Tuna spaghetti and toast bring cooking mojo back!
“Wifey, will you cook pasta?,” asked my husband as we were planning our New Year’s eve dinner. My lazy bones wanted to scream “No!”, my clogged nose wanted to say “Uh-uh!”, but my heart won over those two sickly body parts and said, “Of course!” Cooking took a huge backseat for me in ’08, going against that year’s resolution of cooking more. I plan to make that resolution come to life this ’09, so New Year’s Eve was a good way to rekindle my cooking mojo.
So out of the cupboard came the spaghetti and ingredients for my sauce. The sauce I made was very simple.
I sauteed half a white onion until it almost caramelized, threw in about five cloves of chopped garlic, stirred in two cans of tuna. I let the flavors simmer for awhile, let them get to know each other, la dee dah. Then I mixed in some olives and capers, followed by a can of tomato and basil spaghetti sauce, and a sprinkle of sugar, salt and pepper. Stir, simmer, stir, simmer. I simmered the sauce for about twenty minutes total so all the flavors could really blend together.
The pasta was a success, much to my relief. I couldn’t smell anything during the cooking process (clogged nose, right!) so I had to ask H to taste the sauce twice. Apparently I did something right because it tasted great. Maybe I should cook with a clogged nose more often.
And what’s pasta without garlic bread? In a pan, melt butter. Throw in as much chopped garlic as you want. When almost golden, throw in sliced bread. Turn over when buttered side is toasted to your liking. Toast some more. I could have used a toaster oven, but I found more joy doing this. H enjoyed the toasted garlic bread a lot, a lot more than if I had used my toaster oven I’m sure.
We brought the extra pasta and sauce to my in-laws the next day. My Mom-in-law said she and my brother-in-law enjoyed it. Since they’re both pasta lovers, that was a fabulous compliment that made my heart soar.
So yeah, that lost cooking mojo is slowly finding its way back. A home-cooked meal, heart trumping sick bones and a clogged nose, affirmation for a dish I enjoyed preparing — what a good way to welcome the new year!
January 6th, 2009 at 1:02 am
awww, congratulations! i’m glad your cooking mojo was back!
i can fully attest to the power of love overcoming our laziness, inhibitions, fears and even sickly body parts. i miss tuna, so i’ll be making tuna sauce this week too, in honor of your cooking mojo that found its way back on new year’s eve.
cheers to more cooking episides!!!
odettes last blog post..fitting room chronicles
January 6th, 2009 at 1:32 am
That looked so yummy! Nagutom ako … and I’m on a diet ha …
January 6th, 2009 at 2:54 am
happy new year toni-tones!
wow! the sauce looks delish –reminds of a puttanesca sauce. i’ll have to try tuna next time since i’ve never had it! like you, i aim to do more cooking this year!
p.s. did you get the card i emailed you?
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January 6th, 2009 at 8:38 am
Very nice, I made some pancit canton too, it was super cool din, alam ko, kasi naubos agad.
shengs last blog post..My Baby is Now Three
January 6th, 2009 at 11:54 am
We also had tuna pasta for the New Year. Nothing beats cooking for your loved ones, diba?
Gays last blog post..Pinoy klasiks: kaldereta
January 6th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Your cooking ulit. Very Nice. To be honest I kinda miss your cooking entries
I havent cook spaghetti in ages, parang na miss ko
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January 6th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Glad the inspiration to cook again came back. That pasta dish looks yummy.
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January 9th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
Congrats on getting your cooking mojo back!
And, I wish you many more in 2009. 
Shai Cogginss last blog post..Web Wednesday #18: The Return!
May 7th, 2010 at 3:03 am
Glad to know u got ur mojo back
oh and that pasta recipe looks yummm!
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April 19th, 2011 at 11:30 pm
This looks interesting as the only pasta dish I ever had with Tuna was my mom’s tuna and noodles LOL. Definitely will have to try this out on the family this weekend.
Jan
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