Kitchen fun

So my mom got me this butter crock for Christmas. I was a teensy skeptical but it turns out this thing is awesome. It uses water to make a seal so that your butter stays fresh and spreadable at room temp. Genius. Thanks, momma!



Also. In an effort to eat 80% less meat at our house (for health, economic, and moral reasons) I am furiously searching for delicious, easy-on-the-wallet, filling vegetarian dishes (that use non-processed ingredients). In my search I stumbled upon a recipe from Smitten Kitchen for a pasta dish. Asparagus, spiral pasta, tarragon, lemon, and goat cheese. I've tried goat cheese in the past and haven't cared much for it but in this dish, with all the lemon and asparagus, it is yummy. ALSO the melted goat cheese is a fabulous substitute for a regular white sauce (as Smitten Kitchen points out).



1 lb. spiral pasta
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cp. olive oil
1 TBSP lemon peel
2 tsps chopped fresh tarragon (I just used dried basil)
1 log of goat cheese
fresh lemon juice (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta and asparagus (I cooked both together). Set aside some pasta water. Mix the rest of the ingredients. Add pasta and asparagus and mix until goat cheese has completely melted. Add pasta water if need be. Salt and pepper and enjoy!