Has it been a week? King Cake, pasta, salad, Nutmeg

It has just occurred to me that I've not slept through the night since January 19, and even then, I was tired. Politics, the March, our kitchen, Nutmeg, various ailments racing through our house and community...I am so tired that today I watched a hilarious skit featuring Seth Meyers (SNL, The Late Show, and a former college-mate of mine) and Kelly Clarkson day-drinking and immediately wondered if I was drunk without my own knowledge.

I am that tired.

So, I have little for you except some recent kitchen wins and a kitchen update and an enormous spot of gratitude for hot tea and the fact that my in-laws have the boys tonight. Praise whomever for local grandparents being a fact of my life.

It's Mardi Gras season, y'all, and so, King Cake. This one was for Jack's family culture evening at school. Although we will have no kitchen starting Tuesday, I have promised cakes for both boys' classes on Mardi Gras Day. Hmm. As usual, I use Southern Living's Traditional King Cake recipe but I do NOT add the lemon juice to the icing. 

Last night: pasta with Brussels sprouts, speck, and parm. Amen for good carbs on cold nights. Also, it has a distinctly Mardi Gras feel, which I love. 

Lastly, a gorgeous winter salad of shaved fennel, avocado, pomelo, roasted and salted pistachios, shaved manchego, salt, pepper, basil olive oil, and blackberry balsamic. Is this not just glorious? It tasted as good!

The Nut acts as if he were never injured, and mercifully, our kitchen renovation finally commences on Tuesday with demolition day 1. If I could take the first swipe at it all, I would. Maybe I'll ask. I mean, this stupid Nunes memo nonsense has made my blood boil, so perhaps the crew wants a lady eager to crank through some cortisol via sledge hammer?!

Our new range -a stunning charcoal gray beauty from Lacanche via France- arrived last Monday. I have nicknamed her Gal Gadot because she is not only stunning but also strong and charismatic. She will anchor our new kitchen, but many other beautiful treasures will complete the room. I'll keep you posted, but here's a sneak peek of Gal. 

As an aside, why is not all language written in the beautiful scripts of Europe? Just look at those handwritten letters and numbers on the crate. Mon dieu. 

Slow Sunday, haircuts, deliciousness all around

Although I was delighted to be up until 2am and then sleep with J in the basement for some inexplicable reason, I paid for it today y'all. Just call me space cadet Em. I fell asleep in the middle of Oliver telling me a story and later, at the market, forgot one of my bags at the checkout counter. It is with immense relief that bedtime is nigh. How cute is Mr. O at the barber? Usually Tom cuts the boys' hair, but it just wasn't happening, so... Doesn't he look like a blanket mountain with a head?!

J had a stomach ache all day, and was asleep by 6:20 tonight; he turned down the jelly doughnut I brought him -unprecedented- and we only read one chapter of 20,000 Leagues before he said, "That's good for today, Mom." It is such a great book so far! I hope J's not sick but simply in need of a great night of sleep. Poor kid has been calling out, loudly!, from bed for the past two hours. He's out like a light but dreaming? hurting? Fingers crossed for a healthful Monday.

This evening I made the Brussels sprouts, shallot and speck pasta again because I wanted to write up a recipe for it. It was delicious again and the recipe is posted now, in Pastas.

You're welcome! ;)

Other fab food from the past week...

Day 6, delicious dinner

One of the first things I heard upon waking this morning was, "I frew up on my feet." Oh, Ol. At least he usually goes straight to the porcelain god when he feels he's about to puke. In any case, he is home, I am counting the minutes until the pediatrician's office opens, and I have canceled out yet another day. But in better news, I managed to get a delicious dinner on the table round about 9:00 last night. Better late than never, yes? There just really aren't any good delivery options around us, and cooking makes me feel happy.

I slow-cooked slivered shallots and Brussels sprouts -in a teaspoon of bacon fat and some olive oil- with salt and lots of pepper and later deglazed the pan with some sherry before adding some chopped speck. Meanwhile, I fried a a clove of garlic and a handful of Brussels sprouts leaves that I wanted to use for a garnish and cooked some mafaldine until al dente. I added the pasta to the veggie mix, tossed in some cream, a generous mound of Parm and some of the garlicky oil in which I'd fried the sprouts' leaves. I cooked it all on low heat until the pasta was perfectly done, topped the whole thing with more pepper, Parm and the bright green leaves and called it dinner.

Doesn't this look hearty, comforting and wonderful?