People go to casinos for the same reason they go on blind dates – hoping to hit the jackpot. But mostly, you just wind up broke or alone in a bar.

Wise words. Spoken by the ever-knowing Carrie Bradshaw.

Can we have a moment of silence for SATC?

Thanks.
Now I have been on a fair number of blind dates in my life.

A friend of a friend of a friend’s second cousin once removed.

A guy randomly encountered at a Starbucks/Au Bon Pain/non-descript coffee shop that you (I) frequent on a daily (hourly) basis.

That homeless guy on the corner of 68th and 1st who you pass on your way to work every day. (Dear Mom, please don’t have a heart attack while reading this. I haven’t stooped quite that low. Yet.)

And they have basically all ended as Carrie described above. In flames. Obviously. Otherwise this post would be titled How I Met the Love of My Life: Why Going Blind Isn’t Always A Bad Thing. And instead of post, it would actually be a self-help book that you pick up at Borders when no one else is looking and page through fervently, hoping to find the key to all of your relationship problems (NOTE – thirty-year-olds who have never been in serious relationships probably have commitment issues…THAT little tidbit of information would have revolutionized my life. Or at least my junior year of college. This is a lesson to live by. Write. It. Down.)
With all this in mind. It was in trepidation that I braved the freezing cold yesterday. To embark on my first blind date in, oh, two months.

I needn’t have worried, though. Because it was only semi-blind. And it ended up being the best. Blind. Date. Ever.

Possibly because rather than being an actual blind date. It was a BLOGGER MEET-UP.

Last night, I had dinner at Five Burro Cafe, this fabulous Mexican restaurant in Queens, with Mari of Namaste, Jen of Pieces of Me, Julie of Julie Golean, Mo of Food Snob, Dawn of Dawn Dishes It Out, Sarah of Mom On The Run, and Missy of Missy Maintains. Which we then followed up with FREE frozen yogurt from The Lite Choice.

The food was great.

But the company was even better. I look forward to hanging out with all of these lovely ladies again (I’m thinking we need to make this a regular event. Seriously.).

Moral – If you’re going to go out on a blind date. Make sure it’s with a fellow food blogger. You might still go home broke and alone. But at least you’ll have had a good meal. And the beginning of a lasting relationship.
Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Serves 2, adapted from Pioneer Woman Cooks

2 red bell peppers
1 tbsp pine nuts
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cups half and half
1/2 lb pasta

1. Roast the red peppers. Either by putting them on a grill. Broiling them. Or doing it the ghetto Manhattan-style way. By placing them on top of your burner.

2. When they are black on all sides, place them in a closed container for 10 minutes to sweat off the skin. Remove the skin and the seeds from the peppers. Set aside.

3. Lightly toast the pine nuts in a skillet. Set aside.

4. Puree the peppers with the pine nuts.

5. Cook the pasta until al dente.

6. In a skillet, cook the onion and garlic until soft. Pour in the pepper puree and stir together. Add plenty of salt.

7. Pour in the half and half and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt. Mix with the cooked pasta.

8. Serve, in bowls, and top with parsley and/or parmesan cheese.

This is my submission for Foodie Fans of the Pioneer Woman! And Presto Pasta Nights, which is being hosted by Ruth of Once Upon A Feast!

You are reading this post on Eats Well With Others at https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author and or owner of Eats Well With Others. All rights reserved by Joanne Bruno.
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67 Responses to Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

  1. thanks for the answers to my questions. yeah,i hope that almond was just a bad one. =D

    and hahah workout songs ARE MY LIFE! =D
    i’m thinkin of just subbing in turkey- probably leaner, or turkey breast.

  2. This one is for me. I want to try and see if it is as good as it sounds.

  3. as always, beautiful photos and wonderful recipe. I love the idea of blogger hook ups… no one in Kansas wants to play though.

    AND, as you know, you are an award winning blogger on many levels. But today you are an award winning blogger from me. I have stopped sending these out as much, but I really thought this one was fun, and you should be able to have a good time with it… or just be honored that I thought of you…

    Stop by and see what I am talking about

    Dave

    http://yearonthegrill.blogspot.com/2010/01/spinach-mushroom-pecan-parmesan_31.html

  4. In reverence, I had my one moment of silence 🙂 I can’t imagine the next movie will be as good as the last but we can only hope for more pearls of Carrie wisdom.

    Funny, we went out for dinner last night and what did I have? Pasta with red pepper sauce! It also had grilled chicken and artichokes. I’m keeping this recipe – it sounds great!

  5. Debbi Smith says:

    Yum, I love red pepper sauce. Sounds like a great blind date. I totally don’t miss dating. What a pain.

  6. Bob says:

    Heh, I’ve never been on a blind date. Course, I haven’t been on that many dates in general, so I suppose it makes sense.

    I love roasted red peppers, the sauce looks awesome.

  7. Megan says:

    I had a blind date once – and I snuck out through the restaurant kitchen to avoid meeting up with him.

    I loved SATC – and roasted red peppers!

  8. Kathleen says:

    This pasta sounds wonderful. I loved your blind date story! You are a lot of fun to read!

