Side note: speaking of Toto, if you follow me on Pinterest you may have guessed that I am completely smitten with puppy fever. I want one SO. BAD. But I just want it for the cuddly cutesy best-friend part. Not for the shedding and the high maintenance and  the vet visits and the expensive pet food. So Kyle says we can’t have one until I can be a grownup about it. WHATEVER.

My friend Maddie (Hiiiiii, Maddie) just got the cutest dog EVER. Which totally doesn’t help curb my give-me-a-puppy-right-now affliction. But, see, even if we did get a dog, we’d have to fight over a million names for it. Kyle really wants a dog named Ramekin. You know, like the ceramic baking dish. Totally serious. He also wants a dog named Odysseus. His reasoning is that those are really good names to yell into the wind. “RAMEKIIIIIIINNNNNNNN!!!!!” You get my drift. Very “SPARTAAAAAA” a la 300. Personally, I’d also like to have a teacup pig. Because 1. pigs are the coolest and 2. they are cute and small (even though apparently they get kind of big eventually- WHAT) and 3. I could get it little rain boots. And we could have a dog named Ramekin and a teacup pig (his name will be Snake, because he’s tough and cool and would probably have tattoos and a motorcycle if he was a person) and they could be best friends. These are the dreams I have for my life. Yup. I’M THE COOLEST.

Anywho. Maybe I should talk about this pasta a bit. It’s super good. You can taste the spinach, but it’s nice and subtle rather than overpowering. Also, the pasta is this GORGEOUS green color. How fancy.

I also saved some of this dough for a batch of cheese-filled spinach tortellini, which were kind of amazing. That recipe will be coming later this week, so stay tuned! In the meantime, you can wolf down some of this fettuccine and, if you’re anything like me, google cute puppy pictures while you make a mental list of all the things you should be doing instead. Because WE ARE THE COOLEST.

Spinach Fettuccine

Serves 4

2 cups fresh spinach
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 eggs
1 recipe simple white sauce or mushroom garlic sauce (or whatever sauce you’d like! Be creative)

1. Boil 4-6 cups of water in a medium-sized pot. When water has come to a boil, add a pinch of salt and toss in the spinach. Cook for 3-5 minutes until spinach is wilted and bright green. Drain the water (I actually just pulled the spinach out with some tongs) and place the spinach on a paper towel or tea towel to cool off and dry a bit (about 10 minutes).

2. When spinach is cool enough to handle, toss it in a food processor with salt, pepper, and the flour. Pulse a few times to chop up the spinach, until the flour turns a light green color.

3. Add eggs one at a time, pulsing for a few seconds in between each addition. When all eggs have been added, stream olive oil in while the processor is running. The mixture won’t totally come together in the food processor – it should be a bit mealy, but when you pinch the dough together it should stick!

4. Pull dough out of food processor onto a lightly floured cutting board. Knead it with your hands for two or three minutes until the mixture comes together and forms a smooth dough. (Note: if your dough is too dry, knead in a bit of water to help it come together. Too wet? Knead in a few teaspoons of flour!)

5. Put one handful of the dough at a time through a pasta roller, starting on the thickest/widest setting and working your way down to a thinner setting, until it reaches your desired thickness. I use a KitchenAid pasta attachment and roll my dough until it’s a #5 thickness. (Side note: I actually can’t believe how much I’m in love with this electric pasta roller. I’m making pasta every two weeks instead of every few months because it is just SO quick and easy. Plus, cleanup is a breeze. Kyle, you are the best gift giver ever! I don’t think I can ever go back to a hand crank after this attachment).

6. Once you’ve rolled the dough to your desired thickness, run it through the fettuccine cutter attachment on your pasta roller (if you have one). If you don’t have a pasta roller, roll the dough out with a rolling pin and slice it into strips with a paring knife.

7. Cook the pasta immediately for 5-7 minutes in salty, boiling water and top with a sauce of choice. I like to cover it in this simple white sauce…YUM. If you don’t want to eat right away, let the pasta dry for a few hours on the counter or freeze it for a quick meal anytime!

Just when I think Spring is finally here, the temperature drops, the clouds roll in, and I’m relegated to sweatpants and raincoats. Howwwwwwww upsetting. Fortunately, the colder weather gives me a last chance to make wintery foods like soups, roasts, or heavy sauces, and to bake a million cupcakes before the warm weather really DOES hit us and I can’t bear to turn my oven on or leave a burner going for more than ten minutes.

Also, it’s Friday. Is anyone else’s brain just completely out the window this week? I checked out halfway through Wednesday and just never checked back in. No shame. But I think I need a good day or two of sleep and blogging and cooking and more sleep. And maybe three seasons of Friends while I sit on my couch and do nothing. Ahhhh, bliss.

