The rush up to this last day at work has been horrendous; I don't recommend piling two+ months' worth of work into one month. HWWLLB and I really tried not to let my insanity ruin our home-life sanity. One of the things that was challenging but fun was trying to eat well and use the farmer's market and garden vegetables even when there seemed to be no time at all to cook, which has basically been every night this month.
One thing I discovered in the process is how much I love patty-pan squash. The variety that our CSA farmer grows is called Scallopini. They are richer-flavored and a bit meatier than your plain old yellow summer squash, and I could eat them by the pound.
My favorite way to make them is to slice them about 1/4 inch thick, and saute them in olive oil until they are tender, which doesn't take very long at all. Throw in a splash of white wine if you have some open, and toss with some sliced fresh basil leaves just before serving, with lots of salt and pepper.
To go with it, I cook up some angel hair pasta and warm up whatever leftover or frozen spaghetti sauce we have around. Eat the squash on the side and let the parmesan cheese and tomato sauce spill onto the squash slices... it's better than chicken or eggplant parmesan, I swear. The whole deal takes about ten minutes to make and is divine.
So, tomorrow the big month off starts, and I haven't figured out yet whether not-working means that I will post on this blog every day, or not post at all... I have a feeling that things will fall somewhere in between, though I know for sure that there will be a lot more knitting going on around here, and so lots more of that to share. Til then...
Sounds good! I have to look for it at our farmer's market! Um, any good recipe for angel hair? I love them but always no luck cooking them. They are fine and thin and usually stuck together no matter how much olive oil I use. Enjoy your sabbatical!
ReplyDeleteValerie: try using more water in the pot. That seems to be the answer for sticky pasta generally. And don't forget to stir!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your sabbatical. I'll enjoy your pasta/squash tips! Sounds delish.
ReplyDeleteI sure hope you'll have time to pick up your unicorn while you're on your sabbatical!
ReplyDeleteOooo. Hope you have lots of time for knitting on your month off. Any traveling?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the squash tip! It sounds great. I always liked the look of those little guys but never knew whatt o do with them.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your month off.
oh yum... that squash sounds fabulous!
ReplyDeleteand enjoy your month off my friend. monday starts 3 weeks off for me and i am so, so excited about it. i like the idea of slow days, rest, and avoiding too many expectations :)
xox
I just came across your blog this morning - I love it. A month-long sabbatical? Enjoy it to the fullest! Knit, cook, eat, de-clutter - whatever - sounds good to me.
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