I haven’t been home for the past 3 days so my fridge is somewhat empty. This morning, I woke up famished and annoyed with myself for not at least stopping to pick up some cereal last night. I ended up cobbling together this meat-free version of carbonara with the remnants of last week’s groceries, and found it surprisingly tasty and satisfying—so much so that I would even serve it to guests.

I ate it at 9 AM, accompanied by a cup of black coffee, while standing up in my kitchen. If you, however, decide to make it part of a balanced meal, keep in mind that it’s rich and carb-y, so make sure to serve it with a green salad.

• ingredients
• 8 oz. spaghetti or angel hair pasta $1.50 for 16 oz.
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided Pantry
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped Pantry
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs $2 for 12 oz.
• 1/8 cup half-and-half or heavy cream $1.50 for a pint
• 1 egg $1.50 for 12
• salt and pepper to taste Pantry

Total Cost of Ingredients $6.50

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions in salted boiling water. Drain.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.

Cook the chopped garlic and bread crumbs in the oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until garlic is fragrant and bread crumbs are crisp. Add cooked, drained pasta and toss quickly with the garlic and bread crumbs. Add the remaining tbsp olive oil, the half-and-half or heavy cream and the egg.

Remove from heat and toss thoroughly. Continue tossing pasta to avoid scrambling the egg. Toss well.

Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Serves 2.

Taylor Swift may want to go Back to December, but not me. I actually thought December kind of sucked. Me, I’d rather jump a couple months ahead to, say April or May, when grilling and sunshine abound—at which point I will start making these burgers outside on a barbecue. Until the rain stops, however, I’ll just have to put on a sun dress and crack open a Corona in the warmth of my own kitchen and daydream about Spring while cooking these juicy, flavorful burgers on my little cast iron grill pan.

• ingredients
• 1 lb lean ground beef $4.50
• 1/2 white onion, chopped finely $0.50
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced, divided Pantry
• 1 chipotle pepper (canned in adobo), finely chopped, plus 1-2 spoonfuls of the sauce it comes packed in $2 for a 6-oz. can
• 6 oz. medium or sharp cheddar, cut into 1/2” cubes $3.50 for 8 oz
• salt and ground pepper Pantry
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise Pantry
• 1 handful fresh cilantro leaves, chopped very finely $1 for a bunch

Total Cost of Ingredients $11.50

Directions

Preheat grill to medium-high. Oil or spray lightly to avoid sticking.

In a mixing bow, combine beef, onion, 2 cloves garlic, the chipotle pepper and sauce, the chopped cheddar and 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper. Mix well using your hands.

Shape the mixture into 4 patties and grill for 3-4 minutes on each side (at least long enough to melt the cheese).

While the burgers cook, whisk together the remaining garlic, mayonnaise, cilantro and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Serve the burgers on buns if desired, or on their own, topped with a dollop of the aioli.

Serves 4.

So, what happened was I got drunk.

My plan had been to meet some friends for happy hour, where I would enjoy nothing more than a quick glass of wine before scampering on home to properly nourish myself with a balanced dinner, do some light reading and tuck myself into bed no later than 10:30. How I ended up taking shots of whiskey at midnight while singing along to A-ha’s Take On Me remains a mystery. Fortunately, by the third round of the chorus, I realized my irresponsibility, pried the shot glass from my hand, said my goodbyes and jumped in a cab.

I went straight for the kitchen, suddenly aware of how much I needed to eat something before getting into bed. Miraculously I had some very simple cheddar mac and cheese, left over from the day before. I popped it into the microwave, poured a huge glass of water and awaited the beep. Finally, I pulled it out, hot and melty, and dove in. It needed something, I decided—something to perk it up. So I opened the fridge and grabbed the first thing I saw—Sambal Oelek (also known as “Asian chili sauce”). A few dollops later, I was eating what I declared (err, slurred) “the best freaking thing ever.”

I woke up the next morning with a wicked hangover, but also the determination to recreate my happy little dinner accident from the night before, mostly to see if it would be as fabulous if eaten sober. So I did, and—oh man—it was.

• Ingredients
• 8 oz. macaroni elbows $2
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter $1 for a stick
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped $0.50 for a whole onion
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour Pantry
• 1 cup plus 4 tbsp shredded sharp cheddar cheese 3.50 for 10 oz.
• 1 cup whole milk or half-and-half $1.50 for a pint
• salt and pepper to taste Pantry
• 2 tbsp bread crumbs (as fresh as possible) $2 for 12 oz.
• 2 tsp-1 tbsp (depending on how much you like spiciness) Sambal Oelek or other Asian chili sauce $2 for 8 oz.

