Sometimes you just need something that is quick and easy.  Of course, that's my speciality.   Don't get me wrong, there are times when I love getting involved in the long drawnout process of planning, shopping, and executing a complex multi-step meal.  For me, those times usually involve hours of pouring over cookbooks, several attempts at putting together a menu, long shopping lists and timetables, and most importantly, dinner guests. The truth is that while I thoroughly enjoy the preparation, by the time I serve my guests I am often not very interested in the food. I hope that the others find the dinner more appealing than I do on those occasions.  The planning and the preparation have been the focus of my pleasure, not the eating. For me, the most enjoyable meals are often entirely spontaneous, last minute, off-the-shelf ,or just from the garden affairs. 

Here is a simple, quick, and delicious meal for those times when I don't really feel like cooking - Shrimp and White Bean Salad on a bed of Baby Spinach.  The beans are out of a can, unless I have leftover beans, and what could be faster to prepare than lightly sauteed shrimp.  It is possible to use frozen, pre-cooked, shrimp, but I prefer fresh.

White Bean  and Shrimp Salad (for 2)
1 can of white beans, drained

2/3 - 3/4# of fresh shrimp (frozen if you choose)
2 tomatoes cut 1" cubes
2 scallions, sliced
1 tsp basil
1 tsp lemon zest
juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 Tbs olive oil, divided
salt and pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, combine beans, tomatoes, 1 clove of minced garlic, sliced scallions, basil, lemon zest, juice of 1/2 lemon, and about 2 Tbsp of the olive oil.  I used lemon infused oil. Toss together and set aside. Saute the shrimp over medium high heat in the remaining 1 Tbsp of olive oil with 1 clove of minced garlic, just until it turns an opaque pink color. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon over the shrimp and add all to the bean/tomato mixture.  Gently toss together and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve on a bed of baby spinach, toss spinach with a little vinaigrette and arrange on plates.  Top with Shrimp Salad.  A nice baguette or slice of sourdough bread completes the meal.  Hmmmm, makes me hungry again.

Off the shelf.  I sort of let things slip this week.  Instead of my ususal weekly menus, grocery lists, and planned shopping, I took a much more casual approach. I was working in the garden and just didn't want to shift gears.  The only problem with this approach is that come dinner time, I often don't have a clue about what to cook.  When we have a lot of fresh produce from the garden it's not so bad, I just cruise through the garden for inspiration, but at this time of year I must rely on my own stash.  Here is one of my alltime favorite, last minute, dinners. A pasta with tuna in a slow-cooked garlic sauce.  It is sooooo good. If you keep a well stocked pantry, chances are that you have all the necessary ingredients.

The original version of this recipe came from The Joy of Cooking.  They simply called it "Canned Tuna Sauce".  Surely there must be a better name.

Here's what you'll need:

Pasta - I always use spaghetti
1/4 cup olive oil
chopped fresh  italian parsley
8-10 cloves of garlic
1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped kalamata olives
1/2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes - or more

1 can of good quality tuna - I like Oregon caught albacore (Jack's Country Store)
1 tbsp drained capers
a little fresh parsely
salt and pepper

1.Over a low heat, saute the garlic and parsley in olive oil until soft. Allow to cook slowly and not brown.  Stir in olives, fennel, red pepper and about 1/2 cup of cooking water from the pasta.  Cook a few minutes, then remove from the heat and stir in flaked tuna, and capers. Taste for salt and pepper and add the fresh parsley at the last minute.

As you can see, this recipe is very easy, fast, and delicious.  The most important part is slowly cooking the garlic.  This can be done while you make a salad. The olives and capers add a nice zing to the flavors of the garlic and tuna.  Try it, I'm sure you'll like it.