Crabby Monday and I Messed up EASY Mac

 Everyone in my house was crabby at dinner tonight so it was no fun. I made another recipe from Claire's Cornercopia Cookbook, and this one just wasn't that great. It was called "My Mom's Zucchini Bake," and no offense to Claire's mom, it really shouldn't have had orange juice and orange zest in it. I hate when I don't trust my instincts on what I'd like to adjust in a recipe--I would have put shredded mozarella in the mix, and definitely wouldn't have made the marinara on top optional. I had only enough left from pasta night for two portions, and this recipe made a huge baking pan full. 
I packed it up in the freezer to take out when I've got more sauce to serve it with.

I was happy enough preparing it. In fact, I was patting myself on the bake for making 2 extra cups of brown rice on Saturday when I made the vegetable patties. My favorite brown rice, Lundberg Short Grain brown Rice, is sooooooo yummy, but it takes 50 minutes to cook and often I don't have that time on a weekday.  If you don't think you like brown rice, give this brand a try. It's so fantastic. Never, ever, use brown minute rice. It's no where near the same.
Maybe I didn't go with my instincts on the orange zest and juice because I love getting a chance to use my microplaner.  It's the coolest way to get zest--a totally fun and necessary kitchen tool.

I was also enjoying cracking the fresh eggs from the farm.  The yolks are so orange/yellow.
You just don't get that from store eggs. Coincidentally, this recipe also has Bisquick in it! Maybe it's because I used the heart healthy kind and not the regular kind that it didn't turn out great.


Then I added too much water to Owen's Easy Mac. It nees 2/3 cup, and I put in a whole cup. I usually like those little single serving packets, but tonight it just pissed me off. Kira was saying she wasn't going to eat anything, but sat down in a huff. I directed her to the leftover pasta and had her microwave it herself. Will was amenable to the Zucchini Bake, but I think he was just seeing how annoyed I was at everything!

I'm going to blame the whole thing on my eye exam this afternoon. I hate eye exams more than teeth cleanings. Any time I have bright lights in my eyes it's like torture. I came home and looked up what all those drops and tests do any way. Ever wonder?

I ran out right after dinner to CVS to get some prescriptions and escape the crabbiness a bit. I like walking around the make up aisle and browsing about aimlessly. Jammed out to Just Breathe, the amazing new Pearl Jam song. Came home and everyone was still crabby, so I scrubbed the sink (an old white porcelain one) with bleach. For some reason I find that really gratifying. Just Breathe.