the Perfect Summer Meal

Cool off tonight with this easy, refreshing noodle dish.

Whenever it’s hot and humid outside, I think of my Japanese grandfather putting a cold washcloth on top of his head while he repeated the words, “becha becha”. Apparently that referred to the humidity and feeling sweaty and sticky, which prompted him to request cold somen (thin Japanese wheat noodles) for lunch. I still find that summer meal refreshing and it brings back memories of Ojiichan.

somen on a bamboo mat served with sauce in wooden bowls and garnishes on a white platter

You can buy dried somen and the appropriate “tsuyu”, or sauce in a Japanese market. However, I prefer to make my own sauce eliminating the MSG. It’s easy to do with the right ingredients. Here’s what I found on https://www.japanesecooking101.com/:

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup mirin
1/4 cup sake
handful of bonito flakes

Briefly boil the ingredients listed above and then strain out the bonito flakes. Combine one part of this sauce with 2 parts water.

I happened to be out of sake, so I used a dry white wine instead. It worked for my taste. After straining out the bonito flakes, I chilled the sauce to serve with cold somen.

This is an easy meal that’s quick to prepare because the only cooking involved is boiling the somen. The noodles are so thin that they cook very fast. Once tender, drain and rinse under cold water. Arrange them in serving sized bundles and top with ice if desired. Pour cold sauce into individual bowls. Technically speaking, I suppose you would call this soup, but I think it’s a great summer meal.

somen, veggies and fish in a wooden bowl. julienned cucumber and carrots in small bowls on a white platter.

I decided to garnish with some raw veggies. My julienne peeler made quick work of shredding cucumber and carrots. Chopped up some napa cabbage and green onions as well. The cold smoked ahi with sesame seeds provided even more flavor and protein to round out this cool and refreshing dinner for a summer evening. What do you serve on a hot day that brings back fond memories? Salad is a no-brainer. Learn how to make a miso based dressing to take it to the next level with Asian flair.

Start Your Party With Easy Cheesy Corn Dip

Try this easy cheesy corn dip for a no-fuss crowd pleaser.

Dips are a great way to start a party or to snack on anytime. There are endless possibilities as far as dips are concerned. Roasted vegetables such as eggplant or red bell pepper make a great base. How many fresh vegetables have you experimented with? How about sweet summer corn? It’s on sale and it’s amazing this time of year. I enjoy roasting more than I need for one meal and finding fun ways to incorporate it into future meals, such as an easy cheesy corn dip.

Of course you could boil the corn or put it on the grill. Here’s how I roast corn in the oven: Leave it in the husk, rinse with water and put into preheated 425 degree oven for 45 minutes. It’s delicious with shrimp and okra for dinner. But be sure to save some corn for dip the next day!

corn dip in red cabbage bowl with celery on a white platter. tortilla chips and olives on the side with a cocktail.

Here I started with 3 roasted corncobs. Cutting off the kernels yielded just over 2 cups. Pulsing it in the food processor, I added 16 ounces of Greek yogurt, 4 ounces blue cheese, one chipotle pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Pureed until smooth. How long did that take? All of 2 minutes?!

This dip could serve 8 people as a starter, but I could make a meal of it myself! How about a bit of it as a topping for steak with a salad? Serve it with chips, crackers, toasted bread, shrimp or my personal favorite: celery. Who doesn’t love blue cheese with celery? Not a fan of blue cheese? Try it with feta instead. Want to sweeten things up a bit? How about adding some figs?

Ingredients for Corn Dip:

2+ cups of roasted corn
16 ounces of Greek yogurt (2 %)
4 ounces blue cheese
one chipotle pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

If you make this a few hours ahead, it will give the flavors a chance to meld and will taste even better.

What else do you like to do with corn? Try serving it with red beans and rice. It’s a simple meal that can feed an army.

You can’t go wrong eating with the seasons. A visit to your local farmers market will show you what’s in abundance and at its peak in quality. At the supermarket, take note of what’s on sale as it often reflects the same. My favorite way to shop is without a list, taking note of what looks fresh and vibrant in the produce department. That’s where I spend most of my time before moving on to the rest of the perimeter of the store for fresh meats and seafood, dairy etc. Are you shopping without a list yet? Here’s the story behind how I got started with this method. Shop smart, work smarter not harder and enjoy each meal because food brings us together.

Simple Meals and Fresh Produce Define Summer

What’s at your local farmers market that will inspire simple meals this season?

Part of the beauty of summer is its produce and how they combine for delicious, simple meals. Take corn for example. It’s sweet, it’s on sale and who doesn’t love it? Serve it on the cob after roasting in the oven or grilling. Cook more than you need for one meal and cut the kernels off for another meal a couple days later. Whole grains, like barley, are another thing I often cook extra of in order to toss together a quick meal another day. Work smarter, not harder as you develop confidence in the kitchen.

