Winter Dinners

I have been struggling with what to feed this family lately. Soup is BORING at this point, not matter how exciting it was back in October. And I think Chase may revolt if I serve roasted root vegetables one more time. People are planting vegetable gardens right now, not harvesting them, and there's not much yet in season to spice up the basic menu I've been making for months.

I've fallen back on pizzas, and other comfort foods for the most part, and when Soulemama posted the other week on their attempts at homemade pasta, I was inspired.

One mystery that has haunted me and Chase for years, ever since we got married, is generally referred to as 'the mystery of the wineglasses.' When we registered, before our wedding, we requested pretty rational amounts of various items, like towels, plates, spoons, sheets, etc. What we got, for some reason, was dozens and dozens of wineglasses. Not at single towel. Not an entire place setting. I think my grandmother gave us two sets of sheets, and maybe my aunt chipped in for a duvet cover, but they probably also bought us wineglasses. It was truly insane. We were returning those glasses to the store for months. And every time we'd bring in another box, we'd pass that pasta machine and try to talk ourselves out of it. "We're too young- we'll be moving all the time. We don't need big heavy kitchen gadgets. We don't have time to cook like that. This fits the lifestyle we WANT to have, not the one we actually have" etc.

I thought we were being super rational and mature. But now all those years later, when having $60 to blow on frivolous gadgetry seems awesome and absurd, I am kicking myself for not grabbing it when we had the chance. The kids have long since broken whatever bowls or plates we got instead.

And I've got to say, feeding a lump of dough through the machine seems like an easier prospect than this:


We did have fun though- the girls were helping, even though that meant we had to constantly keep Jane from shoving raw pasta in her mouth- note her grabbing hand next to the pile-


It's something we'll definitely do again and Oh My God was it filling. It was sort of like putting tomato sauce on a loaf of bread. I mean, not as gross as that sounds. It was really tasty, just sort of, maybe plan on running a marathon the next day or something.

And if you're looking for some incredible tomato sauce, I have a new favorite. I'm not sure it replaces my very very favorite, but for ease on a weeknight, it can't be beat.