Recipe: ZIti with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

Its cold outside and I don't have enough propane in the tank left over from last winter to turn the heat on. So instead I am sitting in bed with a sweater on with the dogs close by and writing about food. This is a great easy just a few ingredient dish that you probably have already in hand. It takes about as long to make as it does to boil your pasta water. Perfect quick late home from work get dinner on the table fast kind of recipe. 

Ziti with Red Pepper Cream Sauce

serves 2

1 medium onion chopped coarse

3 garlic cloves sliced

1 small jar roasted red pepper (my jar had one large pepper in it if you are roasting a fresh one)

1 tbs olive oil

8 oz pasta of your choice

½ cup cream (half and half is fine heavy cream would be great too)

1/4 cup parm or pecorino whatever you have on hand

salt

fresh ground black pepper

Fresh Basil if you have no big deal if you dont

more cheese

Bring water to boil in a pot you cook pasta in.

Over medium heat in a medium/large saute pan cook onions and garlic in olive oil until soft about 5-10 minutes. I usually add a bit of salt to get the onions juices flowing. 

Drain roasted pepper (s) and cut into chunks and toss in pan to heat through.

Puree pepper/onion/garlic mixture in food processor or with hand blender until smooth.

Meanwhile cook chosen pasta to chosen doneness.

In the same pan that you sauteed the vegetables in heat red pepper puree until it comes back to the bubble turn heat down to low add cream and heat until warm turn off heat and add cheese.

Drain pasta add to sauce and coat. You might want to save a bit of the pasta water just in case the sauce is too thick. Adjust to your taste with salt and maybe some fresh basil if you have it.

Serve with a good grinding of black pepper and of course more cheese.

Trying "Normal" on for size and maybe its not always about me.

We almost had an offer on the house. Almost but they backed away when they came to their senses. But at least its a step in the right direction and I had a feeling of hope for a short while at least. But getting the offer got me to thinking what if they really do buy the house where are you going to go? Yikes good question. I played with the idea of moving my husband two dogs and four cats into my parents basement but that really just doesn't sound very plausible I mean someone is not coming out of that one alive.

Now when I originally started getting my head around leaving here and started to drive around upstate NY looking for home there were plenty of options that had a nice small house and at least 5 acres.  For some reason the 5 acres was super important to me why because I didn't want lack of land to hold me back if i suddenly woke up and wanted to be a goat farmer or have a horse at home which is the holy grail of lifetime dreams for me and then there is this whole Gone with the wind thing land is the most important thing thing.

So anyway for the past year and a half I have been looking for land. I even went so far a week or so ago to consider 50 acres and a rustic cabin. That went out the window when I went to look at the property and my 4 wheel drive little Honda couldn't actually make it up the crazy road leading to the rustic cabin. It had one hell of a view but i wisely said hell I cant live there if I cant drive there. What am I going to do zip line in with groceries?  Over lunch one lazy Sunday i was telling my mom about this 50 acres and she was being really supportive as always but I could tell she was really thinking why cant you just be normal. Why does everything have to be difficult what are you trying to prove?

My other plan was to buy land and build a small house but really do I have the patience now to go through all that permits and problems and worrying about the budget so this past weekend I had a serious talk with myself and I said you know the town you want to live in and since for some reason there is not one house in your price range with the land you want so why don't we switch directions and look in town. Wow town could life really be that easy? Actually live somewhere where someone might deliver Chinese or pizza? Be able to walk somewhere besides deeper into the bush? Now don't get me wrong I am not sure I am going to be able to handle this but with Tommy's health problems making him live in the country without a car and with no where to go is probably not the best recipe for a happy marriage. I guess it shouldn't always about me.

So onto the wonderful web I went and low and behold I found a little Greek Revival on a quiet street a block or so from town with a nice big almost half acre back yard. So I could garden my little heart out and the yard is already fenced in for dogs so Booker could actually run free instead of being tied up when he is outside because of his flight risk status. There is even room for a pool not a pony but a pool if we wanted. The house has the classic clean lines and character i love and doesn't seem to be in bad shape needs a new kitchen but to be honest any house I move into needs a new kitchen. There is even a man room for Tommy. And wait for it....i can afford it...GASP! Oh and I can bring my chickens too.

So here is to thinking about moving to town it popped into my head the other day that I have been hiding for 10 years in the country. As I was talking to myself and I said to myself haven't you hid long enough? Hmmm wonder what I have been hiding from?

Snakes on a plane or in this case in a car.

So as you guessed from the title strange things happen to me sometimes. So yesterday driving home from work heading north on I-87 in the left hand land doing about 72 or so and I look to the left of the wheel and there is a freaking snake looking back at me. Yes you read correctly a freaking snake. Now luckily I am not a very dramatic person for instance I would never get on a game show I show excitement with a slight smile you would probably never see me jump for joy or scream with excitement just not me. But seeing the snake did cause me to yelp and put my hand to my throat. Why do you think we do that what good is putting your hand to your throat? Is it maybe a gut instinct to always protect your throat? Why don't we pat the top of our heads or make some other gesture?

