Ali

Some of our dear friends already lent us their bassinet, so I know it will probably be awhile before this crib gets put to use, but I’m excited to at least get some of the big pieces of our nursery ready to go before our little guy arrives. I’m so thankful that our son will grow up in a world where women are finally represented in the highest offices of the executive branch, and I look forward to seeing hopefully so many more women (especially women of color) from all political parties hold these offices in years to come. Ever since Barcelona implemented a 10pm curfew (called a toque de queda in Spanish) a few months ago, the city’s late night culture has be forced to shift a bit earlier when it comes to evening hangs. Currently working on organizing all of the baby clothes (can’t get over how cute and teeny they are!) and baby gear that our friends have brought over, and dreaming of what life will be like in two months when our little guy arrives.

My all-time favorite bolognese sauce recipe is slow-simmered with a rich tomato base, a delicious blend of beef and pork, and the coziest blend of garlicky seasonings. One with a rich, slow-simmered, tomato base (versus the traditional version, which many are surprised to learn includes minimal tomato), one made with an extra-flavorful variety of meats (including Italian sausage, in addition to traditional beef and pancetta), one that leans into some of my favorite Italian seasonings (garlic, herbs, plus a hint of anchovies, trust me), and one that takes the time it needs to simmer and develop an unforgettable depth of flavor (the key to good bolognese, a process that simply can’t be rushed). In Bologna, this sauce is traditionally slow-simmered with just a handful of standard ingredients, including beef, pancetta, Italian soffritto (carrots, celery, onion), tomato paste, milk, wine, salt and pepper. * Meat: Bolognese sauce is traditionally made with just ground beef and pancetta, but I like to use a 50/50 combo of ground beef and ground Italian sausage for extra flavor.

But this particular version made with chewy al dente orzo pasta, a slightly-spicy lemon rosemary broth, with lots of fresh Parmesan sprinkled on top has been totally hitting the spot this winter. I love the texture of orzo in this soup, but feel free to use any other pasta shape that you love best. * Add extra veggies: Feel free to toss in any other soup-friendly veggies (such as carrots, leeks, zucchini, potatoes, green beans, artichoke hearts) that sound good. So feel free to use whatever greens, beans, pasta shapes (or rice) or fresh herbs that you have on hand.

Before we get to the full recipe below, here are a few important notes about the ingredients you will need to make these plant-based “carnitas”… Mushrooms: I went with king oyster mushrooms for this recipe because, once shredded (with the caps thinly sliced), they magically take on the texture of traditional shredded pork carnitas. For the fastest cooking time, thinly shred/slice the mushrooms as use a large baking sheet so that the mushrooms can cook in a shallow, even layer.) Make it gluten-free: Use a gluten-free beer in the marinade, or sub in some extra orange juice or veggie stock instead. For the fastest cooking time, thinly shred/slice the mushrooms as use a large baking sheet so that the mushrooms can cook in a shallow, even layer.)