Bachelor "Weekend" 2: The Revenge of the Leftovers

Jen was back from Salt Lake City just long enough for both of us to run off to Rhode Island last weekend. Upon returning home we were seized with an urge to have something light and moderately healthish for dinner. I use the term "healthish" which I just made up in place of "healthy" since the latter is a term that can always be contested by someone more self-righteous than one's self. For every vegetarian who consumes largely fried vegetables is another who roasts their vegetables. For every vegetarian who roasts is a vegan who abstains from all animal byproducts. For every vegan avoiding animal-related foods is one who eats only food that is raw. For every raw vegan is one who scoffs at any grain that has not been adequately sprouted. Etc.

So, before you launch into a tirade about how the quinoa I have made is not true quinoa because it is not sprouted and how I used a little (gasp!) olive oil in any of these dishes, please consider that I am not a health nut and I do not wish to engage in a sprouted grains arms race with you.



Upon returning we had a salad of baby spinach, quinoa, tomatoes (picked from my parents' garden), chives (also from the garden), fresh mozzarella, olive oil, lemon, salt, and pepper.



We followed this up the following night with chicken breast, baked potato, steamed asparagus, and more tomatoes from the garden. Profoundly boring and yet so relieving after so much Italian food, burger, and hot dogs.



As I run through the cleanup phase of the summer I have spent less than $100 on groceries in the first half of this month, working my way through the items in the fridge, freezer, and pantry. As Jen returned to Illinois to visit her family I treated myself to an even less interesting dinner than a mere chicken breast. I upped (or downed?) the ante by having a baked potato with Parmiggiano-Reggiano and kale tossed with lemon and olive oil.

Boring dinners will never be the same again.



With Jen out of town (and with it being the actual weekend) I had to work hard to regain my bachelor cred. Thinking quick browned some garlic and onion in a little olive oil then tossed in the remainder of the pepperoni I used for last week's English muffin pizzas.

I also through in the remaining spinach and some fresh basil with the pipe rigate to make this ridiculous dish that I call "Pepperoni Pizza Pasta." I think if there are culinary research scouts scouring the internet from Domino's or Papa John's I may be receiving a call any day.

Either that or an award of American Culinary Excellence. Could happen.



Since this was a high class dish I needed to pair it with a wine. Beer was far too common to accompany such a fine dish. That's why I picked this bottle of Shiraz from Oxford Landing. I've got to say it was quite delightful. Very peppery. Or was that the pepperoni? Or the pepper I used? Not really sure but I think the wine's excellence is because it was established since 1958. That's right, established since 1958. Other wines are established in a certain year. Oxford Landing enjoys the act of establishing so much that they are still doing it.

It also may have something to do with the 93% shiraz grape and 7% viognier. Personally I like a 91% shiraz and 9% viognier but I'm not going to split hairs. The wine was still quite good.

According to the back of the line I was not tasting pepper at all. It was red cherry, raspberry and liquorice.

Huh, I thought those flavors were coming from the pepperoni. I have a lot to learn.