Any time I have to go somewhere and leave Pea Daddy in charge, I get scared.
I’m not scared the girls will get hurt, be underfed or even that they will walk around with mismatched clothes and unkempt hair. I’m not here, why should I care?
My main concern now is what I will return home to. It’s happened before:
A new tree. Not a bouquet of flowers in a subtle vase. An entire living, breathing tree that someone paid for with an enormous amount of money and then had to plant in an enormous hole. Good thing Pea Daddy had that shovel handy when he had to explain it to me.
A new easel. Not a drawing pad and a box of crayons. An entire four-feet tall scaffold with dry erase pens, chalk and giant rolls of butcher paper on which to make the biggest picture in the world. Daily.
A new bookshelf. Not a new book or even demure book ends. An entire set of four ominous, black iron shelves now overflowing with real books. And pineapple-shaped Tommy Bahama bookends. And an unopened Kindle.
When I left to go the conference on Saturday, Pea Daddy and the girls were headed out in a wagon to do one of the few things I’d prefer they’d do without me. (Please add, “See The Smurfs” to that list.)
They went garage sale-ing.
I can’t stand garage sales. I have enough of my own crap in my own house that I don’t want (see Tommy Bahama bookends). Why would I pay even a nominal amount of money for someone else’s crap?
Especially someone else’s crap that has had their mouth on it.
Shiver.
For some reason I will never be able to explain, Pea Daddy thought it would be a good idea to let Gigi bring home this little treasure.
And it is her new best friend. Can inanimate objects be best friends?
I know firsthand that they can be sworn enemies.
“I’ll get you, Recorder, if it’s the last thing I do!”
Gigi has been playing the blasted thing non-stop. She knows one note.
It might be “C.” Although, it’d be far more appropriate if it were “F.” Because that’s what comes to mind for me whenever she gets the recorder out.
A lack of notes doesn’t stop her, though, from playing one-note versions of “Happy Birthday,” “Row Row Row Your Boat,” and what she today claimed was “The Mommy Cooking Show Theme Song.” We may have some copyright infringement issues, though because it sounded an awful lot like “Happy Birthday” (and “Row Row Row Your Boat.”) And I do mean an awful lot.
We’ve had to institute some household rules to prevent me from piercing my own eardrops with cake pop sticks.
1. No playing the recorder before anyone else is awake. I’ve told Gigi that sometimes I sleep with my eyes open. Today I worked out, ate breakfast and baked a cake all while being sound asleep. Shhh…don’t wake me up.
2. No playing the recorder while eating. We had eleven snacks before lunch. It must be a growth spurt.
3. No playing the recorder while Mommy or Daddy is driving. I’m planning a road trip tomorrow. I hear Argentina is nice this time of year.
4. Always love each other and encourage our passions and dreams. As Gigi played “Happy Row Your Boat Theme Song” today, Lulu exclaimed, “Gigi! That was BEAUTIFUL!”
Then Gigi turned to serenade a rock, and Lulu showed me how she really felt.
So we had a snack. While sleeping. And driving to Argentina.
I have to fill you in at some point on all that went down at the Vegan Vida Conference this weekend.
About how star struck I was when I met Isa Chandra Moskowitz yesterday. And how embarrassed I was when the whole Pea family almost ran smack-dab into her when we came out of the bathroom today. Yes, all of us. In one bathroom. We were like clowns get out of a tiny car and trampling the coolest vegan cookbook author ever.
About why for some reason, even though I wasn’t a bit nervous, I was sweating through my top at the Blogging & Identity Panel today, which had me running to the bathroom and stuffing paper towels in my armpits afterward while Pea Daddy and the girls looked at me like I was crazy.
And then I walked into Isa with scratchy brown towels sticking out of my pits. So inappropriate.
But inappropriateness is actually at the heart of why I can’t share hundreds of photos of this weekend’s event, because as I took out my camera during the Nutrition Panel yesterday, I realized someone had been playing with it.
I very inappropriately burst out in laughter, so I snapped my camera off and thrust it in my bag, fearing to even bring it out for a moment and risk totally losing it again if I were to even catch a glimpse of this.
Oh my.
There I go…I’m losing it again.
In case you don’t appreciate the full hilarity of this scene, here’s one more.
I can only assume this skunk is headed to the Royal Wedding. “Cheerio!” (Or “Pee-yew!?”)
And therefore, my friends, with no conference photos to show you, you are stuck with a recipe.
More specifically, an “end-of-summer, I-feel-like-pasta-for-dinner, how-do-I use-this-random-vegetable-that-I-got-in-my-CSA-last-week, help-me-get-my-kids-to-willingly-eat-cauliflower-without-pureeing-it-and-sneaking-it-into-mashed-potatoes?” recipe.
Don’t do that to your mashed potatoes, friends. It’d be like trying to sneak a skunk into the Royal Wedding.
Do this instead.
Cauliflower Cacciatore
Serves 4
- 8 oz. dry whole wheat spaghetti
- 1 head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 2 c. white mushrooms, sliced
- 1 t. minced garlic
- One 14.5 oz. can organic fire-roasted tomatoes, in juice (i.e. Muir Glen)
- 1/2 t. oregano
- 1/2 t. salt
- pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
- fresh basil for garnish
Prepare pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside.
Bring a medium pot of water filled two-thirds of the way full to a boil.
Cut cauliflower into bite-size florets. My kids may have big mouths, but I find the smaller the florets are the more likely they are to eat them.
Place cauliflower into the boiling water, lower heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes, until cauliflower is tender, but still firm and not even starting to get mushy.
Drain cauliflower and rinse with cold water. This is a lazy woman’s ice bath. And armpit swabbing with public restroom paper towels is a lazy woman’s shower.
Set cauliflower aside.
Place a large skillet that has been spritzed with oil or cooking spray over medium high heat. Add onion, red pepper and mushrooms and sauté for 5-7 minutes, until starting to brown.
Add garlic, tomatoes, oregano, salt and red pepper flakes, if using.
Bring to a simmer and then add cauliflower to the pan and gently coat with sauce.
Spoon over hot pasta, garnish with basil and serve.
Make it a meal with Kale Sunshine Salad and Better Bay Biscuits.
Or do what I did and eat it straight from the fridge the next day.
It doesn’t get much more delicious than this, with a tangy, garlicky sauce and tender cauliflower. Light, fresh and flavorful.
And really, it comes together in a cinch.
In other words, it’s no sweat.
Which is more than I can say for me. Or my over-dressed skunk.
In either case, “Pee-yew.”
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The winners of the autographed books + dough balls are Stephanie, Gretchen and Trina. Congrats ladies! Email me your mailing info to peasandthankyou@hotmail.com. Thanks to everyone who entered!
