Disappointment, a resolution, and kudos to Mother Nature

I had big plans. BIG PLANS. The Man is out of town overnight and I was going to make corned beef and cabbage, yet another of those things that he can't even stand the smell of. See, I am a good and dutiful wife - I try to not make foods he hates unless he's not home! Or if I don't want him to be home LOL

So I get home from work today hoping that I could satisfy this craving. Hell no. If I hadn't overslept this morning (I loathe the spring daylight savings time change), I could have thrown everything but the cabbage in the crockpot this morning and with minimal effort, had my dinner. But no, I had to oversleep by 45 minutes, necessitating the nonsensical rush by both of us this morning, trying to get out of the house and to work while making sure the bed got made, dishes got done, and the zoo fed.

And oh my goodness, was it beautiful outside today. It started out overcast with sprinkles and ended up sunny, breezy, and nearly 70 degrees. I am sitting here on the couch in shorts and a tank top, dreaming of summer.

So tomorrow - the crock pot. I am going to (hopefully) chop up the potatoes and carrots tonight, throwing them in bowls of water in the fridge until morning.

But tonight, there is a solution to my problem - namely, what the heck to have for dinner. A panini from the gluten-free no-knead bread recipe that I made yesterday. Be sure to give the bread a light toast before piling on the goodies and pressing. But more importantly, I still have a recipe to share.

I spread this on two slices of bread, add turkey, provolone cheese, baby lettuce, tomato, and thinly sliced red onion, sandwich it together, and grill on my panini press (I like my Cusinart, but a George Foreman grill or skillet with a foil-covered brick will work just as well) until the cheese is melted.

An Impatient Woman's Roasted Garlic & Basil Mayo

1/4 cup good mayo (Hellman's is all I use)
1/4 tsp dried basil (more or less to taste)
1 tsp olive oil
2 large garlic cloves

Crack and peel the garlic. In a small skillet/omelet pan, heat the olive oil on low heat. Add the garlic and slowly saute, turning often, until the garlic becomes golden brown. Remove the garlic from then pan and place in a bowl. Mash well using a fork. Add the mayo and basil and then stir well. Let stand in the fridge for 15 minutes before using.