If feel like I've been a real downer for you all lately.  I gotta lighten things up a bit because even though I feel like it's the end of the world most of the time, we still need to laugh and live our life... right?  So, I'm trying to think of subjects that are fun and good for a laugh.  Things that people like and that makes them feel warm and fuzzy inside... not like they want to contemplate their own demise.
I guess that I could talk about my kids.  Kids are always cute and funny.  Unless they're those annoying kids on airplanes or restaurants.  The ones that talk really loudly and tell the entire place that they want to go home NOW or that they don't want rice and they HATE mashed potatoes.  Most kids are fun though and mostly cute too... awwww.
I could talk about biking or running or yoga because I'm passionate about those things in my life.  I could tell you that I love getting up early every morning to bike or run to work.  I could tell you what a gas it is to run to work in the winter.  I would be lying though.  Most of the time it's hard and I just don't even ask myself if I want to do it because the answer would always be no.  But even when it blows hard it's still one of my favourite things to do... cool, so that paragraph ended on an 'up beat'.
I could talk about my friends because I love my friends.  They're the best... who else would buy me copious amounts of liver and gall bladder tea while in Germany.  Who else would make Sangria and invite me over to drink way too much of it with them.  Who else would take you to the King Edward for champagne AFTER you've been to the pub together.  It's the friends who are still friends with you after stupid-too-much-sangria-conversations.

I could write about summer and how awesome it is and how I would take 31 degrees C over winter any day.  I would much rather sweat than shiver.  I don't use air conditioning because I want to feel summer. I want to hear it... because my windows are open.  I want to feel the breeze or the lack of it.  I want to have the challenge of cooking outside or having cold food because it's just too damn hot to put on the stove or the oven.  I don't mind dealing with allergies because that means it's summer.  For me, it's part of fully embracing the seasons (running in the middle of winter being my way of 'embracing' that particular season as well)
See... I can do 'up'.  I can.



What I need to also tell you though is that this recipe makes a truck load.  I made it on a tuesday.  D left for Trinidad the next day.  For a whole week.  So that left 3 of us finishing the dish.  Two of us are under 10 years of age.  Now this dish is good.  It was really good but by Saturday we were so sick of eating the thing that we all groaned when I pulled it out again and I had to promise Kid #1 and #2 (and myself too 'cause... damn) that this was the last time and we would compost the rest (it wasn't much, really it wasn't).   So (to keep things on the 'happy side of life') I would recommend that if you want to make this and you don't have a family of say about 8 give or take then you might want to have a party.  Invite some of those friends to come over during the summer... maybe they could ride their bike or run to your place.... and bring their awesome, wayyyy cute and polite kids with them and they could all drink some sangria or champagne without any air conditioning.  It could be like a whole lotta 'happy'.


Creamy Meatball and Chard Pasta
serves 8 - 10

Seasoned Meat
1 1/2 lbs ground meat (I used a mixture of ground beef and pork)
1 egg
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (or more) chopped fresh herbs (I used oregano, basil, parsley, chive and mint)
3 tbsp brown sugar or honey
dash of cayenne or pepper sauce

5 cups large pasta (rotini, shells - something big), cooked al dente
1 medium onion, sliced
3 large cloves of garlic minced (or use garlic scapes if it's in season)
1 large bunch chard or spinach (about 5 cups - it cooks down a lot)
1/2 cup minced fresh herbs (I used basil, parsley and oregano)
1 vegetable bouillion cube (dissolve in a little bit of hot water)
2 tsp salt
dash of fresh lemon juice and zest (if you have - I didn't)
800 ml ricotta
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup milk or cream
1 1/2 cups mozzarella shredded

Meatballs:
Combine all the ingredients in a big bowl.  Form balls the size of large marbles.
Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat.  Add a little oil (just to cover the bottom of the pot) and then add in the meatballs.  Turn frequently and heat all the meatballs until they are just browned and cooked through.  Remove from the pot and set aside.

Assembly:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Using the same dutch oven (and save the grease so that you don't have to use any more) add in the onion and garlic.  Cook over medium heat until the onion is started to brown.  Turn the heat down to med/low and add in the spinach.  Cook until the spinach has wilted.
Add in the herbs, bouillion liquid, salt and lemon juice/zest.  Mix.
Add in the ricotta, parmesan and milk/cream.  Mix.
Turn off the heat and check the tastes.  Adjust if needed.

Mix the cooked pasta and meatballs together.  Pour into a large baking dish.
Add the vegetable mixture and mix everything together well.
Spread evenly in the baking dish.  Cover with the shredded mozzarella cheese.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until the mozzarella is just beginning to turn golden on the top (it will be bubbling)
Remove from the oven and cool for about 15 minutes.