Earlier today my siblings and I met at my parent’s house for a family meeting of sorts. For the past several months my brother has been updating the house to get it ready to sell. As we all walked through each room I was really impressed and proud of all the work he has put into it. Dad would have been so proud of him for fulfilling his dream to see the house restored to its former glory.
As we sat outside on a bench enjoying the nice warm weather, my sisters and I watched all of our kids run around the house like we used to back when we were kids. We must have run around that house at least a million times. With their backs turned to us I wondered if this is what my parents also witnessed: six kids chasing each other, running as fast as they could, laughing, and screaming as kids do.
When dad died the thought of selling the home both he and my mom raised us up in was unthinkable. My heart would feel so heavy, like a ton of bricks, when family meetings discussing the sale of the house would be up for discussion. Perhaps I was holding on to dad by insisting we not sell the house. It’s been almost 8 months since he passed away and I was unexpectedly surprised by how much peace I had this afternoon by the thought of another family living here. The reality is that dad is no longer in the house. All that is left of him is our memories of him, and I have come to terms with that. [click to continue…]
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Thank goodness for quick and easy pasta dinners using whatever is in my refrigerator and pantry. Using left over spiral ham I quickly cubed it and fried it up to help it release its smoky flavor more commonly associated with crispy bacon. Next, I sauteed some minced garlic on low eat just enough to soften it without burning it. Combined with some tomatoes, edamame (peas would have worked just fine, too), fresh basil, and balsamic vinegar, I tossed everything including the pasta with some salt and pepper. And dinner was served. I’m guessing some of you might have all you need for this dish at home. If you don’t have ham, feel free to substitute bacon, chicken, or sausage for the meat. Enjoy!
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[donotprint] I’m smitten with Chef Michael Symon. Not because he is an Iron Chef, Food Network host, or owner of acclaimed restaurants – Lola and Lolita. I actually don’t subscribe to cable so I’ve never watched him on TV. Come to think of it, maybe I’m not actually smitten with him, but I am in love with his bacon mac & cheese. You should know, I’m not a huge mac & cheese fan, so this is saying a lot.
I’ve tried all sorts of mac & cheese recipes and I’ve never tried one this good. It instantly becomes memorable, from the first to the last bite. This recipe by Chef Michael Symon is heavenly, and it even called for rosemary, which I found odd to pair with a bacon mac & cheese. By the way – I’m not a huge rosemary fan either. I don’t mind adding the herb to soups but would never consider adding it to pasta…not ever. And then there were the four cups of heavy cream this recipe called for. I thought this surely was a typo. Four cups of heavy cream for one pound of dry elbow pasta – what the heck??!! But I learned through this recipe that heavy cream can be reduced with prolonged simmering into a very thick sauce without any added thickener. [click to continue…]
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Today I embraced the rain, gray sky, and Fall with open arms. Rob returned home late last night from a week long business trip and this morning he gave me the gift of time by taking all the kids and a friend to the state fair all day so I could catch up on the blog and other projects around the house. I soaked in the silence and freedom of our quiet home and treated it as sacred personal retreat. I cooked most of the day and made myself this chorizo arugula pumpkin cream sauce and poured it over pasta. I ate in silence with a glass of ice water staring out the window just allowing myself to enjoy the moment. I relish days like today.
Chorizo is a spicy pork sausage seasoned with smoked paprika and salt. The pumpkin flavor is very subtle but detectable and the cream just balances everything out beautifully. [click to continue…]
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Fact: I will eat just about any food but my favorite dishes are usually simple to prepare, fresh in flavor, and can be made very quickly. Cooking for me is about being flexible, creative, and resourceful. And I can’t help but be a little proud of myself when I make something so deliciously good with such little amount of effort.
For instance, today’s pasta dish was inspired by Aglio E Olio (warm olive oil and garlic pasta), the bounty of summer cherry tomatoes, fresh basil growing in a tiny plastic pot next to the kitchen window,, and fresh lump Dungeness crab meat to top it all off. The addition of fresh lemon juice brightens everything perfectly. We now have a light summer dinner meal bursting with flavor to delight the palette as well as the stomach. [click to continue…]
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