Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Mama's Back in the Kitchen

My midwife said "one week, no cooking or cleaning." Daddy was on leave for three weeks. Church friends sent meals. What was I to do? Emily tearfully said "Mommy, it's so hard when you can't cook!" Well, time's up! Mama's back in the kitchen! Here is what three weeks without cooking does...

1 lb. Penne pasta (the small variety), cooked al dente
1 stick of butter (divided into halves)
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced (freshly harvested from our garden!)
sea salt, to taste
freshly ground pepper
grated parmesan cheese (oh, about half a cup and then more to garnish)
lemon juice (TBS or so...maybe a whole lemon)
2 lbs. grilled shrimp (sprinkled with Old Bay and lemon juice)
2 lbs. sweet Italian sausage, grilled
1-1.5 cups milk (heavy with cream)


Half the butter goes into the drained pasta to keep it from sticking. The other half goes into a saucepan with the lemon juice, garlic, sea salt, pepper, milk, cheese, and just enough flour to bring it together into a creamy consistency (1-2 TBS). Whisk and simmer until ready to serve. Pour over pasta & shrimp...toss to coat. Serve sausage on the side.

I also grilled our veggies....drizzle olive oil and sprinkle sea salt over asparagus tips and sliced zucchini...grill until hot & tender. Only complaint was that there ought to have been more.

Now, what am I going to do tonight?

2 comments:

  1. No wonder my guys had a great time with you all -- we eat like this on feast nights, maybe! And chocolate pudding ice cream -- totally decadent and up high on our list for Saturday night dessert :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. In the Hunter household, dessert is its own food group...can't do without it. Well, we CAN, but we don't want to. Who would? And, if dinner isn't a knock-out like this, then it might be frozen whatever or take-out if necessary...but usually not. Can't help it...well, CAN, but why? ;-)

    ReplyDelete