Late post today! But here is my second week of WIAW. This time, the Italian edition.

For the past year I have been volunteering each week at an Elementary school in preparation for my application to the Teaching Program. I hope to start it in September. It has been a great experience working in the classroom and getting to know all of the students. I was in a grade three classroom for the end of last year and since September of the beginning of this school year. It was fun to help them with their work, marking assignments and corrections, teaching them cursive and new math skills. The kids were all very sweet and it was sad to say goodbye yesterday, my last day, as it was the last Tuesday before their Spring Break, and when they return I will begin my final exams and projects. I would defininitely vist them again, as Adam’s cousin is also a teacher at the school! Bonus. I would love to get a teaching job in the same district.

The children surprised me with a giant thank you card. It was so sweet! I will definitely miss them too.

I did not spell check these haha- and apparently they still need a little help with their spelling ;)

And apparently I am also married according to some of them ;)

From Peas and Crayons!

Breakfast was early Tuesday. Thanks to Daylight Savings time. My 7 am wake up, was more like a 6 am wake up. Not cool. The usual, Rice Krispies with Almond milk – as per my allergy diet.

The school is in my hometown, where I lived before I moved in with Adam, and where my brother and Nonna still live. So, every Tuesday I see my Nonna for a visit or lunch, or dinner. Depending on when I make it to her house, and my schedule in the classrooms. Yesterday was lunch.

When I’m at Nonna’s, I tend to throw the allergy-diet out the window. I just can’t say no.

First course, Pasta. My Nonna said she sauteed peas in oil, with artichokes and garlic, and then poured it over the pasta. It was so light and delicious. I love oil, all kinds, and this was simply delicious.

Second course was Salad, a simple oil and homemade red wine vinegar. Note the homemade white wine also. It was noon. Nonna likes a little vino with lunch.

There was also tomato, I can assume only freshly picked from Joe’s extensive vegetable garden (her live in boyfriend/companion since my Nonno is no longer with us) Joe also makes the red wine vinegar and wine. Topped with fresh mozzarella, bocconcini with basil and more delicious oil.

I ate these by themselves and atop some crackers. I probably ate about three, before being told to “eat more!” and to “finish, finish.” Thus, I ended up eating about half of the plate of cheese and tomatoes. I was fine with that.

Dinner was the usual right now, yam/sweet potato topped with black beans, goat cheese and cranberry sauce with lettuce drizzled with oilve oil, and a non-appealing looking piece of chicken breast. The yam was the best part.

Do you participate in WIAW? 

Did you eat anything delicious yesterday??

First off, it’s cold. It’s still snowing, raining and windy here in Vancouver. I cannot believe it is March already. Isn’t it supposed to be spring-like and warm and sunny? I can only hope we will have a very warm summer to make up for this.

So last night my mom came over for dinner. You may have seen that I made Tiramisu for dessert, in keeping with the Italian dinner theme. One of the fondest memories I have of my father is his cooking. He would always make enough food to feed an army. He was home earlier than my mom on most days from work, and therefore he would make dinner. He was a really good cook. When he was younger he worked in the restaurant industry as a waiter, and later even owning and managing a few of his own in Vancouver. Pasta would be a dish that we would eat at least once or twice, if not three times a week. Of course being Italian its almost a standard. I think in those first years after he passed away my mom, brother and I lost weight from not eating those delicious foods. We most definitely missed him first and foremost, and missed his cooking secondly. I know I missed sitting around the table with the four of us for dinners during the week. As is in most Italian families the boy, or son, is considered the ‘king’ (HA) and It was always a joke that even if I were sitting at the table when dinner was ready, and my brother was still in his room my dad would set his plate down first. And then mine. This is just how it went. I even remember one night my dad hand peeled all of my brothers shrimp. Yup. He was spoiled. And I was younger!

I think great cooks run in the family. My Nonna is one of the best cooks { definitely bias, I know } she makes delicious homemade pasta, pizza and soups. We would always get together for large dinners for Easter and Christmas. Both would have large amounts of delicious foods including lamb and seafood. Anyone who has eaten Nonna’s food can attest that she is definitely a talented cook. Everything always tasted so fresh and authentically Italian. I hope I will get to keep enjoying her food and company for years to come.

For now, I’m trying to learn how to make and cook pasta myself so I can carry on the tradition when I have kids. I remember when my brother and I were young we would help our Nonna make pasta, each taking turns turning the hand-cranked pasta maker. Oh how things have changed. Thanks to Adam, I now have a KitchenAid pasta attachment that makes things so much easier. Homemade pasta is delicious. Simple as that. No store bought pasta can measure up to the soft supple noodles made from home. If you’re a pasta virgin try this recipe. It’s effortless with a stand mixer and the attachments.

And, if you don’t have a pasta drying stand, you can use things like clothes hangers to dry the pasta. I call it drying pasta in an apartment 101.

Bubbling away

Homemade Pasta
recipe from KitchenAid Recipe Book

Basic Egg Noodles

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 3 cups AP or Whole Wheat flour, sifted
• 1 1/2 tbs. water

Directions:

1. In a stand mixer, combine eggs flour and water. Mix with paddle attachment for about 30 seconds.
2. Switch to a dough hook, and continue on low for two minutes.
3. Turn it out onto the counter top and knead slowly for another minute.
4. cut into two large rounds and cover tightly with a tea-towel.
5. let sit about 15 minutes before using it in your pasta maker.

Follow the instructions on your pasta machine / pasta attachment. Dry pasta on counter in a single layer, or using the ‘clothes hanger’ method.

Fresh pasta only needs to cook in boiling water for about 7 minutes, until tender. You can top it with whichever sauce you would like. I made a simple tomato sauce with seafood. recipe below.

Simple Tomato Sauce:

• 1 large can whole tomatoes
• 1/2 cup olive oil (or more)
• 1 medium onion
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• salt + pepper to taste
• basil leaves/flakes
• small can of tomato paste

In a large pot over medium low heat pour in olive oil.

In a blender/food processor/slap chop (my fav) dice up the onion and garlic together. Add to the olive oil.

Allow to heat up for a minute or two.

Using a mixer/blender puree the tomatoes until no large pieces remain. Add to the pot. Stir in the tomato paste as well. Using a wooden spoon stir gently. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle in a few teaspoons of basil flakes, or a couple whole leaves.

Allow to simmer for about an hour on low. You can add some pre-cooked salmon pieces to the sauce at this point.

If you like when it is almost finished, you can add prawns/shrimp as well. Using thawed or fresh prawns/shrimp add them into the sauce about 10-15 minutes before serving. Allow them to cook fully in the sauce on low/medium heat. They should be fully cooked, making sure they are not undercooked or still ‘squishy.’ They should feel firm and meaty.

Serve over fresh pasta~

Enjoy! It’ll be gone fast. Trust me.