Spring Pea and Pistachio Pasta with Ricotta #SundaySuppers

Simplicity is what I think of for Mother's Day. Simple, home made gifts from my children made from the heart. Hugs and kisses and I love you's first thing in the morning served with oddly shaped pancakes on a platter next to a flower picked from the garden.  note to self: we need a garden.

Also, I like to remind myself how lucky I am to have three mothers in my life each of them special to me in very unique ways. My own mom who has lived with me for most of my adult life has taught me by devoted example how to live a very natural lifestyle and has always been there to help watch our children and love them (sometimes I'm sure they love her more than me ;) She is my constant friend, companion and shoulder to cry on. 

My step mom who married my dad when I was at the tempered age of 15 loves me despite those first few years of resentment, anger and the confusion of divorce and joining two large families into one. I've grown to know her as a true friend and someone I look up to and love for her sweet and understanding spirit.

My mother in law, well we have different ways of thinking at times, both of us strong willed and opinionated. She values family first and foremost and is a dedicated mother and wife. We have grown to understand and respect each other in most ways and it is a relationship I look forward to growing. Mostly, I love her for raising a man I love beyond words. 


Simplicity in all things for Mother's day is what I look forward to the most. Breakfast in bed, a clean house that I had nothing to do with and a simple dinner we can sit down to and enjoy as a family. This simple pasta was creamy and light with one of my favorite fresh herbs, tarragon to add just a touch of unpretentious flavor. 


You could add any vegetables to make this more substantial, summer zucchini, sweet peppers, mushrooms. Chicken, diced ham, shrimp or crab would also go well in this dish.

Ingredients

1 cup roasted unsalted pistachio nuts (buy them in their shell, if possible)

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 small handful of fresh tarragon leaves

1/3 cup grated good quality Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

a pinch of sea salt

6 oz whole grain pasta

zest of 1 large lemon

a squeeze of lemon juice

Put the first 6 ingredients into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse till nuts are finely ground. 

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until is is just al dente. Drain water from pasta reserving a few tablespoons and set aside.  

Pour pasta into a large serving bowl. Grate in the zest of the lemon, and add a squeeze of the juice. Toss the pasta with the pistachio mixture adding a tablespoon or two of reserved pasta water if too dry. Add most of the ricotta to the hot pasta until creamy and well coated. Spoon in additional small spoonfuls of ricotta for texture and extra bits of creamy goodness. Spoon pasta into bowls, serve with freshly ground cracked pepper and Garnish with tarragon sprigs.

This is my very first Sunday Supper post and I couldn't be more excited! There is a growing number of fantastic bloggers who commit to share a common value of families eating together at the table each and every Sunday. I have been in a blogging 'rut' for the last several months asking myself why exactly I put in the time that I do towards blogging when it doesn't seem to reach the masses or make a difference in the way people feel about healthy eating. I hope Sunday Suppers will help me continue to reach my goal of 'Family First' and "Healthy Habits'. 

I want to thank my friend Liz of 'That Skinny Chick Can Bake' for hosting this weeks Sunday Supper. I've been a follower of her blog for, well ever! If you haven't yet, please visit her site for creative and mouthwatering desserts and more. She's a real sweetheart.


Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our http://pinterest.com/thesundaysupper/sundaysupper/">#SundaySupper Pinterest board
for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Simple Drunken Shrimp Linguine {Wine Pairings and Oil tips}

An insanely simple plate of drunken shrimp pasta is in order if you are feeling like you can't take one more second of the cold. I implore you to throw this pasta together and brighten your mood altogether.
Shrimp is one of my favorite, decadent treats yet it couldn't be easier to prepare. Literally minutes.

Fresh, raw shrimp is best but if you buy frozen shrimp, choose tail off, deveined large shrimp and make sure you remember to defrost them in the fridge for 24 hours before you cook them then pat them dry before sautéing. The frost on the shrimp won't allow them to cook properly, steaming them instead of sautéing.


Linguine noodles soaked up the extra drunken tomato sauce and was slurp worthy. Not to worry, cooking the sauce makes this dish alcohol free but the taste one step above ordinary! I threw some finely chopped carrots into my sauce to sweeten it up a bit and balance out the boldness from the infused tomato sauce and the spiciness from the red chili flakes. Garlic of course was added in generous amounts rounding out this bold and hearty pasta.



