...if you just got home from the hospital after breaking something

The challenge posed to my mom for this blog was what would she make if her friend was just getting home from the hospital and she wanted to make something to help out while said friend got re-acclimated to homelife. This is what she said:

"My friend WAS in an accident and broke her wrist. I wanted to take her some stuff she could keep in the fridge/freezer and just pop in the oven or microwave, but I am SO tired of the usual winter stews and casseroles. It’s Spring! (Which means the dark gray rainy days are giving way to pale gray rainy days*) Thinking of that salad with the roasted pears, blue cheese and walnuts on leafy greens, I decided it would make a great hot dish. Stop with the “Eww, gross!” It’s much better than it sounds.

There’s a local fresh pasta company that makes a great caramelized pear and gorgonzola ravioli. While waiting for the water to boil for the pasta I cleaned, stemmed and chopped a bunch of red chard and sautéed it with some onion and garlic. While the pasta cooked I made a white sauce seasoned with sage and nutmeg and threw in a big handful of parmesan. I finished the chard with a splash of vermouth and some toasted walnut pieces. Then I finished a shaker of gin with a splash of vermouth…but I digress. When everything was done I layered it all like Garfield’s favorite food (trivia question!!**), strewed more parmesan and some chopped parsley artfully over the top, flung it in the oven and Bob’s your uncle***!"

So, my mom would make you a salad, in pasta form, if you broke a body part.

*As previously stated, my Ma lives in Seattle, land of rain, rain & more rain.
**ANSWER: lasagna
***Bob isn't really my uncle.

... if you had a sinus infection

I called my mom the other night because a sinus infection had me feeling yucky.  It was dinner time and I was hungry, but after a full day at work, I didnt want to move anymore, let alone try to make something to eat.  So one of the last vestiges of my childhood decided to rear its head.  I called my mom and when she answered, I immediately greeted her with "What's for dinner?  I'm sick. Can you make me something?"  


I am a grown up, but sometimes you just have to call your mom and act like a 5 year old.  However the thing that makes this situation really crazy, is that my mom happens to live 932.7 miles* away from me.  She humored me though and said that she was sorry I was sick and told me all the things she would make me for dinner if she really was in the same house as I was.


The next day I got the following email, which is the inspiration (and starting point) of this blog:
"You prodded me into the kitchen last night.  I made Eggs Florentine for my dinner.  Creamed spinach my way:  sautéed baby spinach lightly, added whipping cream and let it reduce a couple of minutes and seasoned with s&p and nutmeg.  Piled it on a toasted whole grain English muffin and topped with poached eggs (perfectly cooked, I might add).  Dee-licious!  I put the creamy-eggy plate down for a certain furry friend of yours and she licked it so clean I didn’t have to put it through the dishwasher (but I did anyway)."


So that is really and truly what my mom would have made you... if you had a sinus infection.


*as calculated by the Mileage Calculator