summer garden pasta (via Ina Garten)

A tree fell on our house this week. 

Our neighbors' tree in their backyard gave up the ghost and landed on our house. Twelve inches to the left, and it would have smashed through the window of the room where our twin daughters sleep. 

But that didn't happen. They cried for thirty seconds after what sounded like a bomb exploded on our roof, tree limbs stabbing through the shingles. Good girls.

Havoc in the upstairs bathroom with new skylights where there had been none, plaster all around. But our son slept soundly. Good boy.

We were all fine.

That's what we're left with after the tree. We're all fine. No one was hurt. The neighborhood came running at 11:00 p.m., ready to help in whatever way the could. Nothing to do but stare in wonder at what could have happened, how bad it was but just how much worse it could have been.

We are fine. 

We keep telling ourselves that. 

We are fine. 

So. The week goes on, and I traveled for work. Back home, the last thing I wanted to do was cook. A bottle of wine and some ice cream watching Top Chef sounded like the perfect evening with Karen, sitting on the couch and just being still under our tarp-wrapped roof. 

But she made dinner. Really, she's the best. 

Grape tomatoes sliced open, shreds of basil, a lot of garlic, and a kick of pepper flakes over a steaming bowl of pasta. A lot of Parm and olive oil. The tomatoes mellow in a bowl with the garlic for four hours, so you make most of this in the early afternoon for dinner that night.

Comfort and calm on a hot summer night. Exactly what we needed.

Make this when it's hot. When you're tired. When you only have energy for ice cream and wine. And you know, if a tree falls on your house. And remind yourself that you're fine.

recipe | summer garden pasta (via Ina Garten)

• 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves) 
• 18 large (or however many you feel like) basil leaves, julienned, plus extra for serving
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (we add more)
• Kosher salt
• 1 pound dried pasta (linguine fini works well here)
• 1 ½ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Combine the cherry tomatoes, ½ cup olive oil, garlic, basil leaves, red pepper flakes, 1.5 teaspoons salt, and the pepper in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature for about 4 hours.

Make the pasta. Add the drained pasta to the tomato mixture. Douse with the Parm. Top with some extra basil. Eat.