This has been a week of departures. Too many goodbyes were said. Talia, my friend and former roommate left Chicago to start an amazing new job in Seattle. Two relatives, one of my close family friends and one on my dad's side of the family passed away this week. Although I knew/know these people on varying levels, I know that they were/are all passionate people who care(d) about others and would('ve) love(d) to find more about you while breaking bread together. In fact, my most vivid memories with these people involve food. Saying 'adieu' or just 'see you later' can be very difficult. I believe that three main* things can assuage these sorrows: food, people and music.
With cooking, all of this can be accomplished. I enjoy listening to something upbeat while I'm cooking, and then of course share the fruits of my labor with friends and family (perhaps even a stranger or two, if they're nice). Before I go into what I made this week, I want to mention that Talia was a central cook and the food shopper in my house, so I thought, what better way to honor her than by showing an example of her yummilicious food? Here are some crazy good pizzas she made last week for the entire house. How I will miss her creations!
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| Talia the pizza maker on the left, Abi the pizza eater on the right |
My original idea was mac 'n cheese, but I didn't have most of the key ingredients. I peeked around a little on the 101 cookbooks website and opted with this baked pasta casserole recipe instead. I used my powers of substitution to replace penne for shells, rosemary for lemon zest, and minced garlic instead of fresh garlic. Also, I added cheddar cheese, because come on, more cheese is almost always a good choice. And a sweet potato for good measure. Runner's World tells me that was a healthy thing to do. See the results after these photos...
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| Talia's Costco legacy lives on! |
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| Before |
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| After! It paired well with Chris' leftover kale salad. |
There was no large gathering to taste-test my latest experiment this time, but Abi bravely tried some despite having dinner already. We both noted that it could use a little something extra. My coworker, Uncle Bear, commented that it could use some black pepper at lunch the next day. I added some red pepper and it gave it a little kick, which was better.
Ultimately, I don't think this was one of my best creations, but I will continue to make more new dishes and see what I can learn throughout these experiences. Maybe for my next adventure, I'll try out these oatmeal cookies. Or perhaps I will make some soup, after going to Soup and Bread at the Hideout tonight. You'll find out next week on One Inspired Girl!
~Eleanor
*not the only things
As always, love your adventurous spirit and your willingness to substitute instead of giving up and going out. I wonder if your version was more carb heavy than the 101cookbooks version? I love the idea of red pepper, tho usually I find red pepper flakes to be even better for a little zip. You've inspired me to try creating a pasta and spinach dish.
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