…other wise know as Creamy Pesto & Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta. Green, White & Red!

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/3 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/3 pinch salt
• 1/3 pinch pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
• 1/3 cup prepared basil pesto
• 10 or so sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

This will make enough sauce for 2 people. You can double it as you need to.

Give yourself about 10 minutes of prep time and 20 minutes of cooking time.

Steps

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil and add pasta cooking it to the way you like it. (I always go for al dente!)

Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent and tender. Stir in garlic and butter and saute until garlic is soft, about one minute.

Dissolve flour into the milk then had to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper and let simmer for 4 minutes. Make sure to stir constantly so that the sauce thickens.

Add the cheese and stir until melted. Next add the pesto and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook for about 4 minutes or until the sauce it heated through out.

If your pasta is not quite ready yet you can leave the sauce at a lower heat, making sure to stir

Tips from the Chef…

I randomly had bits of all the ingredients needed for this recipe in my fridge and it worked out perfect to use up all the leftovers.

I had a jar of pesto sauce that I bought for an appetizer because I didn’t have time to make it from scratch. The pesto was very strong in taste and very oily, but by adding it to a cream sauce it brought the taste down to a more mild level and the extra oil in it helped to coat the pasta perfectly. If I were to do this again however, I would most likely make the pesto from scratch so that I had more control of the flavours.

As far as pasta choices go, I made this using Fusilli, though you could use any type of pasta really. Linguine would be a classic option. The only thing to watch for is the cooking time of your pasta. Depending on the thickness you may have to start the cooking process before you start the sauce. Its just a matter of figuring out the timing. Remember the sauce can sit at a low heat once it is done if your pasta is not quite ready yet.

If you would like to add more substance to the pasta you can add some pre cooked chicken into the sauce to warm up, or you could add some fresh shrimp to cook in with the sauce.

When I sat down to eat this it tasted like I had ordered it at a restaurant, absolutely amazing!  Next time I might add some cream cheese to it to make it a million time more rich and creamy. YUM!

Enjoy!

This weekend was nuts but I don’t feel as exhausted as I thought I would this morning. Must have something to do with going to bed at 9:30 last night. I must have jammed my thumb too, trying to move my laptop (because you know I can’t sit still and just let things heal) and its been swollen ever since. I’m sure all this typing I am doing isn’t helping either.

I’ve got a lot of pictures from the weekend so I will let them speak for themselves…

Krista arrived Friday morning and we spent the eve making home made pasta and then popping down to Granville for a walk, some drinks at Sip, and then a meet up with Pat at the Loose Moose. We spent the rest of the evening hanging out there drinking beer, eating chicken strips, and singing to Bon Jovi at the top of our lungs.

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Saturday I was dead to the world even though I was able to sleep until almost 11. We were going to go to Sushi with Pat but my sushi place was closed so Pat came over and him and Krista went on an adventure to find take out sushi for lunch. They did and brought back about a million pounds worth.

The afternoon was spent with the boys doing their music thing and Krista and I hanging out on the couch watching two different Britney Spears documentaries while Mom came over and helped me clean up a bit. I was feeling very out of it, almost sick like, and had no energy to move even though I slept fine. The boys came up for dinner and Chad made us the most amazing steaks and baked potatoes. He even cut my steak into pieces because I couldn’t use my knife. Haha, it was so cute.

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I decided that since everyone was heading to the Cambie that evening and I felt like poo I was going to stay home and have a little girls night so that I would be well rested for our Sunday adventure. Krista went with the boys for a night on the town and Marlee, Tania, & Alicia came over for some wine and company. Marlees got pictures of that.

I ended up having a restless sleep all night and awoke at 8:30 to the bright sun coming in the window. Our plan for the day was to head down to Stanley Park for some pictures so we decided to get an early start to the day so we would have time to get everything done. Dario and Marlee came over at 10:30 and we headed downtown. We spent two hours wondering around the park and then headed over to Whitespot on Georgia St. for some lunch at 1. We were so hungry that we looked at the menu and figured out what we wanted in a matter of minutes.

