By End of February. A week of meltwater and patchy ice and the first robins showing up on the lawn in a doubtful, disoriented way. Nebraska at the end of February is always a question the weather refuses to answer.
Drove a Wichita run Tuesday-Thursday. Long pull for my new schedule. I made rice cooker curry in the cab — following Delia Harper's method from her interview — and it worked. A whole pot of Thai basil curry in a truck cab outside Wichita, Kansas. The book is writing itself.
Home Friday. I made lasagna. Gayle ate two pieces. She said, "I am gaining weight." I said, "Good, Ma." She said, "Don't overdo it." I said, "I am not overdoing it."
Justin had a big weight session Saturday. He is coming into muscle I did not think was possible for a 15-year-old. He is lean and tall and strong. He is thinking. I have still not talked to Dave. I need to. I will this week.
Sunday I told Dave, in the mudroom, in the dark, during dishes. I said, "Dave. Justin said he does not want to go to college." Dave said, "I know." I said, "He told you?" He said, "No. I know Justin." I said, "What do we do?" He said, "Nothing. He is fifteen." I said, "Are you disappointed?" He said, "No, Brenda." He said it with no pause. He said, "I am a mechanic. His grandfather was a trucker. Justin has many honest options. He will find his." I kissed him. He kissed me. He kept washing. I kept drying. The simplicity of my husband saves my life regularly.
Book two at 29,000 words. Thirty is the halfway mark. I will hit it next week if I am steady.
The lasagna felt right for Friday — something layered and slow, the kind of cooking that says I’m home now. But the meal that keeps coming back to me this week, the one that matches the mood of a mudroom conversation and a husband who just keeps washing dishes, is this sheet-pan kielbasa. It’s what I make when I don’t want to think, when I just want something honest on the table and a little time to stand still. Dave would eat this three nights running and never complain. That’s exactly the kind of recipe I trust.
Sheet-Pan Kielbasa and Veggies
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 45 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 14 oz smoked kielbasa, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven. Heat oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment for easy cleanup.
- Prep the vegetables. Add the broccoli, bell peppers, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes to the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat evenly.
- Season. Sprinkle garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper over the vegetables. Toss again to distribute the seasoning.
- Add the kielbasa. Scatter the sliced kielbasa evenly over and among the vegetables in a single layer. Do not pile — spreading everything out helps everything roast rather than steam.
- Roast. Bake for 25–30 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the vegetables are tender and starting to caramelize at the edges and the kielbasa is browned in spots.
- Serve. Remove from oven and serve directly from the pan. Good with crusty bread or over rice if you want to stretch it further.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 390 | Protein: 16g | Fat: 28g | Carbs: 16g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 890mg