This is a weeknight carbonara stripped down to bacon, eggs, and pasta, the whole point is to use up what's in the fridge before it goes. It's quick, warm, and forgiving. The bacon leads; the eggs make a creamy sauce.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 450 calories a serving, 21 g protein, 65 g carbohydrate, 10 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil and add 6 ounces of pasta; cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. While the pasta cooks, crack 2 eggs into a bowl, add 1 minced garlic clove, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper, and whisk until combined.8 min
2. In a large pan over medium heat, cook 3 to 4 chopped rashers of bacon until they crisp at the edges and render their fat, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. When the bacon is done, lower the heat to medium-low.5 min
3. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the bacon. Take the pan off the heat and pour in the egg mixture, tossing constantly and adding 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to loosen it into a creamy sauce. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, then divide between two bowls and serve.

Note Swap the eggs for 2 ounces of grated cheese if you prefer; add it the same way. Leftovers keep two days in the fridge but taste best at room temperature or gently warmed. Serve with a green salad or a handful of greens on the side.

Half a pack of bacon deserves a quick, honest supper that puts it front and center. Cook it until crisp, then build the meal around it with eggs and buttered toast, the whole thing on the table in twenty minutes.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 18 at the stove.

About 740 calories a serving, 46 g protein, 11 g carbohydrate, 56 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Set a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cut half a pack of bacon into 1-inch pieces and lay them in the pan. Cook until the edges brown, about 4 minutes, stirring once or twice.4 min
2. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Push the bacon to the side of the pan and crack 4 eggs into the empty space. Cook until the whites set but the yolks remain runny, about 3 minutes.3 min
3. While the eggs cook, toast 2 slices of bread until golden and butter each one with 1 tablespoon butter. Toss 4 ounces of raw spinach or lettuce with a pinch of salt and pepper and divide onto two plates.
4. Slide 2 eggs and half the bacon onto each plate alongside the toast. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve right away.

Note Swap the raw greens for sautéed greens if you have them on the shelf; wilt them in the bacon fat after cooking the bacon, then push to the side for the eggs. Leftover cooked bacon keeps in the fridge for four days and is good cold on sandwiches. Serve with a simple salad or fresh fruit on the side to round out the plate.

Tonight we cook what's in the fridge: a handful of bacon pieces crisped in a skillet, then eggs cooked in the fat. Weeknight supper at its most direct. Serve with buttered toast on the side.

Serves 2. 15 minutes, 12 at the stove.

About 480 calories a serving, 32 g protein, 1 g carbohydrate, 38 g fat. From USDA figures for 75% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Set a skillet over medium heat. Lay a handful of bacon pieces in the pan and cook, stirring now and then, until the edges brown and fat renders, about 8 minutes. The bacon is ready when the pieces are golden and crisp at the edges.8 min
2. Push the bacon to the side of the skillet. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat. Crack 4 eggs into the pan around the bacon, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook until the whites set but the yolks stay soft, 3 to 4 minutes. While the eggs cook, toast 2 slices of bread and butter them.4 min
3. Slide the bacon and eggs onto two plates and serve with the warm buttered toast.

Note Swap the eggs for leftover rice cooked in the bacon fat for a different take. Leftovers keep in the fridge for one day. Serve alongside sliced tomato and a green salad to round out the plate.