Once in a while {umm…aprox twice a week} I have zero motivation to do anything productive.  It usually happens on days when I’ve had an extra demanding client at work {“demanding” is my “Minnesota Nice” way of saying “asshole”}.

It happens more often this time of year because by the time 5 PM rolls around and I shut my laptop for the day, it’s totally dark out and all I want to do is snuggle on the couch with a book.  Something about less sunlight puts me in hibernation mode.  This would be fine, except for the fact that I have kind of designated myself as the meal-preparer in the relationship…in other words, if I don’t make us something to eat for dinner, then we don’t eat anything for dinner. 

This is not because Mike is lazy or because of old-fashioned gender roles or something.  He does other things to contribute, like chopping huge amounts of firewood and redesigning my blog for me.   So I do most of the cooking. 

Anyways, when Mike closes his laptop for the day and finds me spooning our dog on the couch instead of enthusiastically creating a culinary masterpiece in the kitchen…well, the look on his face can only be described as pure and utter disappointment, with a dash of hunger mixed in for extra potency.  It doesn’t exactly make me feel like Wife of the Year. 

But I can’t help it…some days I just want to sit around and play on Pinterest.  On sad nights such as this, I usually call upon my Twitter friends for inspiration.  There’s nothing better than delicious pictures of food to get you off your butt and into the cooking mood.  If I tweet “looking for a good meal for dinner tonight…” I usually get four or five tweets in response with links to luscious and tempting recipes. 

Last night, I wanted something wholesome, fall-ish, easy to make, and in the “comfort food” category.  @YouCanCookThis totally read my mind somehow, and sent me this.  One glance at the ingredients and I realized I already had everything I needed for it {having to GO GROCERY SHOPPING is a huge thorn in my Wife of the Year foot.  Can’t wait until spring when we can “shop” our garden instead of going to the store!}  I made it in about a half hour, along with an arugula/apple/cranberry salad. 

It was soooo delicious and easy.  I doubled the recipe so I could use a whole squash and a whole box of pasta {qualifying it as a “No Waste” recipe, and we like having leftovers to re-heat for lunch}.  Make this right now, and savor every bite, and congratulate yourself on being Wife/Husband/Person of the Year, if only for a night.