Birthday Noms

Matt's birthday is on Sunday and rather than going out to eat like we usually do, he wants to stay in this year and have me make his birthday dinner. Truth be told, I was relieved. We are going to end up spending a lot of money on our anniversary dinner at Woodfire Grill not five days after his birthday, so I was happy to accommodate his request. I immediately started thinking of special occasion food, "bringing the classy restaurant home"-type fare. "Do you want to do steaks? A porterhouse? Maybe a nice veal chop?" "No," he said, "could you maybe make lasagna? The real kind with béchamel and bolognese sauce. Not crap filled with ricotta." At first I was like, "Really? Of all the things I can make you on your birthday you want a pan of lasagna?" But then I thought about it for a few more minutes and it made perfect sense. Birthdays, to me at least, are about feeling loved, appreciated, and generally happy to be alive. If someone made me a hot, bubbly pan of Lasagna Bolognese right now I'd feel all of that, wouldn't you?