I hear that some cultures prepare okra whole and I’m interested to try it that way. Does anyone have a suggestion? I usually slice it into half inch pieces and sauté in olive oil until the goo inside cooks out. That’s what I know about cooking okra so that it doesn’t have a slimy texture. It’s delicious, in case you were unsure about okra until now…After that, you can add the other vegetables you desire, such as onion and celery. Maybe a tomato or a pepper? What’s in your garden? Season it up with some garlic, French thyme or oregano…or what else?

a simple meal of shrimp with barley and seasonal vegetables on a white plate

Cooking without a recipe is simple if you stock basic pantry items, proteins in the freezer and combine with fresh seasonal produce. After defrosting shrimp and tossing in olive oil and garlic powder, they cooked in the skillet with the vegetables and barley. Put them in once everything else is tender so they don’t overcook. They only need a few minutes to turn pink. Topped off with an avocado and hot sauce, this was a delightful meal requiring very little prep. More time for the ones you love, I say.

And please remember to boil the shrimp shells for zero waste cooking. You will thank yourself later for thinking ahead and simplifying future meal prep with free flavor gems.

Which simple meals define summer for you? Please leave a comment and share using buttons below if you found anything useful here.

Be Transported to Amalfi With This Great Pasta

Get inspired to cook without recipes and create a delicious, simple meal with pasta and bacon.

Wondering what to cook for dinner tonight? Easy Bucatini Amatriciana is for you. It’s made of items you probably already have on hand. Bacon is a great freezer flavor gem and who doesn’t always have an onion and a box of pasta around? Not a bad deal for a few simple items to transport me to a memorable meal in Amalfi, Italy.

Traditionally, this pasta sauce is made with pancetta, but honestly I prefer the smokiness of the bacon if I had to choose. Also bucatini (long, skinny tubes) pictured here would be the ideal pasta choice, but any long pasta will do. Spaghetti, linguine etc.

a table set for two with pepper grinder, parmesan cheese and a single rose. bucatini amatriciana (pasta with bacon) on white plates.

Basic Ingredients For Pasta With Bacon:

olive oil
bacon
onion
wine
canned tomatoes
chili flakes

If you let frozen bacon sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes, it’s pretty easy to cut off a couple inches and chop into small pieces for this. I generally remove the bacon from the skillet and drain off most of fat once the bacon has gotten crispy. But if you want to leave more of it in the sauce, I won’t tell! Cooking without a recipe means you’re in charge.

Then add the sliced onions and cook them over low heat until they have become golden brown, scraping up all the browned bits as you go along. Give them enough time because the depth of flavor derived makes all the difference. I add some wine along the way as it becomes necessary. I usually use red wine, but white is fine too. Alternatively, you could splash a touch of vinegar in there if you wanted to. A little balsamic or red wine vinegar would be good. Develop your intuition in the kitchen as you experiment with simple meals like this one.

Once the onions have cooked down and become sweet and golden brown, add the canned tomatoes. Whichever variety you have works. Diced tomatoes hold their shape more than others and we prefer a saucier consistency for this, so crushed tomatoes or whole peeled tomatoes pureed in the food processor are preferable. Tomato sauce would be fine too. I’m sure you have something suitable in your pantry and now know what to cook for dinner tonight. Easy!

I like to add some red chili flakes and maybe some garlic and French thyme. Maybe some more wine before returning bacon to the sauce. Simmer, taste and see if you desire a little more of the bacon fat that you poured off…Let sauce simmer until the pasta is ready. Pull the pasta out with tongs and mix with the sauce.

What have your travels inspired you to cook? Here’s another favorite we discovered in Capri.

Cream of Mushroom Soup to the Rescue

Make a quick and easy meal with a few basic ingredients.

What can you do with a can of cream of mushroom soup? What other ingredients do you have on hand? Grab a protein, a vegetable and a starch because here’s what to cook for dinner tonight. Easy. No recipe required.

After watching one of Jacques Pepin’s brief videos on budget friendly meals to help those struggling with food insecurity, I developed a craving for cream of mushroom soup. He used it to make a tuna casserole with rice and canned green beans. Simple, cheap and filling. Nothing fancy, but it served its purpose. How about trying it with fresh or frozen fish and fresh or frozen green beans rather than canned? Simply thin out the soup with just enough water to give it a saucy consistency and poach the fish in it.

Maybe it’s a throwback to the 70’s, but when I was a kid, we always had a canned cream of something in the pantry. Would I use it every day? No, I don’t open cans often, but once in a while it makes pulling together a simple meal quickly a no-brainer.

Pasta Is Just As Easy

I remember having a friend over once in my late teens and we were talking about getting a place together as roommates. She was so worried about who would do the cooking. I laughed and said we would. She had never cooked before and I didn’t have a lot of experience either, but I had no doubt that we could learn to feed ourselves. That night I made pasta with some chicken and cream of mushroom soup. She thought I was a genius. I laughed again. 3 simple ingredients, folks. That’s all you need.

Hey, start by browning some ground beef, turkey or tofu instead. Add some fresh asparagus at the end when you toss it all together. Make it look a little more elegant by making meatballs if you like. What other vegetables do you have on hand? Try snow peas or broccoli. You’re only limited by your imagination and what’s on hand. Getting dinner on the table tonight can be this easy.

Want more veg and less starch? Think Spring With Asparagus and Farro.