Farfelle with Kale and Bacon

I really really did!!

OMGosh guys...

I skipped one week of blogging and it turned into two before I knew it!

I knew I was going to be busy for awhile...but it just steamrolled as this sort of stuff tends to do.

My birthday just passed, hubby took me out for a nice breakfast and a day of putzing around in stores with him and my mother in law. He even bought me a gorgeous cast iron pan...so excited!

My mother in law went into the hospital a couple of days later to have her knee replaced. She had one done a couple of years ago and is very happy with the results. 

Hubby and I took a mini vacation with my aunt and uncle, just a weekend away, but it was so nice! A couple of the cousins (4...so more than a couple) decided to join us, and then friends came up for the day as well. We celebrated one of the younger cousin's birthday while together.

On the way home, the girl child called me to let me know she was stranded on the side of the road. The brakes on her car went.

Sadly, this is not the first time this has happened to her!

When she was learning to drive, it happened while driving hubby's truck. On the plus side, I think she was a little more prepared than most when it happened. She found a great place to pull over and was able to tell us exactly where she was. We were two states away, which stunk...but my amazing sister in law and brother in law dropped everything to go get her for us.

We limped her car to the shop...and got a flat tire in the meantime. 

Craziness I tell ya!

A couple of days later, she was driving hubby's truck (as hers is still in the shop) and called to say it wasn't turning over. Turn the key...nothing. Sigh. Hubby was walking out the door to go get her and he had a thought and called her back

Hubby: "so...it was dark when you drove this morning, did you, by chance, leave your lights on?"

Girl Child: "oh...um, yes I did"

One jump start later and she was on her way home.

I was getting text messages about this as I am sitting in a work-required BLS certification class.

(yes, I did pass in case you are interested)

My mother in law's discharge was delayed due to a random phantom pain in her ankle (ultrasound showed nothing) and a teeny tiny fever. Just by a day, but she was bummed. 

She's home now and loving life. 

Off today to visit her and bring her some of her faves, just because.

Asparagus Soup

Baked Beans

Long story short....
I'm BAAAAAACK
Missed ya!

Ingredients:

8 oz Farfelle (Bow Ties)

5 Cups kale (torn to bite size)

5 Bacon slices (cooked)

1 Tbsp bacon drippings

⅓ Cup sun dried tomatoes (rough chopped)

¼ Tsp red chili pepper flakes

5 Cloves garlic (minced)

Salt

Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook pasta until almost al dente

2. With 2 minutes remaining, add kale to pasta water

3. Reserve ½ cup pasta water

4. Drain pasta kale mix

5. Add bacon drippings to a skillet

6. Add sun dried tomatoes, chili flakes, and garlic

7. Stir about a minute, or until garlic is golden brown

8. Add pasta and kale to skillet, pour in enough cooking water to ensure pasta will not be dry

9. Crumble bacon into skillet, toss to combine

10. Add salt to taste

11. Top with Parmesan if desired

Print

Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

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