You Can’t Beat Cooking + Wine

Today has been such a fabulous day! Really, I have been lovin’ every minute of it.

Lunch

I kept things simple for lunch, kinda going along with whatever cravings I was having. The first craving to hit was cool, creamy yogurt, so I enjoyed a plain Chobani yogurt mixed with a big ‘ol spoonful of raspberry Polaner All Fruit spread.

  

While getting my yogurt, I noticed my neglected strawberries staring back at me, so I decided to snag some of those too.

 

And lastly, I couldn’t resist incorporating some of my fresh, new Farmers Market goodies, so I sliced a piece of bread and simply topped it with some basil leaves, tomato slices, and balsamic vinegar. So simple, yet so delicious!! :-P

Lunch was definitely enjoyed poolside today. 8-)

I spent a good majority of the afternoon out by the pool, but got nervous when the hubby said we should really do some work around the house. AH HA! I worked this situation out perfectly by opting to clean and vacuum the pool. Still got my pool time in, while doing “housework” at the same time. It was a win-win situation for both of us! ;)

Dinner

After working up a sweat lounging in my chair for a few hours, I was feeling pretty hungry, so it was time to start thinking about dinner. I got to work in the kitchen, but decided it was going to be much more fun if I had a glass of wine to enjoy…

I’d have to say that cooking is so much more fun when there’s a glass of wine involved. ;) And as it turns out, it leads to some FANTASTIC dinners!

Roasted Zucchini – Simply sprayed with a little PAM, sprinkled with some garlic powder, salt, & pepper, and roasted in a 400 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes.

Fresh Corn on the Cob from the Farmers Market!

And the STAR of the show – Grilled Chicken Panini’s with Tomato, Basil, & Provolone! :-D

   

Here’s how I made our panini’s:

• I started by slicing up a couple thick slices of multigrain bread (again, from the Farmers Market), and cutting each in half for one sandwich (they were BIG slices)
• Coat the slices with a thin smear of light mayo
• Add 1 slice of provolone cheese to each side
• Layer on tomatoes and fresh basil
• Drizzle a little balsamic vinaigrette dressing
• Add grilled chicken slices (*Jay had previously marinated a couple chicken breasts that we had in the freezer, so he cooked those up out on the grill while I worked inside on everything else)
• Close sandwich. Brush each side with a little EVOO, and sprinkle with some S&P.
• Cook on the preheated panini maker (or griddle, frying pan, whatever you have!) until cheese is melted and bread is lightly browned. ENJOY!

Just check out that cheese!

We both decided that these were probably the best paninis we’ve ever hade. Props to us! So we celebrated with a little more white wine with dinner. Hey, it’s Saturday, why not? :)

We’re expecting our friends Brian & Mal over soon to have a nice relaxing bonfire tonight. Jay is on call for work, so we’re kind of restricted as to what we can do. Either way, it should be a fun night. AND, the best part is, we even have DESSERT to share!

I also picked up these 2 cookies today at the market: M&M Chocolate Chip for him and Oatmeal Raisin for her. YUMM!! :-P

I almost forgot! Last night, I made a batch of some AMAZING Cookies & Cream cookie bars for the guys at their softball game. I’ll post the recipe for ya’ll tomorrow (be forewarned, they are not “healthified” by any means, seeing as though a softball team full of grown boys men really don’t care!) but I will give you guys a little sneak peek for now!

 

The guys were definitely happy with these babies. ;)

Question for the Night:

A real simple one – favorite cookie of all time?