Spaghetti with prosciutto and veggies

Didn't feel like stopping at the store on the way home from work, so I thought about what to cook from what I had on hand. And as a departure from the skillet suppers, I made a one-saucepan supper.

what I need to use up:
--baby spinach
--clementines (only need one, maybe two for this; about a dozen to go! Somebody's gonna get them in a Christmas stocking at this rate)

what I have leftover from previous recipes:
--prosciutto
--pecorino and/or parmesan

what I also have on hand
--whole-wheat spaghetti
--frozen veggie mix: I know, fresh is supposedly "better," but I have found that cooking for one means it doesn't work to buy a head of broccoli, a head of cauliflower, etc. Too much waste. Too much slime in the fridge. I buy the frozen veggies that come in bags so I can take out as little as I want. For this recipe, I used about half to 2/3 of a cup. The rest went back in the freezer.
--olive oil
--garlic (optional -- and you know who you are)
--salt


equipment I used:
--1 medium or large saucepan (this is for one serving of pasta; if you are making more, go big)
--1 colander or sieve
--vegetable parer
--pasta bowl, 6 inches or more across. Yours doesn't have to have chili peppers painted on it. Or you could just use a plate.
--cutting board
--a fork
--a Pyrex measuring cup
--paring knife or utility knife
--potholder
--microwave oven (optional)

The pasta: Put the water on to boil, adding a generous amount of salt. I don't measure, guess it was two teaspoons or so. When it boils, add the spaghetti. I find that the right amount for one is a bundle about as big around as my index finger. I break it in half so it fits in the pan and is easier to eat later.
The veggies, a sneaky tip: If your colander is all metal (no plastic) and fits inside or over your saucepan, you can do something really sneaky here. Put the frozen veggies in the colander/sieve and set it over the pan so they will steam. Otherwise, put them in the Pyrex cup with about 1/4 cup of water and put them in the microwave for a minute or so. I can't tell you how long because it depends on the microwave and on how you like your veggies. I like mine hot but still a little crunchy. Don't put the spinach leaves in yet, by the way. We'll get to that.

Multitasking: While the water is boiling and the pasta/veggies are cooking,
--Make shavings of the parmesan or pecorino using the vegetable peeler.
--Slice or tear the proscuitto into smaller pieces
--Use the vegetable peeler to zest one clementine, then peel it and break the sections apart. Chop up the zest into fairly small pieces.
--Open a bottle of wine. You don't need any wine in this recipe, I'm just saying...
-- If you have steamed the veggies, put them in the bowl or plate. If they are in the microwave, they can rest there.
--Put the a handful or two of the baby spinach leaves in the colander/sieve and give them a good rinse. I know the bag says they are already washed. Yeah.
--Peel and press or mince a clove of garlic.

Sneaky tip No. 2: Note: This will not work with big, tough spinach leaves, only with baby spinach: When the pasta is done -- you've been checking it with the fork, right? -- grab the saucepan, using a potholder if you need one, take it to the sink and grab the colander with the spinach leaves in it. Pour the pasta and boiling water over the spinach leaves. (My sieve has a long handle on it, so this is easy. If you have a more traditional colander, pour carefully so you don't get scalded. Or you could set the colander in the sink, assuming your sink is clean. It is, isn't it?) The spinach will get just a teensy bit cooked but will stay "fresh." (Techically, this is "blanching.")

Assembly: Put the pasta, spinach, veggies into the bowl/plate. Add a dash of olive oil. Toss in the garlic, cheese, prosciutto and clementine zest and sections.

The cheese and prosciutto are salty enough, in my opinion, but if you don't agree, you can add salt and even pepper.

Grab a fork. Oh, and a glass of wine.

Possible substitutions: As Sherlock Holmes said, You know my methods, Watson. If I had tomatoes, I might slice them and put them in, either raw or maybe with the spinach to get heated by the hot water. (I do think an acid element is nice here, so tomato, orange or at least some lemon zest seems like a good idea.) If I didn't have prosciutto, any leftover chicken or turkey would probably work, or maybe smoked salmon. If I didn't have baby spinach (or arugula), I would probably just use more of the frozen veggie mix. If I did happen to have fresh or leftover green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, sugar snap peas or anything like that, I'd use them instead of the frozen veggies. You could certainly add ingredients if you wanted: olives, nuts, basil. Zucchini? Not for me, thanks, but you could.

To summarize: Pasta, a protein, an acidic fruit or vegetable, a green leafy veg if available, some other colorful veggies, olive oil and cheese. Ad lib. A mixture of textures is good.

Note that I did not cook the clementine pieces this time. They were room temp by the time I made the dish, and they heated up a bit with the hot ingredients. They did not get bitter and they stayed sweet and juicy.

I can't say "Delish" because Rachel Ray has that tag line, along with "Yummo." But as my friends Star and Steve know, I have my own tag line: "Yum, yum! Good, good!"