weekday breakfast

This is currently the best way to get me out of bed in the morning. Sliced bananas, walnuts, drizzled agave nectar. Also works with pears and raw almonds.

I'm just nuts about it. Sorry, had to.

apple + walnut oatmeal

Not much noteworthy cooking going on lately. We have been trying to find a new roommate to replace the one getting kicked out because of the fire, hunting down shady contractors and landlords that won't call us back or even get started on the fire room, aaaaand my other roommate Heather loses her job tomorrow. So mostly I've just been trying to stay calm, deal with everything that needs dealing with, and take food when I can get it. February can end any time now. 

Here's a bright spot, though- my morning oatmeal. I have a running contest with myself on the best combination I can come up with (this may tell you something about my current lack of a social life). So far it's a scoop of almond butter and a scoop of raspberry/rhubarb jam. But today's apple chunks, walnuts, and brown sugar was not too shabby!

penne with asparagus, arugula, walnuts, and blue cheese

I just keep going back to this recipe. This weekend I made it with whole wheat pasta and it didn't turn out as wondrous as I'd hoped. Still, I ain't mad at it. The recipe says to put shaved apple on the top, but I apparently forgot to transcribe that into my cook book, because I had no idea until posting it here. I'm finding out more and more that I'd make an awful secretary. I leave chunks out of recipes all the time. Some from when I was younger are even unusable. They have like three ingredients and then just trail off like I got distracted. Huh. Anyway, if you try the apple thing let me know.

penne with asparagus, arugula, walnuts, and blue cheese

(from Cook's Illustrated)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 pound cavatappi (or penne)
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound asparagus , bottom 1 inch trimmed and discarded, spears halved lengthwise if larger than 1/2 inch in diameter and cut into 1-inch lengths
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup walnuts , chopped
4 cups arugula (lightly packed), washed and dried thoroughly (about 1 bunch)
6 ounces blue cheese , preferably Roquefort, crumbled
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1Granny Smith apple , peeled, for grating over pasta

Instructions
1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in stockpot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta, stir to separate, and cook until al dente. Drain and return to pot.

2. While pasta is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until beginning to smoke. Add asparagus, pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, without stirring, until asparagus begins to brown, about 1 minute. Add walnuts and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until asparagus is tender-crisp and nuts are toasted, about 4 minutes; toss in arugula until wilted. Add asparagus mixture, cheese, vinegar, and remaining 3 tablespoons oil to pasta in stockpot; toss to combine. Serve immediately, grating apple over individual servings.