Even when I’m in my I-want-to-do-nothing-at-all phases, though, I’d rather eat something fresh than grab a bunch of fast food or order a pizza. For one thing, that costs money (and I never have any) and for another, it totally defeats the purpose of dragging myself to the gym or out on a run. Plus, unless I want to pay for delivery (I never do) I have to leave my house. And when I want to do nothing, putting real pants on and walking out my door is totally unacceptable. Who’s with me?

Anyway. Laziness. Doing nothing but still eating well. These are the themes of discussion today, apparently. This sauce is one of my go-to recipes when I want yummy food quick and with minimal hassle. Make it in 10 or 15 minutes while you cook some pasta, throw some herbs on top and call it a day. Super easy. Super simple. Super conducive to being back on your couch in your sweatpants watching Friends in less time than it takes to finish an episode. WINNING.

I usually make a whole batch of the sauce and a half-pound or so of pasta, then save the extra sauce for mushroom and spinach pizza later in the week. That recipe will be up next week, so stay tuned! In the meantime, happy Friday, and enjoy!

Simple White Sauce

Makes about 2 cups

2 Tbsp. butter
1 clove garlic, smashed and peeled
3 Tbsp. flour
2 cups milk (I used skim!)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. goat cheese (optional, but I love the hint of tang it lends the sauce!)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp. fresh parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and throw the smashed garlic in with it. Heat on low for five minutes or so, until the butter smells nice and garlicky. Pull the garlic out with a fork and discard.

2. Add flour to butter and whisk to form a roux. Cook for 2 minutes, then stream in the milk a little at a time and whisk to work out any lumps. Let this simmer for 8-10 minutes until milk has thickened.

3. When sauce has thickened, remove from heat and stir in cheeses, salt, pepper, and chopped parsley. Toss with fresh pasta (I used 1/2 pound of homemade spinach fettuccine), top with extra parsley, and serve immediately. This also makes a SUPER pizza sauce.

You mayyyy have noticed that I’ve developed a slight obsession with Greek Yogurt. I’ve been putting it in EVERYTHING. As in, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT I EAT EVER. And here’s another one.

I am a sucker for twice-baked potatoes. I rotate through a few different versions, but this one is simple, tasty, and classic. The greek yogurt lightens up a traditional recipe without sacrificing any of the creaminess that comes with cheese or sour cream.

These are especially great because they are easy to make in advance. After stuffing them, refrigerate or freeze the potatoes until you’re ready to eat! Cheddar cheese, a bit of salt and pepper, greek yogurt, and BAM! Deliciousness. No other explanation needed.

Twice Baked Potatoes with Greek Yogurt

Makes 16

8 palm-sized red potatoes, halved lengthwise
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded, plus extra for garnish
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt

1. Spread potatoes in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 375 for 40 minutes, or until potatoes are slightly browned and easily pierced with a fork.

2. Remove potatoes from oven and let cool until you can handle them without burning your fingertips off. Slice them in half and scoop most of the potato out of each half into a large bowl. Be careful not to take too much potato out – you still want the skin to hold its shape so it can support the filling!

3. Add salt, pepper, cheddar cheese, and greek yogurt to the potato scoopings and mash well with a fork or a potato masher. Make the filling as chunky or as smooth as you’d like! I like my filling a bit chunky.

4. Scoop the filling back into the potato skins and top with a bit of cheddar cheese and a sprinkle of black pepper. If you’re refrigerating or freezing the potatoes for later, pack them up after this step.

5. When you’re ready to eat, pop the potatoes back in a 375 degree oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 15 minutes. Leave them in a little longer if you like your tops crispy – I got impatient waiting for these to cook and pulled them out as soon as the cheese was melted, but generally I like them to be a bit browner. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Ok, hear me out on this one. Because it’s REALLY. REALLY. GOOD. It’s got the mozzarella and basil you’d find in a traditional caprese salad or sandwich, but a spoonful of goat cheese whipped with blackberries gives it a fresh zing that left me wanting more. WAY more.

Plus, April is grilled cheese month. And I know, I know, I’m way super late on jumping on that grilled cheese month gravy chain. But I’ve been too busy drooling over these grilled cheese recipes to have time to develop my own.

That all ended this weekend, though – had cheese, had bread, had other yummy stuff, GOOD TO GO. So, in celebration of National Grilled Cheese Month, I came, I grilled, I ate it all in one sitting. (Kyle helped).

