Taking the Easy Way...

      As much as I love to cook, I still like to find shortcuts to make a recipe easier, or faster to create. When the family was growing, I made most everything from scratch. It was far more cost effective, and peeling potatoes or dicing carrots can be therapeutic. But, I just don't feel like doing all that after a long day at work. Now, I get a lot of "kits" and add my own variations.   
      Idahoan makes an instant mashed potato that tastes homemade, especially if used as a crust for shepherd's pie.
      A Totino's frozen pizza (or {"peetzee") as we like to call it) can serve as the base for all kinds of great toppings, when we don't want to get a "real" pizza.
      A bag of frozen mixed vegetables is a staple in my freezer. I use them in soups, stews, and casseroles, anything that needs those kinds of veggies.
      A perfect example of "fast and easy" is this simple sauce. I use an envelope of Knorr white sauce mix, and serve it over Ramen noodles. Allow about 2 packs of noodles for every 3 servings. Cook the noodles per package directions, but use half as much of the seasonings. (I use shrimp flavor with this dish.) Drain off the broth. The noodles will absorb some of the flavor without overpowering the clams.

White Clam Sauce
Serves 4 to 6

2 - 6.5 oz. cans of chopped clams
3 cups basic white sauce, homemade or packaged
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. finely diced sweet onion
4 medium button mushrooms, sliced (or 1 can sliced mushrooms, drained)
1 tsp. minced parsley
½ tsp. garlic powder

Drain clams, reserving liquid. Make white sauce, using the clam nectar for a portion of the liquid, adding milk or half-and-half to make 3 cups. Set aside and keep warm.

In a heavy saucepan, heat oil and butter over medium heat. Add onion. Cook slowly, stirring frequently until translucent. Add mushrooms and reduce heat to low. Add parsley and garlic powder. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the white sauce, followed by the clams.

Simmer on low, 15 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over your choice of pasta, garnished with parmesan if desired.