penne with zucchini pistou

Wow has it been a while! 

This dish is from a while ago, and GOSH was it delicious. (Forgive the phone snap shot of this pic, I accidentally deleted it on my photos).  It's vegetarian, but so filling and packed with flavor that you won't miss meat!  A 'pistou' is the French's version of a pesto, essentially.  This pistou has caramelized zucchini in addition to the already fabulous flavors of a regular 'pesto.'

Ingredients:

• 2 large or 3 small/medium zucchini
• 3-4 large cloves of garlic
• 1/3 cup parmesan
• a good handful of fresh basil
• any type of nut (optional), about a palm full
• 1 box penne pasta
• 1/2-1 C reserved pasta water
• Olive Oil

Directions:

• Chop your zucchini into medallions
• Heat some olive oil in a medium sized pan over medium/medium high heat
• Add your zucchini and allow the zucchini to caramelize (like the picture)
• Once the zucchini are tender and are golden brown, remove from heat
• Boil your pasta water (add salt!) and add your box of penne
• In a food processor, add 1/3 of your cooked zucchini along with your basil, parmesan, garlic, salt, and nuts (if using)
• While blending the ingredients, stream olive oil into the food processor to make the pistou
• Taste for flavor
• Once the pasta is done, add it (using a slotted spoon) to the zucchini that still hangin' out in the pan, and then dump your pistou mixture on top.  
• Add a little bit of pasta water to the mix as you stir everything together
• Grate some fresh parmesan over the pasta to incorporate, as well

This will easily be one of my favorite go-to dishes during the week because it's simple to make, it's PACKED with flavor, doesn't cost a lot, and saves well for leftovers!

chocolate cakelette with basil-infused buttercream

These little morsels of heaven were discovered through this  blog via Pinterest, naturally.  They were SO yum, but I must tell you- they were A LOT of work.  Hers looked significantly better and much of that is due to her having green food coloring (which obviously I didn't have). Here are my quick suggestions:

-For a quicker version, just use the cupcake recipe and icing- skip the meringue.  It's really not that necessary.
-If you are going to make these all out, I'd save it for a REAL special occasion like a baby shower or mother's day
-Don't wait until 10:00 at night to make these like me....although they did make a wonderful midnight snack.

Overall, they're FABULOUS and delightfully flavorful with that interesting layer of basil in that buttercream.  YUM.

Enjoy!

A Modern Woman

Last week I called my mom to brag to her about how I am now officially a "modern woman". I've been at my new job for about two months and finally feel as though I have this whole working-girl thing figured out.

I've been traveling the past six weekends, working until 5 or later every night, making beautiful home-cooked meals for Anthony, volunteering with the church, attending nightly social events, and keeping up a regular exercise routine... all with freshly washed hair and dressed in my cutest spring outfits, of course.

We got back into town Sunday morning and I decided to take a little nap before I resumed my Sunday regimen of a 5 mile walk, trip to the grocery store, and cooking for the rest of the day. When I woke up it hit my like a ton of bricks: I was sick.

Not just a little sick: so so sick. Like, drop down, drag out, sick-as-a-dog sick. I could barely get out of bed.

I'm a firm believer that your body tells you what it needs. My body was begging me to stop moving and please please let it rest. I slept the entire day, waking only to have Anthony make me drink Thera-flu and kiss my forehead.

He also brought me Wolfgang Puck Tomato Basil Bisque. I try not to eat soup out of a can; it has so much sodium and there's always the fear of injesting BPA and getting cancer. I pride myself on making my own soups.... but, honey, when your this sick, you could not care less. It tasted so good.

So I'm home from work today and trying to give my body what it's asking for. Putting on the brakes is so hard. I guess I haven't figured out what being a "modern woman" really means yet. I have a feeling it may take a little less commitment and a lot more Wolfgang Puck.

Green Juice

My mom just bought a juicer and is literally OBSESSED with juicing things now. I called her at 8:30am this morning and she was already at the grocery store buying ingredients for this bizarre green concotion you see above. I told her to send me a narrative and I would post it for y'all. Here's what she said:

"This is kale/carrot/pear/apple/ginger/lemon refreshing cleansing drink! I'm obsesed with my new juicer! All those lovely vitamins are neslted happily in my tummy. Like yoga is for the mind and body so this juice is for my intestines. Kate, make all this sound good for the blog and send me the link aaaaagain."

I have sent her the link to this blog 20 times. My mom is funny.