This past weekend, my husband and I stole away for 48 hours with friends to Palm Springs.

We have been working like crazy, and parenting like crazy (is there any other way?!) and it was absolutely heaven to sneak out for a couple of days. I did not check email. I did not use my phone, except to check on the kids. For the first day it was actually really hard. And trust me, I never thought I would say it was hard to relax enough to read a magazine and hang out with my friends.

I even took a nap. Can’t remember the last time that happened.

So when we arrived home yesterday evening, and I was still (a little) relaxed and faced with having to whip up dinner- I went the easy route. I pulled basics out.

Basics that everyone has in their kitchen: dried pasta, butter and bread. Easy, right? But delicious too!

This is the most simple and tasty pasta dish. It is full of warm, nutty flavors and an array of textures, and the most important of all- it takes 10 minutes to make this and couldn’t be easier. I served this with a big salad- but it would be so easy to add some chicken, beef or seafood to this meal too.

Pasta with brown butter and bread crumbs, serves 6
1 lb angel hair pasta
4 Tbs butter
2 slices bread torn into pieces (I used white sandwich bread- but you could use any type at all, even a roll!)
Kosher salt and Black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Put on a large pot of salted water to boil.

Put the butter in a small saucepan, and turn on over low heat.

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the bread until you have a fine crumb.

Transfer the bread crumbs to a sheet pan, by this time the butter will be melted. Drizlze a small spoonful of the melted butter over the breadcrumbs, and combine the butter and bread. (leave the butter over the heat.)

Toast the breadcrumbs until golden brown, 5-6 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water, and cook to al dente according to manufacturers directions.

Keep cooking the butter over the low heat until dark and golden in color (but not burnt!)

When the pasta is done- drain it and add back to the pot.

Pour the brown butter over the pasta and toss to evenly coat the pasta. Season well with Kosher salt and Black Pepper.

Add a handful of the bread crumbs to the pasta and toss to combine.

Dish the pasta into bowls and top with a large spoonful of the breadcrumbs.

Serve hot and enjoy!