SOMETIMES WE NEED SIMPLICITY

It's nearly 10 pm Friday night, and this will not be a long post. By Friday I am ready to slow down. Hair cut, grocery shopping, and dinner with friends filled my day. 

I planned a simple dinner so there would still be time for my friend Julie and me to walk to the beach, along the cliffs. The temperature was quite mild, 68 degrees and a soft breeze. The roar of the ocean against the cliffs is sometimes deafening. Today it was not, it was gentle waves caressing the sandy beach. The color was a beautiful turquoise blue, glistening in the sun. I wish I could have captured that with my camera - my camera that was neatly tucked away on my desk.

The menu for tonight was angel hair pasta, made with cherry tomatoes, roasted veggies, and of course a  red wine. No self-respecting Italian serves dinner without a red wine - especially not pasta. My sauce tonight was from Ina Garten, Food Network. Lots of fresh garlic to start with, sautéed in olive oil, low heat. Then I added a jar of organic tomatoes, a basket of sweet cherry tomatoes (cut in half), salt and pepper, and red cayenne pepper (crushed or chopped so it will be subtle). Simmer until the tomatoes soften and break apart, at least 45 minutes.  The roasted veggies can be anything that is in the refrigerator, tonight I planned mine - sweet potato, a sweet onion, brussel sprouts, broccoli, and purple cabbage. Uniformly chopped and drizzled with olive oil and a little sea salt. (No higher than 375 degrees.) Delicious and sweet, especially with the sweet potato. I put out little condiment bowls with chopped, fresh basil, and shaved parmesan. The fresh basil was such a delicate flavor - delicious with the sweet tomatoes. Dessert isn't always part of my meals, but tonight I was in the mood to serve something fun and simple. It was an old recipe that I had torn out of a magazine years ago, called ice cream tiramisu cake.

It was delicious and simple: lady fingers soaked briefly in a mix of espresso coffee and rum, topped with vanilla ice cream, layer again with coffee and rum soaked lady fingers, more ice cream, adding another layer, and finishing with grated dark chocolate on the top. Freeze for at least 3 hours. The next time I make it I would make the espresso coffee very strong, and add a little more rum, or perhaps try a coffee liqueur. A lovely way to end the week - friends, food, wine, and candle light.

Good night and God Bless!    Aleta

"The ordinary arts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest."  -Thomas Moore