Pasta with Pancetta and Leeks

I ran into a small problem with this one. The problem is that you cannot find something as extravagant as pancetta  in a Wal Mart in Oklahoma City. All you find are blank stares and confused faces. Oh well....good thing regular ole' bacon is a good substitute. Go ahead and dice up about 3-4 oz of bacon (ideally the dices should be the size of a pea, I was not so patient). Saute in a large skillet until it starts to brown.

Start your Farfalle (bow tie pasta) cooking
When pasta is done, set aside some pasta water.

While the bacon or pancetta is cooking, slice your leeks. I love leeks because they are similar to an onion, but the smell is much milder. They look just like a giant green onion.









You'll want to slice 3 leeks thinly all the way up to where it starts looking tough and darker green. Throw the root end away. You can throw away the outer layer too. You don't need it. They seriously smell so good. I would fill a huge bathtub with them and soak up the scent for hours.....don't judge me.










Toss them in a colander and rinse them really well.While rinsing, separate the layers.
When a leek grows, it traps dirt between the layers so you'll always want to rinse them before use.
I sound like I know a ton about gardening. I don't. I call myself Black Thumb. Nothing lives for me-I'm surprised my kids have survived so long. In other recipes I usually slice the leek down the center (long way) and then slice it. I kinda wish I had done that. Do whatever the heck you feel like.

When the bacon is starting to brown, add the leeks and cook for about 8-10 minutes. Add a couple pats of butter.

The recipe calls for 1/2 cup dry white wine. As I do not partake of alcohol, or even cook with it, I used chicken broth instead. If you use wine, cook an additional 1-2 minutes, until reduced. The chicken broth did not reduce, but I cooked it the extra 1-2 minutes just for kicks.

Reduce heat to low and add 1/2 cup heavy cream.
        

  Salt and pepper to taste. Stir in some parmesan shavings. I don't know how many.....grab a handful, close your eyes, and throw some parmesan at the stove. However much makes it in the pot, that's how much you use. I like parmesan, so I am not shy with it.                                                                

Serve immediately with, yes, more parmesan. Enjoy!


Recipe adapted from the Pioneer Woman

Cheesy Fettuccine Alfredo

I decided to start with a recipe from the Pioneer Woman. If you have never heard of her, you should check out her website. She basically rocks. She is a photographer, master chef, gardener, homeschooling mom of 4 and lives on a farm with her cowboy hubby. She's my idol. I wanted to do one of hers because everything I ever make of hers comes out delicious.

This is a very dense and heavy meal. I would strongly suggest eating this on a cold day. Maybe the night before you run a marathon. Okay, this is all you need for this recipe: 1 lb fettuccine, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 stick salted butter, 2 cups shredded parmesan (freshly grated is best, but I'm lazy today) and salt and pepper to taste.

First thing you'll do is get your water boiling for noodles. This recipe is ready very quickly, so you'll want to start about 15 minutes before you're ready to eat.

Next you're going to get a pan or skillet and warm the butter and heavy cream together.

Grab a medium bowl (the serving bowl in my case) and pour in your 2 cups parmesan (side note:my family decided this was too much cheese! Next time we'll only do one cup and see if it's better)

salt and pepper cream mixture to taste. This butter/cream reminds me of when I was a kid and my dad would make "Milk Toast" I bet all of my Nelson cousins reading this know what I'm talking about. We used whole milk instead of heavy cream but still....that's another post.

When everything is ready (noodles too) Pour cream mixture into cheese and stir....yes. butter, cream and cheese. Together. You'll love and hate me after this.


After the fettuccine is cooked, you're going to drain it and IMMEDIATELY pour it into the cheese bowl and toss with the creamy thigh killer.




This is your creamy cheesy gooey dreamy result. Serve immediately with a BIG healthy salad to balance it out. Serves 6.





Prepare to be very loved. And to hit the gym.