Still cooking! Mediterranean Pasta Toss... yummo!

I know that I have literally been MIA for months now!  Having a baby will do that!  Between changing diapers and late night feedings, my cooking has sadly taken a back seat to breast milk.  There is nothing appetizing about breast milk and all that goes along with it!  Landon, my 5 month old baby boy, would greatly disagree, though I'm pleased to announce that he is now trying solids, and it would seem like we have a good eater on our hands.  I am making his baby food.  So far, he's tried peas and butternut squash.  He loved them both. 
However, if you read my blog, and why would you because I haven't posted anything new in months, I know you are not reading it to hear about the adventures of an exhausted first time parent. 

I am still cooking, not quite as elaborately as before, but I'm finding quick ways to make healthy, easy meals.  Things that I can do in one pot or roast in the oven are the best!  However, I still stick to my rule of at least one pasta dish a week! 

Mediterranean Pasta Toss:
Pasta- I used whole wheat angel hair
Olive oil
sun dried tomatoes
Kalamata olives
capers
chickpeas
spinach
quartered artichoke hearts- canned is fine
feta cheese
italian seasoning
salt and paper
garlic- 4-5 cloves minced
chicken breast- diced

In a sauce pan, saute chicken, garlic, and seasoning in a little bit of olive oil until it's fully cooked.  Then add the spinach and wilt, throw in the proportions of everything else in the amount that you like!  Toss with your pasta and enjoy!

Supper Club

Allie, Me, and Jenny

I was recently invited to join a supper club here in Central Florida by my long time friend, Allie.  She and her friend Jenny had started the club and were looking for another foodie to round out the group.  The nice thing about this club is that our husbands are included, and they really enjoyed themselves as well!

Allie and her husband Ryan hosted the first event.  It was Mardi Gras themed as the holiday is quickly approaching.  She decorated the tables in vibrant colors to set the festive mood!  So cute! 

Ryan, Sean, and Allie

For an appetizer, I brought tapanade, a black olive spread and French bread, which I fell in love with in Provence.  (In Avignon, Agnès and Philippe made the best tapanade in the world!  I hope they are still reading my blog and know that I remember it to this day!  I try my hardest to replicate it!).   Allie had a vast array of wine and beer set out, but it was non-alcoholic beer for me because, for those of you who don't know yet, I'm 23 weeks pregnant.  Hence the lack of recent posts!  The first 14 weeks, I was too nauseous to eat, much less cook!

For the main course Allie threw together shrimp étouffée.  She was following Paula Deens recipe, but to watch Allie in the kitchen is quite interesting.  She is, by nature, one of the most relaxed people I know.  That relaxation is reflected in her kitchen persona as well, even when it's something she has never made before!  I am the opposite, following a recipe is tough for me and stresses me out a little. I must admit that I miss steps even when they are right in front of me, apparently I missed the lesson on following directions in kindergarten.  I'm much better at throwing things together.   Needless to say, Allie's shrimp étouffée was delicious!  It was a creamy, spicy, shrimpy delight served on top of a mound of white rice! 



Jenny, another member of the supper club, made one of my favorites as a side, fried okra!  Yummy!  Fried okra is a truly southern, decadent delight!  I could not stop popping them, even after I was so stuff that my stomach was about to explode.  She also made cast iron corn bread which was another home run! 



This was the first time Sean and I met Jenny and her husband, Josh, but we are very excited to say that we have new friends here in Central Florida.

For dessert, I was a slacker!  I was going to make beignets to go with the theme, but I ran out of time and couldn't let the dough rise for 3 hours, so I went with a boxed crumb cake.  Which I must admit, as far as boxed cake mixes go, this one was very nice.  Allie shined here with her homemade, buttery, bread pudding which was drowning in pecan and Carmel sauce!  The two desserts went together like peas and carrots!
 

It was a lovely night.  I can't wait for our second event which is to be hosted at Jenny's house and the theme is Ina Garden night, who we all admitted to be our favorite celebrity chef!  Ina, if you happen to see this, you are invited and would be our guest of honor!!! 

(It tastes better than it looks, I swear!)

Tapanade-- serves about 8-10 people
Ingredients:
2 cans of black olives, pitted
1tsp of anchovie paste
Juice of 1 lemon
5 cloves of garlic
1 tbls spoon of capers
1 1/2 tbls Dijon mustard
about 6 tbls of extra virgin olive oil
black pepper

In a large food processor, combine the olives, anchovie paste, lemon juice, garlic, capers, mustard, and black pepper.  Start the processor then slowly pour in the extra virgin olive oil until a well blended paste forms!  Serve over bread or crustinis.  Enjoy!