8:43 PM
It was one of those nights where I was both hungry enough to eat anything and too lazy to go to the store. So I made up a recipe from things I had around the house. And as it was surprisingly good, I now share it with you, gentle reader:

Six-Layer Pasta

Ingredients
1 pound hamburger
1 16 oz can red kidney beans*
1 4 oz can mushrooms*
1 2 cups frozen peas*
1 cup spaghetti sauce*
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
3 cups guscetti
cayenne pepper
salt

* These are tonight's canned understudies for the fresh versions you surely have in your larder.


Fill a small pot half-full of water, throughly salt, and set aside to boil. Brown hamburger and drain of excess grease. Add peas, mushrooms and kidney beans to hamburger and cook on medium heat, stirring frequently. Add cayenne pepper to meat and vegetables, stir. Add spaghetti sauce as binding agent, stir. Cover and continue to heat, but stir frequently so things don't cook to the bottom of the pan. Once water is boiling, add guscetti and boil until firm. Yes, you should stir it frequently too.

At long last, your ordeal of stirring comes to an end. In a large microwave-safe bowl, Pour about a third of the meat and vegetables into the bowl. Toss in some parmesan cheese, then half the pasta. (You're making layers, see, so now you shouldn't stir.) Another third of the meat and vegetables, some parmesan. The rest of the pasta, followed by the rest of everything else. Top with the mozzarella cheese and microwave for two minutes. Let sit for a minute, then microwave again for one minute or until cheese melts.

Serve immediately.

Makes about four servings.

Made of simple things, and it has a slight bite without going overboard. Rarely does my improvision go so well.