90 degrees on the first day of Fall… global warming is a real bitch…. I finally bought some sweaters and tights and I’m still wearing sleeveless button-ups. I remember when I was young, we were lucky if it was 65 degrees this time of year!
I want to plan a world-wide work strike against climate change – I’m just not sure how to get started. Imagine the reduction in carbon emissions even if only just for one day, if the majority of people (or ideally all people) took the day off of work and didn’t use their car, and if factories couldn’t operate because they had no workers?! I should take some tips from Greta Thunberg and just start solo-striking all alone… I’m pretty sure I’ll lose my job in the first week…
I was home this past weekend (well, Thursday-Saturday…) to get Tuna neutered. The cost of the vet upstate is about 1/3 of what it is in the greater NYC area. Totally work taking a couple of days off of work (I mean, what isn’t worth taking days off work???). It was also nice to be home with just my parents and to enjoy some end-of-summer weather.
I’m so happy I finally bit the bullet and took the days off to make the trip home and get Tuna neutered. At least it’s done and over with now and he is pretty much back to normal.
Pictures never do real life or lighting justice sadly. I cleaned out my closet a couple of weeks ago and found so many things that I bought with every intention of wearing in a specific outfit, and which have never seen the light of day. The below tutu skirt is one of them…. I know tutu skirts are very SJP circa 2000’s Sex in the City, but It makes for some pretty fun outfits:
I made a really good vegetarian Bolognese with lentils last week, the recipe of which is based directly on my classic Bolognese recipe:
Here is the recipe:
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 cups of cooked lentils (brown or French) (roughly 1 and 1/2 cups dry lentils cooked in 3-4 cups of veggie stock, for flavor)
- 1 box pasta of your choice (rigatoni, spaghetti, penne, linguini all work great)
- 1/3 cup olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of a large sauce-pan)
- 2 large carrots, finely chopped
- 2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
- 1/2 of a white or yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 cup dry, white wine (Pinot Grigio works well!)
- 1 cup freshly shaved Parmesan (plus more to sprinkle over finished pasta)
- 1 large can of San Marzano crushed tomatoes
- 1 small can of tomato paste
- fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 Tbs. dried basil
- 1 Tbs. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp. granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. granulated garlic
- Salt and pepper (add to desired taste)
DIRECTIONS:
- Pre-cook your lentils, boiling in veggie stock until tender (but not over-cooked or mushy, since they will finish cooking in the sauce!)
- Set aside the lentils once cooked, and heat the olive oil in a large sauce pan over a low-medium heat
- Add in onions and cook until a yellow-y translucent color (about 6 minutes), stirring occasionally
- Add in carrots and celery and continue to cook over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally for another 5 min.
- Add in garlic and continue to cook and stir, being careful not to burn garlic
- Add in the already cooked lentils and cook for a minute over low-medium heat.
- Add in the white wine and simmer for about 3 minutes
- Add in the can of crushed tomatoes along with the granulated garlic, sugar, salt, pepper, dried basil and oregano, and crushed red pepper; stir together and reduce to low heat
- Add in the small can of tomato paste and stir in thoroughly; continue to stir and cook over a low heat.
- After cooking over low heat for another 10 minutes or so, add in the heavy cream and stir
- Add in the Parmesan cheese and continue to stir and cook, making sure cheese is incorporated into the sauce
- Add in the fresh chopped parsley and stir
- I advise taste-testing as you go along to ensure the sauce has a good balance – feel free to add more salt, pepper, pepper flakes, oregano/basil, or sugar if needed
- Let the sauce continue to simmer over minimum heat and boil a large pot of heavily salted water for the pasta
- Cook pasta according to cook time advised on packaging; once pasta is cooked to al dente, drain and either add to sauce pan, if large enough, or back to pot and then add the Bolognese sauce into the pot of pasta – stir well
- Serve in bowls with freshly grated Parmesan over-top and a garnish of fresh parsley or fresh basil!
This dish is perfect for fall… super hearty, tasty, comforting and high in fiber (if you know what I’m saying….)
Too lazy to write another recipe. Cheers.
The High Heeled C*ntessa 