We like trying new recipes, but it's a risky hobby. While the rewards are high, the occasional failure is unavoidable. And, inevitably, you find a recipe that doesn't work on just the night that your 3-year-old hasn't stopped talking for an hour--even to take a breath--and everyone is hungry and crotchety.
Tonight, it was cream sauce that would not cream. Instead of getting thick and smooth, the feta curdled into cottage cheese-y lumps that floated in the milk and butter and cream.
And then, after looking at the still spindly asparagus at our store, I subbed chard in as the vegetable. So the whole thing turned a little pink, just to make it look even worse. (Must remember to use kale in white sauces.)
Alas, there was nothing for it but to plate-up our curdled, pink-sauce pasta. The troops were hungry, and I didn't have it in me to start over.
But, you know what? A handful of "sprinkle cheese" on top of each bowl made it look much better. And it actually tasted pretty good.