Fettuccine w/Sweet Corn & Dill

"There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart."

~Celia Thaxter

I'm feeling a little lethargic this morning... guess that's to be expected when my 1 year old is cracking his 2nd molar, my 3 year old's stomach virus is erupting like Mount St. Helens., and baby #3 is shadowboxing in the womb *my bladder clearly the punching bag*

But the day is already looking up...the coffee is ready, an intoxicating aroma of cinnamon roll fabulousness is filling the air, and sleep deprivation aside, this heart is grateful.

Grateful for the little moments.

Moments that feel vibrant and invigorating to be alive.

The moments that make you breathe life in...deeply. The moments that make your heart swell, the moments that make you marvel, that allow you to wonder, that bring your soul to rest. For moments that make you laugh til it hurts, that make you weep with joy, that make your spirit dance.

Grateful for snuggles with chubby cheeked children, for intimate meals and late night fellowship with friends. For celebrations of life, and love. For embraces with the ones you cherish. For lover's conversations that never run dry. For weekend getaways with no agenda and plenty of fresh thoughts to ponder unhindered by time. For long walks and quiet moments of solitude that allow the soul to breathe and indulge in some necessary introspection. Moments that awaken your inner man...passionately.

Recalling just how satiable the simple pleasures truly are.

I first saw this recipe prepared a little over a year ago, and have been meaning to make it ever since. This is the second of three dishes I was able to make and serve to both of my Grandmothers and it certainly lived up to my expectations.

The sauce provides the perfect alternative to a heavy cream sauce, but gives all of the luxury and richness of one. The sweetness of the corn tickle the taste buds and make this the perfect summer pasta to share with the company of kindred spirits.

Invite someone over. Make them this meal. Eat outside. Engage in meaningful conversation. Create memories. Savor every moment.

Mangia!

Fettuccine with Sweet Corn & Fresh Dill

(recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray)

Ingredients:

• 8 ears of corn, peeled
• About 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• Salt
• 1 pound fettuccini, tagliatelle or egg tagliatelle (I used 1/2 Pappardelle pasta and 1/2 fettuccine)
• 1 tablespoon EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 6 slices smoky bacon, chopped
• 1 bunch sweet green Vidalia onions thinly sliced or 3 medium leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced whites and greens, washed and dried
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 small red chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 7 to 8 stems of fresh thyme, leaves finely chopped, a couple of tablespoons
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• About 1/4 cup dill, a generous handful, finely chopped
• Freshly grated parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions:

1)Place a small bowl in a larger bowl inverted. Balance the ears of corn on the bottom of the small bowl, then scrape the kernels off which will be captured in the large bowl. (I simply used the flat surface of a cutting board for this procedure).

2) Puree half of the corn in the food processor or blender with stock.

3) Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta, salt water and cook to al dente.

4) Meanwhile, heat EVOO, a turn of the pan, in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook to crisp, drain and reserve the bacon and pour off all but about 2 Tablespoons of drippings. Return pan to heat and add whole corn kernels and season with a black pepper and just a bit of salt. Cook corn until it starts to lightly brown at edges, about 5-6 minutes, then add in onions and garlic, chili pepper and thyme and cook together a couple of minutes more. Stir in corn puree and heat through. Then stir in butter and dill. If sauce is too thick, add a ladle of starchy water to pan just before draining the pasta. Add pasta and sace and toss vigorously to coat evenly for at least 1 minute. Adjust seasoning and serve with freshly grated cheese on top.

Delicious Distractions...

"Eating and reading are two pleasures that combine admirably."

~C.S. Lewis

A new year has begun, and life rambles on…or does it?

Anthony and I both feel changed in more ways than we know how to describe. Paradigms have shifted within as we swim in a sea of thoughts about the world changing around us. Fresh perspective has influenced how we ponder life, love and the pursuit of happiness. We are being stretched gloriously.