Wine Pairings

Even though this sauce has bold flavors, if you are pairing with a wine, choose  either a light red such as a Pino Noir or Chianti. If your sauce is on the spicier side, stick with a Spanish or California Rose to avoid a metallic aftertaste you'll get from red wines or choose a white wine with light, balanced fruit notes such as a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc which will really bring out the mild flavors of the shrimp.

Ingredients

1 10 oz package Linguine noodles, cooked according to package directions, al dente
1 lb. large, raw tail off shrimp - deveined
1, 32 oz. can petite diced tomatoes, un-drained
1/4 cup good quality gold tequila {or red wine} broth or juice from tomatoes may be used 
1/2 cup finely diced carrots
6 cloves thinly sliced garlic
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon med-high smoke point oil: grape seed, palm oil, safflower, or avocado oil
1 tablespoon real butter
generous pinch of salt
red pepper flakes to taste



Have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go!

While pasta water is being brought to a boil, heat a large wok over medium-high heat. Add oil and butter, let it get fairly hot but do not burn butter. Add dried shrimp and carefully and quickly toss to coat. Let shrimp sit for 2 minutes, flip again to toss and let sit for 1-2 more minutes till pink.

Add carrots, shallot and garlic to skillet, sprinkle with salt toss to combine. Cook 1 minute stirring so as not to burn shallot and garlic. Pour in tequila or other liquid you are using to deglaze the wok using a large, flat spoon to scrape brown bits of bottom of wok. Turn down heat to medium-low. Let sit for 2-3 minutes while liquid cooks down. Add tomatoes, stir to combine. Let simmer for 3-5 minutes till just warmed through. Remove from heat. Spoon over drained pasta.

notes:

Adding salt to the carrots and shallots at the beginning of sautéing will soften them and bring out their natural flavors adding to the sauce.

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs with Eggplant and Marinara

There is one dish that I quickly scan the menu for whenever we find ourselves at a nice Italian restaurant. Eggplant Parmesan. Served on a quaint little patio under the moonlight with a nice glass of Malbec or Cabernet and I'm in heaven.  Chicken Parmesan is one of my husbands favorite dishes and spaghetti and meatballs, the kiddos favorite. This quick dish satisfies even the pickiest of eaters, trust me, I have one. In fact, all of my kiddos are in the other room doing the happy dance after I announced we were having spaghetti and meatballs for diner.






I'm happy because well, my sweet darlings are happy of course, but also because this was a super easy and very healthy meal to serve. No whining at the dinner table and more time for me to enjoy my dinner without fighting or bargaining with one of for mentioned darlings to eat what's on their plate.

Bread crumbs are a thing of the past in this house. Quinoa is my new go to when it comes to adding to meatballs of any variety. You don't even need to cook them! Since these chicken Parmesan balls are quickly roasted in the oven and then slowly cooked in a marinara sauce there is no need to pre cook the quinoa!  These turned out perfectly moist and wonderful.

Quickly brown the chicken meatballs in the oven rather than on the stove for an even healthier meal. I don't have to use any oil at all when I use my stone baking dish which cooks them evenly and browns them up nicely for the sauce pot. I just love this pan. It's naturally non stick and you just quickly scrape off any brown bits left under hot water. If your interested in one please purchase it form

  Simply Healthy Family's store here and help support this blog. Much thanks!

Choose regular ground chicken instead of chicken breast for these meatballs. Chicken breast is too low in fat and you will end up with dry, dense meatballs. The dark meat is good for you anyway and has more flavor. All in moderation.

Throw the browned (not fully cooked) into the warm marinara and eggplant mixture. Cook covered over low heat 15- 20 minutes or until cooked through.

recipe adapted from Annies Eats

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground chicken (preferably dark meat)
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa (millet will work too)
1 large egg
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for topping
1 medium size eggplant, peeled and chopped into 1/2 once cubes
1 small shallot, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
cracked pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil 6 cups Marinara Sauce (lower in sugar than most spaghetti sauces)
1 cup grated mozzarella
Parmesan cheese for garnish
Curly parsley for garnish

Cooked Rigatoni according to package directions.
(I ate my meatballs with raw broccoli and a salad instead of pasta)



Preheat oven to 450F

In a large bowl combine ground chicken, quinoa, egg, Parmesan, shallot, spices and salt and pepper.
Stir to combine thoroughly. Using your hands, shape meatballs into golf ball size balls. They will be very moist don't panic! Place balls 1/2 inch apart on stone baking dish (if not using a stone pan, use either parchment paper or lightly grease your pan). Bake at 450F for 12-15 minutes until slightly browned all over. Don't over cook. They will continue to cook in the sauce.

