first meal in the new kitchen!

That title is actually not true... the first meal I made in our new kitchen went something like this:

• Having grand plans of spending the first week of winter break moving back into the house and whipping up some initial culinary masterpiece in the kitchen where all appliances work and counter space is ample... but instead I get struck by the flu... and by struck I mean, the kids basically raised themselves that week. It was awful. I don't have any recollection of meals that week, nor did we get to move  home.
• The following week, we went on vacation as planned. (Yes, with me still sick. I don't recommend taking a trip when sick. It kind of ruins the fun. Thankfully, towards the end of the trip either the antibiotics or the copious amount of tequila in those "Kachinaritas" kicked in and killed what was ailing me. But anyway, I digress...)
• So, we came back to CT late late late Sat night, and our awesome neighbor invited us over for Easter... 

• Another day of not moving... and not cooking. Bliss. Best neighbor ever, I might add. Delicious meal, fun company, just pure relaxation and good times. And total avoidance of unpacking.
• Then Monday rolls around {insert screeching brakes}. Time to lug the suitcases home. Finally! But where did all of this stuff come from? Did we really move this much stuff over to the condo?! After a day of shlepping, and some paint that wasn't quite dry, I rationalized take-out... and eagerly anticipated / dreamed about egg sandwiches with kale pesto I found still tucked in the condo freezer as the first meal I'd make back home.
• But Tuesday morning, I couldn't locate the toaster.... decided to broil the English muffins... finally figured out how to work the oven.... then forgot about the English muffins, basically torching them, narrowly missing setting the fire alarms off {new French doors and Vent-A-Hood both work wonders}... only to realize the time {where is the clock in the new kitchen?!}... then the school bus rolls up earlier than my calculations of when it should arrive at our real house {oh my gosh, the kids! are they even up?!?!}... and I would have come clean and photographed the charred black nuggets that were actually the first "meal" I made in the new kitchen-- or the yogurt tube and stick of mozzarella I frantically tossed to the backseat driving them to school-- but instead I am sharing this way more idyllic first meal with you: 

This latest variation on turkey lasagna with power green pesto came together quickly, and was delicious. Having only one small tub of pesto left in the condo freezer, I stretched it into 4 family dinners (pictured up top: one for last night, one to share with a friend, and 2 for the freezer) by also adding some Rao's pasta sauce, big handfuls of baby kale, a large can of diced tomatoes and some artichoke hearts. It turned out perfect. Stay tuned for what I whip up next! There's a big freezer just waiting to be filled with meals so I can feed my family well, even on the busiest of days! I'm excited to share my simple--  many of them make-ahead-- recipes with you all as we head into spring...