A handful of pasta left in the box becomes dinner when tossed with nutty browned butter and crisp sage leaves. This is the kind of weeknight pasta that takes less time than boiling water and speaks for itself.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 390 calories a serving, 7 g protein, 38 g carbohydrate, 23 g fat. From USDA figures for 60% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 1 handful (about 1 cup dry) macaroni, for pasta water and seasoning salt, 4 tablespoons butter, 2 cloves garlic, to taste pepper, 8 to 10 leaves fresh sage.

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add your handful of macaroni; stir and cook until just tender, about 8 minutes, then drain in a colander, saving 1/4 cup pasta water.10 min
2. While the pasta cooks, mince 2 cloves of garlic and tear 8 to 10 sage leaves into pieces; set them both aside.
3. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of butter, swirling the pan often; watch for it to turn golden brown and smell nutty, about 3 to 4 minutes.4 min
4. Add the minced garlic and sage to the browned butter and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the drained macaroni and a few grinds of pepper; toss to coat.
5. If the pasta looks dry, add splashes of the reserved pasta water to loosen it until it glistens; taste and adjust salt and pepper, then divide between two bowls and serve at once.

Note Swap sage for thyme or rosemary if that is what you have. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for two days and warm gently in a skillet with a splash of water. Serve with a green salad or roasted vegetables on the side to round out the plate.

A stovetop mac and cheese that rescues leftover cooked pasta from the fridge. This quick supper relies on a creamy, tangy cheese sauce poured over the pasta you already have, ready in twenty minutes.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 630 calories a serving, 25 g protein, 53 g carbohydrate, 36 g fat. From USDA figures for 86% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 1 cup cooked macaroni, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, 1 cup [115 grams] sharp cheddar, shredded, 1 cup milk.

1. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour and stir constantly until it smells toasted, about one minute.
2. Pour in 1 cup of milk slowly while whisking to avoid lumps, then cook, stirring often, until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about five minutes.5 min
3. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper until the cheese melts completely.
4. Warm 1 cup of cooked macaroni in a separate skillet or small pot over low heat, stirring gently to loosen it. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and fold together until every piece is coated.

Note Swap the sharp cheddar for any hard cheese you have on hand. Leftovers keep in the fridge for three days; reheat gently with a splash of milk to loosen them. Serve with a side salad or steamed broccoli to round out the meal.

Pasta cooked in one pot with butter until the edges toast and catch, then tossed with crisp sage and cheese. This shelf offered one ingredient so we build a simple supper from staples, the kind you make when the fridge is nearly bare and dinner cannot wait.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 730 calories a serving, 23 g protein, 89 g carbohydrate, 32 g fat. From USDA figures for 80% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 8 ounces [225g] macaroni, 4 tablespoons [55g] butter, to taste salt, to taste pepper, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon dried sage, 2 ounces [55g] Pecorino Romano.

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Pour in the macaroni and stir often, cooking until it is just under tender, about one minute before the box time. Meanwhile, slice two cloves garlic thin and pull off leaves from one teaspoon dried sage.12 min
2. Melt four tablespoons butter in a second pot over medium-high heat, watching closely. When it foams and begins to brown, after about two minutes, stir in the garlic and sage. Drain the macaroni in a colander and add it to the brown butter, tossing to coat every piece. Let it sit over medium-high heat, stirring every thirty seconds, until the edges of the pasta turn golden and crisp, about four minutes, then taste and adjust salt and pepper.4 min
3. Grate two ounces Pecorino Romano and scatter it over the macaroni, tossing once more. Divide between two plates and serve at once.

Note Swap sage for two tablespoons fresh parsley or a pinch of red pepper flakes. Leftovers reheat poorly but cold macaroni keeps three days. Serve with a green salad or roasted vegetables to stretch the meal.