Anthony continues to pray and discover as his next chapter unfolds… and I am continuing to delight in being romanced by the lavishness of simple pleasures.

And so here I sit, the blackness of night has unfolded like a velvet cloak, a pile of books and blankets by my side, ready to cozy up for the next few days while the cold weather sweeps on through my corner of the world, and I am filled with gratitude.

Thankful for home. For warmth. For comfort. For the sound of children's playful laughter rising in the air. And, for the luxury of participating in relaxation while other parts of the world are in a state of unrest. Grateful for a tank full of gas, a fridge full of food, and a closet full of clothing. For the conveniences that we often take for granted, and the freedom to enjoy all of the above without fear.

So.Very.Grateful.

Stay cozy Sweet Bellas…and if you're looking for a few delicious distractions to snuggle up with these next few days, may I suggest a plate full of my favorite pasta *recipe below* alongside "The Sacred Romance" by John Eldredge … indeed "two pleasures that combine admirably"

Ditalini Pomodoro with Fresh Mozzarella

This is the epitome of comfort food for me, sort of like an italian version of mac n cheese. Simply sauté 2 cloves of minced garlic with 1/4 cup of olive oil for about a minute over medium heat, add appx. 4-6 large diced roma tomatoes (or you may use halfed cherry or grape tomatoes, appx. a pound) along with salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste. Toss appx. 6 oz. of cooked ditalini (al dente)and remove from heat. You may also substitute any short pasta or even penne :)Toss in a handful of slivered fresh basil with appx. 6 oz. of fresh cubed mozzarella.

Mangia!

Farfalle w/Gorgonzola Cream Sauce...

"The ordinary arts we practice every day at home

are of more importance to the soul

than their simplicity might suggest"

~ Thomas More

I love to celebrate the little things.

Like when the weekend rolls in.

When BOTH kids are napping at the same time!

When I finally get to talk to an old friend after playing several rounds of phone tag.

When the Pittsburgh Steelers start the season off right! **hehe**

Like when a recipe is so easy, yet so luxurious,

that it tastes as though I've

been slaving all day long in the kitchen, laboring to exhaustion,

pouring every ounce of love, sweat and tears to prepare such a delicacy

spent much more time on it than I actually did.

*sigh*

oh how i cherish the simple pleasures...

NOTE TO SELF: splash a little water on the face to give the appearance of sweaty exertion, may increase brownie points.

I simply boil the pasta in salted water according to the directions on the back of the box, typically 8-10 minutes until al dente, and drain well. I prefer to use farfalle (bow tie pasta, as pictured), but a penne would certainly be a lovely choice, or anything along those lines. Meanwhile, I put 8 oz. of gorgonzola crumbles in a medium sauce pan with 1 cup of heavy cream, stirring frequently, and adding some fresh ground pepper to taste. Once melted, remove from heat - and voila! Your sauce is done. Add your pasta to that incredibly delicious creamy goodness, toss, and plate - pretty easy so far, yes? Top with sliced steak* or chopped bacon - garnish with some fresh diced tomatoes, purple onion, and italian flat leaf parsley** - that's it!

* I prefer to serve this dish with sliced steak, cooked medium rare to medium, such as a nice Rib Eye or NY Strip, using appx 2-3 oz. on top of each plate, however, I didn't have any on hand, so I opted for the bacon this time around

** as you may have noticed, I like a lot of parsley :)

Sweet Bellas, it rarely gets much simpler than that...

so go on, take out the "good china"

turn on some lovely music

put some fresh cut flowers in a vase

pour a glass of vino

serve some farfalle with gorgonzola cream sauce

and

celebrate

Play Sublimely...

"Your playing small does not serve the world...

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us."

~ M. Williamson

If I could be any instrument in the world, I would be a Stradivarius Violin. No doubt you can understand why. The very name personifies virtuosity.