I made these grilled cheeses in mini-form using a leftover baguette I had lying around, which I’d totally recommend for sharing/parties/entertaining/etc. I don’t plan on sharing the next batch, though – so those will probably be full sized with a ciabatta or italian loaf. YUM.

I haven’t listed super specific ingredient amounts below – sandwiches are so personal! I’ve included the amounts of ingredients I use per sandwich, but tailor it to your own palate! Depending on your level of love when it comes to goat cheese, you can get 4-6 good-sized sandwiches out of this recipe. I happen to ADORE goat cheese. Kyle happens to not adore it so much. So I try to find a happy medium whenever I cook with it. I slathered these sandwiches in the blackberry goat cheese, and I loved it. It was a little bitter for him – goat cheese has such a distinctive tang – so keep that in mind while you’re assembling sandwiches.

Blackberry Caprese Grilled Cheese

Serves 4-6

For the Blackberry Goat Cheese: 

1/4 cup goat cheese
3-4 oz. fresh blackberries (about 1 handful)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Blend all ingredients together in a blender or small food processor.

For the sandwiches: 

Fresh bread of your choice, sliced – I can get 4-6 large sandwiches out of this much blackberry goat cheese, or 12-15 baguette-sized ones
3 Tbsp. butter, softened
Blackberry goat cheese
Basil (I used 1-2 leaves per sandwich)
Fresh mozzarella (I used 1-2 slices per sandwich)
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

1. Spread one side of each piece of bread with a little bit of soft butter. Place half of the bread slices butter-side down on a skillet (I like cast iron) and spread a layer of blackberry goat cheese on the non-butter sides.

2. Place basil on top of goat cheese and follow with a layer of mozzarella. Place remaining bread on top of sandwiches, butter side up. Turn the skillet on medium-high heat. I like to start with a cold skillet because it gives the cheese more time to melt as the skillet heats up, and the butter will still help the bread get crispy. This method ensures a crispy sandwich with super oozy, melty cheese! (YUM).

3. Cook sandwiches 2-3 minutes on each side or until bread has lightly browned and cheese has melted. Serve immediately.

Have y’all been on the internet as much as I have lately? I’ve been crazy super super busy the last few weeks (I’m sure you can all relate) but among the many things I’ve been working on I’ve managed to reorganize my boards on Pinterest and watch an entire season of Friends. Was anyone else’s heart totally broken by those reunion rumors? Granted, they came off pretty fake and unbelievable from the beginning, but I think every true fan still allowed him- or herself a moment or two of hope, followed by the inevitable heartbreak *sigh*.

Fortunately, I have a giant stack of books waiting for me (have you all ordered your copies of Cooked yet? Because Michael Pollan is totally awesome) that will get me away from my computer for awhile. But man! Busy, busy, busy.

During busy months like these have been, I love to spend a Saturday or Sunday afternoon cooking up food that I can eat for the rest of the week. This potato salad is particularly great, because it’s not only lighter than your traditional mayonnaise-and-sour-cream combo, it’s packed with protein from the greek yogurt – a very necessary thing when you’re sleep-deprived and out of time to do anything at all.

I like to make a big batch and divvy it up into small containers, then pull one out of the fridge to go with some turkey sandwiches for a quick and easy lunch. I try to bring lunch to work for me and Kyle every day, but getting up extra early to prep and package food is sooo un-fun. Plus, I love sleep and hate mornings. So it’s not like I’m jumping up to greet the world in the A.M. Getting out of bed, putting on pants, and occasionally swiping on some mascara is pretty much all I can handle. Thankfully, one afternoon of food prep can keep me covered for a whole week of lunches if I plan my time right. Some of my other cook-Saturday, eat-all-week favorites include these crabcakes (chill the formed patties and cook them whenever you want to eat!), broccoli or potato soups, corn salsa (eaten as a salad) and bolognese (it’s great reheated). If you want to prep once and eat all week, this potato salad is a great dish to start with.

Lightened-Up Potato Salad with Dill and Greek Yogurt

Serves 4

2 pounds red potatoes, diced
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1 cup plain greek yogurt
salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons chopped dill

1. Place the diced potatoes in a medium stockpot and cover them with cold water. Throw in a teaspoon of salt and bring potatoes to a boil. Cook for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.

2. Drain potatoes and return them to the stockpot. Let cool for a bit – 15 minutes is usually good.

3. When the potatoes have cooled, add dijon, greek yogurt, salt, pepper, and chopped dill to potatoes and mix well. The amount of dill, like the salt and pepper, is really a matter of personal preference – add as much or as little as you’d like until it tastes right!

4. Store potato salad in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.