Cheesefare Meals

Last Sunday was our farewell to meat. My family celebrated our annual "Meat Fare Meat Fest" with some friends on Sunday evening. Now that we've said goodbye to meat, I'm gearing up for Cheesefare! I typically try to do a weekly rotating menu during Lent, mostly so that I can have one less thing to think about, and we can concentrate on getting to the weekly services. I'll share our Lenten weekly menu next week, but I thought I'd share one of our favorite Cheesefare week meals. Besides this meal, we also try to do grilled vegetables with goat cheese one night, and this Saturday we're going to eat at the Che*secake Factory for lunch! Now, here's the recipe for our favorite cheesy meal. (I love it because it gets my kids to eat some veggies without complaining!)

Cauliflower-Feta Pasta Bake

1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 pound ziti pasta
One 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
2 cups pitted kalamata olives, drained and chopped
3/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1. Preheat the oven to 425. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the cauliflower with 1/4 cup olive and season with salt and pepper. Roast, stirring halfway through until browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Lower temp. to 350.
2. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook ziti until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Return pasta and cooking water to pot and stir in crushed tomatoes, feta, olives, and remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and half each of the parsley and breadcrumbs.
3. Pour the mixture into a 2-quart baking dish; top with the roasted cauliflower and remaining breadcrumbs. Bake until heated through, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining parsley on top.

Orthodox Pen Pals

If you have a child who would like to have a fellow Orthodox child as a pen pal, visit Sylvia over at Adventures of an Orthodox Mom. You can get the details and sign up here. Sign up by February 21st.

Don't Forget Our Founding Fathers' Words

I don't usually write political posts, but these quotes seemed almost prophetic! Take from them what you will...

When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe .Thomas Jefferson

The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not. Thomas Jefferson

It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world. Thomas Jefferson

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. Thomas Jefferson

My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government. Thomas Jefferson

No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. Thomas Jefferson

The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government. Thomas Jefferson

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. Thomas Jefferson

To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical. Thomas Jefferson (Very Interesting Quote)

Training Up a Child

Bishop THOMAS of the Antiochian Archdiocese just wrote a wonderful article on the education of our children. You can read his thoughts here. Enjoy!

Of all holy works, the education of children is the most holy - St. Theophan the Recluse