Welcome to Eden Cooks' December Meeting, everyone! While we're waiting for everyone to congregate, are you planning to get together with family soon, or have you already had your annual gathering? Is it going to be extended-family, or just something small?



The Spanish name for avocados is Aguacate or Palta, but they can also be called Alligator Pears in English

]]] less

With all the festivities of the season, I often find myself trying to remember recipes that will impress my guests, both their eyes and their taste buds. I usually experiment with new recipes all the time, but I was raised in a home where it was not acceptable to try out a new recipe on guests, so if you had visitors you should stick to something you would know would be a success.

I'm really glad that I happened to "experiment up" this red-and-green, ever-so-rich-and-tasty recipe in the summer months, because I come back to it again and again in December to serve something warm and pretty. (It's rare that my food looks good!) But here, the pretty steamed spinach and bright cubes of avocado make a perfect backdrop for the pretty light red alfredo, and the tang of the sun-dried tomatoes balances the richness of the cheese and avocado.

I asked this to the newcomers, but I'm curious for everyone---was my family's rule the common rule of thumb, or do you feel fine busting out a new experiment with guests over?

less

With all the festivities of the season, I often find myself trying to remember recipes that will impress my guests, both their eyes and their taste buds. I usually experiment with new recipes all the time, but I was raised in a home where it was not acceptable to try out a new recipe on guests, so if you had visitors you should stick to something you would know would be a success.

I'm really glad that I happened to "experiment up" this red-and-green, ever-so-rich-and-tasty recipe in the summer months, because I come back to it again and again in December to serve something warm and pretty. (It's rare that my food looks good!) But here, the pretty steamed spinach and bright cubes of avocado make a perfect backdrop for the pretty light red alfredo, and the tang of the sun-dried tomatoes balances the richness of the cheese and avocado.

I asked this to the newcomers, but I'm curious for everyone---was my family's rule the common rule of thumb, or do you feel fine busting out a new experiment with guests over?

less

With all the festivities of the season, I often find myself trying to remember recipes that will impress my guests, both their eyes and their taste buds. I usually experiment with new recipes all the time, but I was raised in a home where it was not acceptable to try out a new recipe on guests, so if you had visitors you should stick to something you would know would be a success.

I'm really glad that I happened to "experiment up" this red-and-green, ever-so-rich-and-tasty recipe in the summer months, because I come back to it again and again in December to serve something warm and pretty. (It's rare that my food looks good!) But here, the pretty steamed spinach and bright cubes of avocado make a perfect backdrop for the pretty light red alfredo, and the tang of the sun-dried tomatoes balances the richness of the cheese and avocado.

I asked this to the newcomers, but I'm curious for everyone---was my family's rule the common rule of thumb, or do you feel fine busting out a new experiment with guests over?

less

With all the festivities of the season, I often find myself trying to remember recipes that will impress my guests, both their eyes and their taste buds. I usually experiment with new recipes all the time, but I was raised in a home where it was not acceptable to try out a new recipe on guests, so if you had visitors you should stick to something you would know would be a success.

I'm really glad that I happened to "experiment up" this red-and-green, ever-so-rich-and-tasty recipe in the summer months, because I come back to it again and again in December to serve something warm and pretty. (It's rare that my food looks good!) But here, the pretty steamed spinach and bright cubes of avocado make a perfect backdrop for the pretty light red alfredo, and the tang of the sun-dried tomatoes balances the richness of the cheese and avocado.

I asked this to the newcomers, but I'm curious for everyone---was my family's rule the common rule of thumb, or do you feel fine busting out a new experiment with guests over?

less

All right! Let's get the ingredients together. I fed four people with this batch of alfredo---it doesn't reheat particularly well, and since presentation is important with guests over, it's best to make this for the number of people you'll be serving.


Sun-dried Tomato Alfredo With Avocado and Spinach


pasta:
2 birds' nests of fettucini (or your favorite pasta) per person (I used 8 nests)

alfredo:
0.5 cups cream
0.5 cups (1 stick) butter
1 cup parmjeganno-reggiano cheese, grated (this was my birthday dinner so we used the real stuff. Feel free to get parmesan that's pre-grated if you don't want to go over budget, but the powdered stuff in a green can will not work.)
5-10 sun dried tomato strips I'm using just dry-storage ones here, if you want a more brightly colored alfredo you can use sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
more sun dried tomato strips for garnish
optional: cracked black pepper, garlic, onion, other seasonings

greenery:
0.5 avocado per person
1 bunch of spinach
less

All right! Let's get the ingredients together. I fed four people with this batch of alfredo---it doesn't reheat particularly well, and since presentation is important with guests over, it's best to make this for the number of people you'll be serving.


Sun-dried Tomato Alfredo With Avocado and Spinach


pasta:
2 birds' nests of fettucini (or your favorite pasta) per person (I used 8 nests)

alfredo:
0.5 cups cream
0.5 cups (1 stick) butter
1 cup parmjeganno-reggiano cheese, grated (this was my birthday dinner so we used the real stuff. Feel free to get parmesan that's pre-grated if you don't want to go over budget, but the powdered stuff in a green can will not work.)
5-10 sun dried tomato strips I'm using just dry-storage ones here, if you want a more brightly colored alfredo you can use sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
more sun dried tomato strips for garnish
optional: cracked black pepper, garlic, onion, other seasonings

greenery:
0.5 avocado per person
1 bunch of spinach
less

All right! Let's get the ingredients together. I fed four people with this batch of alfredo---it doesn't reheat particularly well, and since presentation is important with guests over, it's best to make this for the number of people you'll be serving.


Sun-dried Tomato Alfredo With Avocado and Spinach


pasta:
2 birds' nests of fettucini (or your favorite pasta) per person (I used 8 nests)

alfredo:
0.5 cups cream
0.5 cups (1 stick) butter
1 cup parmjeganno-reggiano cheese, grated (this was my birthday dinner so we used the real stuff. Feel free to get parmesan that's pre-grated if you don't want to go over budget, but the powdered stuff in a green can will not work.)
5-10 sun dried tomato strips I'm using just dry-storage ones here, if you want a more brightly colored alfredo you can use sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
more sun dried tomato strips for garnish
optional: cracked black pepper, garlic, onion, other seasonings

greenery:
0.5 avocado per person
1 bunch of spinach
less

If you want to be completely hard-core and make your own pasta, I believe we'll be hitting up allinonekid to contribute a recipe to the Eden Cooks blog...

less

With all the festivities of the season, I often find myself trying to remember recipes that will impress my guests, both their eyes and their taste buds. I usually experiment with new recipes all the time, but I was raised in a home where it was not acceptable to try out a new recipe on guests, so if you had visitors you should stick to something you would know would be a success.

I'm really glad that I happened to "experiment up" this red-and-green, ever-so-rich-and-tasty recipe in the summer months, because I come back to it again and again in December to serve something warm and pretty. (It's rare that my food looks good!) But here, the pretty steamed spinach and bright cubes of avocado make a perfect backdrop for the pretty light red alfredo, and the tang of the sun-dried tomatoes balances the richness of the cheese and avocado.

I asked this to the newcomers, but I'm curious for everyone---was my family's rule the common rule of thumb, or do you feel fine busting out a new experiment with guests over?

less