Did you ever have one of those days where you wanted to rip someone’s head off and hurl it through the window? When the injustices were stacked so high against you that you felt you couldn’t take a breath because you might scream? When the stupidity level was so far off the charts you needed to go into the next room to see them?
Every time I meet with my team, I feel this way.
We just finished up an auditing project, one to raise the accuracy of our database and our floor plans. My grade was better than I thought- my plans needed a little cleaning up since I’ve been so busy this past year- but it was a good exercise in standardization and mastery. Yes, I do my needlepoint and Christmas cards and plan bridal showers and weddings at my job, but I never shirk my responsibility and my work never suffers for it. I’m good at what I do, I know how to budget my time and I know how much I can get away with.
Some of my teammates don’t understand that. If one gets a grade of “F” (fail) on practically every aspect of the audit, do not have the audacity to tell us (US!) that you’re too busy to do your walkthroughs. We see you on the internet watching soccer, reading the paper and ordering parts for your hot dog truck business. Do not tell us (US!) that you can’t get your reports done on time (they’re due on the 15th of every month, it’s been that way for years) because you’re “in love”. Don’t try to baffle us (US!) with your bullshit. It may work on your business managers, your move managers and your project managers, but We. Know. Better.
What we don’t know if what you have over your boss. The same boss that will joke about you being on the internet (or phone…or late…or just not there). The same boss who, when learns about your failing grade will take certain aspects of your responsibilities away and make someone else responsible for them. The same boss that gives your day to day work to someone else to “save her job”. You know something about this person, you must. Why else are you still employed?
So when you have a day like this, seven hours of banging your head on the table and drawing “stupid” buttons to press whenever the stoopid gets too thick, you need to go home and either a) drink heavily, b) break every dish in a fit of rage c) eat all the Halloween candy or d) make comfort food.
I chose “d”.
It was quick, it was easy and it was delicious. It was the Lighter Fettuccine Alfredo recipe that didn’t taste light.
Lighter Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients:
- 5 ounces grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for sprinkling
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest (optional)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound fresh fettuccine, or 12 ounces dried fettuccine
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 1 medium clove)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Minced fresh parsley or chives
Procedure:
Combine cheese, heavy cream, egg, cornstarch, olive oil, and lemon zest (if using) in a large bowl. Season lightly with salt and heavily with black pepper and whisk to combine. Set aside.
In a large Dutch oven or saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until cooked but still very firm (not quite al dente), about 45 seconds for fresh pasta or 1 minute less than package directions for dried pasta. Drain pasta into a colander set over a large bowl. Transfer 2 cups of cooking water to a liquid measuring cup and discard the rest. Transfer pasta to the now-empty bowl. Add the garlic and butter and toss to coat.
Whisking constantly, slowly add 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water to the bowl with the cheese mixture. Transfer the cheese mixture to the now-empty pasta cooking pot, scraping the bottom to make sure you get everything. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens, about 45 seconds. Season sauce to taste with more salt and pepper as desired. Transfer pasta to sauce mixture and turn to coat. Just before serving, stir in more pasta water to thin the sauce out as necessary. Serve immediately, sprinkled with minced herbs, black pepper, and cheese, and drizzled with additional olive oil.
I followed the recipe exactly and it was delicious. Redemption from the enchilada escapade.
Now to have a beer, smash a dish and eat a Kit Kat. Because I have to do this all again tomorrow.
Inner Pieces 