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Smiling
I'm smiling today, for the first time in a few weeks I think! Things might be going my way but I'm hesitant to blog about it for fear it might not turn out.... but just know I'm happy!
Last night my husband told me that I put myself on an "emotional roller coaster". He believes that I get so sad and worried at the thought of unfortunate things in life that maybe could happen, and then I get so excited and happy at the thought of a good thing that maybe possibly could work out. I believe he has forgotten to open his "How to Understand a Female" book. It has to be in chapter 1 somewhere, explaining that we females are emotional wrecks half the time.
It's true though, that the way my brain works must be a little nutty thinking every day must be the best or the worst of times... but all I know is that today I'm smiling, and he is happy for it too, so life in our house is good!
With all of this time off I've had time to compile a list of recipes to make. The only tough decision is which one on which day (and to pick the one whose produce is still fresh in the refrigerator so I do not waste anything). I've also used a bunch of coupons while at the grocery store, and stuck to my list as well!
This week I had a coupon for tuna in the Sunday paper, and a Walgreens coupon for the same tuna. Basically, you can use both in one purchase and it turns out you're getting a can for free. That's my Mom talking in me I believe. So everyone run out & cut those coupons!
Tonight for dinner I finally decided on Pasta with Asparagus, Pancetta, and Pine Nuts from this month's Cooking Light magazine. It'll be served with a White Bean & Thyme Crostini on the side, and I might even make Melissa D'Arabian's Cranberry Orange Parfait. So if you don't think I've rambled on enough yet today... I'm about to type out a whole-lotta recipes. Will update with pictures tonight as always!
I'll be making the pasta with proscuitto instead of pancetta simply because I have a bunch of it in the freezer. It's similar in flavor so I figured it'd work. However, keep in mind the WW points for this might be off a bit (probably higher I would think since pancetta has a high fat content). I'd also think you could use bacon if you didn't have either on hand.
Pasta with Asparagus, Pancetta, and Pine Nuts
Cooking Light, March 2010
serves: 4 (2 cups each)
WW points: 8
8 oz uncooked cavatappi pasta (or rotini would work well here)
1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 tsp minced garlic
3 tbsp pine nuts
2 oz diced pancetta
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c (1 oz) crumbled Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt (sorry Cooking Light, I always salt my water) and fat; add asparagus to pan during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain. Sprinkle pasta mixture with garlic; return to pan, and toss well.
Arrange pine nuts in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 3 minutes or until golden and fragrant, stirring occasionally. Place in a small bowl.
Increase oven temperature to 475 degrees. Arrange pancetta on a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 475 degrees for 6 minutes or until crisp.
Combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over pasta mixture; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with pine nuts, pancetta, and cheese.
*** Note: The pasta was delicious! I just loved it. Although next time I'd probably not add the pine nuts. It didn't do all that for me, and it'd save a few bucks from the cost of the meal!
White Bean and Thyme Crostini
Cooking Light, March 2010
Arrange 8, 1/4 inch thick baguette slices on a baking sheet; brush with 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil. Bake at 475 degrees for 4 minutes or until golden.
Saute 1/2 tsp minced garlic in 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in 1/3 c rinsed and drained cannellini beans, 1/8 tsp kosher salt, and 1/8 tsp black pepper and mash with a fork.
Add 1 tbsp warm water and 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice. Stir to blend.
Spread 1 tsp on each baguette slice; sprinkle evenly with 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves.
*** The crostini was fabulous! It was a great little appetizer for the meal, and the garlic plus the fresh thyme... oh my.
Cranberry Orange Parfait
courtesy of Melissa D'Arabian
2 c plain yogurt
3 tbsp orange marmalade
3/4 c heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp sugar
10 can whole cranberry sauce
2 tbsp fresh orange juice
2 tsp orange zest
2 tbsp chopped pecans, toasted
Add the yogurt to a coffee filter or doubled paper towels lined in a fine sieve. Let drain over a bowl at least 1 hour, to overnight in the refrigerator (This makes "mock" greek yogurt which is thicker than regular. I happen to have some greek yogurt so I'll just use that). Discard the accumulated liquid.
Add the drained yogurt to a bowl and add the marmalade. In a separate bowl, whip the cream with a beater until it begins to thicken. Add the vanilla and sugar and continue to whip until soft peaks form.
Add the cranberry sauce to a medium bowl. Add half of the whipped cream, orange juice, and orange zest and carefully stir to combine. Add the other half of the cream to the yogurt mixture and gently combine.
Layer the yogurt & cranberry mixtures in 4 parfait or wine glasses and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Top with pecans just before serving.
~M
Last night my husband told me that I put myself on an "emotional roller coaster". He believes that I get so sad and worried at the thought of unfortunate things in life that maybe could happen, and then I get so excited and happy at the thought of a good thing that maybe possibly could work out. I believe he has forgotten to open his "How to Understand a Female" book. It has to be in chapter 1 somewhere, explaining that we females are emotional wrecks half the time.
