So I have been in the kitchen all day today, and all night last night. What better time for Good Food Can Be Simple Part II? I was not going to be making an elaborate dinner tonight. My legs hurt from standing and moving around the kitchen for hours!

I made my mom what I had for dinner last night. The pesto, spaghetti, grape tomato and cheese meal. I love this meal so much. I love it. It does not look pretty though. A couple of readers mentioned that they wish I had taken a photo of last night’s dinner. So I snapped a quick shot of my mom’s dinner tonight 🙂 I might have had a little more pasta, but you will get the idea. This is a healthy, simple meal. It took me less than five minutes to put together. Of course the day I made the pesto, harvested the basil, and so on it took a little longer 🙂 Thank goodness for freezers!

Seriously – fantastic. I cannot tell you how good this is. Grow your own basil next summer, make pesto in the fall, freeze it and have it in February. You will love the fresh flavor.

My dinner was also simple and healthy. I made a huge salad. I had been baking and tasting batter for a good part of the day. I also had my mom’s famously wonderful French Onion soup. I really did not need dinner tonight, and I was not very hungry. But I forced myself to eat this amazing salad. I needed some vegetables!

It was such a good salad! I had no idea you could actually come up with such a good salad in February. (I can’t wait for amazing salads this summer!!) Besides the chopping time (as you might remember, I love chopping – no, I’m not kidding) it was really quick to put together and so worth it.

In the mix:

• spinach
• grape tomato
• cucumber (seeded)
• scallions
• red pepper
• mushrooms
• carrots
• homemade croutons
• a lovely piece of bread

I sort of make a deal with myself when I have salad for a major meal (ie lunch or dinner) I allow myself to have a nice piece of crusty / artisan / homemade bread. I have a thing for bread (like, I love it). I cannot help it. There is nothing better. So I traded bread for some awesome vegetables. It was a great trade.

I hope everyone is having a warm Sunday evening. Oh – in case you were wondering, the baking continued this evening after I ran to the market to get more butter, eggs and sugar. Who have I turned into!? I never bake. But it was fun. Tomorrow I will be making Valentine deliveries to my family & friends. Cookies and cupcakes – it is a holiday after all 🙂

See you tomorrow!