Thanks Greg!

Greg was in Las Vegas working for Valentines day so I didn't think I would get anything except a phone call. He sure did surprise me.

This delivery of flowers was much better than the one on my birthday last year.



Last year I took the day off and decided to lounge around the house. I took a shower about 9:30 and then turned on the tv without getting dressed. About 10:00 I hear someone knock on the door and think "oh no I am only in a towel and I can't get to my bedroom without going in front of the front door that has a window!" I decided to just wait. Meanwhile Daisy is going crazy because someone is outside and she wants me to open the door. The guy knocks again. Daisy continues to bark. After the third knock the front door (that is not locked) begins to open. I think someone is coming inside to rob me. I stand up and the old flower delivery man sees me and tries to ignore the fact that I am wearing a towel. He was just going to place the flowers inside because it was December. Daisy saw the open door and ran right out. A birthday that is hard to forget.
Needless to say I thought Greg would never send flowers again. Thank You!

A Special Valentines Dinner

I love cooking and here is a special occasional recipe!

Chocolate Pasta
1 3/4 c Flour
1/4 c Cocoa powder
2 Egg
4 T Water
Mix let it sit for 30 minutes before rolling out.

Butternut Squash Filling
1 small to medium butternut squash
2 tablespoons dark molasses
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Flour, for dusting board

Cut squash in 1/2 and scrape out seeds. Cut squash into 1 inch cubes and Drizzle with 1 tablespoon molasses. Season with salt and pepper. Cook in the oven until very soft, about 1 hour. Puree squash until smooth, then spread on a baking sheet and return to the 375 degree oven to dry, about 10 minutes. The consistency will be like mashed potatoes. Scrape into a large mixing bowl.

Heat the unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it begins to brown. Immediately remove from heat and add remaining 1 tablespoon molasses and all the vinegar. Add to squash with mascarpone, Parmesan, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper and mix well. The recipe can be made ahead to this point (makes 2 cups filling,) Cover well and refrigerate 4 hours or up to 2 days.

To fill the raviolis: Lay out a sheet of pasta dough on a lightly floured board. Cut into circles with a 3 1/2 inch pastry cutter. Put 1 tablespoon squash filling in the center of 1/2 the rounds. Leave a 1/2-inch border all around the filling. Moisten borders with water and top with remaining rounds of dough. Press all the air out and seal firmly by pressing all around with fingertips. Lay raviolis out to dry on a lightly floured board or baking sheet and lightly flour the tops. Repeat until you run out of dough and/or filling. To cook, boil in lightly salted water until tender, about 3 minutes.

Sage Brown Butter Sauce
4 tblsp of sweet butter
8 sage leaves
While raviolis are cooking, in a large saute pan, melt the butter with the sage and a pinch of salt until it foams and becomes light brown. Toss the cooked raviolis in the sage butter then transfer to a serving platter. Add 2 ounces of the cooking water to the pan and swirl with any residual butter. Spoon the butter sauce over the raviolis, then finish with a generous grating of Parmesan and bittersweet chocolate.

Snow Day!!

I woke up today and turned on the news to see that school was canceled because of the snow we got last night. Now before I explain just know that so far we have gotten more snow this year than the valley has received for over 30 years. Usually we only get about an inch and it melts off by noon. Well this last week it has snowed everyday. Last night alone we got 5 inches in Fruita. I don't even think Fruita has a plow because when I woke up and went to the store there were tractors from the neighboring farm with buckets that were plowing the main road. Being raised in California this was my first snow day.



Some of the teachers that have been raised in the valley have said that they have never called off school because of the snow. I guess today was a first. I didn't mind because I have been sick and can't really talk all that well. I know you can't believe how much snow is on my truck. I nearly walked right past it and didn't realize it was there. I did have a wiper blade that broke from all the snow.