Cassie and JC got Brad and me the wonderful combined birthday present of bringing us and Mom to the Mumford and Sons concert at JPJ last night. The concert was scheduled to begin at 7:30, but Mom looked up on the internet that there was a warmup band and M&S haven't been taking the stage on this tour until more like 9:00, so she rallied hard for not getting to the venue until much closer to then. The birthday boys overruled her though, which ended up being a mixed bag.
On the plus side, arriving earlier allowed us to: (1) get closer parking, so we didn't have to hump it all the way to The Park at 11:15 once we finally exited the JPJ after the concert was over; (2) let Cassie enjoy some Dippin' Dots before the concert; and (3) take this picture of Mom and me with the 2019 Men's Basketball national championship banner which is hanging from the rafters:
On the other hand, Mom was right in that the warmup band, which was fronted by a Chris Stapleton wannabe, was very loud and not very good. Mom got bored, which got her started on texting us, since we couldn't hear each other. (All entries are sic so I don't have to correct Mom's texting.)
Mom Cassie Jancalo
It’s hot as fuck
And loud as fuck
You can use my extra loops dawg
That’s why I sent them over
They didn’t work. Brad
usinff get then.
They hurt me ears abd
didnt dull the sound
Anyone else get claustrophobic
My. Cheeks hurt
Ruh roh
Gonna be a long one
Shame we got here so
early amirite
You gotta start glute
training!
I know this song
[the warmup band covered
U dare me to stand up
and start singing and dancing?
Tell Cass we need a selfie
JasonKelce on the drums
Im gonna boop somebody
if my one walks by me again
Happily, my beloved son-in-law delivered this immortal response to Mom's chaos machinations:
This is why we can't have
nice things
M&S took the stage at last and supplied the cure for Mom's boredom. So, all in all, everything worked out great: (1) Mom got to be right*; (2) the concert was fantastic; and (3) we have a new Ferrer family catchphrase for the ages.
This is why we can't have nice things
---------
* But see episode 501.
 |
| Cassie did, in fact, take a selfie. Brad looks traumatized. |
*********
Three of Mom's favorite food things are gnocchi, pesto, and easy sheet-pan dinners. With that in mind, I came up with a meal riffing on the Pasta al Pesto Ricco that Mom likes so much. That's a classic Genovese-style pesto pasta with some green beans and potato mixed in. Here, I upped the green beans and potato to make for a heartier dinner. Mom likes this quick and easy version so much she says she's not going back to the original.
Sheet-Pan Gnocchi with Green Beans and Pesto
A UaKS original
Time: ~45 minutes, plus 10 minutes to make the pesto if you don't have any on hand
This is the same pesto recipe as my Food Processor Pesto 1.5, reprinted here for ease of use.
For the pesto
30 grams (¼ cup) pine nuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, or cashews (pine nuts are traditional but expensive; pecans are surprisingly delicious)
1 garlic clove
¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
80 grams (⅜ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
40 grams (2 loosely packed cups) Genovese basil leaves
40 grams (~½ cup) grated Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese
For the gnocchi
680 grams (24 ounces) green beans, preferably the thinner haricots verts variety (French beans)
2 or 3 small gold or butter potatoes
1 (16- to 18-ounce) package shelf-stable gnocchi, such as DeCecco Potato Gnocchi no. 401 or DeCecco Gluten-Free Potato Gnocchi
75 grams (6 tablespoons) extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Place a rack in the center of the oven; heat to 425 degrees. Pam-spray an 18-by-13 inch (half-sheet) baking pan.
2. To make the pesto: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal “s” blade (the food processor attachment for the Braun immersion blender works great), pulse the nuts until they’re roughly chopped. Add the garlic, salt, and oil, and process until the garlic is finely chopped.
3. Chop the basil roughly, just a few slices with a sharp knife. Add to the food processor, and pulse until the basil is finely chopped, scraping the bowl down as needed. Add the cheese, and pulse a few times just until mixed in. (You can make the pesto a few days ahead; transfer to a jar and cover the top with a thin film of extra-virgin olive oil, then seal tightly and store in the fridge until needed.)
4. To make the gnocchi: Stem the green beans if necessary, then cut into ~1½-inch lengths.
5. Scrub the potatoes (no need to peel). Quarter lengthwise, then cut into ¼-inch quarter moons.
6. Place the green beans and potatoes in a large bowl. Add the gnocchi. Toss with the olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper, then toss again.
7. Scrape everything in the bowl onto the prepared sheet pan and spread into an even layer. Roast, stirring once, until the gnocchi are golden and crisp and the beans and potatoes are cooked through, about 20 minutes if your oven is actually the right temperature.
8. Remove from the oven. Add the pesto, and stir everything together until the gnocchi and veggies are evenly coated. Serve promptly. Serves 3 to 4.
For the pesto
30 grams (¼ cup) pine nuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, or cashews (pine nuts are traditional but expensive; pecans are surprisingly delicious)
1 garlic clove
¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
80 grams (⅜ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
40 grams (2 loosely packed cups) Genovese basil leaves
40 grams (~½ cup) grated Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese
For the gnocchi
680 grams (24 ounces) green beans, preferably the thinner haricots verts variety (French beans)
2 or 3 small gold or butter potatoes
1 (16- to 18-ounce) package shelf-stable gnocchi, such as DeCecco Potato Gnocchi no. 401 or DeCecco Gluten-Free Potato Gnocchi
75 grams (6 tablespoons) extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Place a rack in the center of the oven; heat to 425 degrees. Pam-spray an 18-by-13 inch (half-sheet) baking pan.
2. To make the pesto: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal “s” blade (the food processor attachment for the Braun immersion blender works great), pulse the nuts until they’re roughly chopped. Add the garlic, salt, and oil, and process until the garlic is finely chopped.
3. Chop the basil roughly, just a few slices with a sharp knife. Add to the food processor, and pulse until the basil is finely chopped, scraping the bowl down as needed. Add the cheese, and pulse a few times just until mixed in. (You can make the pesto a few days ahead; transfer to a jar and cover the top with a thin film of extra-virgin olive oil, then seal tightly and store in the fridge until needed.)
4. To make the gnocchi: Stem the green beans if necessary, then cut into ~1½-inch lengths.
5. Scrub the potatoes (no need to peel). Quarter lengthwise, then cut into ¼-inch quarter moons.
6. Place the green beans and potatoes in a large bowl. Add the gnocchi. Toss with the olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper, then toss again.
7. Scrape everything in the bowl onto the prepared sheet pan and spread into an even layer. Roast, stirring once, until the gnocchi are golden and crisp and the beans and potatoes are cooked through, about 20 minutes if your oven is actually the right temperature.
8. Remove from the oven. Add the pesto, and stir everything together until the gnocchi and veggies are evenly coated. Serve promptly. Serves 3 to 4.
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