butter noodles

this pasta is tasty, but it feels like an item you'd find on the kid's menu in an Italian restaurant. that's not to say an adult wouldn't enjoy it, sometimes eating like a kid is just what you need, and sometimes it's just the only option.  like last night at 9, when I hadn't eaten dinner and the only ingredients I had were 4 different kinds of pasta, half a stick of butter and some Parmesan-Romano from Trader Joe's.  I remembered this Mark Bittman article I'd read a while back about a favorite pasta of his with those ingredients, it sounded perfect. I would recommend it for anytime you need a quick meal and are running low on food supplies.

Here's what you'll need:

SPAGHETTI WITH BUTTER & PARMESAN
From Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound of any pasta (he uses spaghetti, I used bow ties)
1/2 to 3/4 stick butter
1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook the pasta until tender, but not mushy and drain it.  Reserve some of the pasta water for later.  Toss the pasta with butter, add a little of the water to thin the sauce.  Toss with the Parmesan.  Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Serve with more Parmesan at the table.

mr. pibb & red vines = crazy delicious

This frosting from Magnolia Bakery in New York is so so so good that American heartthrob & comedian, Andy Samberg rapped about it in his first big digital short on SNL, "Lazy Sunday."
the man says it right:
"Let's hit up Magnolia and mack on some cupcakes
Yo man that bakery has got all da bomb frosting
I love those cupcakes like McAdams loves Josling."


It's true, one bite and love, mirrored only by that portrayed in The Notebook, ensues. This is something Sarah made that really impressed me. I feel like a lot of homemade buttercream frostings are just not quite right.  this, on the other hand, is very very right. it's great on cupcakes or just poured over a whole cake. 

you got a backpack?  gonna pack it up nice.

i told you that i'm crazy for these cupcakes, cousin.

girl acted like she'd never seen a ten befo'.

MAGNOLIA BAKERY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
1 cup (2 sticks) 
unsalted butter, softened
6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup milk (whole is preferred)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

butter sauce

this recipe serves as a good reminder to enjoy the pleasures of simplicity. the sauce has three ingredients.  butter.  tomatoes. onion.

it. is. fantastic.

the sauce as it cooks.  notice the onion is just sliced in half and placed in the pot.  no chopping required.

i served it with perciatelli (hollow spaghetti noodles).

SIMPLE TOMATO SAUCE

Ingredients

(Adapted from Marcela Hazan’s The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking)

28 ounces whole peeled, canned tomatoes (San Marzano, if they are on sale.  any will do.)
5 tablespoons salted butter
1 medium-sized yellow onion, peeled and halved
Salt to taste

Put the tomatoes, onion and butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Bring the sauce to a simmer then lower the heat to keep the sauce at a slow, steady simmer for about 45 minutes. Stir occasionally, crushing the tomatoes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat, discard the onion, add salt to taste and keep warm while you prepare your pasta.

Serve with spaghetti.