“So, what would you like to do for your birthday?”, I asked one of our graduated youth girls (and babysitter/craft assistant)
She replied, “Can you just make something for me? I like your food better than any food I can get at a restaurant.”
Well, she certainly knows how to flatter a girl. I love cooking and it’s something she enjoys doing with me, so we made fresh pasta with a creamy chicken, mushroom and Marsala sauce. She also requested an ice cream cake, which I made yesterday (and it survived through our power outage.)
Something you may not know about me is that I’m a bit of a foodie. I love baking and cooking things from scratch, so I have awesome kitchen gadgets and great cookbooks. We used the basic pasta recipe out of the Williams Sonoma Mastering Pasta cook book.
With a food processor and the pasta attachments for my Kitchen Aid mixer, we were able to make it pretty easily. It is a bit time consuming to roll out all of the pasta (especially enough for a crowd of teenagers), but it’s fun to do a few times a year.
Fresh pasta is amazing. It rivals chocolate, hot bread with butter and cream of crab soup in my book of the yummiest things on the planet. It’s soft and melts in your mouth.
Charlene rolled and cut the pasta while I made the sauce, bread and greens. A trick I learned from the Food Network is to add a sprinkle of fresh nutmeg on creamy pasta sauces. If you’ve never had freshly grated nutmeg…try it. You will never by pre-ground nutmeg again in your life.
I didn’t get a “beauty shot”, because I was serving up teenagers and preschoolers and trying to eat some myself. Then I had to go school some girls in Just Dance on Wii (I had to work off that pasta and ice cream cake!)
This evening the sun was shining and the weather was perfection. Cool and breezy and perfect for playing ultimate football outside at youth group. Aside from the fact that hurricane Irene kept me up most of last night, our power went out and I had to boil my bath water this morning, it was a pretty good day. Tomorrow it’s back to getting things ready for Lucketts and finishing up some freelance articles.
36 Responses
I've been wanting to try making fresh pasta for years, but I haven't done it yet. I have the tools, so I really don't have an excuse, do I? Maybe your post will give me the boost I need.
My daughter in law made me fresh pasta for Mothers day, you are right, it melts in your mouth!
Sounds like everyone had fun!
Susan
Funny you say this, b/c my husband and I were just talking about making our own pasta!
Totally going to give it a go!
xo
Well of course you're a good cook too! Sounds delicious. Glad you and your family are safe and sound.
What a yummy party! When we drag the machine out I love to do fresh macaroni and cheese. Your pasta with the Marsala sauce sounds amazing and so does a homemade ice cream cake. I've never made one and now I'm so curious.
I had heard it was so much work to make pasta…having to let the Kitchen Aid sit for a few hours to rest in between batches (I think that was macaroni though; maybe this isn't so for long pasta?) Now you make me want to get that attachment. It's fun to take a peek into your "normal" life. 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
I love making fresh pasta!!! Now you've got me hungry for it and it's 10pm…tomorrow will have to fresh pasta day here!
Ahhhhhh…fresh pasta…..divine!
Janet xox
Ok, Marion, it is very unfair that you have every talent imaginable. I was secretly hoping you were a terrible cook! ha ha Fresh pasta is wonderful. I need to fire up my pasta machine. Haven't used it in years.
You are the best! Im going to come have my birthday with you next year 🙂
LOVED this post! Sounds like a perfect day. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Love this post! You are so real and honest, AND you sound like you'd be a ton of fun to hang out with. Even with all your talent aside, THAT'S why I love MMS
Fresh pasta is on my to do cooking list. I just need the attachment for my kitchen aid. Sounds like you all had a wonderful evening! Those teens are quite blessed to have you and your husband in their lives.
Been seriously thinking about getting a pasta maker, I think my thoughts are over. Looks great Marion!
When I was this girl's age I had someone who was a MMS in my life. Probably one of the most important people in my life at that time. Powerful times.
This is crazy… My husband requested fresh pasta with cream sauce for our anniversary last night. So I was right there with ya rolling dough and getting the right amount of salt into boiling water. Preparig the perfect camelized onion bacon and four cheese cream sauce to go over my fresh pasta. Yes I was in carbohydrate over load. l also love to cook and I tend to make everything from scratch. We also had ice cream for dessert. So here is to a rough week at the gym! Cheers!
How much fun!!!
Homemade pasta is so yummy! I wish I was a foodie but so not ~ My girls are so that is super cool!
wow, love to cook, but haven't gone the extra mile to make my own pasta. think of the memories you've given these kids. i was able to stay at home with my kids and loved every minute (some not so great, but you take the great and forget about the not so great). anyway love that you're able to share yourself with others so easily. thank you
laura
yum! i make fresh pasta too only i do it like an old italian granny. all by hand so when i form tortellini every single one is a unique shape! totally worth the effort to me and it makes guests feel so special.
michele
Yum! You kill me with your amazing photography. How can so much talent fit in one person!?
What a great post. It's nice getting to see this side of you. You are a sweetheart!
Michelle M
Is there no end to your talents?haha Wow -Charlene is a beautiful young lady.
You have such a well rounded life.
Kathy
O.K. so you even make your own pasta?! AHMAZZZING! I am jealous. UHM, that you find the time to do all of these wonderful things. You are the next Martha!
Mary
Are you going to share the pasta recipe? The chicken sound divine. You are a woman of many talents.
Looks like such fun!
I am beginning to doubt if u are a real person-lol
U continually amaze with all your talents-U are Super Miss Mustard Seed.
Do you run on batteries or electricity? 🙂 I just do not understand how you do it all! This is the encouragement I need to get a pasta attachment for my Kitchen Aid. I've put it off 'cause it's just me here but I would love making it for friends and family. Thanks so much!!
Can't wait to see what's next ~
Pat
What a great time it sounds like you had!! The pasta sounds amazing…
Just Dance is a great way to spend some time with the girls in our lives isn't it??!! My daughters and I like to play.
Thanks for everything you share with us!!
Can I have the chicken receipe with the pasta?
It sounds like you've had a productively fun day! There is nothing better than home made pasta! I've been making it since I was 11 (I'm 46), but I don't own a machine or a processor so it looks somewhat primitive. I like to make things from scratch as much as possible too, but I've never attempted ice cream cake. I think I'll leave that to the experts and you. ;^)
What an awesome mentor you are! Youth Group was hugely influential in my life (15 years ago…)! So great that those kids have you guys in their lives. And homemade pasta! Wow! Now that's impressive.
Ok so on top of all the other amazing things you do you also take the time to love on teens and make amazing food! Shew! Making homemade pasta is on my list of things to try! I also didn't realize Lucketts was anywhere near me… I may have to make a day trip 🙂 Thanks for such a great read
Once you make your own pasta, nothing else will taste as good…Love making my own
The best gifts are gifts from the heart and hands! And you are right about nutmeg, once you grate your own you can NEVER go back to the "darkside"……….
There's not much better than fresh pasta! Love your description! 😉 And, we always put a little nutmeg in quite a few of our homemade pasta dishes too. I LOVE the flavor!!!
Loved your recent post…love that name, Miss Mini Mustard Seed! Too cute!
Nancy
I loved this post. So loving and warm. It is evident that you are a wonderful role model. I'm quite sure you are making positive impacts on the lives of these young people- more than you know. Along with your OBVIOUS talents!!