After Whitespot Dario and Marlee headed home and we headed down to Robson St. for some shopping and to meet up with Raymi, Fil, & Keira. We walked down Robson and stopped so Fil could get a Hot Dog and Krista a Starbucks. Then we headed over to Red Robin for drinks since we only had about an hour to spend with them before we had to head back home. Keira ordered a lemonade so Krista and I followed suit and it was like the most amazing lemonade with raspberries I had ever tasted in my life. I almost want to go back just so I can have that drink again. All three of them were so nice and it was great to FINALLY meet Raymi and Fil. It sucked we had such a short time to spend with them, if only my hand hadn’t crapped out on me earlier in the week. Raymi & Keira Anne are absolutely stunning in person.

After our drinks we all said Good-Bye and headed home. I was so ready for a nap and put on my Pjs and crashed when I finally had the chance. We spent the PM flipping channels on the TV and uploading pictures to Flickr. I eventually went to bed at 9 because I was so tired and knew Krista had to get up at 4 to catch her plane.

*
*

It was such a crazy last minute weekend but I had so much fun. A lot more then I was expecting. Sunday was absolutely beautiful and turned out to be the perfect day. Exactly what I needed amongst all the emo stuff going around. I only wished that I hadn’t hurt my hand and could have gone out more then I did. We are clearly going to have to head over to Toronto soon so we can visit again with everyone there!

Pictures from this weekend.

* Photos by Krista

So I guess I should update. I can’t type really well. I am being extra cautious.

I got a phone call Tuesday afternoon from my Mom. Not out of the ordinary but for some reason I had a bad feeling about this one. Nonno and Nonna were in a car accident. They were waiting at a light to turn left and the guy behind them in a big trunk bent down to get his phone and didn’t seem them. He plowed right into the back of their car. Everything went spinning. He wasn’t even slowing down when he hit them, he was going full speed ahead. Nonno escaped with out any injuries. The man has never been hurt a day in his life. Nonna on the other had got the worst of it. They had to call an ambulance. Her head and back are all bruised and sore. Nothing broken Thank God, but at 73 the woman has enough issues with her health.

Alicia said to me that things happen in threes and that since so much crap has happened in the last little while this was probably the end of it. Actually it wasn’t.

I got home from work in a pretty down mood. We were having Tacos so I started to chop up all the veggies. I had half an avocado I was going to use but it still had a pit in it. I grabbed my trusty steak knife and attempted to stab it. It slipped and I stabbed the knife into my thumb and dragged it into the squishy bit between your thumb and first finger. Blood went flying. I’ve never seen anything like it before. Chad said he had never been so scared in his life. I dropped everything and ran for the paper towels. Blood was pouring out everywhere. I had a bad feeling about this.

I wrapped my thumb up and started to panic. This was not good and about 100 times worse then the last time. I couldn’t believe I had done something so stupid.

Blood was everywhere. All over the counter, in the sink, all over me. It was a disaster.

I sat down and elevated my hand while Chad cleaned up. We knew this time I would need a hospital visit. I felt like such an idiot.

We called my Mom who was at the hospital with my Nonna to tell her we were heading to the Emergency. We got in the car and headed down. Thankfully it is close to where we live.

I went in and signed up or whatever they do in the ER. They asked me how I did it and I laughed at myself for my stupidity. I filled out some forms and waited. Then the Nurse asked me if I had stayed over night in any hospital in the last three months, that’s when I had to explain my current situation. She sat their looking at me like I was the saddest little puppy around. I know, I know, I’m a disaster.

We sat their and waited while the hockey game was on. I went through about 100 emotions in 10 minutes. Laughing cause I was so stupid, then sad because I was so stupid, worried that I had done major damage, and concerned that this would affect my next surgery.

I finally got called in to get stitched up. The Dr. seemed a little odd but my positive attitude allowed him to joke with me. I guess it was refreshing to deal with someone who wasn’t miserable. When he stuck the needle in to freeze the wound blood went everywhere which indicated to him that I had sliced open an Artery. Great. I asked if I had hit a muscle or anything and he said no. I just have to watch that my thumb doesn’t go numb. If it does I’ve done a number to my nerves and will need plastic surgery. Great again.