Heat oil in a large ceramic coated dutch oven over medium-high heat on your stove top. Meanwhile, peel and chop eggplant into 1/2 inch cubes. Throw eggplant and minced shallot into heated dutch oven. Lightly salt. Stir to coat with oil and let brown for 5 minutes stirring only occasionally so as not to burn, lower heat if necessary. Add marinara to Dutch oven and lower heat to LOW.  Cover.

Remove meatballs from oven and transfer to the Dutch oven. Using a large spoon, carefully cover all the meatballs with the sauce. Cover and simmer on low for 15-20 minutes until meatballs are cooked through. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Garnish with parsley.


Serve with a salad or on top of pasta.

Chinese Noodles with Sticky Orange Maple Sauce & Chicken { every day dinners }

As a food blogger (a title I'm still not quite o.k. with for some reason)  it would probably be wise to stick with one or maybe two types of cuisine that I'm familiar with and try perfecting and blogging about said cuisine. For instance, I am a native Zonie (From Arizona for those of you who don't speak Gwen). Meaning, I've lived here since I was an infant so I have self proclaimed myself a native, grandfathered in if you will.

Therefore, it would probably be wise of me to stick with the foods and flavors from the Southwest.  Yet, while Southwestern and Mexican foods happen to be one of my most favorite foods, how could they not be growing up in the midst of such a lavish and exuberant culture with spices and sauces that will set your very soul on fire? I find myself with a wondering palate. 

So, as much as I adore and often crave the flavors of the Southwest, I simply could not live on jalapenos and habeneros alone. Oddly enough, as a self proclaimed Native Zonie living in the middle of the desert,  my absolute favorite foods happen to stem from the sea. Sea Bass, Salmon, Smoked Swordfish, Grilled Crab, Barbecued Shrimp and even the occasional anchovy when it's involved in a lovingly made Puttenesca sauce.  Sushi?  Hell ya!  Breakfast is served!




Which brings us to Chinese food. Obviously.

As I mentioned, I have a wandering palate. I love that about me.

I also am not a huge fan of pasta, but I looooveeee noodles.

Stay with me.

It's all about the sauce. Correct me if I'm wrong please but a noodle is a noodle is a noodle (except, once I did have an amazingly wonderful, seriously fresh, home made linguine that would knock your socks off, another time.) and again, really, it's all about the sauce.  

Sticky sweet, orange maple balsamic sauce with an Oriental flare. 

Schazaaam! 

If you can find these twisty, curly "Ramen" style noodles I prefer them in this sticky sauce, kids and adults alike find them a fun noodle to slurp up with extra sauce. Otherwise, use regular soba noodles or even the cheap, packaged Ramen noodles will work though not as thick and yummy.

PREP TIME    15 MINUTES        COOK TIME     15 MINUTES      SERVES 4

Ingredients

1, 6 oz package oriental noodles, cooked according to package directions

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked

2 cups broccoli florets

1 small red bell pepper, julienned

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon sesame oil

sesame seeds for garnish

for the sauce

2 teaspoons tamari (organic, gluten free, low sodium soy sauce)

2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar

4 teaspoons maple balsamic vinegar (or 3 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup or honey)

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

1 teaspoon orange zest

4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, whisked in

red pepper flakes, if you please

Cook chicken. I use my pressure cooker at 2nd ring for 8 minutes for very moist chicken breasts.

Whisk together ingredients for sauce, set aside.

Bring water to a boil, blanch broccoli florets for 3-4 minutes. Remove with a large, slotted spoon and place in colander and rinse with cool water to prevent from cooking further. Set aside. Return water to boil,  cook noodles according to package directions. Drain noodles.

In a large wok, preheated over medium high heat add sesame oil. Toss in red bell pepper, drained broccoli and garlic and toss a few times. Cook for just 2-3 minutes being careful not to burn garlic. 

Re-wisk sauce.

Combine noodles, sauce, broccoli, peppers and chicken in a large bowl. Toss to combine. 

Enjoy!

