Just a Quickie

Around here Sunday dinner is usually composed of something time consuming, but not today. While my son chauffeured me through some errands, Jeff stayed home to work. When we returned with a connector he needed, he stopped his school preparations and began installing the new dishwasher. Unfortunately, as soon as he began he realized he needed another part that did not appear on the "you will need" list provided by the manufacturer. It was none other than a three-prong plug to connect the electricity. (Now, one might imagine that a cord and plug would come with an electrical appliance, but apparently this is an incorrect assumption.) So, he and the boy drove back to Home Depot (because, of course, the small locally owned hardware store that is only five minutes from our house is closed on Sunday). Once they returned, Jeff again began to install the dishwasher; however, fate was not kind to him. It seems the elbow piece I bought earlier in the day (mind you, the exact piece pictured and described in the instruction booklet) didn't work. I was the wrong kind of coupler since Jeff needed one that had threads on the inside, not the outside. So...(you guessed it) back to Home Depot he went for the correct coupler.

In the meantime, I was getting hungry and my kitchen was littered with dishwasher parts. In an effort to make something quick (while Jeff was gone), I rummaged through the pantry emerging with 8 ounces of corkscrew pasta and a can of cream of broccoli soup. While the pasta water boiled, I found a bag of frozen assorted veggies (broccoli, carrots, and mushrooms) and a wedge of Romano cheese. Aha! Dinner was in the bag. After adding just a little milk to the soup to smooth it out, I put it on the stove to heat. When it began to bubble, I tossed in the grated Romano and stirred to melt it down. Just before the pasta was finished cooking, I added the veggies to the boiling water. Once drained, everything combined for a quick and delicious supper. The soup gave the whole thing excellent flavor which was accented nicely by the saltiness of the cheese. The veggies were an added bonus providing some vitamins and texture. The aroma filled the house and even my son appeared wanting to know what I had made. I guess sometimes, impromptu is pretty good. Now, keep your fingers crossed that the dishwasher works so I can clean up the plates.