73 - Weeknight Dinners (and a third kid, no biggie)

Haven't made mention of it here, but we are expecting baby #3. In fact he is due in three weeks. The boys are excited and of course I am too, but just like all mamas, I've got a serious case of mommy-guilt. I worry Ansel is too little grasp what's really going on and that he"ll be crushed when he realizes he has been dethroned as baby of the house. So what has this guilt driven me to, maybe a few extra cookies, ten more minutes at the park, and endless trips to the Chicago Children's Museum, the pool, the zoo, and on and on. Not that those are bad things, in fact they've been really great! But I feel the exhaustion settling in and it might just be time to slow down. I know the boys will feel a little stuck at home at first, but eventually we'll find our groove again. I need to give myself permission to rest and nest.

As my pregnancy has progressed, and our adventures have abounded, I have kept dinner pretty basic. Not too many new recipes have made their way into our rotation, but here are couple super fast meals and one slow cooker meal we also loved.

1. Skillet Shrimp & Orzo / 2. Slow-cooked Tex-Mex Chicken & Beans / 3. Rigatoni w/Kale& Sausage

I served the the Skillet Shrimp & Orzo with sauteed broccoli rabe, basic but good. Don't skip the basil! I can"t recommend enough serving lots of toppings with the Chicken & Beans. We had shredded cheese, avocados, cilantro, sour cream, and pickled onions. Oh, and soak those beans overnight, don't care what the recipe says, they need it.  Luke likes his with charred corn tortillas. Pickled onions are easy peasy to make. There is a write below on how I make them. The last meal doesn't have a link to a recipe, just a simple pasta. I'll be honest that it isn't the healthiest meal, but it's delicious and makes a ton! The picture doesn't really do this meal justice. Every person who has eaten this at our house asks for the recipe. See below for that as well.

Pickled Onions Recipe (great on all foods Latin)

1 Medium Red Onion
1-2 Limes (depends on size and juiciness factor)
1 tea Sugar
1/2 tea Salt
1/2 tea White Vinegar

Half and slice onion very thin. Place in a bowl with juice from the limes, sugar, salt, and vinegar. Toss till fully coated and cover. I leave them at room temp mixing them every once in a while for an hour or so. They keep in the fridge for around 5-7 days.
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Rigatoni w/ Kale & Sausage

1 lb Rigatoni
1 lb Spicy Italian Sausage (casings removed)
2 Garlic Cloves
1/2 teaspoon Dried Rosemary (1 teaspoon if fresh)
1 1/2 cup Dry White Wine
1 cup Heavy Cream
Large Bunch of Kale (stalks removed and torn into pieces)
Shredded Parmesan (for serving if so desired)

Put a large pot of water on to boil and cook rigatoni according to package instructions. In a large pan saute sausage until browned and cooked through. Add garlic and rosemary for an additional 1-2 minutes. Pour in wine to deglaze all the good brown bits. Cook the wine for a few minutes then slowly stir in the heavy cream. Once the sauce starts to simmer add the kale to the pan. Cook till the kale begins to wilt. Add the rigatoni and stir until sauce coats it. Turn off the heat and allow the pasta to cool slightly so the sauce thickens. Serve!