A rich, creamy sauce built on whipped cream that wilts into something luxurious in minutes. This shelf is nearly bare, so we're stretching what you have with pantry staples and one mushroom run. The cream does the heavy lifting here.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 18 at the stove.

About 860 calories a serving, 22 g protein, 104 g carbohydrate, 41 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 1 cup [240 ml] whipped cream, 8 oz [225 g] pasta, 2 tablespoons [30 g] butter, 2 cloves garlic, to taste salt, to taste pepper, 8 oz [225 g] mushrooms, cremini or button.

1. Put a large pot of salted water on high heat and bring it to a boil; salt it well. While the water heats, slice 8 oz of mushrooms into 1/4-inch pieces. The mushrooms will cook down significantly.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Once foaming, add the mushrooms and cook for 4 minutes, stirring often, until they release their moisture and begin to brown at the edges.4 min
3. Mince 2 cloves of garlic and add them to the mushrooms; cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in 1 cup of whipped cream and stir to combine. Let it come to a gentle simmer and turn the heat down to medium.
4. Add 8 oz of pasta to the boiling water and cook it 1 minute under its package time. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining. While the pasta cooks, season the cream sauce with salt and pepper to taste and let it bubble gently.8 min
5. Toss the hot drained pasta into the mushroom cream, adding pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce coats the noodles without pooling at the bottom. Taste and adjust seasoning. Divide between two bowls and serve right away.

Note Swap button mushrooms for any fresh mushroom you have. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for 2 days and reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water. Serve with grated Parmesan and a green salad to cut the richness.

Whipped cream becomes a silky sauce for pasta when warmed gently with garlic and butter. This shelf offered almost nothing, so we lean on staples to make something fast and rich for two.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 420 calories a serving, 11 g protein, 65 g carbohydrate, 13 g fat. From USDA figures for 75% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need few tablespoons whipped cream half, 6 ounces pasta, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 cloves garlic, to taste salt, to taste pepper.

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook 6 ounces of pasta until just tender, about 10 minutes; reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.10 min
2. While the pasta cooks, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat and slice or mince 2 garlic cloves into it, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute.1 min
3. Pour a few tablespoons of whipped cream into the skillet and stir constantly as it warms through, just until it thins slightly and coats the back of a spoon, about 2 minutes; do not boil.2 min
4. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss gently, adding splashes of pasta water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce clings to each strand and flows like cream, about 1 minute.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve at once, divided between two bowls.

Note A handful of grated Parmesan stirred in at the end lifts this further. Leftovers do not keep well; eat at once. Serve with a green salad and crusty bread to soak up every drop of sauce.

A cream pasta for two made from what you have, built on whipped cream that softens into a silky sauce as it heats. Weeknight cooking at its most practical, turning air and dairy into dinner in minutes.

Serves 2. 15 minutes, 12 at the stove.

About 930 calories a serving, 24 g protein, 84 g carbohydrate, 56 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 1 cup [240 ml] whipped cream, 6 oz [170 g] pasta, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons oil, to taste salt, to taste pepper, 1 tablespoon butter, 2 oz [60 g] Parmesan cheese.

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add 6 oz pasta, stirring to separate. While it cooks, mince 2 garlic cloves.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat, add the minced garlic, and stir gently until fragrant, about 1 minute. Do not brown it.1 min
3. Pour 1 cup whipped cream into the skillet, add 1 tablespoon butter, and stir as the cream softens and warms through, 2 to 3 minutes, until it looks like a sauce. Season with salt and pepper.3 min
4. Drain the pasta when it is al dente and add it directly to the cream sauce, tossing to coat everything. Grate 2 oz Parmesan over the top and toss again until the cheese melts into the sauce.

Note Swap in any pasta shape you have. The dish keeps, refrigerated, for two days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water. Serve with a simple green salad or roasted vegetables on the side to balance the richness.