It's true though, that the way my brain works must be a little nutty thinking every day must be the best or the worst of times... but all I know is that today I'm smiling, and he is happy for it too, so life in our house is good!
With all of this time off I've had time to compile a list of recipes to make. The only tough decision is which one on which day (and to pick the one whose produce is still fresh in the refrigerator so I do not waste anything). I've also used a bunch of coupons while at the grocery store, and stuck to my list as well!
This week I had a coupon for tuna in the Sunday paper, and a Walgreens coupon for the same tuna. Basically, you can use both in one purchase and it turns out you're getting a can for free. That's my Mom talking in me I believe. So everyone run out & cut those coupons!
Tonight for dinner I finally decided on Pasta with Asparagus, Pancetta, and Pine Nuts from this month's Cooking Light magazine. It'll be served with a White Bean & Thyme Crostini on the side, and I might even make Melissa D'Arabian's Cranberry Orange Parfait. So if you don't think I've rambled on enough yet today... I'm about to type out a whole-lotta recipes. Will update with pictures tonight as always!
I'll be making the pasta with proscuitto instead of pancetta simply because I have a bunch of it in the freezer. It's similar in flavor so I figured it'd work. However, keep in mind the WW points for this might be off a bit (probably higher I would think since pancetta has a high fat content). I'd also think you could use bacon if you didn't have either on hand.
Pasta with Asparagus, Pancetta, and Pine Nuts
Cooking Light, March 2010
serves: 4 (2 cups each)
WW points: 8
8 oz uncooked cavatappi pasta (or rotini would work well here)
1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 tsp minced garlic
3 tbsp pine nuts
2 oz diced pancetta
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c (1 oz) crumbled Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt (sorry Cooking Light, I always salt my water) and fat; add asparagus to pan during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain. Sprinkle pasta mixture with garlic; return to pan, and toss well.
Arrange pine nuts in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 3 minutes or until golden and fragrant, stirring occasionally. Place in a small bowl.
Increase oven temperature to 475 degrees. Arrange pancetta on a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 475 degrees for 6 minutes or until crisp.
Combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over pasta mixture; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with pine nuts, pancetta, and cheese.
*** Note: The pasta was delicious! I just loved it. Although next time I'd probably not add the pine nuts. It didn't do all that for me, and it'd save a few bucks from the cost of the meal!
White Bean and Thyme Crostini
Cooking Light, March 2010
Arrange 8, 1/4 inch thick baguette slices on a baking sheet; brush with 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil. Bake at 475 degrees for 4 minutes or until golden.
Saute 1/2 tsp minced garlic in 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in 1/3 c rinsed and drained cannellini beans, 1/8 tsp kosher salt, and 1/8 tsp black pepper and mash with a fork.
Add 1 tbsp warm water and 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice. Stir to blend.
Spread 1 tsp on each baguette slice; sprinkle evenly with 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves.
*** The crostini was fabulous! It was a great little appetizer for the meal, and the garlic plus the fresh thyme... oh my.
Cranberry Orange Parfait
courtesy of Melissa D'Arabian
2 c plain yogurt
3 tbsp orange marmalade
3/4 c heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp sugar
10 can whole cranberry sauce
2 tbsp fresh orange juice
2 tsp orange zest
2 tbsp chopped pecans, toasted
Add the yogurt to a coffee filter or doubled paper towels lined in a fine sieve. Let drain over a bowl at least 1 hour, to overnight in the refrigerator (This makes "mock" greek yogurt which is thicker than regular. I happen to have some greek yogurt so I'll just use that). Discard the accumulated liquid.
Add the drained yogurt to a bowl and add the marmalade. In a separate bowl, whip the cream with a beater until it begins to thicken. Add the vanilla and sugar and continue to whip until soft peaks form.
Add the cranberry sauce to a medium bowl. Add half of the whipped cream, orange juice, and orange zest and carefully stir to combine. Add the other half of the cream to the yogurt mixture and gently combine.
Layer the yogurt & cranberry mixtures in 4 parfait or wine glasses and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Top with pecans just before serving.
~M
posted by multitaskingmom | 5:22 AM
1 Comments:
Wise husband it sounds like. "It has to be in chapter 1 somewhere, explaining that we females are emotional wrecks half the time." You left out that the other half of the time it appears you are driving crazy to discover how you can find the next emotional wreck.
Take time to inventory all the blessings you have and enjoy the moment that is your life.
"I may not be what I should be, or I may not be what I could be, but I thank God that I am not what i used to be." ~ Art Berg
We can't control the environment of change that is occurring all around us everyday, we can control how we respond to it. We can change. We can still seek and find happiness no matter how threatening the storms are around us.
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