Fun Autumn Recipe for WS

Now that our hectic summer is over, I am hoping to get back on board with Wednesday Spaghetti. So last night I tried out a new recipe on my family in preparation for WS. I really enjoyed it and with a lot of prepared ingredients- it's really simple.


Cheese Ravioli with Pumpkin Maple Sage Sauce

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 (10 ounce) container Alfredo Sauce (I used Buitoni)
1/2 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin (I used slightly more since I love that flavor)
1 tablespoon sage (I had to use ground since I had no fresh available)
Refrigerated or frozen Four Cheese Ravioli
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons chopped green onion

DIRECTIONS
Cook wine and onion in medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 1 tablespoon. Stir in sauce, pumpkin, syrup and sage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain, reserving cup cooking water. Stir reserved water into sauce; toss with pasta. Sprinkle with green onion. Season with ground black pepper.

Wednesday Spaghetti in New England

I am back from a long needed (albeit rainy) vacation and ready for my spaghetti. My lovely friend, Lesley, invited me to her house tonight for dinner so I am very excited to not cook or clean! I had her over a few weeks back for WS, so she is returning the favor tonight. All I have to do is show up with some bread... easy cheesy. I am only taking one kid along (the oldest quietest one) so that I can kick back and relax a little. That doesn't happen often for me, so I am unusually elated for a pasta dinner.

I am looking forward to laughter, chatting, joking and maybe a few bites of pasta (this is not good for my diet, but I will let some bonding time get in the way of my need to get into a bathing suit any time soon.)

Spaghetti and All

I had a successful Wednesday Spaghetti... we had spaghetti and it was Wednesday. I threw in 2 wonderful friends, garlic bread and some wine... voila!

When I told my husband that I had invited Lesley and Lori over for dinner, his first question was "Why?"
"Because I wanted to have some friends over to hang out."
"But they don't even know each other."
"So?"
"So, that is kind of random."
"That is the fun of it. They don't know each other so we'll have a lot to talk about and learn about each other."
"It's just weird."
"You're weird."

We ended up having a great time with great conversations and I can not wait to do it again with other random friends.

My Sad, Sad Journey Towards Friendships

First off, thanks to Lora for inviting me to the secret society. I have never met Lora in real life as I live in the great north woods of New Hampshire. "You have internet there?" you ask. Why, yes, we do, only if we have power after we clear the ice off the lines!

Anyhow, I met Lora from stalking her indiscriminate Twitter banter. If any of you are on Twitter, you are familiar with most of the pompous, self promoting drivel that is on there, which is why Lora was so conspicuous.

And that is the short story of how Michele was invited over for spaghetti dinner.

When Lora invited me last week I was excited but apprehensive as this is something I have struggled with for years (female friendships... not eating spaghetti!) My friends from youth are spread from Washington to Rhode Island, which means I see very little of them. And building new female relationships has been an issue most of my adult life. I had my first child at 23... not too young (or so I thought), until I realized that most women at that age were still out partying and bar hopping, while I was home with a papoose attached to my nipple. Other 'moms' that I encountered were just... not cool. They wore mom jeans, gossiped about other mothers, and would make snide comments about piercings and tattoos (both of which I have).

It took me years to find women who I could be comfortable around and actually spend time with without wanting to jump out the nearest window. Now, I have a very small group of wonderful friends. But unfortunately, at this point in our lives, it is simply time that holds us back. After my invite to dinner, I immediately asked two girlfriends to join me. One works Wednesday evenings and one just can't get here in time once her husband gets home from work.

I will persevere. I might just have to pick up a random drunk chick at a bar and promise her a ride home, only to take a 'wrong turn', bring her to my house and force her to eat spaghetti with me... and LIKE it!

So, tonight, it will just be me and my 3 mini-girlfriends (AKA my daughters) and my hubby for spaghetti and garlic bread, which I bought special just for the occassion. I will raise my glass and send you all good cheer.