champagne tastes on a beer budget

This is one of those great dishes for when you don't feel like cooking. It comes together in under ten minutes, is cheap, and very healthy.

It helps if you have some pesto on hand (see previous pesto recipe). I try to keep some in the freezer for just such an occasion. The title IS the recipe: cook a box of penne. Add a bag of frozen peas just at the end, about thirty seconds before you drain the pasta. Mix it all together with the pesto. Voila.

Cost: a box of penne (retail, not bulk) is about $1.29. A bag of frozen peas will run around $1. The pesto I usually make in batches in the summer, when basil is plentiful; the cost of a homemade batch is around $1, including the pine nuts and parmesan. The cost of store-bought is usually around $4.99. Best case scenario, a little over $3 for this, and it will feed 3-4 adults as a main dish.