Boys on delay; instead, dinner

I am just crushed, y'all. Mom's and the boys' flight out of Lake Charles was so late that they'd have missed their connection in Houston, so they had to change everything to return tomorrow. Of course I am glad that they found this out while still in LC, but I was desperately excited to see them tonight. It was a pretty crap night all around, really, and so I am calling it a day, eager to see them tomorrow. When unhappy, what do I often do but cook. T benefited from this in grand fashion tonight because I made one of my best dishes: a caramelized shallot and cabbage tart with tasso (a cured ham that's a specialty of southern Louisiana food. It's long been hard to find around here but of late seems to be on a popularity kick, and I now buy excellent tasso from Eco Friendly Foods at the Dupont farmers market.) Yee-howdy.

This plus two episodes of House of Cards (I know, I'm behind; just started it two days ago.) and some wine has taken me down a notch, amen. Off to bed I go.

Delicious dinner

Once dinner (for me) finally came 'round tonight, I was really hungry and really tired. The boys and I went to get frozen yogurt (Jack mixed watermelon and Oreo in the same cup; BARF) and then to the bookstore for a new book each: Knuffle Bunny really is a hoot, and J discovered a new mystery series that comes in chapter book form, so we got one of those. Fun. Nonetheless, controlling small Tasmanian devils in stores (read: public places) sometimes feels like a Herculean task, and after that, getting home, making dinner, mediating the requisite witching-hour sibling squabble and then a bath and bedtime...well, suffice it to say that I poured a glass of wine during the last book. Pasta sounded comforting, and a rummage through the fridge unearthed some young leeks, half of a when-did-I-buy-that Savoy cabbage, 1 clementine, some prosciutto and my fresh ricotta. OK! A quick cook of the prosciutto and then in the meager drippings, a sauté of shredded cabbage, chopped leeks, a scallion, 2 ramp bulbs and the zest of the clementine. I chose farro linguine to accompany this and added a bit of whey, the juice of half the clementine and some fresh ricotta at the end. Really yummy! I didn't incorporate much of the actual prosciutto; just enough to add some crisp flavor, and a grate of pecorino over pasta is never a bad idea.