I’m sure you’ve all seen the packaged KNORR (formerly LIPTON) pasta "Sides" in the supermarket. They take anywhere from 8 to 11 minutes to prepare on a stove top. The directions on the pouches usually call for the addition of water, milk, and an optional tablespoon of butter.

We took these side dishes a few steps further: eliminated the milk, kept the butter and 2/3 cup water, added a 14/15 ounce can of vegetables including liquid, along with a 5 to 7 ounce can of cooked meat including liquid. We followed the basic cooking instructions, and came up with something that tasted pretty good at the end of the day.

You can adjust this little recipe to suit your own tastes using various canned vegetables, meat, and even fish. It is certainly nothing fancy but it’s simple, quick, and filling.