Stumped by Sunday

It was Sunday night after a weekend of being out and about. So when dinner time rolled around, the last thing I wanted was to go out again, or order in from the same four places I'm growing quite tired of (things have been a bit busy lately and I haven't cooked as often as I'd liked). I also didn't want to search for the perfect recipe or have to take a trip to the store for ingredients. So that meant opening the pantry and the freezer and waiting for inspiration to strike, which it did in the form of this seafood pasta dish. (I'm still on my shrimp and noodles kick.) 

Really it's something I should do more often—it's a great way to use up items that have languished in the larder far too long while exercising those creative cooking muscles. What I love about this dish is that it's infinitely customizable: substitute frozen peas for the spinach, sun-dried tomatoes or artichokes for the asparagus, add mushrooms. And while I used pantry and frozen items since that's what I had on-hand, fresh ingredients would certainly work as well.

Last-Minute Pantry Pasta

© 2008 Mallory McCreary/SnobbyAvocado.com

12 ounces extra-wide egg noodles

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 small to medium onion, chopped

3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped fine

1/4 cup dry white wine

2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for garnish

1/2 pound frozen medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 6.5-ounce can of mussels, drained

8 ounces frozen chopped spinach

Heavy dash of white pepper

6 ounces or approximately 1/3 cup canned white asparagus tips

Cook egg noodles according to package directions. Drain and return noodles to cooking pot, covered, to retain heat.

Heat a medium saucepan over high heat and add olive oil. When hot but not smoking, add onion and garlic and saute until golden. Reduce heat to medium-high and add wine and Parmesan; stir to incorporate. Add shrimp, mussels, and spinach; season with white pepper. Cook until spinach is thawed and shrimp turn pink.

Pour sauce over reserved egg noodles. Add asparagus tips and stir to combine. Allow to sit a minute or two so pasta can absorb excess liquid. Serve and garnish with additional Parmesan, if desired.

Serves 4.