Reunion Dinner

It is my last night in the City of Angels. As sad as I am to leave here, I still have friend or two that I need catch up with. I have a great friend that was one of the first people I met at college orientation. Him and I became great friends not just because we lived in close proximity to one another back home but because, we got along really well. Because my parents read this, maybe not a good idea to re-dictate our first encounter.

Anyway, he is now and will always be my "gay husband," a man that understands my mind without even questioning how or why it works. My "gay husband" arrived and we had amazing appetizers of Crostini with Goat Cheese and Roasted Bell Peppers. My resident LA friend (we'll call her LA LADY) invited her own college friend to come over and enjoy a relaxed meal. The second she enters LA LADY'S house, she immediately says to my "gay husband" "you work at my office!!!!" Turns out they work at the same place, barely knew each other but never knew their names, now they do. So glad that LA LADY and I can be great at connecting people.

CROSTINI WITH GOAT CHEESE AND ROASTED BELL PEPPERS:
1 baguette
1 package of good goat cheese
1 jar of roasted bell peppers, red or orange (whatever you wish), sliced
EVOO
S+P

This is the easiest appetizer ever. Preheat oven to 350 F. Slice the bread about 1/2 inch slices and place on a cookie sheet. Lightly drizzle olive oil on bread slices and season with salt and pepper, dried rosemary would be nice here as well. Bake for 7-10 minutes, till the bread is nice and golden but a little chewy in the middle. Spread on goat cheese and some slices of roasted bell peppers and consume. Watch out, it's super addicting.



In honor of good friends, I made a delicious dinner of Lemon Herb Chicken, a Corn and Basil Salad along with a Spinach Salad. The Corn and Basil salad I got from an acquaintance on the 4th, the Lemon Herb Chicken is a take on Martha's recipe and the Spinach Salad was a concoction my mother created.

LEMON HERB CHICKEN
4 chicken breasts
2 large sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped, abt 2 tbsp
2 tbsp of fresh thyme
2 tbsp of fresh sage
4 garlic cloves, minced
juice of 2 lemons
1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil +2 tbsp olive oil for cooking
S + P
1/2 cup of dry white wine

Preheat oven to 400 F. Salt and pepper chicken breasts and combine all other ingredients (minus the wine) in a plastic zip top bag. Let marinate for at least an hour. Heat a large deep bottomed pot with 1 tsp of bacon fat with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Take out breasts and let marinate drain off chicken, sear both sides of chicken breasts for about 6 minutes each or until you brown them on both sides. Dump in the white wine and bring to a boil. Place in oven for 10 - 20 minutes depending on how thick the chicken breasts are. Check the doneness by slicing breast to make sure there is no pink left. Serve and ENJOY!!!

CORN AND BASIL SALAD
1 bag of frozen sweet white corn
1 small onion diced
1/4 cup of chopped basil leaves
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
S + P

Defrost corn in microwave with a little water. Drain when cooked and add vinegar, enough S + P, onion when hot. Place in fridge and when cooled add herbs. Serve room temp or cold.

SPINACH SALAD
2 cups of spinach
1/4 cup of thinly sliced red onion
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/4 cup of crispy bacon, diced

Dressing:
1/3 cup of red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
S + P
1/8 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/3 cup of olive oil

Combine all ingredients for dressing and pour on salad when ready to serve.

I hope you enjoy this dinner, I know we all did.