  9. Mari says:

    (((((moment of silence for the bible)))))))

    When are you going to cook for me? lol

    It was great to see you last night!

  10. Delicious pasta – and hooray for meet-ups!
    ..glad I am not dating..

  11. Ruth Daniels says:

    As usual, a great story to brighten my day – even if it would give your mother a heart attack.

    The pasta looks awesome. I just wish I had a gas stove to really char the peppers. Oh well, broiler will have to do.

    Thanks for sharing this one with Presto Pasta Nights.

  12. Catherine says:

    This looks delicious Joanne! I love the roasted peppers!

  13. ARLENE says:

    Your ghetto-style roasting reminds me of my first experience toasting cheese–over my mother’s gas burner. Great looking pasta.

  14. katecooks says:

    haha so true about the 30 year old men. i find myself having the dilemma of being 25 and everyone i meet in LA is actually 40 and single. imagine that. or don’t…it’s not pleasant!!!!

    blogger meet up sounds much better 🙂 i will have to check out some of those sites!

  15. I’ve never actually been on blind dates. I’m not really good with “new” peopl =P the pasta looks great! Roasted pepper is always yum..

  16. Don’t get me started on the blind dates I’ve had– in my forties, as a newly divorcee’. You’d spit out your martini, trust me. How lucky you are to have meet with other food bloggers. I’d so love to do that, but I live in Monterey, California. I feel like I’m the only food blogger within a 30 mile radius. SIGH.
    I love red peppers, and rarely do I find my fridge void of them. I bookmarked this recipe (along with dozens of others) with the hope of trying it. So glad you did and thanks for submitting this to FFOTPWC!

  17. Elra says:

    Simply delicious Joanne, I could just eat like a lot.

  18. Kim says:

    If I was going to go on a blind date, then I would love for it to be with my food blogging friends:D So nice that you all were able to enjoy some food and conversation!
    This pasta sounds delicious and what’s even better is that I have everything on hand to make it. I love the crunch of pine nuts in a pasta recipe.

  19. oh loving this pasta shame we missed each other would love to meet ya

  20. Julie says:

    SO much fun girl 🙂 i think our next blind date should be somewhere where you make the roasted red pepper sauce and i bring the sex and the city dvd’s hahaha

    can’t wait for more fuuuun!

  21. Katy ~ says:

    Sounds like a wonderful night, lots of great company and food.

    Yumm…pasta…I went out last night and ordered it, now I could eat it again after seeing yours. This looks delicious.

  22. Taryn says:

    This is how you roast peppers in Mexico, too. Totally ghetto, but works super well.

  23. Karen says:

    This sounds really good, but unless my gardener is out of town when I make it I’m going to add some meat to it. Argh! My first & second husbands started out as blind dates. #2 is still hanging in there. HAR!

  24. Shannon says:

    mmm, yeah, i’d rather go on a blind date with food bloggers 🙂 great lookin pasta!

  25. That pasta looks divine!! I love roasted red peppers.

    It was great meeting you! Can’t wait to do it again 🙂

  26. Julie says:

    Seriously sounds like fun, I’d love to go on a date like that. I don’t even think my husband would mind 😀
    The pasta…just incredible!

  27. What fun to have a blogger meet-up! I was worried for a moment…This pasta sounds really good – very easy without sacrificing flavor. You can’t help but love it.

  28. PJ says:

    Joanne, you write so well.. I could just keep reading your writeups for hours! Love the roasted red pepper sauce, its one of my favorite pasta sauces next only to a pasta putanesca sauce. Love the flame roasted red peppers too.

  29. WINNER WINNER, and I couldn’t be more thrilled that you won. I HOPE you read this early in the morning, If I can get your cookbook out by 7 AM, it should arrive this week. It will come media mail, so it should take most of teh week, but you could amaze your friends for your Superbowl party… I assume you are now going to root for the Saints…

    Oh yeah, BTW, you won the Arnaud’s cookbook, I need your address ASAP

    email me at

    [email protected]

    GOOD FOR YOU!, hope you enjoy

    Dave

  30. Amy says:

    I’m jealous! How fun to meet up with some fellow food bloggers. I want to hang out with you, Joanne. I have to say, I am so grateful for being out of the dating pool – I don’t miss those years.

    I miss SATC. Terribly. I hear another movie is coming out, though.

  31. Yum Yucky says:

    the ghetto way sometimes makes it taste better…hehe

  32. chrystad72 says:

    Hey sweetie! What an awesome motto. lol. Made me laugh. I think we could all sit down and dish our scary but funny blind date stories. I sure have quite a few of them as well.The blogger meet up sounds great. Always fun to hear about. I absolutely love roasted red peppers. Especially when they are super hot and a tad on the crispy side. Your pasta dish looks absolutely gorgeous. Amazing colors you have going on. Love it girl! I hope you have an awesome night!

  33. Blind Dates that dont exist and never happen in my life or the many dates i go dont go for:–))))
    All my frens have bf’s and no nothing wrong with me …..waiting for some 1 special that i dream dreamz about….riding on the horse….form the horizon….ok lemme come outa my fairytale dreams for now…..
    Your blind date is so darn exciting to me….oh if lived around too….aint that nice…lovely and with a gorgeously smoked pepper…which i love love love….pasta my love…perfecto….

