ALWAYS check your recipe!

I found a great recipe for marinated olives and feta in my cookbook.  I thought I would remember the ingredients when I went to the store this afternoon, but I didn't.  I definitely forgot Herbs de Provence, Flat Leaf Parsley and Feta.  FETA!  how could I forget the Feta?!  it's in the TITLE!!!  ugh.  3 ingredients qualifies a trip to the grocery store.  but after I drove around to three different stores this afternoon looking for a space heater...  I'm not in the mood to go back out.

while I was out I stopped by our favorite used book store (I had 4 books to turn in) and found myself staring at the cookbooks.  WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!  I even grabbed 2 of them off of the shelf to peruse the pages!  I did notice that there was a plethora of Colorado cookbooks, not sure what that indicates.  don't worry, I didn't buy any of the books I took off the shelf.  I was looking for the Joy of Cooking or Mastering the Art of French Cooking- I've been told I must own these cookbooks if I am serious about cooking out of my cookbooks.  neither of them were there.  I know it's probably a long shot, as I figure no one would part with either of those cookbooks, but I've found stranger things on the shelves in these places before...

I ended up making English Muffin pizzas for dinner.  I couldn't find a recipe for them, so I just made it up as I went along.  I also took my turn at roasting garlic for the first time.  turns out this IS a recipe in my cookbook, so it qualifies!  can I just say that roasted garlic has got to be one of the most delicious scents I've ever had coming out of my kitchen?!  WOW!

(my) ingredients:

2 English Muffins

2 cloves garlic, halved

olive oil

tomato paste

red pepper flakes

fresh basil leaves, torn

shredded Parmesan

Provolone cheese, sliced

kosher salt, to taste

preheat the oven to 350

place the halved English Muffins on a baking sheet (I line mine with aluminum foil because the cheese can make a mess)

rub the insides of the muffins with the garlic halves

drizzle with olive oil

spread tomato paste on each muffin (to taste, I used about 1 tsp. each, it's really rich)

top with basil leaves

sprinkle with Parmesan

top each muffin with 1 slice of Provolone

bake for 5-10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and slightly brown.  DELISH.

roasting garlic has got to be the easiest thing ever- you cut off the top of a bulb, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in aluminum foil and bake it.  who knew?!

I'm ready for tomorrow morning's adventure in the cookbook!  I FINALLY found Challah bread- 4 grocery stores later. 

lesson learned tonite: Trader Joe's will always have what I can not find in a traditional grocery store, so I should just start there.

I'm also really in the mood for ice cream.

~pam