Mushrooms, Butter and Cream. Yes.

When it comes to food, there are few things I hate, but I really hate melons. The only one I can stomach is watermelon and if I am going to eat it I have very specific rules for it. For example, it must be nice and crisp, not grainy or mealy even in the slightest. Also, the less it can actually taste like a watermelon the better. In fact, if we could just leave the "melon" part off of the name and have it just taste like "water" that would be...you know what, someone just get me a glass of water. But instead of water could you make it red? Yes, red water and instead of water can it just be wine? Awesome. Best watermelon ever.

So fine, a little sliver of watermelon at a summer barbeque is not the end of the world but don't even get me started on honeydew. And cantaloupe? Blech!  That one's the most offensive of all. It just sits around, looking all juicy and orange and shit, ruining perfectly good fruit salads and strips of salty prosciutto.

So, you can imagine my disappointment when my veggie box was delivered today with two, TWO of those little bastards in there. I always look forward to my veggie box delivery.  The veggies and fruits are seasonal so the box is generally the same from week to week but there is usually something new and exciting in there each week which is basically the highlight of my Wednesday. But there is nothing like a week when the mushrooms come. I get really excited on a mushroom week. Like, probably too excited. But fancy veggie box mushrooms mean that I get to make the best pasta dish this side of....well, probably just the street I live on. 

"Hmmmm....I am not sure sure about these."

"Yeah, Mom. I am not going to eat these."

"Maybe if I smell them?"

All you will need for this life-changing pasta dish are these simple ingredients. (Butter not pictured but I'm going to be sauteing mushrooms so I figured it goes without saying.)

Saute the mushrooms and minced garlic in butter until browned and tender. Salt and pepper the shrooms to taste. Cook your favorite pasta (I happen to love papparadelle but anything will work.)

It is much more cost effective to buy a basil plant rather than basil every time you need it. If you don't use it all, it will go bad in the fridge in a few days but a plant will last for weeks (or longer if you, you know, take care of it properly and don't have a three year old dumping bubble solution all over it constantly.) And, Charlie gets to participate in the meal by picking the basil for me. And it is a well-known fact that children who participate in the cooking of their meals are more likely to eat it. For the record, he did not eat it.

Add the cream (roughly about a cup) and the chopped basil to the mushrooms. Bring to a a boil, being careful not to burn the cream, and then turn the heat down and let the cream simmer and thicken up a bit. Add the cooked and drained pasta to the cream sauce and mix the pasta in. If you want a saucier pasta, before draining the noodles, reserve a little of the pasta water and mix in as well.

Top with some fresh cracked pepper and don't worry about sharing with anyone.