Start some noodles boiling (we have used egg noodles and spaghetti). While they boil, sauté a clove or two of minced garlic in a tablespoon of butter. When the noodles are done, drain them and return them to the pot. Cut some butter into small cubes (I use 1/4 cup per 1/2 pound of pasta) and add that to the hot noodles and stir around until it melts. Add the garlic, a good amount of basil (fresh or freeze-dried*), and salt and pepper.

Okay, super simple, but it’s amazingly “tastiful” (as my teenage daughter says).

* I am falling madly in love with the Litehouse Freeze-dried basil. Even though I have two basil plants in my window, I tend to reach for this because it’s just easy and my plants are kind of bug-eaten. It really, really tastes just like fresh. I want to try their other herbs.

I do usually make my own tartar sauce, though.

Mix a big blob of real mayonnaise with either dill pickle relish or dill pickles chopped fine. Add just a touch of the pickle brine and some lemon juice.