I was about 15 years old when I first learned of Antonio Stradivari, the famous violin maker who was quoted as saying that "to make a violin less than his best would be to rob God, who could not make Antonio Stradivari's violins without Antonio." Touche.

I love how Max Lucado puts it, "In the great orchestra we call life, you have an instrument and a song, and you owe it to God to play them both sublimely."

So, play sweet bellas...

Play....Showcase your luster, spill over, Shine!

Don't let the noise and distractions of this world destroy your magnificent melody -

On that note, and for those who missed it or are new to this blog, I am once again sharing the recipe that seems to be the catalyst that sparked this adventure, the chile relleno ravioli...

This fusion recipe is sure to impress family and friends and is an absolute cinch to make. Every bite awakens the senses with a combination of savory and sweet with just enough heat and spice from the chile to tickle the taste buds all the while delivering a presentation that's visually stimulating and bursting with magnificent color.

Chile Relleno Ravioli

• 1 pound(s) of Wonton Wrappers

• 2 eggs slightly beaten with water

• 7 ounce(s) of Ricotta Cheese

• 4 ounce(s) of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened

• 1/2 cup(s) of chopped green chile

• 1 tsp. of garlic powder

• 4 tbsp. of shredded Parmiggano Reggiano

• 4 Diced Roma Tomatoes

• 1/2 Purple Onion cut Fajita Style into slivers

• 2 Diced Mangos

• 1 handful of fresh italian flat leaf parsley

• 4 tbsp. of olive oil

• 1 diced clove of garlic

• 1 tbsp. of canola oil

• salt to taste

• black pepper to taste

1) In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, Ricotta Cheese, chopped green chile, & 1 tsp. of garlic powder.

2) In a small bowl, beat 2 eggs slightly with a splash of water to create "eggwash"

3) Lay One Wonton Wrapper onto cutting board and brush with "eggwash" in a square following the edges of the wonton wrapper.

4) Add a teaspoon of chile cheese filling in 4 spots in the corners of the wonton wrapper down just far enough to give room to seal the edges on all four sides of each filling spot.

5) Place another Wonton Wrapper on top and seal edges and seal well around each filling spot - press gently but firmly to seal well. Use a knife or ravioli cutter to cut into 4 raviolis along the sealed seams.

(Repeat steps 3-5 to create ravioli with remaining wonton wrappers and filling).

6) In a sautee pan over med to low heat, sautee 4 tbsp. of olive oil with one clove of garlic, 1/2 purple onion, the 4 roma tomatoes and salt to taste until onions become translucent,

then add the 2 diced mangos and sautee for a minute longer - turn off heat and cover to keep warm

7) Boil Raviolis in Water (with 1 tbsp. of canola oil and a small handful of salt) for 2 to 3 minutes. Lift gently on flat spatula with holes to drain water.

8) Plate Raviolis, cover with sauce on top, add italian flat leaf parsley, shredded Parmiggano Reggiano and black pepper to taste.

serve hot

&

mangia!

AND NOW.....a gift for YOU! Mangiabella would like to thank you wonderful bellas for journeying with me on this grand adventure.

With the help of one of my uber talented BFFs, Melanie Rivera, the mastermind and craftswoman behind Huggabugbaby, LLC, we are joining together to give away one of her remarkable creations to one of you lucky winners. Talk about gifts and talents, this woman's cup is overflowing with awe inspiring creativity and absolute brilliance and by golly she beautifies everything her heart and hands can hold. She has dreamed up and brought to life the most adorable lil tutus for toddlers you have ever laid your precious eyes upon, as well as unique hair accessories, hats, AND...she is a proud representative of Moby Wraps, the most amazing baby concoction I have ever used.

One sweet bella will win one of her custom tutus as shown above, here's how to enter:

1) You must be a follower

2) Invite 10 friends to become a follower of Mangiabella

3) Share this post on Facebook/Twitter (or both)

4)leave a comment below!

What a lovely gift this will make for one tiny lil bella :)

Winner will be chosen at random and announced next week