Broccoli Pesto Mashed Potatoes

Amidst our continual parade of home improvement projects, Zach decided to remove a thoroughly unaesthetic bit of chain-link fence that had occupied one side of our back yard since we purchased the house. I think the fence was initially intended to provide a boundary between our lawn and the neighbors' lawn to the right of us, but as our neighbor recently installed a beautiful wooden fence all around her backyard, we decided it was high time to do away with our tangled length of chain-link. Last weekend, while I mulched and weeded, Zach bravely cut away the wire and pulled up the concrete-based fence posts. All except for one fence post, that is... After much digging and pulling, Zach deemed this particular fence post - a post we believe was at some point intended to support a gate, as it was much more deeply rooted with a larger concrete base - the unshakable fence post, and left it standing for another day. During the torrential rains we experienced earlier in the week, Zach even attempted to tug out the post amidst a downpour, when the ground was softest, but to no avail. The post remained, staring at us smugly from it's concrete perch.

This morning, however, feeling industrious, I mowed the lawn, weeded the garden, dug a trench for a border along our back garden... and then turned and stared at the illusive post. Against all logic, some surge of energy and girl-power motivation sent me flying to the garage for a shovel... and thus I began to dig. And dig. All along, I knew the fallacy of my plan - Zach's is much bigger and stronger than I am, for which I'm grateful - he's incredibly sweet about reaching things on the very top shelf for me, and there is no jar lid which he can't conquer - and therefore there was no possible way I could shake the fence post if he couldn't... Or could I? I decided my simple strategy was to simply dig a Very Large Hole. I shoveled, and shoveled, and shoveled, reaching up after every few scoops of dirt to tug on the post with all the strength I could muster. After about two hours of digging, I felt the post shift. Success was near! I might have been smaller than the stubborn post, but I had determination on my side! Another half-hour of digging... and the post was mine!

Really, I'm sure the magnitude of my elation was nearly comical... As I dragged the no longer recalcitrant post to the curbside, I was giddy with accomplishment and rather content with my morning work-out as well!

Having occupied so much time attempting to dig to the opposite end of the earth, it was nearly time for Zach to arrive home for lunch by the time I dusted off and ran inside to shower and change. The mental hospital where Zach is volunteering as a counselor for his psychiatry clinical rotation this month is near enough to our house for him to come home for lunch on my days off from work, which has been an incredible treat, especially compared to the 16-hour days he had to log during his surgery rotation! Still fueled with the triumph of the fence post, and eager to show Zach the giant hole I had created, I dashed into the kitchen to fix us something cozy, speedy, and festive for lunch...

Now, I'm zooming to the kitchen once more, because it's Friday, and Fridays come with the glorious luxury of being able to prepare supper with especially lingering care... :-) Our friend Matt is about to leave Georgia temporarily for a 3-month clinical rotation in North Carolina, so of course we are wishing him bon voyage with a grand Friday night supper! Looking forward to sharing the recipes soon... :-) In the meantime, I'm still quite delighted with the results of our lunch... fence post, broccoli, and all!

Broccoli Pesto Mashed Potatoes

4 potatoes
5 cups broccoli florets
1 (14.5 oz) can cannellini beans, undrained
2 T pesto (either homemade or purchased)
1/2 cup 1% milk

~ Cook the potatoes however you prefer (I cook ours in the microwave).
~ Similarly, steam the broccoli however you prefer (I use a little microwave steamer or the rice cooker).
~ While the potatoes and broccoli are cooking, puree the cannellini beans and pesto in the food processor.
~ Once the broccoli is cooked, add the broccoli to the pureed beans and pesto and puree again until smooth.
~ Coarsely chop the cooked potatoes, place them in a large bowl, add the pureed broccoli mixture, and, with a potato masher, smash the potatoes until they are all nearly broken.
~ Pour in the milk, plus more if you like your mashed potatoes a little softer, and whip the potato mixture until smooth.
~ Reheat gently on the stovetop or in a 350 degree oven, and serve warm!