I'm the Scarecrow ...

... in the Wizard of Oz ....after the Witch leaves him in pieces. I have one foot in the computer room, a head in a play, another foot in the kitchen, one arm scouring the garden and one arm back at the theatre. My body visits my arms and legs doing a "little bit of this" and "a little bit of that."
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So it was on Sunday when enroute from one destination to another, we visited a Barnes and Noble and I sat down with some gardening books. All of a sudden, I knew I had to have sweet peas growing in a pot and I desperately was in want of rosemary topiary. The sweet pea broke in half as I planted it and the tiny rosemary needed some trimming if it was to be a topiary.

Do you see it? The one sad stalk peeking up in the midst of alyssum? Suddenly, I had a fistful of rosemary. A deadline. Hungry people in the home and a an imminent rehearsal at the theatre. Plus a freezer filled with Morelli's ravioli. Which is a truly good ravioli - with enough filling that you can actually taste the ingredients! You know how some pockets have nebulous little tastes - where you wouldn't know what the filling was unless you read the package? Well, these are plump and generous and takes away any notion that I should have made them from scratch. Your heart sings "Finniculi, Finnicula" when you eat them. Now, you may exclaim, "she's not going to post another ravioli recipe?" Well, yes. I figure if Orangette can post three banana bread recipes (all equally delicious, I might add) - then surely an Italian blog can get away with three ravioli recipes.

The rosemary went into hiding when I snapped the picture. It's a shy herb. The great thing about the recipe, is it's all to taste:

14 oz. ravioli (generous feeds two or Scrooge-like - 3)

1/4-1/3 cup butter or margarine

1/3-1/2 cup pignoli nuts (or walnuts or pecans)

A fistful of rosemary

1/4-1/2 cup beef broth, vegetable broth,

Pepper to taste

Parmesan
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Cook the ravioli. (I always feel silly saying this) according to package directions. In a small sauce pan, melt the butter, Add nuts and rosemary. Allow butter to just about turn brown and add broth. Simmer to meld flavors. In a large bowl, combine with ravioli. Serve. Pass pepper mill and freshly grated Parmesan. The cooking time for this recipe is grand. It is all put together in the time it takes to boil the water and cook the ravioli. And when you decide to cook dinner twenty minutes before you have to leave for rehearsal - it's a good thing.

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HEALTHY TIP: Eliminate butter and spray a pan with Pam Olive Oil. Gently toast nuts and then add to spiced-up broth. (Freshly ground pepper in broth will do).

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Meanwhile, the rosemary topiary may look pathetic, but the spring blooms are finally in Minnesota. So I shall leave you with a taste of late spring.