Well, Hello There, Friday! I've Missed You!

Happy Friday!  Wooot!  So, my sweet friend Amy , who I worked with years and years ago at my favorite Italian restaurant (Canino's) sent me The Sweetest Owl Ever!  See!?

Amy lives in Myrtle Beach and has an amazing eye for design in the house and in the yard.  She's quite good with fabric and a paintbrush too!  Her photos are awesome and she has a very cool Etsy shop you need to check out: http://www.etsy.com/shop/HazyDayStudio .  

Y'all know I LOVE to cook and I found a really fun Spring recipe that requires no oven use and is awfully simple, here ye are:

Asparagus Pesto with Pasta

1 bunch asparagus spears (about 1 lb), trimmed of tough ends and halved crosswise

3 handfuls baby spinach leaves

2 cloves garlic, peeled (I used 6)

1 c freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping

1 c pine nuts

1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for topping

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 t fine-grain salt

8 oz of dried pasta or 12 oz fresh 

Bring 2 pots of water to a rolling boil, one large for pasta and one medium for asparagus.  While the water is heating, put the pine nuts in a single layer in a large skillet.  Heat on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly browned.  Remove pine nuts from pan and set aside.  You will use 3/4 cup of the pine nuts for the pesto and 1/4 cup to mix in whole.  Salt the asparagus water and drop the spears into the pan.  Cook for only 2-3 minutes, until the spears are bright green and barely tender.  Drain under cool water to stop the cooking.  Cut off and set aside several of the asparagus tips to use for garnish.  Add the asparagus, spinach, garlic, parmesan and 3/4 cup of the pine nuts to a food processor.  Puree and with the motor running drizzle in the 1/4 cup of olive oil until a paste forms.  If too thick, thin it with a bit of the pasta water.  Add the lemon juice and salt, taste and adjust seasoning.   Salt the water and cook the pasta until just tender.  Drain and toss immediately with 1 cup of the pesto.  Serve sprinkled with the remaining 1/4 cup pine nuts, a dusting of parmesan and a light drizzle of olive oil.  Serves 4 to 6.  

One last really cute thing for you... my great aunt made this awesome egg and when I was little I would just stare into it for hours and pretend I lived in the egg...

Ok, that's all for now!  I put some new necklaces up on Etsy so check out my shop for the latest if you want.  Have a grrrrrrrrrrreat weekend!  WOOOOOOOOOT!!!!  xoxoxoxox