Late Night Pasta Toss

Scott: I think you should post about this.

Me: Post about what?

Scott: Dinner.

Me: What? Like what we’re eating right now?

Scott: Yes.

Me: But it’s nothing, just some veggies and pasta.

Scott: Right.

Me: ‘Splain yourself.

Scott: Well, what did you do?

Me: I made an easy and quick dinner because it’s crazy late and we need to eat.

Scott: Exactly.  Maybe people would be interested in this.  Maybe folks want to know how to just put something together quickly when they don’t have a lot of time. Or when it’s late and they are hungry but still want something healthy.  This is a good example of that.

Me: Well I’ll try.  I did just toss this together, no exact measurements or anything.

Scott: That’s the point!

This was the conversation that Scott and I had last Wednesday when it was late, we were hungry, and I needed to put some food in our bellahs.  I attended that canning class and my original plan was that we would eat dinner before class.  That didn’t work out and I didn’t have a Plan B.  So when we got home and it was after 9pm, I needed to put something together quickly to feed us.

Andrea’s Late Night Pasta Toss

  • 2 Big handfuls of Whole Wheat Spaghetti
  • 1/4-1/2 Medium Onion, chopped
  • 1 Green pepper, chopped
  • 2 Large Tomatoes chopped
  • 1 Crookneck Squash Chopped
  • 1 Large Clove of garlic grated
  • 1/2C White Wine
  • 1TBSP Olive oil for sauteeing
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • Italian Seasoning (I like Mrs. Dash)

In a huge pasta pot, fill with water and bring to a boil.  Dump in spaghetti and cook until your desired done-ness.  In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add in onion, pepper, and squash, stir to coat with oil.  Then season and stir again.  Allow to sautee until softened.  Add in the chopped tomato and garlic, heat through.  Toss in the white wine and let simmer for a few minutes.  Add in the cooked pasta, toss, and serve with some crusty whole grain bread.  Glass of white wine to accompany it is optional.

This dish was really perfect for a late evening.  And when I say late, when we sat down to eat it was 10pm. Eeep!  It took me roughly 20-30 minutes to put this dish on the table.  What took the longest was actually waiting for the water to boil for the pasta!  Everything was something I had on hand and the squash was leftover from a previous dinner!

How much seasoning you want to use is totally up to you.  The veggies bring a lot of flavor so I keep the seasoning to a minimum.  The juice from the tomatoes along with the wine create a lovely light sauce.  Of course you can sub in stock of your choice or red wine if you don’t want to use white.  Add in some shrimp for a fun seafood pasta dish!

By the time I hit the hay that night it was 11:30 and way past my bedtime.  However our bellahs were full with a healthy meal that was created in no time.

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food!  Enjoy!

6 thoughts on “Late Night Pasta Toss

  1. Heidi says:

    I think Scott was right on the money with this post. Personally, I am trying to eliminate processed foods and pre-prepared stuff at home because homemade, fresh stuff just tastes so much better. And I’m beginning to enjoy the process of cooking more. But I know that life will happen, especially with soccer season starting.

    So, we have nights where I get home from work and have an hour or less to feed everyone and get back out the door. And I find it hard to come up with stuff I can throw together off the top of my head. I appreciated this post, and the ideas you put out there. I guess I need to remember to play with my food, eh? Thanks!

  2. This looks gorgeous. I love making pasta or salads like this. I throw things together to hurry it up and it still tastes fantastic and awesome. I think sometimes we don’t realize that even though these meals are simple…they are delicious, healthy and important for us to share. When I first started cooking dinners at home, I had no idea what to do when we were in a hurry. It took time, cookbooks, reading blogs and talking with foodie friends to help.

    Wow I rambled quite a bit. Now I want pasta.

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