@digga. Hard weekend all over. I am so sorry for your losses. There are some years that can’t appear in the rear-view mirror soon enough.
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I’m so with you on this, digga. It’s been very difficult to keep hope and light alive this year. May 2018 be bright and uplifting.
And, at least your challenging weekend is behind you. It sounds like you handled it amazingly well.
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I’m not sure if you’re referring to the death of yumyum, digga. If so, although I only knew her through her wonderful chowhound posts, I felt her loss deeply. I can only imagine how difficult it must have been and still be having known her personally.
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Excellent advice.
I’ve haven’t read whole thread yet, but for the record, regarding cooking Cacio e Pepe for the first time for a special occasion, with unfamiliar equipment no less, is something I would steer clear of… I make it and love it, but it took a couple tries to nail the few steps. I can’t think of a dish that better epitomizes my ongoing thought about Italian food–doesn’t look or sound fancy, but it has to be done just a certain way.
I’ll chip if I have thoughts after reading the other replies.
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One of our frequent minimal mess/effort/ingredient dishes is a pureed vegetable soup. As taught to me by a hostess in France, “never less than 3 vegetables, but not too many more”. So maybe zucchini/onion/potato, or celery/onion/leek, or tomato/red pepper/onion, or… Just simmer together, salt and pepper. You can cook in broth or water. When all is tender, puree with an immersion blender, making it as smooth or as textured as you wish. Maybe enrich with a knob of butter or splash of cream, or not. Embellish as you wish with sour cream, goat cheese, herbs, parmesan, drizzle of EVOO… One pot, one stick blender, done. For example…
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LOVE the simplicity and versatility of these.
3 including aromatics? My favorite purées are all single-vegetable (cauliflower, broccoli, carrot, parsnip, butternut squash) - but I’m not counting some subset of onion/shallot/ginger/garlic and a spice or two.
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I agree about the purity of flavor with single vegetable purees, but combinations can sometimes create elusive and haunting flavors. And compounding the complexity can be the garnish. We seldom eat the same soup twice due to all of these contributing factors.
re vegetable count, I suppose aromatics don’t really count unless they are major players, and I should add that a little potato is a universal body-builder without affecting flavor spectrum.
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I stopped using potato a long time ago (when I was trying to eat lower carb for a stretch) and I actually enjoy my soups much more without now (I can taste the potato when it’s there). Takes more of the single vegetable, though, to get the same thickness.
As for creaminess, I stir in (whole) milk before serving. Or coconut milk towards the end of cooking. Or (soaked) cashews while blending, which also helps make the soup more filling, especially if it’s the whole meal.
I know some people use white beans as the bulk/creamy/“secret” ingredient, but - as with potatoes - I can taste the beans, so unless I actually want bean soup, I don’t add beans.
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I have to confess that I use butter and cream with gay abandon. Abandon the operative word.
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Minimal mess to me sounds like minimal ingredients/prep. But, special occasion means something nice. Combining the two, I would probably go for nicer ingredients prepared simply. So a lovely fish poached, or en papillote for instance. Or quality steaks grilled and served with one of those sinful french sauces. And some greens/asparagus on the side.
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I love my butter 
(not fat phobic in the least - did I imply that?)
But I’m newer to cream… it’s not often in my fridge, and I have to find ways to use it up when it is.
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Sorry! I didn’t realize it was a 2 yr old thread, and now we are talking about cacio e pepe!
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(Psst…Saregama, have you tried heavy whipping cream on your morning oatmeal? With a modest dash of sea salt? What a start to a morning! And who can resist when Grocery Outlet has both organic and regular WC at amazing prices.)
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I could get behind this if you also add a pat of cultured butter…and maybe some Aleppo chili
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100% agreement! What’s not to like about either…or both.
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So… I dislike oatmeal in porridge form (texture and flavor both).
But… since you mention it… masala oatmeal and oatmeal as poha (in place of beaten rice) are delish! Quaker Oats invaded India at some point, lol.
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Not sure what that means, but with my in-laws, porridge means sweet. Usually hominy and CON-densed milk. Emphasis on “con”. 
I think a savory “porridge” might have promise.
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