Today Is My 100th Blog Post!

I was really excited when I realized today will be my 100th post.  Well, I am excited each time I publish a post, and quite honestly, somewhat relieved that I did it, LOL!  In honor of this significant event, I am going to tell you the 100 things I love about my log cabin life...ready?  Just kidding.  Though I could give you that list, you just have to look back at the previous 99 posts to know what I love about this life.

But I do want to share that I love writing this blog.  It forces me (in a good way) to think about my day and decide what I want to share with all of you.  And that process helps me remember how fortunate I am to have this opportunity.  And what is the best part?  The comments and feedback that you, my f/f/r/s/f's (friends, family, readers, subscribers and followers as defined in one of those previous 99 posts) give me here on the blog, on Facebook & Pinterest, and in emails that are very supportive and encouraging.  Better yet, your joy in reading what I am writing brings me great pleasure and it makes me very happy!  So THANK YOU!

In honor of keeping things focused on 100, I offer you:

100% Simple Pasta

This is the end result, which includes some homemade garlic toast, red leaf lettuce salad with Gorgonzola crumbles and raspberry walnut dressing (I like Ken's Light), some red wine and the little goodies on the right top corner are for Fluffy.  Johny's table had Pogo's goodies:)  And I'll tell you right now that I could not finish it all...my eyes are always bigger than my stomach!)

You will need...

(I don't have measurements for everything here, this was a little bit of this little bit of that recipe, so base your amounts on your own pallet.  The measurements I do list are guesses.)

Olive Oil
Garlic (I used minced garlic in a jar but you can use cloves)
Anchovy paste, one squeeze of tube
1/2 cup chopped green olives with pimento (I had to use black olives because when I opened the jar of green olives the cap didn't pop and you know that means DANGER!  Mountain Man said, "oh, they are OK, I'll try a couple and see what happens.  We won't throw the jar away until tomorrow."  "OK, you do that", I said...so far so good.  But back to green vs. black, I believe the green would perfect this dish, of course I don't know that because this was a pasta dish made on the fly, but the green olive flavors would compliment the capers and anchovy, so if you try this and you like big flavor, go with the green!)
1/8 cup chopped capers
1 can of diced tomatoes (this is not a guess)
1 cup White wine
Melange du Sorcier (you can use dried red pepper flakes and any other heat-up-your-food type of spice)
salt & pepper
sugar
fresh basil
fresh grated Asiago cheese
1/2 pound of whole grain angel hair pasta (meatless meal so this give you some substance)

This meal is made simplest if you prep all your ingredients first, so all you have to do is put everything together.  At this stage I already have the pot of water with a bit of oil and salt warming and getting ready for the pasta to cook.

Saute on medium high heat the garlic in olive oil until just before it begins to brown, then stir in the anchovy paste and capers.  Now add the olives.  Lower the heat to medium low and let this mixture work together a bit.

Now raise the heat to medium high and add the can of tomatoes and the white wine.  This is when I add a large pinch of sugar to cut the acid in the tomatoes.  Let it bubble up while stirring often.  Then add the pasta that you have cooked according to the directions, (I use the low end of the time frame when cooking to allow it to finish cooking when I add it to the sauce). Let it work all together in the pan for a couple minutes.

Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil and freshly grated Asiago and you have 100% Simple Pasta!

Thanks for reading my blog (this is post # 100:) ), you are the best f/f/r/s/f's, see you tomorrow,
Lise