My first thought is I must capture the snake who by this point I have named Stan and I look at him and go dude nowhere for me to pull over you are coming home with me I guess. Now I have a checkered past with capturing or herding animals I like to think I am really good at it but if I am honest with myself I usually end up doing more harm then good. The farmer who used to own the land around my house actually kept dairy cows on it and sometimes they would escape. I would get all excited and run out to help and invariably I would end up sending them in the opposite direction and about a mile away. But I always loved the drama of being out there with the big ladies of milk. Luckily the farmer never witnessed me trying to "help". Shhhh.

Okay so back to Stan the snake so I stop at an ATM to get some cash out and I find a nice area where I think Stan could survive and take a straw and try and edge him towards the window or me so I can grab him. No such luck he disappears into the workings of my Honda and I drive off figuring well if Stan got himself into the Honda hopefully he can get himself out. It briefly occurred to me that someone planted Stan so I would have a heart attack when he showed himself or I would cause a huge pile up on the highway. But then it occurred to me that number one I am not afraid of snakes and number two you would probably have to find a slightly larger snake. So with the conspiracy theories fading fast I start to drive home and I even turned off the air conditioning figure Stan probably likes heat vs cold. He did give me another scare when he dangled from the roof off the car again I gasped and reached for my throat. He hid again at the sound of my gasp never to be seen again. I assume he got back out the way he came.

So long Stan happy trails to you.

finally the house is in the market and I have never cleaned so much in my life.

The house finally went on the market last week. I wasn't really ready for it but before I knew it pop there is was. And because it is REALLY priced to sell we are getting some action that I am not really prepared for. So I clean and clean and clean and sometimes mow and then clean and clean.... Have I ever mentioned that I am not a neat person? I am at work which is kind of strange I actually have a bottle of spray cleaner on my desk. Not sure why I am OCD at work and not at home. Oh who knows us humans are a strange bunch.

At home I am more of a do the dishes every few days if that and now i have to do the dishes ALWAYS omg what a pain in the ass. And its an old house really old talking 1775 so this old lady is not easy to clean. The stuff that lives between the old floor boards is epic I imagine whole universes living their little lives down there ignoring my attempts to suck them up with my dyson.

So in the last week I think we had 3 showings and its exhausting running home from work praying there is no traffic fixing what I can cleaning what I can and turning a blind eye on the myriad of things that are glaring in their need to be done. Then hustle the dogs and the husband into the car and figure out where to go for an hour. But it will be worth it if I can find that certain someone who will love this house and land like I did and want to return this grand lady to her former beauty.

Today is Sunday and I had a pretty lazy day coffee and breakfast making followed by shopping and lunch with my mom followed by a nap of epic proportions man I am surprised I woke up at all. So as I was contemplating a tall frosty glass of wine to combat the heat and maybe just maybe scratching something together for dinner my phone beeps and guess what? Someone wants to look at the house tomorrow at 1:30 so up I get and clean I do. I have 4 cats and one of them has taken to pooping in strange places so I go on poop patrol to find any stray poops and then keep putting stuff away one weird pile after the other.

The good thing is I think I might become a neat person after this. I woke up earlier than usual on Friday due to work stress and instead of just chilling out watching scooby doo (the dogs like it I swear) I made a cup of coffee and actually not only un-loaded the dishwasher but loaded it again. OMG that has never happened before. I made breakfast today and I cleaned it up right after we were done. OMG that happens sometimes but nah not really.

So wish me luck. I'm tired but happy people are looking and that's a good thing. .

Take a look if you like if you are handy and want a project it could just be the house for you.
http://www.zillow.com/homes/1237-west-river-rd-12831_rb/

Not so much my heart this time.

I got my haircut today short for me real short. Why? Time to shake off the old tired ways that aren't working and time to clear the deck for clarity of vision passion creativity and love. Have you ever put something off for a long time because you knew when you did it it was going to hurt and suck and make your guts feel like someone pulled them out with a hook and they spilled out on the floor. You try to pick them up and stuff them back in but they never seem to fit back right. But I know i have to do this I know I have to knock it all down and build again I know I need to break myself down and see what's left after everything is gone. Need to shake myself down to my core. I hope something is left. If not I guess that's what the loony bin is for.

After a year of talking and talking and thinking and thinking I finally put the house on the market. If you could have seen the look on my poor realtor's face when he saw it. Now Tim is a good looking tan and fit guy and I swear he walked in the door paled, aged five years and started walking with a stoop. Okay I am exaggerating a bit but not much. Finally at the end I said Tim please just tell me one thing you have seen worse right and he really couldn't. So to make matters worse 10 years ago before the market bombed we bought at the top of the market. But at the time I said who cares this is my forever home so what does it matter. Oh dear girl it matters it's not your dream home and it's time to move on.

