Surprise: I'm Still Alive! And I Made Cheese Tortellini in an Alfredo Sauce!

Hello readers!

It's been a while since my last post, and big things have been happening. I moved out to Western Massachusetts, and very soon afterward I became the newest full-time gallery assistant at the Don Muller Gallery, in Northampton. Every day I get to support local and national artists, help people bring beautiful things into their lives, and have a lot of fun doing it. So while it's been a bit hard to find the time to blog, I've been busy with good things, and hopefully that counts for something!

With my new work schedule, I've become extra interested in satisfying dinners that I can throw together in just a few minutes. This Alfredo recipe, while not the healthiest thing on the planet, is a sauce that returns lots of creamy, hearty flavor for minimal time and effort. And after a long day, especially if you've barely stopped for lunch, tortellini really hits the spot. Seriously, I can't be the only person who at 8 AM thinks baby carrots, yogurt and a granola bar will be a good lunch. By 2 PM I'm usually cursing 8AM-Genevieve, and definitely looking for something filling come dinnertime.

I think that a traditional Alfredo involves all the creamy stuff I used and not a single veggie, but I added some frozen peas for color, and to slightly relieve the guilt factor. Very slightly. This recipe serves two, with some leftover sauce for lunch another day.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 cup heavy cream
1 9 oz package cheese tortellini
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere or Parmesan, or a combination (I used mostly Gruyere with about 1/4 cup of Parm)
1/4 cup chopped parsley (optional)


Directions:
1. In a large pot, cook pasta according to package directions. Add peas in last two minutes of cooking. Drain.
2. While your pasta is cooking, in a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt your butter. Add cream, simmer for a few minutes, then add garlic and cheese, whisking constantly until heated through.
3. Stir in parsley, if using, and pour over pasta and peas. Gently mix to combine, and serve immediately.

If I'd had a different sort of winter - one not full of master's theses and moving and job hunting - I like to think I might have a bag of home-made tortellini or ravioli in my freezer to use for something like this. But, things being what they are, I must admit that there are some pretty good packaged pasta options out there. So, haters gonna hate.

Quote of the Day: Fettucini alfredo is mac and cheese for adults. ~ Mitch Hedberg

15-Minute Penne with Tuna, Tomato & Black Olives

This dish wins in a lot of ways: It's nutritious, yummy, and super fast. Basically, the only downside is that it's way too much food for one person, which I guess isn't really a downside in and of itself. While leftover pasta never quite lives up to its former glory, I think this will make a very tasty lunch tomorrow.

Eating at my desk like the classy lassie that I am.

 I know some people aren't the biggest fans of black olives, and I can understand this. I hated them as a kid (except for when I was allowed to wear them on my fingers) and even now they are an occasional thing for me, but I feel like they really belong in this dish. If you're still not buying it, you can substitute for any other dark sort of olive, like kalamata, if you prefer. And if you still need convincing, I say this: They're good for you! No, seriously. Olives (which are technically fruits... weird) contain anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-cancerous phytonutrients. So maybe give them another chance?

Ingredients:

1 cup (or to taste) sliced black olives 

1 can diced tomatoes (I used "Italian herbs," but you can use plain or another herby variety)

1 can solid white albacore tuna, drained

1 1/2 cups penne pasta

1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

3ish sprigs of fresh parsley

Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook your pasta according to the package directions.

2. Meanwhile, heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the garlic over medium heat and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Add tomato, olives, tuna (breaking it apart), and a little salt and pepper. Cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, or until the pasta is done, whichever comes first.

3. Drain your pasta, then add the tomato mixture to the pasta and toss.

4. Transfer the pasta to a bowl or serving dish, and garnish with parsley. Serve with grated Parmesan, if you like, and enjoy immediately.

I went very simple with the herbs, but you could certainly add some dried oregano and/or basil to the tomato mixture, or garnish with other fresh herbs in place of or in addition to the parsley. This dish feels "real" - yummy, but healthy and hearty - and is very easy at the end of a long day.

Obviously I tore up the parsley about twelve seconds later, but it looked pretty there for a sec, right? Also that is my 21st birthday happening in the background, in case you were wondering.

Quote of the Day: Except the vine, there is no plant which bears a fruit of as great importance as the olive. ~ Pliny the Elder