Roasted, Buttered Spagetti Squash with 2 Bean Croquettes aka Veggie Meatballs {12 Weeks of Winter Squash}

Let's cut to the chase and just call it what it is shall we? In the words of my very outspoken 8 year old "Are you trying to tell me these are meatballs?"  and then under his breath  "I know these aren't real  noodles, it's spaghetti squash."  The jig is up. At least my kids know what spaghetti squash is, I suppose I should be thankful for that, even if it's not quite as good as the 'real thing' in there eyes.





Let's clear the air right now, if you don't like beans in general, you probably won't like these croquettes. I call them croquettes or in Italian, crocchettes because that's what they are.  Not "meatballs"  (motion finger quotes here). The texture is not firm like meat, however they are dense, 'meat like' albeit  a bit mushier and very flavorful and satisfying. The marinara, fresh Parmesan and creamy spaghetti squash make this healthy meal hard to remember that you are 'missing' meat.  In fact, I much prefer these to the taste and texture of ground beef. Hands down!

 Although typically croquettes are deep fried in most countries, I always choose to bake mine. Partly because it's much healthier and mostly because deep frying things scares the bejesus out of me. (Picture a grown woman who isn't afraid of much of anything shrieking "Eeeeeek! at the top of her lungs every time the grease splatters.)  Not pretty. 

So, even though this 'spaghetti' dinner didn't fool my kids, all but 1  of them loved it. 1 out of 4 aint bad folks.
This may or may not have to do with the fact that Santa Clause is making out his naughty and nice list.

Coincidence I say. Sheer coincidence.

PREP TIME    40 MINUTES      COOK TIME 60 MINUTES        SERVES    6

Ingredients

1 medium size spaghetti squash
2 tablespoons butter
1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas) drained and rinsed
1 can cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper
1/2 cup cooked quinoa (or 3/4 - 1 cup fresh bread crumbs)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 egg
1 small handful fresh parsley
 1 big handful chopped baby spinach
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
non stick spray

3 cups crushed tomatoes or sugar free marinara
freshly grated Parmesan for topping



Preheat oven to 375F. Poke several holes in the skin of the spaghetti squash to allow steam to escape while cooking. (I made a rookie mistake once and didn't do this and it EXPLODED all over me, not pretty.) Place squash in a baking pan and cook for 30 minutes to soften skin. Carefully remove from oven, let cool for 30 minutes.

{You can try cutting the uncooked squash but it isn't easy and will dull your knives.}

When cooled, cut lengthwise in half and place cut side up in baking dish with a tab of butter in each half. Bake an additional 30 minutes at 375F. Remove and let cool while you make the meatballs.In a food processor, add beans, onion, garlic and red bell pepper. Pulse till just combined. Do not over process or mixture will be soggy.

Scoop mixture into a medium size bowl. Add cooked quinoa, egg, spinach, cheese, parsley and spices. Mix to combine.

Scoop small, golf ball size pieces into wet hands and shape into balls. Place 1/2" apart onto foil lined, greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375F for 30 minutes until browned.

Using a fork, scrape out the spaghetti squash into a large pot. Top with marinara and cook covered on medium-low for 15 minutes or until warmed through.  Adding 2 bay leaves if using crushed tomatoes.

Serve meatballs on top of spaghetti squash. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve with a simple salad.


Bon Apetite!

We are on Week numero Cinco of #12WeeksofWinterSquash my friends. This pasta, is my submission. I strongly encourage you to check out the other recipes for this fun roundup, I hear Heather is making a Pumpkin Fry Bread as we speak!

Smokey and Fiery Chipotle en Adobo Butternut Squash Lasagna {#12 Weeks of Winter Squash}

My OCD-ness can be a really annoying thing. Any time I say "This will only take 5 minutes." I find myself analyzing the fine details 90 minutes later in search for the perfect project. This not only goes for blogging which is time consuming pretty much no matter how you go at it but in just about every aspect of my life. Granted I've painfully learned how to choose my battles over the years, especially since having 4 children (if anything can put a cramp in your quest for perfection, it's children.  The dolls.







Another thing that can get a girl to cut her quest for the perfect blog post abruptly short would be that she has a new book series that she's reading {The Divergent series, have you read it?} and a very short window on a weeknight in which to sneak in a page or two without  being interrupted every 3 1/2 minutes and maybe stay awake long enough after the kids have gone to bed to read an entire chapter. We won't discuss how much of the fine details I retain. Names elude me in real life, characters in books are difficult to commit to these days.