I bought this house with my heart 100% I didn't even realize that it didn't have a bathroom on the second floor all i saw was a 1775 colonial with a historical marker in front 2 acres in the back and the glorious Hudson rolling by across the street. I never stopped to look at the structure or anything I didn't look at ANYTHING but the ideal of a house like this I bought hook line and sinker with my heart. Of course if things had gone differently if I had made different decisions thought more clearly at certain key junctions things might have worked out. But they didn't and it's time to go.

My agent listed that house 40 grand below what my in my head was the lowest I would be happy with number. Yes 40 grand. It was not an easy afternoon. As I stood there frantically trying to do math in my head trying to add up my credit card debt the balance on my mortgage what a down payment would be on the new house and closing costs and moving expenses and I am trying to add and I don't want to take my phone out to add because shit I am a grown woman child I should be able to do math in my head and the room is starting to spin and Tim looks upset because I know he can see my FACE and it's probably not good even though I think I have a good poker face I know I know he sees it all the dismay then trying to be brave trying to figure it all out trying to come to grips with it all. And then it dawns on me well that sucks but what if it doesn't even sell for that holy shit what on earth am I going to do. It's all starting its all coming down its all going to shit and I can only hope like a phoenix I can rise from the freaking ashes of my former life. My panic attacks are coming back but I expected that and I think I have the resources to deal with them. Just freaking breathe.

My aunt and Uncle are in town this weekend who I love to pieces and we decided my mom, MJ and I would go look at the one house on the market in my dream town that has the acreage that I want at a price I can afford it will be the 4th time Ive seen it. I am trying to be logical and thorough and not think with my heart but my head. They loved it and I admit it has a simple zen like quality that appeals it is certainly more simple and manageable and could be just quite the thing. On the way out my agent Tim looked at me and I said well Tim I am trying to be logical this time and buy a house that not only I can afford but that I can maintain and he said not so much your heart this time…...

Arrested Developement and looking for a time machine.

So here is a funny one....Tonight I am going with my parents to a posh cocktail party for the opening of the ballet season at SPAC and as I was getting dressed I was wondering to myself if my outfit was chic enough and if my mother would be disappointed with what I chose to wear. So as I am drying my hair I was having one of those internal arguments you have in your head with people and as I was replying to some snippy comment my mom made about my outfit (okay my mom is awesome this anxiety is all on me I am sure she will think I look fine although I might get a bit of an eye roll over my outfit) I said "I don't have time to grow up right now". WOW calling Dr. Freud holy Freudian slip. Of course I meant to say I don't have time to dress up right now which is a ridiculous thing to say anyway. Can I make any more excuses about my life? So apparently I don't think I am grown up and I am 45 years old. Again WOW!

This calls for some soul searching I think. Maybe I need to start meditating and figure out what's going on up there in the old subconscious.  I mean things are not ideal right now actually they are pretty freaking tough but I think the issues go back a bit farther than what's going on right now. Again duh of course this is all rooted somewhere back in time.... Anyone have a time machine I can borrow and a magnifying glass? Oh well as the old man Socrates says the unexamined life is not worth living...You can say that again. Wish me luck....

Call to Arms - To Create or not

my husband is stuck in just about everyway possible I painted this as a reminder yesterday while I was painting the living room.

As for everyone I am sure in life there always seems to be certain themes that occur time and time again throughout our lives. The question of creativity has always been one in mine and to be honest something that I have struggled with. I know I want to create and if I was less honest with myself I would say I don't write or paint as much as I would like because I don't have time but that's not really true because I have plenty of time to read and to watch tv well okay lets be really honest tv mostly.

And again being honest with myself I will admit that although writing this blog alleviates some of the backlog of creativity that resides in my head maybe it doesn't totally fit the bill because I don't really try all that hard. Many of my posts are fluffy and fun and are about stuff that just kind of flies out of my head into my fingers and onto the page. Instead of lessening the need to create I think it actually just serves the narcissist in me and of course makes me laugh when I am trying to be funny because nobody thinks I am funnier than I do. Food for thought.

Now the real deal for me creatively is painting and in my mind the hardest. To me painting is like throwing a bucket down a well and the bucket usually comes back empty maybe even with spiders and cobwebs and a dead frog.  So why do I even think about painting? I mean seriously I have spent about 45 minutes in the last 10 years actually painting (paint by numbers don't count) so why do I even bother contemplating it? Maybe because when it works and you can put down on the canvas what you are seeing in your minds eye there is no better feeling in the world. Its when it all clicks together and the sun aligns with something neat up in space and the clouds part and the angels sing. Yup that's what it feels like.

Why do I even feel the need to create anyway? There are plenty of people I know who don't create at all and who don't seem the least bothered by it. Hell I even know people who don't read? Don't read are you mad? What do you do with your brain? Oh well that's a topic for another day. But why do some of us seem to look for a deeper meaning in life and some of us seem absolutely find with the status quo? Beat the hell out of me brain type maybe? Upbringing? A really good philosophy teacher in college? Reading too much DH Lawrence? Oh who knows. Okay I bet somebody does but its not me.

For more thoughts on creativity and a much deeper look and well again to be honest one much better written follow the link here....Do You Have Time To Be Creative?