MoFo'ing with me...

Ой...

I was really torn about what to title this post. Because "Our own bailout plan" or "You can take the girl out of Russia but not the Russia out of the girl." - seemed also appropriate.

Oki, Yesterday night, I pet our cat Taag and her back was wet, not a little wet - but ALOT!

So I say to my Vegan Apprentice, "Why is Taag's back wet?" and being male and on general much more laid back than myself he says "Hmmm because she was washing herself?"

No... I mean she was *wet* and right down the middle of her back - where it would be hardest for her to reach.

So then at my repeated *promptings* (a.k.a. *nagging*) the hunt begins for "Find the wetness"

And sure enough, the 17! year old "Softsider waterbed" is leaking. Right at the foot end where Taag likes to seek sanctuary under. Lucky for us, our bed was dual-bladdered and only 1 bladder can leak its water at a time.

This starts the long process of draining both bed bladders and disassembling the bed. 3 hours later everything is broken down, but we are bedless. My husband needs to work tomorrow (today) so he is the one who gets to sleep on the improvised "bed" of blankets. And I? decide to go back to Russian time (GMT +3 a.k.a 8 hours of EDT) and stay awake the night. Deciding that we will *shift* the "bed" and he can sleep through the night and I through the day...

Fine enough, but, sleeping on the floor is rough when you're 40 (I know I would not have minded this so much at 20..*sigh*) Bony hips can dig through any amount of blankets and lucky for us both I wake at 3:20pm! (His work break will be at 4pm and dinner must be pulled together by that time) So half disoriented I stumble to the kitchen, (SO glad that I have boiled seitan on hand to sautee)

Chop onion, peel and press garlic, cut carrot and look around for what I can quick throw together that will get us through the day.

Yra! for "stocked pantries" - this really is your saving grace, for nights like this.

This is what I threw together while wiping the sleep from my eyes. When my Vegan Apprentice comes home on break he mentions that the GOOD smell permeates the house, and for a reward?

I have got us each a bottle of our local vineyard vegan (Yeah Franklin Hill Vineyards! - for *fining* your wines with bentonite and not animal derived finers, and for using LOCAL fruits!)

Tomorrow is the first day we have free to *shop* our new bed... Look for another *easy* dinner, since I don't know what time I will have or when.

P.S. I think I need to Veganomicon's "Jelly Donut Cupcakes" as a loaf! and make one HUGE *comfort* - Jelly Donut *Krimpet/Loaf"!

Recipe for Easy! Dnner.

1 TBsp Olive Oil

1 Veganomicon *simple seitan* but a little bit overboiled so that it's soft and puffy...

Sauteed with onion 5-7 minutes until translucent.

2 LARGE garlic cloves minced

1/2 TBsp vegan Worchestshire sauce

1/2TBsp soy sauce

1 8. oz can tomato sauce

12 ounces your choice vegetable (here I chose 2 oz fresh carrot. slightly steamed, and frozen pea and corn to equal 10 oz)

Basil, Orgegano, Thyme, Onion Powder, black pepper, salt - to taste

7 ounces pasta of your choice.

Sautee your seitan with the onion, once translucent add your minced garlic, sautee until fragrant.

Start to steam your carrot slices.

Add your spices

Add the worchestshire and soy sauce to deglaze your pan.

Add the tomato sauce..

Lower the heat to low. Add your slightly steamed carrots (crunchy crispy yet - Cover your pan for steam retention

Hold back your corn and pea mixture until 3 mintues before y our pasta is done.

Add your pasta to the boiling water (cook according to directions and drain)

Hold back some of your pasta cooking water for *moistening* of your dinner.

Add frozen corn and pea and slowly bring to heated thoroughly.

Add your cooked pasta, and any of your pasta water that you need to moisten the dinner to your likening.

Stir thoroughly and serve.

Later, eat, relax, write your blog and drink *your* wine!