Mother's Day 2013

Mother's Day in pictures:

*technically this was the day before MD, but
Mastermind was on a day-long beer tour so
the kids and I went to Paint You Plate
Ox painting a chicken (of course)
Little Frog getting an awesome family portrait.
I can't wait until we get to pick these plates up! 

   

Ox brought home an awesome card he made at school,
and a little clay pot. Treasures.

Cauliflower.
6 heads of it I chopped on Mother's Day,
for Baked Veggie Mac and Cheese (x6)
for meal swap. My arms were tired after
all the chopping and grating (cheese, carrots)
No other pictures I took looked good, since
all the ingredients are pale.

Our household ban on TV has resulted in our
backyard being taken over by an obstacle course.

socks I knitted for my mom. this yarn was gorgeous and soft
clearly I need a camera for next Mother's Day.

The honest reality of Mother's Day
Happy Day for kids, Mama ends up looking
like a train wreck by the end of the day
(that perma smile was starting to fade)

Baked Veggie Mac and Cheese - great for freezing, total kid favorite (and mama favorite). Don't skimp on the cauliflower, when it's mixed in with the cheesy noodles most kids won't even notice it. I baked half of my batch on Mother's Day and tucked it into the kids' thermoses for lunch the next day. I've also made a huge double-batch of this for kids' birthday parties. Yum! 

1 lb elbow macaroni

1 head cauliflower, broken into florets (the smaller the florets if you're really trying to hide it)

1 lg carrot, grated

4 Tbsp butter

1/4 C flour

1 tsp dry mustard

2 C milk

1 lb sharp cheddar (I used about 3 cups of cheese, closer to 3/4 lb altogether)

salt & pepper

healthy dash of nutmeg (optional - but amazing. Will make the mac & cheese more fondue flavored)

1) heat oven to 350, butter large casserole dish

2) Cook macaroni according to package directions for Al Dente. 3 minutes before pkg says done, add the cauliflower to the water. 1 minute before, add the grated carrot. finish boiling and drain. Add to casserole dish. 

3) Make sauce: melt butter over med. heat in a saucepan. Whisk in flour and spices to form a paste. Add milk & bring to a boil, whisking to prevent lumps. As sauce thickens, stir in cheese until melted. 

4) Stir sauce into macaroni & veggies. 

5) Bake for 30 minutes until bubbly & brown.