It's not all glamorous casserole!!!!

OK so now you know.... we eat a funky cheesy rice and veggie casserole every once and a while.
The main reason to do so is to reinforce the fact I try really hard not to make casseroles!!!! And that I usually can come up with something more exciting. This week has been crazy.... Addison is in full swing, early band practice, just starting up with basketball, and adjusting to her new class schedule. Nikki has been really busy with work and putting in extra time. Carter is fluid, but has been starting up on a cold with a cough. And the topper is our house guest.... Bear the 130 pound Old English Sheepdog who is Nikki's mom's dog!!!!
MAKE SOMETHING QUICK I SAY!!!!


















I made quick cheese sauce(VegNews Streamlined), added to par cooked instant brown rice, topped with a bag of organic frozen mixed veggies, then topped with more cheese sauce!!!
It took about 10 minutes to assemble, 15 minutes in the oven, 10 minutes to eat, then out the door to go to basketball practice. It is a good thing we only live a few minutes from the gym!!!! Addison made it just in time.
I like it when we are busy, but I really do not like it when our dinner is rushed, I think one of our greatest accomplishments as a family is that we eat together every night, and that we make most of our meals. As the next few months unfold you will get a glimpse at some of the redundant, simple meals we eat!!!!
We also had time to throw together salads to go with our casserole. And by the way everyone made a happy plate so it must have tasted OK!!!

Indian Inspired Potatoes and Cauliflower

The holidays have been a blast and the reality that school starts for Carter tomorrow and we have get back into our routine left me short on inspiration for dinner. Nikki graciously took the challenge to come up with dinner for the evening!!!! Thank you Nikki.
After going through the list of ingredients on hand she determined that an Indian inspired dinner would be the ticket. She had a recipe in mind but we did not have all of the ingredients so it was time to improvise, I got up to help her with food prep. I always liked doing food prep when I worked in restaurants, it can be very meditative.
Here is the line up:

• Onions
• Garlic
• Potatoes
• Cauliflower
• Spices (cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, salt) There may have been more(was not paying close enough attention

The garlic onions and spices were sauteed together first then she added the potatoes, then the cauliflower. Nikki was drawn into a Wii Bowling tournament so she asked me to watch over the pan in her absence.
I was getting hungry so I turned up the heat a bit to cook faster.... The result was some aggressive browning on the bottom of the pan.... oops.... it looked burned but fortunately it was not.
The Indian potatoes and cauliflower were served over brown rice, and garnished with peas and hot chili sauce. The bread was left over from the trip to Korma Sutra in KC.
Carter mostly ate rice but he did eat a moderate amount of the potatoes and cauliflower!!!