Total Cost of Ingredients $12.50

Directions

Preheat broiler to high. Lightly butter a large rectangular casserole pan or 4-4 individual oven-proof dishes (ramekins).

Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to directions. Drain, return to pot and set aside.

In a medium pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, until soft. Sprinkle in flour until a sticky dough forms. Cook dough and onions together, whisking constantly, for 1-2 minutes.

Slowly pour in milk or half-and-half until a thick white sauce forms, continuing to whisk. Gradually 1 cup of the cheese, and whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, continuing to whisk.

Use a spatula to scrape all of the sauce into the cooked pasta and stir gently until all pasta is coated. Transfer pasta-cheese mixture into the prepared pan(s) and top with bread crumbs and reserved cheese.

Dot the top of the mac and cheese with the sambal (or other chili sauce) and place under the broiler for 5-7 minutes, or until the top is bubbly and browned in spots.

Serve hot.

Serves 4.

“This is perfect bachelor food,” my friend Josh said as we broke for lunch during our work date (note to freelancers/starter-uppers: having a work date with others in the same non-office boat is the perfect way to combat working-from-home loneliness). “Simple ingredients, minimal technique and maximum results. I would totally make this.”

There you have it. Straight from the freelancing bachelor’s mouth.

Note: Feel free to go all-savory or all-sweet, if you’re so inclined.

• ingredients
• flour for rolling and for pan Pantry
• 1/2 recipe pizza dough (about 1/2 pound dough) $1.50
• 4 tbsp prepared olive tapenade $4
• 4 tbsp preserves of your choice (I recommend strawberry or fig) $4
• 8 tbsp ricotta (preferably whole milk) $3.50 for 15 oz.
• extra virgin olive oil for brushing Pantry

Total Cost of Ingredients $13

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly flour a baking sheet and set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out until it is about 1/8” thick. Use a small bowl, large glass or cookie cutter to cut the dough into 8 4” circles (feel free to go slightly larger or smaller).

Place 1 tbsp of the tapenade on one half of 4 of the circles. Do the same with the preserves on the remaining 4 circles. Place 1 tbsp of ricotta next to each spoonful of tapenade or preserves.

Fold the dough rounds in half to form a little calzone. Tuck the ends from underneath the bottom half of the dough over the top half, as on a regular-size calzone. Pinch gently to seal.

Arrange the calzones on the prepared baking sheet and brush lightly with olive oil. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until golden brown (don’t worry if a little filling seeps out while baking).

Serve warm.

Makes 8 small calzones (serves 2-4).

Every recipe I’ve ever seen for Mexican pizza consists of tortillas topped with ground beef and cheese (and in some cases, my personal horror of horrors, processed nacho cheese). I just cannot get behind that—to me it sounds like something an 18-year-old frat boy threw together at 4 AM after after playing beer pong for 10 hours. But this is entirely different.

Here, a thin round of homemade pizza crust is topped with savory sauce, creamy Monterey jack cheese and spicy chiles before baking until golden and bubbly. Fresh guac and snipped scallions finish it off, making it the classiest hybrid of pizza and nachos ever to grace your dinner table (or beer pong table—whatever, I’m not judging).

• ingredients
• flour for rolling and baking Pantry
• 1/2 recipe pizza dough (about 1/2 lb dough) $1.50
• 1/4 cup enchilada sauce or smooth salsa (ie: not pico de gallo or another chunky salsa) $3.50 for 12 oz.
• 2/3 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese $3 for 8 oz.
• 1 jalapeño, sliced $0.50
• 1/4 red onion, chopped $0.50
• salt and pepper Pantry
• 2 scallions (green onions), chopped $1 for a bunch
• 1/2 recipe guacamole $3.50

Total Cost of Ingredients $13.50

Directions

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Lightly flour a baking sheet or pizza pan.

Roll pizza dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 12’ circle. Spread the salsa or enchilada sauce over the top, leaving a 1/2” border for the crust.

Scatter the cheese evenly over the sauce. Top with the sliced jalapeño and chopped onions. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until crust is golden-brown and cheese is bubbly.

Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut pizza into wedges. Top with the scallions, guacamole and a dollop of sour cream if desired. Serve immediately.

Serves 2 (as an entree) or 4 (as an appetizer).