Recipes Trending

I have a love-hate relationship with cooking in the summer.  I love the salads, fresh fruits and vegetables, and lightness of food in general in the summer.  But I never want to come in from the fresh air and spend a lot of time preparing meals!  Especially when its hot out.  This one-pot pasta was a total hit because it was SO easy and SO fast AND it tasted fantastic!  I cant wait to make it with tomatoes fresh from our garden (fingers crossed my kids dont eat them all off the plant before I can use any!).  We did use our own basil and it was tasty!  You literally throw everything in the pot with the pasta and water to cook, and it makes its own flavorful sauce and is ready in minutes.  If we had a gas stove it would be even faster, because the longest part was just waiting for the water to boil.  Next time you find yourself needing something for dinner quickly, try this out!



*I actually used 16 oz. of thin spaghetti and it worked great - you may need to add a bit more water and reduce the cooking time if you do this.  If you use the linguine as it calls for, just follow the recipe as is.  And I know 2 cups of onions sounds like a lot, but it gives it great flavor!

One-Pot Pasta

12 oz. linguine*
12 oz. cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 sprigs (about 10 leaves) basil, chopped, plus more for serving
2 T. olive oil
4 1/2 c. water
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

Combine pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, basil, olive oil, and water in a large straight-sided skillet.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Boil mixture (uncovered), stirring and turning pasta frequently with tongs until pasta is al dente and water has nearly evaporated, about 9 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Garnish with additional basil and serve with Parmesan cheese.

Source: Slightly adapted from Martha Stewart

Notice I didnt exactly say that I "asked" him on a date, because in fact, I did not. Instead, I surprised him with an amazing trio of treatments (including a DIY mud room/sauna situation and a 60-minute massage) at the ridiculously luxurious Pearl Spa and sushi at, and I kid you not when I say this, the BEST sushi restaurant Ive ever been to, Sushi Sono.

Would you like to know how good both of these establishments actually are? Theyre in Columbia, MD. From my DC-area residence, its a good hour drive away. And not on big, spacious freeways with 60+ MPH speed limits. No. Sixty minutes on long stretches of city streets, running rampant with traffic lights, narrow lines, and pedestrians with a death wish. And yet, I still wanted to go there.

Beyond the amazing treatments themselves, The Pearl also has a few over-the-top touches that make you long to repeat the experience, kinda like Amanda Bynes with vehicular accidents. The customer service was indulgent-- they offer champagne and brownies post-treatment. They even have their own signature fragrance of bath products: Moonflower.
To start, they have some of the most unusual and adventurous rolls Ive ever seen. Not to mention, they have the best fish Ive ever eaten. Ive even read that theyve flown in fish from Japan. I dont wanna suggest that we should use our non-renewable resources for something as frivolous as fish, but I am suggesting that we use our non-renewable resources for something as frivolous as fish.