A pasta made fresh from flour and eggs in one pan, tossed with garlic and oil. Cutting the dough into noodles by hand works perfectly for a weeknight, and you will make a dent in that half bag tonight.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 20 at the stove.

About 690 calories a serving, 18 g protein, 94 g carbohydrate, 26 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Mound 2 cups flour on a board or in a bowl, make a well in the center, and crack 2 eggs into it. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Stir with a fork to break the yolks, then draw flour from the sides into the egg mixture until it becomes shaggy dough.
2. Knead the dough with your hands for five minutes, adding a pinch of flour if it sticks, until smooth and elastic. Rest it under a bowl for five minutes while you set a large skillet over medium heat.5 min
3. Roll or press the dough flat on the board, then cut it into rough noodle strips about the width of a pencil, tossing them with a little flour so they do not stick together.
4. Add 3 tablespoons oil to the hot skillet, mince and add 4 garlic cloves, and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Working in batches, add the noodles to the pan, stirring often until they are tender and lightly golden, about eight to ten minutes total.10 min
5. Taste, season with pepper and more salt if needed, and divide between two bowls. Serve hot.

Note Swap dried chili flakes or a squeeze of lemon for the garlic if you like. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for two days; reheat gently with a splash of water in a pan. Serve with a green salad or bitter greens on the side, or add an egg stirred in at the end to stretch it.

Pancakes are the cure for a half-empty flour bag. They cook fast on the stovetop, turn out golden and tender, and leave you with breakfast for tomorrow and dinner tonight, all from what you likely have on hand.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 750 calories a serving, 19 g protein, 110 g carbohydrate, 26 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Whisk together 1.5 cups flour, 1.5 teaspoons baking powder if you have it or skip it, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk 2 eggs with 1 cup milk until combined.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter and stir it into the milk mixture. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until streaky; lumps are welcome here. Let the batter rest while you heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes.3 min
3. When the pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon butter and let it foam. Ladle or pour 1/4 cup batter onto the griddle for each pancake, leaving space between them. You should fit three or four at a time.
4. Cook until the edges look set and bubbles form across the top, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until deep golden, about 90 seconds more. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter, wiping the griddle clean between batches if butter blackens.2 min
5. Serve the pancakes warm with 1/4 cup maple syrup drizzled over or on the side for dipping. Any leftovers keep covered in the fridge for three days and reheat in a dry skillet over medium heat until warmed through.

Note No baking powder on hand? The pancakes will be denser but still good; they just won't rise as much. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for three days. Serve with a fried egg on top for supper, or a side of bacon or sausage to stretch the meal.

A simple stovetop flatbread from the bottom of the flour jar, stretched thin and crisped in garlic oil. It's tender, salty, and ready in twenty minutes to soak up whatever is in the kitchen or to eat plain with your hands.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 410 calories a serving, 6 g protein, 47 g carbohydrate, 22 g fat. From USDA figures for 80% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Stir 1 cup flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a bowl, add 1/3 cup water slowly, and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Let it rest 5 minutes.5 min
2. Divide the dough into 2 pieces and stretch each one thin on the counter, about the size of your hand. A thin, irregular shape is fine.
3. Heat 3 tablespoons oil and 2 minced garlic cloves in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the garlic smells fragrant, about 1 minute.1 min
4. Lay the first flatbread into the hot oil and cook until the bottom is golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for 2 minutes until spotty and firm.4 min
5. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the second piece. Both are done when they bend slightly but hold their shape.

Note Swap the garlic oil for herb oil by adding dried oregano or thyme to the pan. Cooled flatbread keeps in a sealed bag for two days and reheats in a dry pan. Serve with scrambled eggs and hot sauce, or crumble and top with cheese and tomato.