Our beloved nanny has been on vacation the past 2 weeks and we’re all anxious to see her tomorrow. The kids have been asking where she’s at every day when we pull in from work and school – hopefully she missed us, too! I’m thankful for a week back to work where Mark and I aren’t scurrying to figure out who’s going to be leaving work to rush home and give Lily her heart medication. We have some seriously high maintenance dogs, let me tell ya.
I called Mee-Mee today and got her voicemail. I was sure to offer to dig out her car as we’ve gotten about 14-15 inches of snowfall since she left. I’m sure the plow got her nice and stuck into her car port. I also informed her that our dryer is needing service because she will definitely be as distraught over that as I am. Had I not waited until Sunday to do 10 days worth of laundry, I could’ve come up with a plan B, but for now, we’re air drying everything over every square inch of our house.
Without Mee-Mee, I’ve had to plan for even easier meals. I’ll be honest in saying that has been leftovers, freezer meals, scrambled eggs, and definitely oatmeal as my girls have decided they LOVE oatmeal. So this week, we’re going to eat some REAL meals that will hopefully accommodate a somewhat new schedule for us – I’ve ceased tennis on Tuesday evenings (in lieu of Friday) and Shea starts ice-skating lessons on Monday evenings. This could get tricky as my new hockey league has games on Sundays or Mondays. Thankfully, this weeks’ game is tonight (Sunday).
I kind of feel like this is the beginning of the next season of life and kiddo activities. There’s only so much we can pack into a weekend and I’ll be trading in my SUV for a minivan and become a taxi service for the girls going to and fro between school, home, friends, and activities. I might have a year or two yet, but I definitely feel like this is the beginning. Good thing my morning workouts are holding strong because the evenings are simply not a reliable option at this point.
To make the week a little easier, we’re also relying more on leftovers. And not at all in a bad way. But seeing as I have to pack the girls’ lunches every day, it’s hard sometimes not to duplicate their lunch at dinner or vice versa. Recipes that I can whip up on the weekend to eat throughout the week are lifesaving. I mean, I’ll get a minivan before we ever consider fast food as a routine solution to hectic weeknights.
This super healthy cauliflower alfredo sauce is creamy, garlicky, and versatile. I’ve even used it as a pizza sauce and the kids devoured it. It uses a ton of cauliflower and it gets the veggies in with a single recipe. It reheats well and can be served with a protein and/or vegetable side for a heartier meal. Kid-tested and mother approved – enjoy!
- 1 lb dry whole wheat penne
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 5 cloves garlic, grated
- florets from 2 small heads cauliflower
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup half and half
- Heat butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic and saute until fragrant and softened, about 2 minutes; remove mixture to a small bowl and set aside.
- To the sauce pan, add the cauliflower and broth. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes or until cauliflower is tender. Remove 2 cups of broth and set aside.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook 8-9 minutes or until al dente. Drain and keep hot.
- To the cauliflower, add the butter/garlic and puree until smooth using an immersion blender. Add reserved broth to reach desired consistency. Alternately, puree in batches in a blender. Stir in salt, pepper, and half and half.
Weekly Menu: January 7th – 11th
- Sunday: Roasted Shrimp Enchiladas with Jalapeno Cream Sauce
- Monday: Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
- Tuesday: breakfast for dinner – eggs, toast, fruit
- Wednesday: Chicken Caesar with a Twist
- Thursday: Stuffed Peppers
Be well,
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