Simple Food

I think about food...a lot.  When I'm sitting in a classroom, waiting for my busy business man student to show up late, I make a lot of lists about food.  What kind of new foods I want to try in restaurants, what food I need to buy at the grocery store, what dishes I can make with the food left in the house, etc.  Food is always on the brain.  In fact, after I typed that last sentence, I had to get up because I remembered I needed to take some chicken out of the freezer for tonight's dinner.  I'm not exaggerating- it's just always on the brain.  I know I'm not alone in this.  There are a lot of you out there like me.  We just like to eat. 

If you know me, you know I love to have extravagant meals in restaurants.  Course after course of the latest seasonal tasting menu?  I'm in heaven.  Pictures of intricately presented tiny dishes on my dining room wall?  You betcha.  But I also love simple food.  In fact, sometimes simple food makes me even happier than steak tar tare studded with garlic chips, capers, and Parmesan shavings.

Last night's dinner was a good example.  We were out running errands most of the day when we realized we didn't have much planned for dinner.  We could have easily eaten out or grabbed something on the way home, but we decided on making an assortment of spreads to go with the imitation baguette we had on the counter.  I say imitation baguette because to call that piece of soft bread a baguette, would be a huge insult to the French.  And the last people I want to piss off are the French.

Anyway, I already had some hummus in the fridge that I made the day before (thanks for sending the mini food processor, sisters!).  We made a simple crab salad and egg salad to go with it, and voila- dinner.  Toasted bread with a trio of dips.  Sounds like it would be at home on any appetizer menu. 

Messy egg salad with Siracha drizzle

It wasn't fancy or pretty to look at.  It wasn't even remotely healthy.  But it was simple and delicious.  Maybe you think this is a really lame dinner, but I just love meals like this.  They are unpretentious and easy.  You sit back with your bread and just eat and eat.  Watching a bad movie online just makes the experience perfectly lazy and fun.  To simple food!