Put a lid on it: A recipe

You couldn't swing a mouse around Facebook without running into it.

The one-pot pasta.

It was one of those annoying "share this photo" and ready the ridiculously long cutline sort of recipes. It was the kind you couldn't really pin or bookmark, forcing you to share it and revisit your own Facebook page 20 times the day you decided to make it.

But make it I did - even though I was sure that it was bound to be an epic fail. I mean, how couldn't it? It was a can of tomatoes, some broth and pasta. In a skillet-type pan. And cooked all together.

It worked, though, and worked well. Mark called it the best of the week, and Miles gobbled it up as if he weren't a picky toddler. With it coming in less than $5 to make, I knew I would be preparing it again. I just needed to figure out when - and how.

And thus the One-Pot Southwest Pasta was born.

A twist on that over-shared Facebook recipe, I subbed Ro-Tel for the diced tomatoes and cilantro for the basil. I added some staying power with whole wheat pasta and protein with some black beans. Corn would be a nice addition, as well, if you happen to have any. And, of course, I added a little creaminess with Laughing Cow. Because I had it in the fridge.

If you're worried about it being too spicy, it's not. It's just a bit hot - in all the right ways.

One-Pot Southwest Pasta

1 (13.25-ounce) box whole wheat linguini1 can Ro-Tel
1 onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 big handful cilantro, roughly chopped
4-4.5 cups vegetable broth
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 wedges Laughing Cow Queso Fresco & Chipotle wedges
Optional: Cheddar cheese

In a 3-inch deep skillet, add linguini, tomatoes with juices, onions, garlic and cilantro. Pour 4 cups broth over ingredients and cover skillet with lid. Bring it to a boil; reduce eat to a simmer and cook 12 minutes. If the mixture is looking too dry, add reserved 1/2 cup broth. Once the pasta is cooked to al dente, stir in black beans and Laughing Cow until well combined and the beans are warm. Garnish with cheddar cheese and cilantro if desired.

Bite me

There are no words.

Just a recipe.

Slow Cooker Caramelized Onion Pasta

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 pounds yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 bag baby spinach
4 Laughing Cow Swiss wedges
4 Laughing Cow Garlic & Herb wedges
1 teaspoon salt, more or less to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper, more or less to taste
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound linguini, wheat or otherwise
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

Drizzle olive oil on the bottom of slow cooker and add onions. Cook for 8 hours on low. During the last half hour of cooking, add baby spinach, Laughing Cow wedges, salt and pepper. Meanwhile, prepare the pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Add cooked pasta and Greek yogurt. If necessary, thin out sauce with cooking liquid. Serve with fresh Parmesan.

For a non-vegetarian option, add sliced sweet Italian turkey sausage (cooked, obviously).

Disclosure: I was provided with free Laughing Cow wedges as part of the company's Snacking Into the Right Swimsuit State of Mind summer campaign but I was under no requirement to write about the product or create recipes. I did not receive any compensation for this post.