Down on the Farm (Spaghetti with Sugar Snap Peas)

If you met me for like 10 minutes, you'd realize that I don't grow things.  Except my kiddo, thank goodness.  Green things, however, shrivel up and die in my presence.  I don't understand why...I water and place in sunlight and follow all the directions and yet somehow even the hardiest bamboo withers under my loving gaze.  The only plant that I have someone managed not to kill is a potted aloe plant that my gramma gave me about 4 years ago that sits in the window of my living room, which only proves that it is probably not a real plant, but a prop, placed by a covert government agency to spy on me.  (Hey, just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.)

This is why I don't even attempt to garden.  I bought some herb plants a few weeks ago at the grocery store, and they lasted exactly three days.  Three days.  Insects live longer than my plants.

Needless to say, the only fresh produce that enters my house comes from the grocery store or the farmer's market. So, when my BFF suggested that we go to Johnson's Farm and pick strawberries, I was skeptical.  Pick our own produce?  I didn't want to be responsible for decimating entire crops with just the touch of my black thumbs.  Oh well.  Surely these poor plants would have enough protection from real farmers to withstand an afternoon with me.  I strapped the kiddo into the Baby Bjorn and away we went, to toil in the fields like my ancestors.

Tractors are, apparently, fascinating to babies.

And we had a blast!!  There's something satisfying about working that hard for fresh food (and trust me, picking strawberries with a 17 pound kid strapped to the front of you is no small task - my quads have barely recovered).  I think it enhances the yum factor, when you can say "I picked that with my own two hands!"  This is definitely something that I want to do more often, and that I want my kids to experience as they grow up.  As long as I don't have to do the planting.  Or the watering.

Love...and a bunch of veggies.

You should go pick yourself some snap peas and make this pasta dish for dinner.  Or you could just buy them.  Either way, you should have this for dinner tonight!

Spaghetti with Snap Peas and Prosciutto

(via Food Network Magazine)

12 oz spaghetti

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 clove garlic, minced

zest from 1/2 of a lemon

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced

3 tablespoons olive oil

ground pepper and kosher salt

6 heaping cups torn spinach

2 cups sugar snap peas, halved

1/4 pound prosciutto, torn into bite sized pieces

1/4 up roughly chopped fresh parsley

3 oz pecorino romano cheese, shaved

Cook the spaghetti as directed, al dente, reserving 1/2 cup of the water.  In a large skillet over medium heat, bring the wine, garlic and lemon zest to a simmer.  Gradually whisk in the butter, then the olive oil, stirring until thickened slightly.  Add the salt and pepper to taste.  Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 3-4 minutes.  Add the snap peas and cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes.  Drain the spaghetti and add to the skillet.  Add the reserved liquid, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, until loosened as needed.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the prosciutto.  Divide among plates and top with the cheese and parsley.