Food: Cheap and Dirty

I never feel like take-out.

Well, I guess that’s not entirely true. I like take-out (and by take-out I mean getting cheap, greasy food delivered) with friends, when its inconvenient to cook or I’m in a festive mood. With a group of people it seems like it has a purpose.  But take-out  by myself seems empty. Having someone bring me food feels like a cop out, especially when I know I can make most anything I could get delivered better than it will arrive (read as: most take-out is not very good, not “I think I am the world’s best chef”). But, while it’s rare that I don’t feel like cooking at all,  there are times when I don’t feel like making a big production.

Maybe I feel  a little under the weather.

Maybe I’ve worked an exceptionally long day.

Maybe the big shots invited me out for post-meeting drinks (and man, they can drink).  Or it was trivia night and by the time I got home I couldn’t order pizza if I wanted to. Maybe both.

Whatever the cause, this cheap and dirty meal is quick, filling, and indulgent without leaving you full of remorse the next day. Plus, it just tastes good. The ingredients are simple, and you probably have them in your house already:

cheap, and so easy it makes you feel dirty

Chicken Broth, plus salt.

Short Pasta (my preference is ditalini or pastina, but you can use anything short – orzo, shells, fusilli)

Parmesan cheese. I always have this fresh to grate, but the green can would work fine.

If you have it, a tablespoon of lemon juice.

Boil water. Cook pasta. Put pasta in broth. Add lemon juice if you want. Dump liberal amounts of cheese into bowl. Add more cheese. Stir. Eat.

Voila.