It's was impossible for me to imagine before kids entered my life just how difficult it would be to accomplish anything with them around.
Last weekend, for example, I made candies (fun times... ugh), cooked and did the laundry.  Maybe I got a clean bathroom in there too.  That's it though... for the whole weekend.  It sounds like so little and my house is a constant reminder of just how little it is.
Today was different.  Today was a sunny day.  Not only a sunny day but also a warm day.  Not only was it warm and sunny but it was the first day that I've had without kids (both of them) for more than a couple of house in months.
The reason is simple.  My Mother-in-law has returned.  My Mom-in-law returns to Trinidad (home for her) for 3 months every year.  Because she is a very wise woman she is in the Caribbean for Jan/Feb/Mar.   And why not.  Wouldn't we all choose to be somewhere else (read: warm) for those months if we had the choice?  Maybe not all of you I realize but I certainly wouldn't refuse it if it were available.  My Mom-in-law, when she is in T.O.  insists on taking Kid #1 and Kid #2 for an overnight every weekend.  We grudgingly accept and in turn get a night to ourselves once in a while.
Today was her first weekend back.
As a result of the absence of my two lovely children, my accomplishments since 3 p.m. this afternoon go something like this:

 - made this orzo crap


- made apple bread to give to somebody (as yet undecided)
- washed all my windows inside and out, on both floors (I'm not kidding)
- swept the floors and stairways
- gotten the laundry ready to go for tomorrow
- made date squares

I'm having trouble believing it too, even as I'm typing it out it looks ludicrous.  And there, my friends, is at least part of the reason why my house feels like a complete disaster.  I don't feel as guilty as I did just a day ago.  Now, I'm getting ready to go out for a while with D.  It feels weird after 3 months but we'll manage.

So, onto the food.  Orzo is kinda in between pasta and rice although it's classified as pasta.  I kinda made this up because we finished the last of the squash crap yesterday and well, we need to eat... and my window of opportunity isn't always as big as I'd like it to be.  So, it tastes good, it's creamy and has lots of veggies in it.  Make it veggie or carnivorous, the choice is yours...


Creamy Lemon Orzo with veggies and sausage
serves 6

1 lb sausage (I used organic herbed lamb - yum)
1 small onion, diced
1 rib celery, diced
1 small zucchini in small slices
3 cups button mushrooms cut into thick slices
3 cups broccoli cut into florets
1 1/2 cups orzo
3 cups veggie broth
1/2 cup (plus a little extra) cream or milk
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup (or so) cream cheese
juice from 1/2 a lemon (about a tbsp or so)
1 tbsp honey
salt to taste

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Place the sausage on a baking tray and bake for about 15 minutes or until just beginning to cook through.  Remove from the oven and cool slightly
Cook the orzo and the veggie broth together for about 5 minutes and set aside.
Saute the veggies together with some oil or grease just until the veggies are soft, about 5 - 7 minutes or so over med/low heat.
Place the veggies into a large baking dish.
Slice the sausage into 1/2 inch slices and add to the veggies.
To the orzo mixture add the cream, cream cheese, lemon juice, honey, salt (pepper sauce if you fancy ;-) and most of the parmesan (save some for sprinkling on the top - or screw it and use more).  Mix it all together until it's all a nice creamy saucy thing.
Pour the saucy orzo over the veggie/sausage thing.  Mix it all together well.  Sprinkle with the remaining (or additional) parmesan.
Bake for about 25 minutes or until nice and bubbly around the edges.
Cool for about 10 minutes before digging in.