last night i made bruschetta.  it was so amazing.  the secret:  don’t skimp on the olive oil.  in italy, the bruschetta was so moist and flavorful.  and while i don’t have that fresh, delicious olive oil they use there, my extra virgin, light taste bertolli olive oil does the job just fine.

i had a beefsteak tomato from the farmers market, and added kalamata olives, a clove of garlic, salt and pepper, and tons of fresh basil.  i think that’s all i added.  it was so yummy.

i also made some meatballs from some turkey i had in the freezer.  my goal is to use all the meat in the freezer this summer.  we are on a very strict budget and i want to shop in my freezer and cupboard before i go shopping at the store.

we’re having our friends over for dinner wednesday night.  here’s the menu so far:

cold peach gazpacho

risotto with mushrooms and truffle salt (from italy!!!), with fresh green beans

wedding caesar salad (we used to call it dave and diane barker’s caesar salad, but they brought it to our wedding, so now we’ve taken it as our own.)

what for dessert?  my girlfriend says she wants me to make healthy food, and i’ve already disobeyed her with the risotto.  i’m not all that into just fruit.  we could go up to the pool and grill some fruit on the grill?

any ideas?

i love obsessing about this stuff.

but what do i do with all this passion about cooking between now and dinner?  and tonight is grilled sausages and corn on the cob night.  so there’s nothing to do but let those ingredients be the stars.  which is why we love them, right?  i just wish i could take all my creativity and passion and put it into practicing, teaching and doing the budget.  oh, and putting up the laundry.  and working out.  working out!  i have totally forgotten it even exists.  oh, i’m hopeless.

i’m on my 2nd iced coffee this morning.  i made the pioneer woman’s recipe for iced coffee and it is so amazing.  a little sweetened condensed milk, ice, and cold brewed, strong coffee.  i even put it in a “ball jar” like she does, with a straw.  it’s so good.

it’s 9:15.  i can turn this lazy, good-for-nothing behavior around.  get up and out of this chair and put the laundry away.  now.  do it.