Unless of course it's a brand new (in my world anyway)  hot teen novel that involves drama at every turn of the page and Love at First Site, can't live without you, you take my every breath away even though we are in the midst of a post-apocalyptic, I'm the only one who can save the world sort of state.

It happens.

I may have somewhat of a tough exterior, but I just so happen to enjoy a good 'romance' novel so long as it involves high impact, high stress non-realistic situations which may or may not involve  zombies/vampires or a bunch of gorgeous 16 year old's defending the last of mankind just like any other  respectable women in her 30's does.

Right?


Right.

My point, and I do have one as usual, is that while the recipe process and photography session for this post took many hours of preparation, fine tuning and self scrutinization I'm afraid that I must say good bye quite abruptly….

What? It's too late for that?  Well then please forgive any punctuation or grammar mistakes in this post because I really must go find out what Tris and Four are going to do about the predicament they've managed to get themselves into…… again, with the Euridite and the Candor. This is serious people.

Before I say goodnight I must say that this is any lasagna lovers DREAM!  So not your everyday, ordinary lasagna by any standards, this one packs a punch you won't soon forget. It still has your comfort food qualities except for roasted butternut squash tossed in chipotles en adobo sauce was used in the mix and sweet turkey sausage was thrown in to compliment the smokey heat.

 Really, there are very few words that come to mind to describe how freaking amazing this dish was and I don't use the word freaking very lightly my friends.

Sharp provolone cheese and light and fluffy ricotta really balanced out the heat in this dish. It's like you get a swift kick of smokey, delicious heat on your taste buds and then are swiftly soothed by ricotta's creamy coolness. 

Chipotles are dried, smoked jalapeños. Adobo is a tangy, slightly sweet red sauce. Put them together in a can and they become a versatile pantry staple. Use just the chipotles for intense smoky chile heat or just the sauce for a sour-sweet flavor and a slightly less fiery smoky heat.

Apparently, I seem to take for granted the fact that some things that may be "simple" for me in the kitchen are not simple for most of my friends. I named my blog "Simply Healthy Family" because I wanted to share simple, healthy and delicious snacks and meals with everyone, Novice cook, busy parent or anyone looking to expand their current palate or cooking ability. So when I get feedback saying "What the heck is Thyme, Saffron, Quinoa?" etc. I feel like I need to take the time to add in a bit more instructional and informative posts on SHF.

So, for those of you who have ever looked at the winter squash bins in the super market and thought they were purely ornamental, here's to you.

First, they really are super easy to prepare. One of the few fuss free and forgiving vegetables out there. Once you get past your fear of peeling the hard outer peel your good to go!

A veggie peeler won't likely do the job with most winter squash sot grab a good butcher knife and cut off both ends. Stand it on one end and careful cut off the peel. It's really not as hard as you might think. 

Now, cut the butternut squash in half, lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon, discard.

Turn squash over and cut lengthwise into 1 inch strips.

Turn each piece flat and cut off the small 'hook' ends into 1 inch pieces. 

Now, cut the thicker lengths of squash in half, lengthwise again so that they will be uniform to 1 inch size. Cut the lengths of squash into 1 inch square pieces. This will ensure they cook evenly.

For this lasagna recipe, you will need to quickly cook the diced squash somehow. You could throw them into a microwave bowl, cover and cook an high for 5 minutes (I stray away from microwaves if possible partly because of potential nutrient loss and mostly because of definent flavor loss.)

I recommend either roasting them in your already preheated oven for 10 minutes or my preferred method, drizzled with (garlic infused) olive oil and pan roasting them for 7-10 minutes till just caramelized and slightly cooked. 

You will want to pre-cook them either way because they will take longer to cook then the rest of the ingredients.

I had to show you this picture of freshly grated Provolone cheese (Parmesan on the next photo). It may seem like fresh, whole cheeses are more expensive but when you grate them yourself you end up with way more for your money not to mention an incredible difference in flavor to those recipes you put so much time into!!!

No words necessary I think. Here are the layering steps. I just had fun making and photographing it. Silly hobby right?

Sauce on bottom to prevent sticking. 

I used a small amount of sweet turkey sausage in the recipe to satisfy the masses. I like the mild flavor of turkey and loved the way the sweet sausage kept the smokey heat of the chipotle in check. Obviously,  the turkey can be omitted and this will still be a very hearty and satisfying vegetarian meal. I totally dig that.

