Wednesday: Green for St. Patty's Day - pasta & bath

I spent a lonely St. Patrick's Day at home this year. While this is my second favorite holiday (after Halloween - both involve dressing up, one in costumes, the other in my favorite color), it was a strange week, and all my plans fell through, and I went home to relax by myself. I didn't really feel like cooking all that much, to be honest. But I didn't want to go out to eat, and I thought I could try to be a little festive by eating something green. On top of that, green is one of the most important food groups, and since I wasn't cooking a lot this week, I felt low in chlorophyll.

I decided to do a quasi-home-cooked meal. This is the kind of meal where most ingredients are packaged in some way, but you prepare it yourself. I don't prefer to eat this way, but I console myself by knowing that partially pre-packaged meals are still better than a totally packaged meal.

Green Pasta

1 package refrigerated butternut squash ravioli
1 half of 1 small bunch broccolini (flowering broccoli stalks; broccoli is fine, too)
1 large spoonful pesto

Boil the pasta according to package directions. In the mean time, chop the broccolini or broccoli. After paste is done, drain, and the put in a frying pan with some olive oil and the broccolini. Cook until broccolini is wilted and raviolis are browned. Add the pesto and stir until melted. Serve hot!

This dish is really easy, but it balances a pre-made pasta with a fresh ingredient and a homemade ingredient.

Green Bath

I also wanted to take a bath, but our custom concrete bathtub does come with the limitation of oil and salt causing discoloration. I wanted to do seomthing in celebration of St. Patty's... I decided to take a green bath!

1 large handful green tea in a hot bath



Survey says: Marshall wasn't home. I thought it was good, but not great. Although I have to admit that I made it again the next day without the broccolini and it was even better. I think the broccolini overpowered the pesto some, and would be good with a smaller amount of it.
Total Time: 15 minutes
Leftovers: Pasta only, a 2nd serving