Pappardelle with Corn

What is pappardelle?

It's a type of pasta that comes in long thin strips like little rulers and last week, I was a woman on a mission trying to find me some. 

I drug my four year old literally all over town looking for it...we even went to the specialty international store.  Surely, somewhere in town carries it, but after 2 hours of searching, I took mercy on my child and bagged the search.

I'm sure I could have used another type of pasta, but I had my heart set on it.  After a call to mama, I decided to bring out the rolling pin and attempt to make papardelle myself. 

Despite the 6 months of boot camp classes I've been taking, my poor little shoulders just couldn't muster the strength and endurance to get the pasta dough as thin as it needed to be.  Though it turned out alright and was certainly edible, I think I'll either wait until I get a pasta maker attachment for my Kitchen Aid for Christmas or simply substitute a different kind of pasta next time. 

The flavor, however, was unreal.  This one's going in the permanent repertoire!  I will be making this again and again, with or without my precious papardelle. 



Pappardelle with Corn

Food Network Magazine-9_2011

Kosher Salt

2 ears corn, shucked

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 cups grape tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, minced

Freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup white wine

12 ounces pappardelle pasta

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 small bunch scallions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan, plus more for topping

Torn basil, for topping

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the corn and cook until slightly tender, about 3 minutes.  Remove with tongs, reserving the boiling water.  Let the corn cool slightly, then cut off the kernels.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook until the tomatoes soften, about 4 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute.  Add the wine and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pappardelle in the corn water as the label directs.  Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.  Add the chicken broth and corn kernels to the skillet and bring to a simmer.

Add the pasta to the skillet; add the scallions, parmesan, the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Toss to combine, adding the reserved cooking water as needed.  Season with salt and pepper.  Top with more parmesan and basil.

Serves 4



The Best Peanut Butter Cookies Ever!

Though I like to bake, I usually end up giving most of our sweets away.  These cookies, however, are keepers through and through.

I begged my sister in law, Kylene, for them on three different occasions and finally broke down this past week to make a batch myself. 

In the spirit of the cliche...'make fresh homemade cookies for your children when they come home after school'...make these for your babies today!  Or for your neighbors, husbands, wives, friends bosses...whatever.  In fact, just put some in your pockets and walk around...you'll make some new friends, guaranteed.

You'll be loved wherever you go, trust me.  I've made plenty of peanut butter cookies in my lifetime.  You may ask, 'what's so special about these ones?'  I don't know...but I do know I've fallen in love (sorry Brad).  I can honestly say that I've never had a consistent craving for any kind of sweet before.  These cookies, however, have made me change my ways. 

Don't fool yourself...you know you want to make these.  Unless your allergic to peanuts, it which case...please refrain.  I'm pretty sure this blog isn't insured. 

Peanut Butter Cookies
Gwyneth Paltrow
My Father's Daughter

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
8 tablespoons (one stick) unsalted butter,
    at room temperature
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter,
    at room temperature
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 organic large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup peanut butter chips (I actually prefer them without these chips)
1/4 cup granulated sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  In a large bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, and brown sugars.  Stir in the egg and vanilla.  Add the flour in thirds and stir until smooth.  Fold in the peanut butter chips.  Roll the mixture into golf ball-sized balls (about 1 1/2 tablespoons).  At this point you can roll them in granulated sugar or you can press each cookie down with the tines of a fork.  Either way, bake for 10 minutes, in a nonstick baking pan, rotating the pan halfway through baking time.  Cool the cookies on a rack before serving.