I teach six classes a semester. That's not a typo. I also direct the university's speech team, for which I get exactly zero hours of release time. So, actually...
OMG you guys. This whole, having two full time jobs thing (while only getting paid for one), is like, way totally hard.
In practice, all this means that cooking has turned into a soulless assembly line worthy of dystopian fiction.
From the silent classic, Metropolis, the title of which naturally amuses the hell out of me.
(Image via the Film History and Aesthetics Wiki)
So for spring break I went a little berserk, giddy with the freedom to fix proper meals using proper vegetables. Mostly I went for favorites, which already have pages on this site. Like, beef fajitas, pork chops, and breakfast burritos.
However, I also set myself the goal of cooking something I'd never blogged. I've got it! Chicken Parmesan.
I am a dumbass.
So I guess I'm off the hook for a detailed rundown of my supposedly ambitious dinner. Instead let me tell you about a couple of products I've discovered in the past year.
Alma's whole grain pasta
I switched to whole grain pasta a while ago, but only just discovered this kind. I tried to take a picture of the ingredients, but it turns out tiny text is outside my camera's skill set. So I'll just list them here.
- Whole grain semolina
- Water
Seriously. That's it.
But what really sold me on these noodles is their flavor. It's hard to describe, but they're delicious. They have a sweet, kind of nutty thing going on. They don't even need sauce. I routinely serve them lightly tossed with basil wilted in olive oils. Oh, and Parmesan cheese. I don't think I've ever served a noodle without some kind of cheese.
They're comparable in price to the name-brand pastas, and so far I've used the spaghetti, linguine, and penne. All. Amazing.
Next up:
Alessi mixed whole peppercorns.
Also, do you love the breading mix in the background? I had such grand plans...
The mixed peppercorns add a depth of flavor you just can't get out of McCormick ground black pepper. And because you grind it up as you need it, they don't lose their flavor as quickly.
Finally, just because I took the time to take this picture - which was hard because I was freaking starving...
Remember, no points for plating in my house.
So there you go. If I ever have time to cook properly again, I'll do my best to share it here.
