My Sweet Horde

flowers, food, and furry little animals
Thu Nov 5
She's Got You

I was listening to a Fresh Air podcast from last month on the walk today.  Rosanne Cash was on there talking about her new album The List.  It’s inspired by a list of 100 essential country songs given to her by her dad when she was 18.  Anyway, “She’s Got You” is on there and it just made me want to hear this version as it’s probably my favorite Patsy Cline song.  There are a lot of other good ones on the album, including this one.

Mon Nov 2

Some pictures from our walk downtown last Sunday (10/25)

Sat Oct 31
Incredibly creepy
Thu Oct 29
My favorite new time suck.

(not that I needed a reminder that my parents were [are!] awesome)

Wed Oct 28
I don’t know what’s going on here, but I’m not sure I like it.

I don’t know what’s going on here, but I’m not sure I like it.

Tue Oct 27
Halloween week book club (and pumpkin carving): “Children of the Corn” by Stephen King “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving “The Birds” by Daphne du Maurier

Halloween week book club (and pumpkin carving):

“Children of the Corn” by Stephen King

“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving

“The Birds” by Daphne du Maurier

Mon Oct 26
Before                                                        After

Before                                                        After

This is adapted from a recipe in the January 2009 issue of Cook’s Illustrated. It is really very good.  You should try it.  Seriously.  DO it. Butternut Squash & Sage Pasta Ingredients 2 - 3 tablespoons of olive oil 8 - 10 large fresh sage leaves, plus 1 tablespoon minced 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch dice 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 6 scallions, thinly sliced (about 1 cup) ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1 teaspoon sugar Table salt and ground black pepper 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth 1 pound penne pasta or other short, tubular pasta 2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese, plus extra for serving 4 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon ⅓ cup sliced almonds, toasted Instructions 1. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add whole sage leaves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Remove sage and set aside.2. Turn burner up to high and heat until the oil is shimmering. Add squash in even layer and cook, without stirring, until beginning to caramelize, 4 to 5 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until spotty brown, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Add butter and allow to melt, about 30 seconds. Add scallions, nutmeg, sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon pepper, and minced sage; cook, stirring occasionally, until scallions are softened (about 3 minutes). Add broth (I didn’t use quite all of the 2 cups) and bring to simmer; continue to cook until squash is tender, 1 to 3 minutes longer.3. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta. Cook until just al dente, then drain pasta, reserving ½ cup cooking water, and transfer back to Dutch oven.4. Add squash mixture to pasta; stir in 2 tablespoons Romano cheese, lemon juice, and reserved sage, adjusting consistency with reserved pasta liquid. Garnish with toasted almonds and more Romano.

This is adapted from a recipe in the January 2009 issue of Cook’s Illustrated.

It is really very good.  You should try it.  Seriously.  DO it.

Butternut Squash & Sage Pasta

Ingredients

  • 2 - 3 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 8 - 10 large fresh sage leaves, plus 1 tablespoon minced
  • 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch dice
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 6 scallions, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Table salt and ground black pepper
  • 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 pound penne pasta or other short, tubular pasta
  • 2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese, plus extra for serving
  • 4 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
  • ⅓ cup sliced almonds, toasted

Instructions

1. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add whole sage leaves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Remove sage and set aside.
2. Turn burner up to high and heat until the oil is shimmering. Add squash in even layer and cook, without stirring, until beginning to caramelize, 4 to 5 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until spotty brown, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Add butter and allow to melt, about 30 seconds. Add scallions, nutmeg, sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon pepper, and minced sage; cook, stirring occasionally, until scallions are softened (about 3 minutes). Add broth (I didn’t use quite all of the 2 cups) and bring to simmer; continue to cook until squash is tender, 1 to 3 minutes longer.
3. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta. Cook until just al dente, then drain pasta, reserving ½ cup cooking water, and transfer back to Dutch oven.
4. Add squash mixture to pasta; stir in 2 tablespoons Romano cheese, lemon juice, and reserved sage, adjusting consistency with reserved pasta liquid. Garnish with toasted almonds and more Romano.

Sun Oct 25

Get well soon Morrissey!

Sat Oct 24