3pepper bacon caper’d fettuccine carbonara

challenged. that is me. especially true while making a recipe on the spot, with what i have, when hungry, and my digital clocks have moved from evening to night. you know the story, late work day goes later, you go to the gym, forget about any Friday plans you had.. and go home to make dinner.

this one turns a winner, trust me.

resolution? well, thanks to the nature of yeast, we're enemies, pizza was out of the question. plan B?

carbonara. healthy. colorful. carolie-ful. carbonara.

an improvement on my last effort, but still better if i were capable of adding that Italia accent, Mmm!

sports update, this is on my mind. basically, the Cards lost to the Cubs today. bring on the sadness. Djokovic couldn't find the court. sad still, but lesser.

believe it or not, the above gets trumped by my redic' productivity in the lab, the gym and how i'm about to celebrate at a friend's annual bash on Saturday night. life is seriously bringing it right now.

i'm on an eat, sleep, repeat diet for the next weeks.. STL, KC, Labor Day weekend dove hunts, KY Lake. to my dear friends in Springfield, i'll be there soon.

happy reading, fair writing.. in true life. salute!

the printer friendlier version

3pepper bacon caper’d fettuccine carbonaraserves one, 20 min

3 slices fresh bacon, semi-to-thick
1 large clove garlic, chopped
3 small peppers, mix of colors (red, orange and yellow is nice)
1 tbsp fresh cut parsley
1 large teaspoon capers
single serving fettuccine
1 fresh farm egg
1/2 c. spinach
2 tbsp fresh parmesan, grated
salt and pepper, to taste

preheat medium saucepan over medium high heat. cut sliced bacon into smaller pieces (your preference to stir into pasta later), then add to skillet. chop garlic, dice peppers and cut up spinach while bacon is cooking. you may also add the egg, s&p, and 1 ½ tbsp parmesan to small bowl and scramble - set aside.

bring small pot of salt water to a boil. add pasta and cook a la dente.

cook bacon until done, but not crispy. remove, saving drippings. add garlic and peppers, cook 2 minutes. toss in the capers and stir for another minute - longer is okay.

remove pasta, strain and return to pot with small amount of olive oil (or butter) - to prevent sticking. make sure pot is removed from heat, add egg mixture, spinach, bacon, and stir quickly being careful not to scramble the egg.

plate, top with 3pepper mixture, grade fresh parmesan on top with s&p and enjoy!

whole wheat spaghetti carbonara

red wine mind.  that's a three-word tongue twister if you try saying it five times fast!  it's also the state of mind that brings you my next recipe.  so if you were previously thinking (as i were), "how is this kid going to get any better than stuffed pork loins with bacon jam and portabella mushrooms?", then this recipe proves me human.

if you think that is strange, then this should really throw you for a loop.  i read an article in an issue of Redbook today.  why?  (you should be asking)  because Giada de Laurentiis was on the cover, why else?  the article was fine, Giada is 40, still married and beautiful.  (fyi: Giada's television show ignited my novice cooking and Italia craving taste buds early on in my high school years!)

so in the Redbook article that i shamelessly read, Giada was asked, "do you ever come home, crack open a can of tuna, and call it a day?", and Giada responds with,

no, but i will come home and scramble two eggs.  two eggs scrambled on a bed of arugula with some fresh shaved Parmesan cheese, and that's dinner.

wow.  i got a good kick out of this, but what does this say to me and you?!  this says that quick dinners don't require sacrifice.  i mean, come on, who reads that response and says, "oh, is that it?"  btw, 'quick and easy' needs a new name, how about '15 pasti minuto'?!

i spent this past weekend with a monthly visit home to see friends and family - and as it turns out, also to run 4.5 miles, see my first musical in years, and enjoy a few Schlafly's!  i spent today with a long trip back to my college home.

this is where my 15 pasti minuto, Amos Lee pandora station and the remaining of my forche renault comes in.

the friendlier printer version

whole wheat spaghetti carbonara
serves one, 15 minutes

1/8 lb bacon, chopped
1/3 c. portabella mushrooms, chopped (or finely sliced)
3 garlic cloves, diced
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 lb whole wheat spaghetti, cooked a la dente
1 egg, beaten
black pepper, freshly cracked
thyme leaves, dried
sea salt

start by frying bacon until crispy in medium skillet over medium heat.  prepare pasta.  remove bacon and drain, saving 3 tbsp of drippings.  add garlic, mushrooms and black pepper to skillet and saute 2 minutes.  add bacon, pasta and 1/4 c. Parmesan to pan and saute 1 minute.  remove from heat, add egg and thicken but do not scramble.  plate, top with remaining Parmesan and serve.

notes:

the only trick is to add the eggs at just the right temperature.  the residual heat will cook the egg, but too much heat will turn your dish into a scrambled egg pasta.  i suppose either is just as tasty!