Finished, beautiful chipotle lasagna. FYI, I made a second lasagna without the chipotle sauce for the kids. It really does pack a punch. Also, I strongly suggest that if your new to spice/heat that you start with a small amount of the chipotle en adobo and go from there.

Ingredients

1 package of oven ready lasagna noodles
1/2 lb. sweet turkey sausage, browned
1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce
1small-medium butternut squash, peeled and chopped as per instructions above
1 can chipotles en adobo sauce
4 cups chopped fresh spinach
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
2, 15 oz. cartons of ricotta cheese
1 1/2 - 2 cups sharp provolone cheese, grated
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Optional:
light sour cream
olives


Putting it all together:

Preheat oven to 350F

In a large skillet, brown sausage and onion. Drain and set aside.
Spoon chipotles en adobo sauce in a small food processor, this is where my little manual one comes in very handy, and process till smooth. Place cubed squash into a large bowl and toss with sauce.
Lightly coat a casserole dish with cooking spray. Layer lasagna as pictured above, sauce, noodles, squash and sausage mixture, spinach, cheeses. Repeat. Make sure the top layer is covered lightly in sauce so the noodles can cook.

Cover loosely with foil and bake at 350F for 30 minutes. (remember to pre cook your squash for a few minutes as described above!)

Uncover and cook for an additional 30 minutes.

Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with cool sour cream and olives. Don't forget the salad!

Bon Apetite!

Loving this #12Weeks of Winter Squash thing! Week 4 peeps. Thanks again to my friends Heather and Joanne for hosting another swag party!

Artichoke Pesto Pasta with Grilled Shrimp

I swore I would never ever be that parent who lives and breathes vicariously through their children's
lives. If you were to ask me I would tell you that I think I'm doing a pretty good job at fulfilling that goal. I would then go on to tell you that I actively encourage all 4 of my youngin's to aspire to what they want to be by engaging them in the things they are good at and helping them to work through those things that they aren't perfect at.  It's hard being a 4, 7, 8 and 19 year old after all.


I love baseball. I always have. The crack of the bat, the smell of the grass, the fresh air and the way the major league players look in those grey pants   the old fashioned, all American feeling of it all. I was never great at playing the sport but I sure wished upon more than one star that I would be the team hero at least once rather than 'Odd Man Out' more often than not. That's the thing about baseball. It's a team sport but when your up to bat or a pop fly is hit to your corner of the field, ALL eyes are on YOU. As a kid, one minute it feels like you're the team Super Hero and the next minute, you strike out (again) and you are shunned and ridiculed.






Being the mom of 3 boys (and 1 perfect little girl) means I can get my fill of watching and being a part of sports like my fav, baseball. My oldest son had a serious love affair with basketball and played his heart out on city leagues, clubs and in junior high where he was even team captain for 2 years, until when he got to high school and wasn't quite good enough to make the team.

It broke his heart but to my amazement he didn't sulk or even complain. Instead, my 13 year old son, went home and all on his own wrote a resume to the head coach of the High School Team listing all of the reasons why he was qualified to be a part of the team no matter what he had to do. Whether it be by being a team manager, passing out and picking up the balls, encouraging his team mates (which he did graciously and enthusiastically) and by just doing whatever was need of him, just so long as that he could be a part of the team while he practiced and practiced and practiced.


Which he did. And he got better. And they let him play. Joy.




























Back to baseball and my 7 & 8 year old boys. My 8 year old could care less about sports. I'm o.k. with that. Really. I find it exhilarating that all of my children are unique and special with a set of their own  interests, skills and personalities. My 8 year old son loves art and building things, especially Lego's & Origami.

My 3rd and youngest son, age 7 was very eager to play baseball much to my excitement. He has my family's body type which I prefer to say is "Athletic" instead of "Big Boned".  He has a natural athletic ability when it comes to physic and strength and if we can just work on that coordination and speed thing I think we might have something here……..

"Not living vicariously through my children. Not living vicariously through my children."


Today was the last game of the season. When I asked him to go get ready to go to his game he pouted and sulked and then flat out protested. I said "What's wrong Nolan, I thought you liked baseball?" and do you know what my son said to me?



"My favorite part of baseball is the end. When it's over."


Wow.

Maybe he'll change his mind.

Maybe not. And I'm o.k. with that. Kind of.

