Another busy week…seriously, folks, there is just too much life to live in this short time we have! We’ve been crafting a few things (which I’ll be able to show you probably tomorrow), and visiting with friends and exercising…yes, me! Exercising! Justin and I joined a little gym a few blocks from our home, and I’m loving it. It’s small and cozy, but stuffed with equipment. Aside from the regular treadmills and elliptical machines and weight machines, there are pilates rooms and yoga rooms and martial arts rooms and cycling rooms and rock climbing areas and swimming pools…it’s much bigger than it seems. Who knew that I’d one day like going to a gym? I think I’d still have a hard time in a large, impersonal, sleek gym, but this little local one rocks.

We got to visit with some friends on Saturday night, at a party celebrating our friend Matthew’s doctoral degree. Yeah, he’s pretty smart. Our friends Courtney and Mark were there, with their brand-new baby Freya, who I held all night when she wasn’t nursing or being changed. She’s too cute!

This week will be busy, too, with work holiday parties and company coming…my sister will be coming to Austin this weekend to watch The Nutcracker, and we’ll be spoiling our nephew while they’re at the ballet. I’m sure he’ll hate it. 🙂 It sounds like my niece won’t be able to make it, which really bums me out, but she’s part of the working world now, and we all know how that goes. I can’t believe she’s old enough to work. It makes me feel old.

So we tried this pasta dish and really liked it! The lemon brightened it up a bit, and who doesn’t love shiitakes? Enjoy.

Pasta with Shiitake Mushrooms and Basil

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced (1 1/2 cups)
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 8 ounces pasta (we used spaghetti)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (1 ounce)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, divided

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil for cooking pasta.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over low heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms and increase heat to medium; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.

Add the pasta, the reserved cooking liquid, Parmesan and 1/4 cup basil to the mushrooms in the skillet; toss to coat well. Serve immediately, garnished with remaining basil.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Eating Well magazine.