I went home, finished making tacos, popped in a couple Extra Strength Tylenol and bawled my eyes out. The accumulation of everything that was going on hit me all at once. I will put on a brave face for everyone to see, but in my private moments I am a mess. And really that’s the way it should be. No one wants to deal with a walking basket case. I was so worried that I done real damage to my nerves that I was making myself sick over it. When the freezing wore off the pain was excruciating. I have a high tolerance for pain but this was like something I’ve never felt in my life. I can not even tell you how much it hurt. I just had to cry and cry and cry.

I finally fell asleep and only woke up a couple of times to see if my thumb had gone numb or not.

I woke up in the morning feeling horrible. Chad had to dress me. I couldn’t use my left hand at all. No make up, just a hoodie, I couldn’t even put my hair in a pony tail.

I drove to work with one hand. I drive a standard. Not easy. By the time I got to work the pain was blinding. I don’t even know why I attempted to go in. I guess I just felt so guilty that I had done something so stupid and would have to miss more work then I already have to. I guess the medicine kicked in at some point and I ended up sticking around until 2 finishing up some stuff. By two I was dying and had to get out of there. I went home and slept.

Dinner at my Moms where I died some more. The Tylenol had effed up my stomach again even though I took it with food and had only taken a couple of them. I barely ate and then went home. I took some Advil and fell asleep at 10.

Today is like night and day from yesterday. The Advil worked miracles. I’m still in pain but NOTHING like yesterday. My thumb feels like its falling asleep which indicates that I did do nerve damage but that it should heal itself. My aunt said she did something similar and it took a month before the falling asleep feeling went away. I still can’t really use my hand. A little at a time but its still painful. My whole arm and hand is now very sensitive to movement and when I do something funny I feel a shock go through my arm into my hand and thumb all along the nerve line. Healing this is going to be a process.

I just can’t believe my luck these days. My Mom reminded me of the last time life was this shitty 1999, 10 years ago. It will be 10 years this Sunday that my cousin Andrew died at the age of 7 in a car accident. The first traumatic death my family ever experience. In August it will be 10 years since my Nonno Giacomo passed away as well. I just had to sit back in disbelief that this much crap could happen all at once. Nothing surprises me anymore, I just add it to the list.

I don’t have a lot of hope for 2009 to be a good year. Maybe the Summer will bring some good times and a relief from all of this.

Stress lets you make bad decisions and not think straight. I didn’t think I was that stressed until today. Then I realized breaking down into tears because the wrong roll of fabric was sent out is a pretty sure sign of stress. It feels like every decision I make backfires and the best option for me to be to shut up, sit back, and not exist.

I met the with specialist again yesterday to go over everything with a clear mind.

I have a feeling I will most likely have to have radioactive iodine therapy which means I will be radioactive for a few days.

If thats not nuts I don’t know what is.

I won’t be allowed to go around children.

Maybe I will turn into a super hero?

I guess there are times in life when I get too sensitive for my own good. When a comment that would usually slide right off my back instead pierces my soul (that sounds so dramatic) and sticks with me. When something so inconsiderate is done and I could over look it, but instead choose to dwell and stew on it.

I can joke with the rest of them and I am the first one to laugh or make fun of myself but there is a time and a place for everything and maybe people just don’t realize the state of mind I am in because I always try and make it seem ok. The underlay connection though, is the fact that people are inconsiderate through their comments and actions.

When someone makes a few comments to me about something I’ve posted I laugh and brush it off. But when that same person, two weeks later, when I am recovering from surgery, emails my husband to ask him his feelings in regards to this thing I have posted what I am left to think? Is this really the time and place to be doing this? Did you not find my answer satisfying enough that after the fact you need to go behind my back? What are you trying to stir up? And on something that has NOTHING to do with this person? Maybe I am over reacting or maybe people are just inconsiderate.

