Hey, It’s National Pasta Day — So, Yes, We Had Pasta

National Pasta Day is October 17. What pasta will you make?

There are still boxes in the room that will be my photo studio. And more on the third floor, which could be so much more than storage. And in my room, the hallway, the dining room, my daughter’s room, the bathrooms …

It seems that only Will has managed to actually unpack.

But that’s okay.

Intellectually, I knew this move would be a challenge. I signed the lease on the same day I started teaching university classes — yes, plural — just one week before school started for my kids. I knew that I was biting off a lot by working full time, teaching two classes, running this site, freelancing, managing my kids’ busy schedules and also moving. But knowing something and really understanding it? Those are two very different things.

So I accept the unpacked boxes. I accept the fact that I haven’t unpacked my clothes or organized my closet yet. And I accept the fact that it might take me awhile to actually start shooting photos when and where I intend to. All of that will work itself out.

We’re here. It’s nice. We’re enjoying it.

That’s really what matters anyway, isn’t it?

Thanks to Twitter, I was clued in earlier that today — October 17 — is National Pasta Day. It sounded like a good idea, so I tossed the tacos for dinner plan to next week and pulled out a package of pappardelle for dinner.

Roasted Vegetable Pappardelle with Creamy Pesto Sauce, anyone?

This pasta recipe is a good one because it’s pretty flexible. The veggies can be swapped out for what you have on hand — cauliflower for broccoli, sundried tomatoes for tomatoes, less onions, more onions, whatever. It’s the sauce, a combination of a creamy béchamel and a bright pesto, that pulls it all together.

Top it off with a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan cheese and you’re good to go.

Get the recipe here.