We finally cleared our backlog of Hello Fresh meals and have enjoyed a couple of our own creations this week.  Last night, I decided I would get in the kitchen and make dinner.  There was a time when I made dinner every night.  In fact, back in the 90s, I even worked as a cook at a church camp for two summers and cooked for up to 75 people three times a day.  It was probably the best job I’ve ever had.

Somehow, our roles flipped and Bill took over cooking a few years ago.  I think it happened when we lived in Germany the first time.  I never knew when he was going to get home and hated the convection oven.  He likes to cook, is good at it, and didn’t mind dealing with the oven.  But every once in awhile, I have to get back in the kitchen and pound out some dough.  We had some leftover produce from Hello Fresh that needed to be used, as well as a cup of red wine that neither of us liked much.  I decided to make tomato sauce and bread and then it turned into baked ziti.  Here are the end results.

Homemade bread.  I find making bread from scratch very therapeutic.  I got the recipe for French bread from the Virginia Hospitality cookbook.  Dinner was sort of Italian-ish.  Talk about fusion.

I decided on ziti because I already had a box open and it was just enough for the two of us… and the dogs, of course.  I got Bill to pick up some ricotta on the way home.  It never ceases to amaze me how much better ricotta is in Europe.

Bill set the table and Arran was quick to take his place.  The dogs love this new seating arrangement, which makes it easier for them to mooch.  I like it because it better accommodates all the presents I’ve been giving my ass.  

No, our dogs don’t drink, but Arran looked so cute waiting for dinner that Bill decided to present the wine to him.  “I trust the wine meets with your approval, Arran.”

After dinner bonding.

 

Arran loves Bill… and vice versa.

And then the post meal stroll around the gardens…  

It was a very pleasant repast.  I should cook more often.