Fresh Picked

I just picked this round zucchini and yellow squash from my garden and can't wait to toss it on the grill tonight.

I sprinkled it with a bit of pepper, garlic and EVOO.

I'm also marinating chicken and prepared a stuffed shell tray for the girls.  And while I'm on the subject, I'd like you all to note that I was not able to find ANY marscapone cheese in either grocery store that I went to.  AND craziness of craziness, one store only offered one kind of ricotta and the other only had two kinds of ricotta.  "Sidney, I don't think we're in Jersey anymore."  This is the first stuffed shell plate that I'm making without marscapone.  I'm assuming that Whole Foods has it, but I really didn't want to make the trip on a Sunday afternoon.  It's always such a mad house.  I almost called the whole thing off and grabbed a bag of nice ravioli (my girls are missing their Jersey Italian) but the kids protested.  I swear to you... I am actually sort of surprised that the California grocery markets don't keep their garlic and porchetta in an aisle labeled, "ethnic food."

I seriously LOVE California, but I miss that great east coast food.  I've had some of the best Mexican food ever since moving here, but my restricted diet doesn't allow for much on a menu at a mexican restaurant.  I miss being able to stop and get really good food just about anywhere.  Even if it was an amazing sandwich at the Reading Terminal Market or an awesome fusion dinner at the Continnental Midtown.  I even miss those Blood Orange Margaritas at El Vez and the extraordinary chicken fingers and local cranberry wine at the Vincentown Diner.  Sometimes I just get sick of cooking and I'm almost always disappointed when we venture out for dinner somewhere.  Maybe that's why people in California are so thin.

This post is making me really hungry.