Chances are, if I’ve made this for you, you are special to me. This is one of my favorite dishes to share with family and friends, because it’s SO good and super simple. It’s like a cross between carbonara and alfredo.

It was a crisp autumn day; the scent of fallen leaves and the apple orchard my great-great-grandfather had planted in his youth filled the air. I was 13, and not yet a man. …isn’t that how these recipe blogs are meant to start?