Is it Friday yet?

The Veganomicon challenge continues....

Question for the wine drinkers out there (or cocktail sippers, or whatever)-have you ever noticed how a couple of glasses of wine before/with dinner can really help make the evening more, I don't know, relaxed and more fun?  I didn't get to read any of Julie today because I was at home with a sick kid.  He kept me up all night long with inconsolable sobbing.  Poor dude. Poor mommy.  And for all you non-parents out there, it is summer vacation... so I had a 2 year old and a 5 year old whining at me all day while I felt guilty about missing work, and then I felt guilty about feeling guilty.  What a weird, nonproductive cycle. It must have been was the lack of sleep-right?  Anyway....I counted down until 6pm (wow-I know some of you are wondering what took so long), and I cracked open a bottle of medium-dry Riesling for my sister and me.  The stresses of the day seemed to float away as we sat on the back porch and watched the kiddies run through the sprinkler.

Of course, that can only last so long.  Now, I'm sitting here after being awake since yesterday morning with a boatload of dirty dishes everywhere, food that needs to go in the fridge, and a nice layer of sunflower seeds coating my floor.  And, I'm hoping to be in bed in 50 minutes.  

But I know, let's keep this about the food.  So, you are asking yourself-why are there sunflower seeds all over the floor? (or maybe not, but let's pretend you are)  Well, because despite having a ton of leftovers from last night's fabulous meal, I had some carrots and portobellos that I wanted to use in the fridge, so I made the Curried Carrot Dip and the Portobello Salad with Spicy Mustard Dressing to accompany the leftovers, which were once again the main course. 

 Isa- Terry- you two haven't let me down yet.  The carrot dip can easily take the place of hummus (or be eaten side by side with that magical creamy spread)-the curry makes it so delicious, and the color is out of this world.  Oh, and it is made with sunflower seeds.  I whipped that dip up as my kids watched while sitting at the kitchen island shoving sunflower seeds down their throats.  My son, who despite no sleep and weird stuff in his poor eyes, pretended he was Cookie Monster and missed his mouth more often than not.  As for the salad...who doesn't love a marinated portobello with avocados, red onions and spicy mustard dressing?  I mean, the smells those marinated mushrooms created in my kitchen were to die for (or, as my colleague would say, "It smelled so good, it made me want to slap my momma," though neither of us would advocate slapping your mother-I'd be without a hand if I tried that, for sure.)  And, as for the leftover Tomato and Roasted Eggplant Stew and Soft Poppy-Seed Polenta-still pretty darn tasty after a day in the fridge. Not surprising for the stew, as the flavors blended really nicely after some time spent getting to know one another-but the polenta heated up reasonably well too. 

Now, if you'll forgive me-I hear a sink full of dishes calling my name.  It's something like, "Bit#%, you better get over here and clean me out!"  And, I'm nothing if not abiding.....