Alfredo

D found that we had missed a bulb of garlic during the fall harvest.  It was trying to regrow in a clump, and not where we wanted it!  After the clump was dug, it was clear that the cloves were mushy and not useful in the kitchen, but the leaves were tender with a mild garlic flavor.

What to do?

I chopped the leaves and put in a skillet with butter and olive oil.

Added cream.

Then freshly grated Locatelli cheese.

Tossed in tortellini (I like Rana brand).

It was really quick and easy.

Plus, I had more than enough garlic, so I refrigerated the oil/butter/garlic mix.

The next week, we were ready to go again.

This time it is Rana sausage ravioli.

 Delicious.

There is still enough garlic mix for one more meal. . .  We'll see when Rana pasta goes on sale.

Hummus and Tabbouleh

Today is a miserable, rainy, blustery day.  No good planning an outdoor experience, so off we went to find a new place.  We went to Utica, NY, to go to our favorite Chinese restaurant, Sunny Asian Restaurant.    Alas, they are not open on Monday or they were closed for a private party.  Now it's experiment time!

We drove around for a bit and found an area with several restaurants.  We decided to try Hummus and Tabbouleh.  Hummus and Tabbouleh, 675 Bleecker Street, Utica, NY 13501

We were early for lunch and were the only patrons.  

This is not a type of food familiar to us, so we just guessed at what we might like

 .

One choice we made was the fish with tahini.

There is a little pile of chopped tomato and a generous sprinkle of parsley.

The flavors and textures were interesting.

I think it was dried fish, though, and it was quite salty.

Delicious, but salty.

It came with a thin pocket-type bread.

D chose Okra.

 It is an interesting mix of rice, okra, lamb, soft tomatoes, garlic, tomato sauce.

 The flavor is flowery.  It was really good.

After dinner, our server brought Arabic Tea and poured it into these small glasses.

She also provided a sugar bowl.

The tea was super hot and very strong.  

An excellent end to a fine meal.

I read in a review that this restaurant is owned by an Iraqi who had been an interpreter in Bagdad after his country was invaded in 2003.  He became a US citizen two months before we went to lunch.  Nice.  I hope other people discover this interesting place.  It deserves to be patronized.  We look forward to returning.

Spring Begins

We have had a warmer than normal February and March, and it's time to look for the first signs of spring.

 Here is the first crocus.  Always a happy sign of new beginnings.

The snowdrops are on the north side of a boulder, so they are never our first flower.

It's a beautiful day to let the girls (and one boy) out to play.

They love scratching in the leaf litter.

D has started apple trees from apple seeds.

It's a gamble.  Who knows what they will be like.