Sometimes, though, I'll buy something on a whim (like berries at the Civic Center farmer's market), or somebody will give me something (Iris and heirloom tomato) or leave behind something (former roommate Molly and yellow lentils) and I'll be prompted to make something of it.
For the heirloom tomato, I actually waited until I could get to the East Bay and go shopping at Berkeley Bowl (think Whole Foods but local and cheaper). They have the best mozzarella. So good I took a picture in case you ever see it and feel like having some good cheese.
I've been making this salad since I started cooking for myself. It's a summer classic - tomato, mozzarella, basil. And it looks beautiful when you take some time to assemble. The dressing is just olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.
The lentils I cooked with mirepoix and chicken broth. Spices: cumin, oregano, cayenne, bay leaf. I could've put some meat in but didn't.
This was my first time with yellow lentils. They taste kind of meal-y, like garbanzo bean-ish. I didn't like them the way I do brown lentils.
And it was way too much food. For all the effort put into cooking and plating, I only ate about half.
In contrast, my old roommate Tram came back to visit for the weekend and cooked up a storm for her brother - vegetable, fish, meat soup, rice, the works.
I was invited to share the food for dinner, and it was just like family meals growing up. I even ate more than I normally do. No photos to show for it, just a full belly and happy heart. The way meals are supposed to be.
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