Last of the Winter (Slow Roasted Tomatoes with Pasta)

My parents have gardened for as long as I can remember. Even as we moved all over the US, whether our yard was large or small, it was always heavily cultivated for flowers, herbs, and vegetables. While my mother subscribed to copious magazines, toted a dog-eared copy of The Border in Bloom seemingly at all times, and directed our aesthetic efforts, the vegetables were more my father's passion. I think it's a family thing, as I can always remember my meme's tomatoes.

Taste memory

Raising Spirits (Roasted Delicata Squash Pasta)

As my mother always quotes: "No leaves. No flowers. No fruit. November." The autumn just keeps on trucking along, leaving us with early sunsets and snowstorms to contend with. Personally, I'd rather just hibernate for the season and wake up in mid-May. I think that traditions such as Halloween and Christmas find their roots in humanity's attempt to stave off the depression of winter. It's a tradition I'm happy to embrace, and today I have some hot squash, pancetta, and spinach pasta for you.

Dinner: 1, Depression: 0

A Gift to be Simple (Gorgonzola Pasta, Balsamic Honey, Walnuts, Arugula)

As I'm sure you know, life can be a bit of a whirlwind. Work, chores, friends, family... each has merits on its own, but coming at you in unison, they can combine to form a perfect storm of chaos. That's why it's important to simplify every now and then.

Patience, grasshopper