  34. wow that looks very delicious and beautiful pic too

  35. Michelle says:

    WOW..lets see my first blind date I was a Junior in High School and eventually we became engaged and then I broke it off. So glad I did, I don’t think living in Flint MI was in my cards! LOL!

  36. Sophie says:

    Waw,…blind dates!! I have never been on one before,….

    Hahahahaha,…Your pasta dish is so good,…mmmmmm!!!

  37. I remember the blind date I went on about ? 25 years ago? time sure flies when you’re having fun! He was about 3 feet tall.
    Anyway, I loved the story as usual and the recipe sounds so good and easy! I would have kept the pine nuts whole though.

  38. Faith says:

    Lol, I can see how a food blogger meet-up would be the best blind date ever! Sounds like you ladies had a ton of fun! I’ve actually never roasted red peppers before, so I’m glad you gave us tips on how to do it!

  39. Karine says:

    That is a great blind date story!

    I also have never roasted pepper. I should write that on my to-do list. BTW, I made the apple streusel bread from HBinFive and that was indeed delicious!

  40. Hehe, nice littel post! So sad I missed the meetup. 🙁 Glad it was good though.

    I love your pepper directly over the burner! Genius!

  41. imac says:

    Looks good, but a good old English roast beef and yorkshire pudd roast veg and gravy takes some beating.lol.
    Thanks for your visit and kind comments.

  42. SE says:

    thats wonderful to have blogger pals meet up..and interesting to see if its going to be a blind date !!

    pasta looks wonderful with all those colors !

  43. Debbie says:

    Lucky you – sounds like you had a great time with your fellow bloggers! Where in Queens did you go? I used to live in Bellerose. The sauce looks wonderful…love anything made with peppers!

  44. Kris says:

    Dude, I totally made a dish like this last night! I am scheduled to post it on Thursday. Too funny! Yours looks fabulous!

  45. Gorgeous photos! This looks so fresh. i make something very similar but haven’t used the pine nuts, I’ll have to add that next time. Glad you had a good meet up with foodie bloggers!

  46. Jennifer says:

    This sauce sounds AMAZING!!!!

  47. teresa says:

    how fun! i’m just dying to get together with some fellow bloggers, i would love to meet people in person. this pasta looks incredible, and i love that you roasted your own peppers!

  48. Jen says:

    that looks so good, pasta of course. so nice seeing you again, and we should do it again SOON!!
    🙂 you can cook for me and mari, …joking 😉

  49. Sounds like the perfect blind date to me. At least you knew you had something in common 🙂
    Pasta looks delicious.

  50. Jenna says:

    Hey I justfoub your blog and it is great! I can’t wait to follow and read more! I would live it if tou could check out mine!

  51. Pam says:

    Meeting up with fellow food bloggers would be so much fun. The pasta looks terrific.

  52. sophia says:

    Ah, I TOTALLY AGREE> Blogger meet-ups are the BEST blind date ever. Esp if it’s with those lovely women you mentioned! I miss Mari!! I miss Jen! And I wish I could meet all the other ladies! And I Miss YOU!!! (sob)

  53. Angie says:

    This looks really good, I’ll have to give it a try!

  54. Barbara says:

    Oh yeah…blind dates with food bloggers is a real deal!
    Love the pasta with red pepper…. I need more cheese!!!

  55. Yummy dish, beautiful photography and fun story to go with it all as always! So glad you got to get together with some of your blogging buddies. I’ve met quiet a few of my blogging friends in the past, it’s always been a great time. What always really amazes me is that they are all exactly like they are on their blogs and I feel like I’ve known them for years. Good times 🙂

  56. Very wise words of wisdom. Loving this sauce too.

  57. Chef Aimee says:

    So glad you had fun! Oh this sauce looks fabulous and comforting for a winter’s night!

  58. Bridgett says:

    This is perfect for those cold and rainy nights…it looks so comforting. I am so glad I am long past dating. My heart goes out to you, lol! Judging form your photo, I can’t imagine it would be hard for you to get a date, you are adorable!

  59. Hannah says:

    One of the best things you could do to a pepper is roast it! Digging the sound of this sauce, so simple yet flavorful.

  60. Sounds like a perfect “blind date!”

  61. Juliana says:

    How fun…”blind date” with food bloggers 🙂
    The pasta looks fantastic with the roasted pepper.

  62. Shirley says:

    Speaking of blind dates, reminds me of a marriage counsellor I worked with. His one liner was “love is blind, but the neighbours are not”.

  63. Andreas says:

    You can’t have to many pasta sauce recipes. 😉

  64. tigerfish says:

    I’ve never tested my stove “power” that way before! ;p

  65. Sounds great – the dinner and the pasta too! I wonder if there are any food bloogers out there in my area….Im going to have to check out that and the recipe! Thanks!!

  66. Haddock says:

    Yes nothing like a satiated tummy.

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