I am VERY sensitive to situations of that nature because of having to face the exact same scenario but magnified 100 times this time last year. Do people not think I can answer for myself? The frustration it stirs up inside of me is intense.

I love having people over to the apartment for food and parties and get togethers. But when people are invited into my home and are careless and completely inconsiderate of my feelings or wishes it drives me nuts. Especially a situation that repeats its self every single time. I can’t stop replaying the situation in my head and dwelling on it. I know it is a waste of time but I can’t help it. I think I am just so astonished with the kind of manners people have these days.

I have been dwelling on these situations and more all weekend long and they leave me frustrated. But there is nothing I can do. I am not about to go up to these people and explode in their faces because it would be a waste. And then what? All I can do is distance myself from certain people because the thought of having to hang out with them again is not at all appealing. I can not deal with their shit anymore. I seriously have come to my breaking point. I’ve been a good sport, really I have, but drunk assholes are not worth my time. Whats the point of constantly giving yourself to these people only to be used and then abused.

I’ve been ranting to Chad about it all weekend but I still can’t get it out of my head. Chad doesn’t dwell on things like I do. I hold grudges. Sometimes for years. It comes from my Nonno Beppe’s side of the family. His grudges are legendary. Lets just say you don’t want to get on our bad sides. We never forget, which I know is a huge fault in itself. But at the same time you can only rant for so long before you get tired of your own voice. I wrote this post in hopes of putting it all to rest. Until the next time I get crossed and really explode.

If only people weren’t selfish drunk assholes.

So since I talk so much about food and things I make it only makes sense to add a little section on my blog entitled ‘From the Ciavarro Kitchen‘.

Lots of people have asked for the recipes of the things I make so I have added a category where I will write out my favorite and any requested recipes. Right now I only have one but I will add more in the weeks to come.

I also have to get Chad to display my categories on my archives page so that it is easier to navigate, but for right now you can check out the post below or hit the tag ‘Recipes’.

If you have any that you would like posted let me know and I will get them up and running!

Hahaha…it looks a bit funny but it TASTES amazing!

5 slices of bacon (I always add WAY more)
1 medium red onion – diced (I usually only add half an onion)
3 cloves of garlic – minced
1/2 cup of milk
8 ounces of cream cheese
10 ounce package of frozen chopped spinach
8 ounce can of water chestnuts – chopped (I usually don’t add this)
3 dashes hot sauce
1 cup grated Parmaesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

serve on baguette slices or crackers

…

Preheat over to 425 degrees Fahrenheit

Heat a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crispy. Remove the majority of the fat, let bacon cool slightly and chop up. This step can be done ahead of time so all you would have to do is add the pre cooked pre chopped bacon to the pot to warm up. Still at medium heat add the garlic and onion cooking until brown – 5 to 8 minutes.

In the same pot add the milk to the cooked onions and warm at medium heat. Whisk in cream cheese until melted. Add thawed and drained spinach, water chestnuts, hot sauce, and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese – stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and make sure all the cheese is melted and everything is combined well. At this point you can taste it to see of its missing anything. Maybe some more hot sauce or a pinch of paprika if you want it more spicy.

Pour the mixture into a 1 1/2 quart  shallow baking dish that is lightly greased. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and bake in the oven for 20 – 25 minutes, until bubbly and golden brown.

You can make this recipes one day ahead of time just making sure its covered and kept in the fridge. If you do this just add another 5 minutes to the baking time.

Tips from the Chef…

At the stage in which you add the bulk of the ingredients feel free to try something new. Sometimes I add a bunch of spices to taste like Garlic Plus, or Italiano. Club House has some great One Step Spice Blends. Or if you don’t like spinach try adding a bunch of chopped red peppers. If you love cheese try doing half cream cheese half goat cheese for a different flavor. The possibilities really are endless.

Another option would be to bake the dip in a hollowed out loaf of sourdough bread, using the insides to scoop out the dip. I have yet to try  this but it sounds super delish!

Hope you guys enjoy!