Anyone Can Cook: Pesto Pasta

For those who don't know, I'm a big Disney fan.

I had to do a project on him in 3rd grade as a famous Chicagoan and have watched almost all his movies since the beginning of time - it grew from there and never stopped.

Taking a cue from a Chef Gusteau (Ratatouille), one important thing I have to remember while being in the country of food is simply this; "anyone can cook".

With this in mind, I am no expert. I throw things I think work well or attempt a Pinterest find and hope it goes well.

Since I am taking a few cooking classes here, I thought, why not share the (learning) wealth?

I'm going to start a little series called Anyone Can Cook along with what I'll be making. I started this blog to be able to not just show fashion, but all aspects of life - including the one I am currently working on which is cooking!

Without further adieu, here it goes! Comment what you think and let me know if you try it!

One thing I cooked last night that is so easy (and so delicious!) is pasta with pesto and cheese.

I'm not a huge meat sauce person so pesto was a great alternative to add flavor.

Here are the items you'll need for this dish:

1 quarter of a box of pasta (whatever kind you want to use! I chose Penne Rigate)

a dash of pesto (can pick it up at any supermarket for cheap)

parmesan cheese (either already in a container or a block to grate)

drizzle of olive oil

pinch of salt & pepper

grater (optional)

bowl

pot & cover

stirrer

strainer

fork

Step 1: Take the pot and fill halfway with water, drizzle in olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Cover with a top on the stove, set to medium heat and wait until it boils.

Step 2: Once boiling, pour the pasta in and stir and change the heat setting to a little bit lower. Wait 10 minutes and check the pasta by stirring it and pulling one out; if its still hard, give it another 5 minutes, if not its ready!

Step 3: Strain the pasta over the sink and move it to a bowl. Pour the pesto on top and a dash of pepper. Mix well.

Step 4: Grate the cheese (or pour if already powdery) on top of the pasta. Mix well.

Step 5: Serve & eat - you're done!

First Two Weeks of Florence: Pink Park Goes Abroad

I apologize for the delay in posting but I am now officially living in Florence, Italy for 4 months!!

I am so happy here and cannot wait to document what's ahead.

Here are the highlights so far from my first week here.

The Food

The food here is unbelievable! Pizza, pasta, gelato, cannoli desserts - everything I've tried so far has blown me out of the water. My roommates and I have been hitting up the Central Market right next to our apartment (!!!) which has been a cheap & chic stop each time. They have booths for each food item that you order from and they make to order. The pistachio gelato from there has since gotten me on a pistachio kick and we have been frequent customers to the cannoli cart nearby. Another must try is the secret bakeries in the late night hours - once you get a location, knock on the door and a chef tells you two options. Pick one (or both) and you pay about a euro or two each! Crazy cheap & oh so good! I got a Nutella doughnut for my first time - so good!! Their menus change each night so its always fun to come back just to see what's next.

The Sights

The buildings here make you think you just walked onto a movie set. Most of them are from the 1600s onward - can't say the same for buildings in the US. The Duomo (dome) church is the focal point of Florence and is lit up each night to show off its beauty. Its also a great landmark to look for if you get lost in the city - very helpful if you are traveling from a friend's apartment or coming back from a night of dancing and just need a quick check on your direction home. Another few points to not miss are the Ponte Vecchio, the river that divides the city and is home to different silver shops and little bars/pubs lining it. After crossing it, take a hike up to the Michelangelo steps (bring a water bottle - it is steep!) to see the BEST view of the city and the hills of Tuscany. The long walk up is worth it! To make the experience more worth wild, bring a bottle of wine and drink up on the top (makes a cute picture too). When walking back home from the Ponte Vecchio, hop on the pretty carousel in the Piazza della Repubblica near the Arcone (arch). This Piazza is where all the hot shops and markets are home to, even some familiar ones like H&M and Zara. Before leaving this spot, make sure to find the Porcellino (boar) fountain. Toss a coin into his mouth & rub his snout for good luck & as a way to insure your return to Florence! One last highlight is that every first Sunday of the month, all museums in Florence are free (WHAT?). With this in mind, my friends and I ran to see the David and a few Bottichelli pieces all at the low price of zero euros - how awesome right?! I recommend waiting for these free days if possible since the rest of the museums that these were featured in did not have much of a variety of pieces besides these world renowned ones.

Venice Carnival

Carnival was crazy (and creepy at times!), so many people in costumes (and just in general). They even had a contest to pick which one was the most beautiful/creative! After buying a mask of my own, my friends and I walked around the square to take it all in. We knew we would be back again through school so we didn't waste time waiting in the long lines to see the Doge Palace and St. Mark's Basilica. We'll go when its less crowded! We also wanted to wait on the Gondola rides since we knew we had one included on our second trip so we mainly just took in the city and the camaraderie around us, stopping inside a shop or two and a church. One water taxi and bus ride later, we were back home in Florence!

I also had all my classes the following week - all of them went well, thank goodness! I'm taking a couple fashion courses (it's my major!) and a food class along with a pairing food & wine class so I can get better at cooking. I'll keep you all posted on the food classes since I think I'll be learning the most from these courses!

See you all soon - Arrivederci!