There is always comfort in pasta. Always. As long as it's a good quality, better yet home made pasta you can really sink your teeth into. As long as there as a fresh sauce or pesto you can twirl your noodles through life will be o.k.  Molto Bene!!

Not home made, but this pasta was fabulous. Thick and non starchy cooked to Al dente perfection with a hollow center to soak up even more of the green sauce! Swoon.

A twist on your traditional pesto, artichoke hearts make a light and lovely green pasta sauce. This unpretentious pesto would also pair well with jumbo grilled shrimp alone as an appetizer. 

A twist of lemon, a toss of freshly grated Parmigiana ~Romano and a bit of Italian parsley along with pine nuts or walnuts and you have yourself a guest worthy meal in minutes. Don't forget the wine!

Ingredients

1 package of pasta, cooked to package directions
5-7 artichoke hearts (found in glass jars)
1 large handful fresh Italian parsley
2 handfuls of walnuts or pine nuts (about 1 cup for those who measure)
1/2-3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiana~Romano2-3 cloves fresh garlic
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
2-3 tablespoons of water to thin pesto to desired consistency
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper
red chile flakes if desired

1 lb. large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

Pre-heat grill. Spray a grill pan with oil. {You can also bake shrimp at 400F for 8-10 minutes or stir fry). Grill shrimp over medium flame until they turn dark pink, about 3 minutes per side. Don't overcook or they will become dry! Remove from heat and set aside. No need to season shrimp for this recipe.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Combine all ingredients, artichoke hearts through cracked pepper in a food processor or blender till combined.  Toss pesto with pasta to coat. Sprinkle with chile flakes for some heat if desired. I do. ;}

Lobster Fettuccine in a light Béchamel Sauce

Instead of talking about how much today sucked big time, I'm going to harness my inner  Chi  and  focus on Lobster Fettuccine. It's my happy place.

 HuummmmMmmmmmmm...................



Tomorrow will be a better day. I know it. Period. No big deal, don't worry friends just another day working in surgery with a few surprises and challenges. Nothing a pair of comfy jamies, a glass of wine and a bowl of creamy lobster pasta won't fix. Tomorrow I have the day off and can hopefully spend time with my children and remember what the important things in my life are. Snuggling babies is God's way of gifting you free therapy.












This was supposed to be a Mother's day post, about a wonderful and perfect lobster fettuccine. Perhaps it still is. Food can be a comfort. That does not necessarily mean the usual heavy foods but for me, in finding healthier versions of my favorite dishes. I also find true comfort and peace in times of true  struggle when holding my children (unless they're screaming and fighting in which case their dad finds comfort in them). The snuggles and kissed along my arm that my 3 year old gives me for no reason, the way my 6 year old runs up to the front door every time I come home, how my independent, 'non affectionate' 8 year old son every once and a while really needs a secret hug and kiss before bed. I focus on the fact that my teenage son just finished his first year of college and is on his way home, God bless safely and that although he is strong willed and somewhat stubborn and naive I have faith that he will become a good man.

It is not like me to be so...... I don't know what. Spiritual? Emotional? Goofy? But after a day like today I find blessed peace in focusing on the things that are truly important to me and letting  GO  of the rest of the junk. I've learned that stressing out about things that are in the past and that I have no control of are poison to my well being. That is definitely not to say that I have mastered this concept but that I am getting much better at letting these things go.

Kind of.

Maybe.

It's a work in progress.

Let's just focus on pasta shall we?

1 package fettuccine pasta, cooked according to package directions

2 cups cooked lobster pieces ~  2 tails or if you're lucky enough you can find them in the frozen department from Costco or Trader Joe's like I do.

1 cup dry white wine or chicken broth or water 

1 1/2 cups  thick coconut milk from a can 

1 shallot ~ substitute w 1/4 cup scallion (white part of green onion) 

small handful fresh parsley, chopped 

1 teaspoon dried tarragon 

2 sprigs of fresh thyme, chopped 

1 teaspoon salt 

freshly cracked pepper to taste 

In a large saute pan over medium-high heat sauté shallot 2-3 minutes. Add tarragon, thyme and salt. Stir.  

Pour in wine and deglaze pan using flat spoon. Turn down heat to low and cook 4-5 minutes until slightly thickened and reduced.  Add cooked lobster pieces, pour in coconut milk and  add parsley and  pepper.

I am submitting this post to Tasty Tuesday's