10 March 2006
Wondering what I made for lunch today? Well, I wouldn't want to disappoint you.
Parmesan Carbonara, minus the parmesan. I got the basic recipe from one of those cheap cookbooks (the vegetarian one) Borders always has on their bargain shelves -- turns out they actually have some good recipes inside! I made it a while ago according to the recipe, with sun-dried tomatos and fresh basil, but I didn't have those on hand today. Instead, I chucked in some spinach and mozzarella.
Served with? Pink grapefruit and lemon lemonade. I finished reading this book the other day. I'm usually the first to cry fad whenever a book about food becomes a best seller, but I did like this. It's not about losing weight, and it doesn't tell you to only eat fruit one half hour before other foods while not drinking any liquids. Simply having a list of good foods, where all I have to do is make sure I eat them -- that's enough for me. I've mentioned lycopene twice today, which is two times more than I've ever mentioned it before. It sounds science-y and important. Now I just have to remember what's in pumpkin that's so healthy, so I have an excuse for eating all this pumpkin pie.
Moving on to things less food related, today I made a house:
Out of paper. It's not for me to know why I did it; the muse just struck, and who am I to deny inspiration? It's 8.5" tall at its peak, and I cut out and glued on all those little black pieces individually. I started this project much the same as I start many projects: things begin well, and I think, 'Hm, how will I mess this up?' It sounds pessimistic, but I can always count on one big, stupid error when I'm trying to be careful. This time, it was cutting out the window above the door. There wasn't supposed to be a window there; I just couldn't tell which lines I was meant to be cutting on. I had to just shrug and turn it into a stained-glass feature, since it wasn't exactly a perfect Tudor replica to begin with. Better pictures will follow, especially once it has some furnishings. . .
Also to follow: more bird prints! Coming soon!
If only that picture was real, here in front of me right now, I would be so happy (the pasta one, I mean). And the house is -- wow, how did you do that, Anna??? Awesome.
posted by Alicia at March 10, 2006 07:03 PM
oh my goodness, that is adorable! i think the best part is the "mistaken" stain glassed window! how great!!
loves!
posted by stephanie at March 10, 2006 07:33 PM
Oh, I LOVE that house. Especially the stained glass window. Does it have rooms and things inside? Can I buy one for my baby daughter when she's old enough not to chew it to a pulp?
posted by Paola at 'mirror mirror' at March 10, 2006 07:38 PM
beautiful house.
also, I have to ask: did you use egg in the Carbonara recipe? Otherwise I can't understand a basic recipe of carbonara withouth the essential elements that make a Carbonara :)
posted by cimba at March 11, 2006 11:52 AM
Yes, I used egg. The basic-basic recipe calls for egg, cream, and whole-grain mustard.
posted by Anna at March 11, 2006 01:26 PM
oh goodness, you MUST share that recipe with me? Or, tell me exactly which cheap borders cookbook you purchased! I can totally justify every penny of that $2.95.
(I can probably, if I try hard enough, justify the plane ticket purchase as well...you know, to have you come over and bring the recipe into fruition.)
posted by Laura at March 11, 2006 02:54 PM
cream?? whole grain mustard?? and they call that Carbonara? haha, I'm here lauhghing in italian and I know now you all hate me for being so bitchy snob, but I can't help!
Here in Rome, for Carbonara is intended a pasta based dish (spaghetti or penne or rigatoni) where the sauce is made of a soffritto out of extra virgin olive oil, onion and bacon made fry together, then poured on the pasta along with raw egg and black pepper (yes, a light and fresh recipe).
In the traditional recipe, it's important that the egg is poured away from fire because it has to remain yellow and creamy and not became white as cooked.
ok, I promise not to leave comments anymore
posted by cimba at March 12, 2006 12:31 AM
Cimba,
I'm half-Italian, and was going to say the same thing when I read about the mustard.
Though I have been known to add cream to mine because it tastes nice...
posted by Paola at 'mirror mirror' at March 12, 2006 01:27 AM
Ah, well, perhaps the book was only £4.95 because they lie to you. I guess they've got the egg thing going on and drew the connection there.
Anyway, it's a tasty dish no matter what you call it, and it's definitely more vegetarian than the real version.
posted by Anna at March 12, 2006 06:21 AM
Anna, thank you so much for emailing the recipe! I made it Sunday night, and even though your recipe was for 2, it ended up being lunch on monday and tuesday as well...mmmm!
I don't have a shred of Italian in me, but as a craving-rife human female, the flavors play nicely on one another and I dare say I would eat the entire dish at once if I didn't have that one pair of tight jeans in my closet that I'm determined to keep wearable.
posted by Laura at March 15, 2006 12:04 PM