If you’re like me, you have countless stories of all-day prep-a-thons, followed by the all-day cook-a-thons that precede a big sit-down dinner for family and friends.

And when a holiday meal is in the works, the pressure increases with the number of place settings.

The rest of the time, though, most of us are just looking for tasty meals that don’t eat into busy schedules and are relatively fuss free.

Here is a quick recipe that makes use of heirloom tomatoes and sweet basil from the garden:

Ingredients (serves two):
1/4 of a 16 oz. package spaghetti or vermicelli
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 cup cherry tomatoes (heirlooms, if available)
1/4-cup microplane-grated parmigiano
reggiano cheese
1 cup sweet basil leaves
1 tbsp. olive oil

Prep:
Grill salted chicken breast in a pan brushed with a little olive oil till cooked through, let rest on cutting board. Meanwhile, boil pasta according to package instructions, drain, then return to pan over low heat and add the tablespoon of olive oil and grated cheese. (The microplane makes a fine, gossamerlike grate that keeps the dish light.) Cut chicken into strips and add to pasta. Fold in tomatoes and basil then transfer to platter and serve immediately. Top with freshly ground black pepper, if desired.

Serve with a salad of mixed greens topped with a lemon vinaigrette, and your bread of choice.

(Note: Either whole-grain or regular pasta works well in this recipe. I used wild cherry heirlooms, but try it with your favorite variety. And if you don’t eat poultry, just omit the chicken — that makes the dish ready to serve even faster!)