Sweet Jack

/

I arrived early to Jack's school for pick-up today; cold rain with a hint of sleet was coming down in fits and starts, and I wanted to secure a good spot in the carpool line so I wouldn't have to get out. Fifteen minutes later, Jack got in, I gave him his snack, and turned the key in the ignition. No dice. After failing several more attempts, I called Tom to drive over and give us a jump.This was all slightly irritating, but it's rare that I get to pick J up without Oliver there, so we just chatted and caught up. Suddenly, he said, "mom, I have something for you" which I assumed was a form from school. He pulled a neatly tied-up scroll from his backpack and said, "open it."

20130222-210820.jpg

I thought tears might materialize, so touched was I by this gift. He said he'd made it during free time in art class and that it was his own idea rather than a suggestion from someone else. Could you just die?! What a honey!

Pasta piselli, or a lovely soup for a cold night

/

This week, my friend Suzanne - a Food 52 cook I've gotten to know through the site - won a Community Pick nod for her pasta piselli, an unbelievably simple and quick soup made with noodles, peas, pecorino and an egg. It has been so cold here all day, and I haven't felt quite up to snuff. A bowl of hot soup sounded perfect for dinner this evening, but you know how laborious some soups are. Not this one! With just six basic ingredients (seven if you add the optional lemon zest which, in my opinion, is a definite "should"), a large saucepan and about ten minutes, you can sit back and enjoy a wonderfully fulfilling and warming meal with the added bonus of having just one pot to clean afterwards. I raise my hot toddy to all of that, but especially to Chef Suzanne. Grazie la mia amica!

Suzanne's Pasta Piselli