Tasty Tuesday

I made this recipe tonight and we loved it! This is in the Everyday Italian cookbook by Giada De Laurentiis.

Pasta Primavera
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
2 medium zucchini or 1 large zucchini, cut into thin strips
2 yellow squash, cut into thin strips
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs or herbes de Provence
1 pound farfalle (bowtie pasta)
15 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

On a large heavy baking sheet, toss all of the vegetables with the oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs to coat. Transfer half of the vegetable mixture to another heavy large baking sheet and arrange evenly over the baking sheets. Bake until the carrots are tender and the vegetables begin to brown, stirring after the first 10 minutes, about 20 minutes total.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Toss the pasta with the vegetable mixtures in a large bowl to combine. Toss with the cherry tomatoes and enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste.

Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve immediately.

Easter Weekend

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter! It was pretty chilly here on Sunday, but the rest of the weekend was nice. Eric and I decided to take off work on Good Friday, I'm so glad we did, it was really nice having that extra day. We slept in, I got up and made waffles, then we got pedicures, so fun :) We went to Whole Foods to get my grandmother an Easter Lily, they had such pretty flowers there...lavendar, orchids, etc. And the lilies were lovely also. We went to eat at Stonehorse in Utica Square because they have a salad I really like. It was so good!

Saturday Eric worked in the yard and I began baking. I had a sad attempt at trying to copy Williams-Sonoma Easter cookies. I had the cutters, they are copper & SO cute. I didn't have time to really make the dough, so I just bought the sugar cookie dough ready made. I got them all cut out & put in the oven. I always underbake cookies a little because we like them soft :) I open the oven & all of them were just blobs! They had all lost their shape & I have no idea why. So I didn't have the patience to try & decorate blobs, so I made some Sprinkles lemon cupcakes instead!!

I went shopping for a bit at Utica Square trying to find something to wear to church because it was going to be so cold on Easter. Banana Republic was having a sale on dresses, so I ended up finding a pretty cute one for $50. That will do! I also got some spring tops at Ann Taylor Loft.

I went back home & made a strawberry chiffon pie to take to dinner at my dad's Saturday night & also one to take to my grandmother's on Easter Sunday. I had never made this before, but it was easy & turned out to be quite tasty! I also cut some of the lilac that bloomed at our house to put on the table. We had a nice dinner at dad's, he made his specialty pork tenderloin!

It rained all night Saturday & we woke up to a very wet Easter Sunday! Church was great though, good crowd despite the weather. Then we headed over to my grandmother's house & had one of my favorite meals ever, lunch at my grandma's. Mom made ham, sweet potatoes, spinach salad, deviled eggs, rolls & green beans. It is so dang good!!! My mom still gives Lauren & I, and now Eric, Easter baskets every year. We always look forward to them, I don't care if I am 31 :)

We are so grateful for the time spent with family this weekend and that everyone is healthy & doing well! Such a blessed time :)

Good Friday

John 19:38-42 -- Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate's permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40 Taking Jesus' body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Matt. 27:60-66 -- He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb. 62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 "Sir," they said, "we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, `After three days I will rise again.' 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first." 65 "Take a guard," Pilate answered. "Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how." 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

Gal. 2:20-21 -- I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

Tasty Tuesday

This was taken from the Pioneer Woman's fantastic blog, and I'm making it tonight!

Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

3 red bell peppers
2 tablespoons pine nuts (optional)
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup heavy cream
Flat leaf parsley, finely minced
Fresh Parmesan, shaved or grated
1/2 to 1 pound pasta: orecchiette, penne, fusilli, etc.

1. Roast red peppers, then place in a Ziploc bag to allow to sweat. Peel the charred skins from the peppers, then removed seeds. Set aside.
2. Lightly toast pine nuts in a skillet. Set aside.
3. Puree peppers with pine nuts. Set aside.
4. Cook pasta according to package directions.
5. In a skillet or pot over medium heat, drizzle in olive oil. Add diced onions and garlic and cook until soft. Pour in pepper puree and stir together. Add plenty of salt.
6. Pour in cream and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt, if necessary. Add cooked pasta, then stir together.
7. Place pasta into a bowl, top with chopped parsley and plenty of shaved Parmesan.

Give thanks for Italy.
Repeat as necessary.

Tulsa!

Forbes.com ranks Tulsa as No. 5 and OKC No. 6 on America's Most Livable Cities list. http://bit.ly/FZzTW

Currently admiring......

Spring chicks cupcakes...by windy_sydney

Paris tote bag from Ballard Designs (they have fantastic totes, I have a monogrammed one & it has held up great through many trips!)

Hope to shop here soon! A Tulsa boutique that opened last fall, Little Black Dress

This pair of Haviana's, my favorite flip flops! They are comfy & hold up really well.