The worst. The WORST!

I don't know about you, but I loathe Mondays.

Monday is the worst day of the week. Tuesday is better because it's not Monday. Wednesday is okay because it's the middle of the work week and I feel like I've accomplished something and it sort of lights a fire under my tail because it means I only have Thursday and Friday left. Thursdays are a breath of fresh air because the next day is Friday! (Thursday always carries an exclamation mark.) Friday is the best work day because, hello, it's Friday!

The weekend is the best, isn't it? I mean, sure, Sunday is better than Saturday, but weekend is weekend right? (All you people who work on weekends, don't spoil this for me - the weekend. is. the. best.)

I have a friend who gets a bad case of the Mondays that starts every Sunday evening. I'm so glad that my case of Mondays doesn't begin until Monday.

I didn't always hate Mondays. In fact, I think my disdain for that wretched day only started about a month ago. And this, that coffee down there that I'm holding - that is how I get through Mondays. How about you?

The Impossible Dream

Yes, I straight up gave my kids water and food dye and let them have at it. Yes, we have carpeted floors.
Yes, I was kind of freaking out.



But they had such a good time. And I enjoyed watching learn about mixing liquids and colors so much that even if they had spilled an entire tub of it on the floor, I don't think I would have been upset one bit. In fact, I might have even welcomed it. That might just have been the kind of motivation we needed to finally get around to pulling out the carpet. Hmmm....I think I need to go get some more food dye.



In my dream world, James and I would be able to hang out with the kids like this all the time 'stead of busting our tails every weekday working for the man. You know, the man who issues our paychecks so we can have nice days like this.



And in my dream world, the only fruits are cherries and mangoes, coffee flows through the tap, chocolate mints appear on my pillow each night, and every two hours we all break out in song and dance. So, sadly, my dream world will always remain a dream.

You can thank me later.

Semi-Homemade: Ravioli and Zucchini Ribbons in Garlic Butter Sauce

1. Frozen Ravioli - cook according to package directions. Do this while you prepare the rest of the dish, try to time it so the ravioli and the sauce are ready at the same time. But if not, it's better to have the sauce ready first. You don't want your ravioli waiting around and drying out or getting soggy from sitting in the pasta water. 
2. Saute lots of minced garlic in butter and olive oil (but mostly butter) until it starts to turn a light golden color, add finely chopped onions. Keep an eye on it and adjust heat as necessary. You want to sweat the onions and sort of brown the garlic without burning it.
3. Add zucchini slices. Slice the zucchini lengthwise on a mandolin or vegetable peeler - it's not so much of a slice as it is a shave - like really delicate satiny zucchini ribbons. 
4. Add paprika, salt, and black pepper. 
5. Add more butter and/or olive oil as needed. Try to make enough garlic butter sauce to completely coat every ravioli without being too oily.
6. Add roughly chopped fresh mint leaves and thai basil. I wanted to just add regular basil, but I guess I killed my plant so I used what I had and it was really good.
7. Turn off the heat and add the cooked ravioli to the zucchini and butter sauce. Mix gently to coat the ravioli.

I don't really measure anything so I can't even pretend to tell you how much of each ingredient I used, but I know I used a LOT of garlic. If I had had any parmegiano reggiano on hand, I would have grated some on top of each serving. 

Enjoy.