The master chef is going to work

Well, not really. I am a pretty good cook, but I also like to cook things that require a minimal amount of ingredients. Tonight it's girls' night in at my household. My lovely neighbor friend and I are going to chill out and do some noshing, some wining, and some gossiping! Just kidding...maybe :).

On the menu:

Appetizer
Guacamole and chips:

avocados
tomatoes
red onion
garlic
lime juice
olive oil
(screw the quantities on each of these, just add to your own taste)

Main course
Spaghetti with cheese, black pepper and tomatoes (recipe via rainy day gal):

Spaghetti with Cheese, Black Pepper and Tomatoes, adapted from Smitten Kitchen

This pasta is completely Deb’s recipe—all I did was add the tomatoes. She is a culinary genius and I am a lowly weirdo who adds cold tomatoes to hot dishes. Serves 4.

* 1 pound dry spaghetti
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 teaspoons coarsely grated black pepper
* 3/4 cup finely grated parmigiano reggiano cheese, plus more for topping
* Kosher salt, to taste
* 3-4 small heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1″ chunks

Boil the spaghetti until al dente. Drain in a colander, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil on high until almost smoking. Toss in the drained spaghetti and 1 1/4 of the pasta water and stir (Deb recommends to stand back during this step and I fully agree. My pot was snapping, crackling and popping! An apron, if you don’t normally cook with one, is also a good idea since some of the olive oil may spatter). Stir in the butter, pepper, cheese and salt to taste. If it looks a bit dry to you, add a bit more of the pasta water. Top with the tomatoes and a sprinkle of cheese. Serve immediately to hungry people who like pasta.

I absolutely love this simple recipe. And if you're a pepper freak like me, you add more pepper than you probably need, but I love the kick it gives to this pasta.

Have a great weekend, peeps.

Song of the day: "Blow" K$sha (yeah, I did that...in honor of girls' night tomorrow night!)