Do you cook?

As I rushed (why am I always 5-10 minutes later than I intend to be?) to take my usual seat next to A, she turned to ask, "Hey T, do you cook?"

My first thought was, I sure do! But I guess if you get down to the nitty-gritty of it, I still need my mom to make some staples for me that I can then incorporate into meals. Why, you ask? Well, I refuse to touch raw meat. I just...cannot. It doesn't help that we just finished the food-borne pathogens module in Microbio. I'm sure I'll get over it soon, but to quote TV-version Syrio Forel, "Not today."

But I digress. This week I worked on some pasta dishes.

Top with even more parmesan cheese if so desired!

Pesto sauce*
1 clove garlic
1/8 cup pine nuts (I usually add a little more, or throw in some walnuts too)
1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves (dry works fine too, be sure to adjust measurement)
1/4 cup loosely packed Italian parsley (can substitute spinach or cilantro, too)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt as needed (I usually skip)

Blend in a food processor and that's it! I'll usually make double the recipe and keep the rest in the fridge.

My mom had made the chicken for me when she visited a few weeks ago. Basically, chicken breasts that she marinated with various spices like red and black crushed pepper, and baked. I heated them up in the pan and then combined the pasta, chicken, and sauce.

*Recipe taken from my awesome Williams-Sonoma Baking Book.

Since I had a lot of pasta left over, I also made some with meat sauce.

Meat sauce*
1/2 pound ground beef (or turkey)
1 can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons red pepper paste
Garlic
Salt
Black and red dry pepper
Oregano or Italian seasoning

Toss with pasta and done!

*Mom's recipe!

But lest you think I'm some kind of chef-in-training, I am also guilty of doing things that show exactly how much common sense (or as my brother loves to points out, "street smarts") I am blessed with. I had a few frozen meatballs in a tiny little plastic tupperware that I thought I could just stick in the microwave. FOR FIVE MINUTES. There was smoke coming out the microwave, the food, the container, everything. My little tupperware sure lost its brave battle.