Freezing and Fettuccine.

Rochelles large ice cubes for our Bourbons...quite frankly, they look exactly like boobies....nipples and all.  The more bourbon that you drink, the funnier this is...

It's a dogs life...atleast at our house. Here is Barley and Osa enjoying some cuddle time with mom. Osa is a wolf (our friend Jays dog), so she slept outside the night before. 

The picture does NOT do this epic meal justice. When it's cold outside, I want something warm and fresh. 

Barley and Bridget were last nights dinner guests. 

Lately it's been too cold for my liking. The only benefit is that I love my winter coat, but alas - not enough to enjoy this coldness. The blogs have been lacking lately as I scramble to make some money, organize visas and such for each country, and spend some quality time with friends (near and afar...hence being out of town a lot lately). I'm heading out to the bank now to do a bank transfer, then to the Zen Den to teach some yoga, and then up to Montclair for two days to see my bubby Gina. We are going to see Ray LaMontagne (solo acoustic show!!!) tonight in Montclair and then we are going to bop around NYC for a bit tomorrow. Can't wait, can't wait. As an apology for my lack of blogging, I will share with you the EPIC recipe from last nights dinner....

From Heidi Swansons "Super Natural Cooking" (a cookbook that I highly suggest you add to your kitchen):

Kitchen Notes: You may need to season the puree with a little more salt and lemon than indicated. Just do so incrementally so you don't overwhelm the sauce. There will be plenty of leftover puree when you're done cooking. Heidi recommends slathering it on bread or as a topping for pizza. 

Straw and Hay Fettuccine Tangle with Spring Asparagus Puree
by Heidi Swanson
From Super Natural Cooking

Serves 4 to 6

1 bunch asparagus spears, trimmed and halved crosswise
3 handfuls baby spinach leaves
2 cloves garlic
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
1 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for topping
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
4 ounces dried spinach fettuccine or 6 ounces fresh
4 ounces dried egg fettuccine or 6 ounces fresh

Bring 2 pots of water to a rolling boil, one large and one medium. You'll use he large one to cook the pasta and the medium one to blanch the asparagus.

To make the asparagus puree, salt the asparagus water and drop the spears in the pot. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the spears are a bright green and barely tender. Drain and transfer to a  food processor (preferably) or a blender. Add the spinach, garlic, the 1 cup Parmesan, and 3/4 cup of the pine nuts. Puree and, with the motor running, drizzle in the 1/4 cup olive oil until a paste forms. It should be the loose consistency of a pesto; if too thick, thin it with a bit of the pasta water. Add the lemon juice and salt, then taste and adjust the seasoning.

Salt the pasta water well and cook the pasta until just tender; you'll need less time for fresh pasta, more fro dried. Drain and toss immediately with 1 cup of the asparagus puree, stirring in more afterward depending on how heavily coated you like your pasta. Serve sprinkled with the remaining 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, a dusting of Parmesan, and a quick drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.