Beef and Mushroom Ragu With Pappardelle

Yesterday morning when most people were enjoying an omelette or a Bloody Mary, I was making Beef and Mushroom Ragu With Pappardelle. Then photographing it and having some for breakfast. Because it’s what I do.

And also because I’m kicking off the blog relay for Real Simple’s Month of Dinners blog relay.

Pappardelle is my favorite pasta, but unfortunately all of Oklahoma City seemed to be out of stock and I had to settle for some serious linguine instead. All in all a very easy dish that would be perfect for a quick weeknight meal. I’ll definitely be making it again, probably doubling up on the vegetables and leaving out the meat since I don’t eat a lot of the stuff. (But if you are a beefasaurus here are 10 recipe ideas for ground beef.) You can check out Simply Stated for each day’s recipe and blog relay member, and say hello to my friend Kristin who writes it!

Sea Salt Lime Soda

Earlier this year I cut out soda (aka pop) from my diet. I’d read all of the awful articles about the things it does to your body (and car engines, deer blood, etc.), but that’s not what prompted me to do it. After having a cold and not drinking any Diet Coke for a few days, I made it a personal challenge to see how long I could go without. And yeah, the first few weeks were hellish. But soon enough I noticed my cravings wane and my energy shoot up. Success!

That said, I was excited to checkout The Artisan Soda Workshop by Andrea Lynn. All of the yumminess without the chemicals? Sign me up! There are 70 recipes to choose from, everything from fountain classics to flavors like Plum Vanilla. I went with Sea Salt Lime as my first syrup. The verdict: really easy, natural tasting, and refreshing. (Pssst… you can also make margaritas with it!)

Sea Salt Lime Syrup

• 1/2 C boiling water
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 1/2 Tbsp agave syrup
• grated zest and juice of 2 limes

In a heatproof container (I used a Ball jar), stir together boiling water and salt. Add the agave syrup, lime zest, and juice. Stir to combine. Allow mixture to cool, then cover container and refrigerate  12-24 hours. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and refrigerate for up to 7 days.

To make Sea Salt Lime Soda: Stir 1 Tbsp Sea Salt Lime Syrup, or to taste (I used 2 Tbsp) into 10 oz seltzer.