Par for the course

Apparently I'm on a bit of a detour.  My lentils around the world plan has been delayed for a pit stop in Italy.  First puttanesca, now alfredo.  I guess it's timely since my husband is enrolled in an Italian course to fulfill his cultural studies requirement. 

Yesterday while sitting in the ER after being rear-ended by someone traveling way to fast in the rain, I was thinking about what to eat.  I thought, alfredo would be quick, easy, and tasty; then the reality of my aching body set in and instead my cousin and I went to California Pizza Kitchen (I love the Miso salad) when I was finally discharged 5 hours later (a function of people with flu-like symptoms using the ER in lieu of a PCP). 

Today I had lots of stuff to do that I was not able to get done yesterday.  Make the pepper pot for my mother-in-law's dinner; prepare my lecture; go to the potluck dinner for my son's class. After waking up later than I planned, I wasted 2 hours on the phone planning the Girl Scout calendar through January and then decided to make the alfredo.  Lectures still aren't ready. 

Alfredo is so straightforward, it puzzles me why people buy that stuff in the jar, and what is that stuff anyway?  I think of alfredo as a fat fest - butter, cream, cheese, garlic - rich and flavorful.  We didn't have fettuccine so we ate it over farfalle with a side of sauteed spinach.  The kids loved it. 

Then I started the pepper pot.  I am so thankful for my sous chef and apprentice (my son has recently joined the kitchen ranks) - for peeling and chopping all of the veggies.  Of course I almost forgot some key ingredients, but I was able to pull it together to create a flavorful dish that everyone enjoyed.  I also 'kicked it up a notch' by using two scotch bonnets instead of one. 

A colleague of mine is from Minnesota and he always speaks of a hot pot.  I'm not a big fan of buffets, potluck dinners.  The Bellagio in Las Vegas is an exception to the rule.  While a smorgasbord can be a great means of exploring new dishes, I prefer meals that are well coordinated so that all the food is complimentary and you don't end up with a hodgepodge of stuff on your plate.  When I plan potlucks at my house, I choose a theme and let everyone bring something based on their level of expertise.  Some might call that OCD, but I like to enjoy my meals.  Too many smells, sauces, etc is a recipe for disaster.

I decided to eat beef stew at the potluck.  It had carrots, mushrooms, and pearl onions.  I love onions but pearl onions have quite a distinct taste.  The pot was attractive - indigo enamel covered cast iron with a distinctive shape.  The meat was quite tender, served over egg noodles.  I didn't venture any further but heard that the sweet potato salad was delicious.  I'm going to have to investigate that.