On Blogging and Sodium

I am starting to realize that in the world of blogging sometimes it is necessary to ignore the long-endured principle: "If you don't have anything nice to say then don't say anything at all." I know that the blogosphere is a world unto itself operating by a totally different set of rules than regular life, but it still takes some getting used to.

Because the blogging world will not wait for you to have a pretty thought or craft the perfect sentence or cook the perfect meal. Nope. The bus blows right on by, leaving you with arms waving to run with all your crap to catch it at the next stop. When you beat it there you are grateful, but you wonder if it was worth it. Well, it is always worth it, but the sprint in between isn't much fun.

That was a digression in its purest form.

There have been several things that I have cooked since I last wrote. Some of them noteworthy, some of them not. The Ramen Noodles (Oriental flavor) are worth a brief mention only because I enjoyed them so much and feel compelled to remind my audience that sodium is an electrolyte that plays a crucial role in maintaining blood pressure (insert footnote here).

The Fettuccine Alfredo that we made recently is definitely worth a mention because it was so good. I know that this dish is on the heart healthy watchdog list, but it is worth enjoying every so often, especially when every so often means every other year or so. Giada adds lemon juice which was my favorite element in this dish. And the Parmesan cheese:



1 1/2 cups heavy cream (I used half and half.)
1/4 fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
6 tablespoons of butter (check)
1 to 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (from about 1 lemon)
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt
9 ounces fresh fettuccine (I used dried.)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

In a large, heavy skillet, stir 1 cup of the cream and the lemon juice to blend. Add the butter and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, just until the butter melts, about 3 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest and nutmeg. Remove from heat. (My liquid seemed to curdle. I thought about starting over, but forged ahead and everything turned out okay.)

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, about 4 minutes. Drain. Add the pasta, the remaining 1/2 cup of cream, the Parmesan, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper to the cream sauce in the skillet. Toss over low heat until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the pasta to wide, shallow serving bowls (if you want) and serve immediately.