Making the Pasta into a Meal

This is just a picture I found  when I googled "simple meals."

The title of this blog sucks. I'm tired and full.

So Chaley is always asking me to make simple meals. For instance, she will have a craving for-whatever- and will ask me to make it. And I will- but with additions. Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo you say? But let’s turn it up a notch! Roasted Garlic! Cajun Chicken! Sun Dried Tomatoes! Steamed Broccoli in a little chicken broth and lemon! Tomato Paste!

This is sadly never what she really wants (simple classic chicken and broccoli alfredo) but rather, my version of a better more improved meal. I love to look through several recipes seeing what people have done to improve on classic dishes that we grew up on and combine a little of the old with a little of the new. Something even better that she didn't even know she wanted! Only- usually it’s just not what she wanted (hanging my head). But not tonight! Tonight, I resolved to make a simple Alfredo. (But I kept the roasted garlic-I mean come on! Roasted Garlic??? Anyway-) I combined Tyler Florence’s Fettucine Alfredo and an Alfredo Sauce from allrecipes.com. Really, I mainly stuck with Tyler Florence’s recipe and added the nutmeg from the allrecipes version.

Hand Rolled Pasta, Anyone?

So you know how I got that amazing book last week? (Yes you do, the Urban Pantry book I splurged on!) Well I have been absolutely obsessed with this book. There's a section stocking the pantry that goes over making your own bread, pasta and pie/tart shells etc. So this past Sunday, when we were out spending too much on groceries at Garden of Eden which I love but which is way too expensive and just a bit too gourmet (as in not a lot of real life options when you need them and where is the white bread?-) due to the oncoming blizzard that was dropping heaps of snow into our chilly little faces, I picked up some semolina. Why not right? At that point we were already paying $100 for NOTHING -excuse my bitterness, ahem, so I went ahead and splurged on the smallish Bob's Red Mill semolina flour they had.

And today, while sitting around looking for writing jobs and generally feeling sorry for myself -(Chaley went back to work today, boo!) I decided to make pasta! My mommie got me this super cute french rolling pin for Christmas and I was dying to try it out!

Literally all I needed was 2 cups of A/P flour, (I used Bob Mill's Unbleached White Flour because I am obsessed with it? And him possibly?) 1 Cup of the semolina flour and 5 eggs. I mean, how could I not make this pasta?

Bread Baking and Bootcamp

So I made bread. And it was awesome and I took a lot of pictures so I could share my experience step by step. And then I sat down on Saturday night for 3 hours writing and picking from the 80 or so pictures I took. Whoa. Way more that I expected! So I am still editing and trying to cut where I can. But I hope to post it tomorrow at the latest! Bear with me :)

In other news I started my second week of bootcamp today. And I ALMOST DIED!!!! Seriously. SERIOUSLY! It was all chest work and leg work. Not easy for someone as out of shape as I am. Also, it was 19 degrees out with wind chill which means stiff muscles! So even though I struggled the most there was not one person who wasn't struggling today. So there's that. You know misery loves company. I felt really disappointed in myself this morning. My calves were tight, my arches were killing me and I felt like I was in an exhaustive fog the whole workout.

At the end,  Laura and one of my fellow bootcampers told me I did a good job today, and that I never give up. It made me feel really good because today was my hardest bootcamp day. I made it! Let's hope Wednesday's a better day :)

Okay I'll see you tomorrow, with two new blogs, the bread and what I ate on it.

Radish, Scallion and Egg Salad Sandwiches