Hey all, it's actually been a whole MONTH since I have posted here, which makes me feel a wee bit guilty. The truth is, I have been working so hard on my various jobs, classes, and projects, that's I've barely had time to keep my head above water.

Today I am taking the MPRE-- the Multistate Professional Responsibility Test--if you don't know, you probably won't care what it is!-- and then my "to-do" list will be happily much shorter. (Only revising law review paper, finishing clerkship applications, preparing for legal writing, and of course work. Whew!)

Sometimes when I am super busy it's hard to get meals made. But I did whip up this quickie sauce for pasta the other day that you might enjoy. The prep takes about 5 minutes, and because the flavors are so big, it really only needs to cook for about an hour. You could probably even do half an hour. It's a kind of puttanesca but I use fish sauce instead of anchovies.

Quick "Puttanesca" Sauce

Ingredients

Olive oil
1 small/med onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced fine
1 cup black olives (I used kalamata), rough chopped
2/3 cup capers, drained and rough chopped
Salt & pepper
Red pepper flakes, to taste
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 small can chopped tomatoes (for both I like Muir Glen organic brand)
Splash balsamic vinegar
Splash fish sauce (I swear!)

Make it!

1. Heat a splash of olive oil in a pan, and add the onion and garlic. Saute until clear and just starting to turn brown.

2. Throw in the olives, capers, salt, and pepper. Saute for about 30 seconds.

3. Add the tomatoes and red pepper flakes.

4. Add the balsamic and fish sauce.

5. Cook on low heat, stirring and tasting occasionally and adjusting seasoning and flavoring as necessary, for about an hour.