Menus and madness.......

 Martini, anyone?

TGIMARTININIGHT!

So, here's what's happening in Judiland....

As we inch closer to our big July 4th weekend--one that's filled with lots of celebrations--I'm up to my eyeballs in getting the house prepped for visitors, for doing some entertaining and for quite a bit of cooking and all that goes with all of that.... 
One of the things I promised myself this time around is that I was going to make it easy, easy, easy on myself in the menu department....as in what I was going to feed my house guests on a daily basis.
REPEAT AFTER ME---Every meal does not need to be an event, Judi!
Although that weekend is traditionally all about fireworks and hot dogs, we here in Judiland are also celebrating the high school graduation of my next-to-the-youngest nephew on July 5.  With lots of guests coming into town for the celebration and with lots of family and friends attending, there's lots of things to do.  So...in order to get it all done and to survive AND enjoy it all,  I've been doing a lot of self talk.  When I find myself scouring Pinterest for new projects or new recipes that I think would be oh so perfect for our 4th of July festivities, I immediately remind myself that I have a table in my office strewn with things that need put away from Easter and I have a litany of graduation party duties and cooking to do AND I haven't even started putting our fun little barzebo (not this exact one but similar....)together for the back patio.  I can be so ADHD  distracted by my need to be creative sometimes.....
My usual M-O prior to my son the doctor coming for a visit is to pepper him with menu ideas and then badger him to tell me ask him which ones he wants.   Although I started out doing that earlier in the month, he was saved the daily marathon discussions due to his work travel schedule.  Which, of course, left me to my own devices when coming up with mom's menus that I think he would like to have.  (As an aside--I should mention that I delude myself a bit about him needing or wanting his mother's food since he is an excellent and adventuresome cook in his own rite.)   Truth time: I redirected my menu questions to my poor nephews.....what do you want Aunt Judi to make for you?
Eh....they are teenagers....they just shrug their shoulders. Pizza delivery would be fine for them!   Although, I am thankful for one thing--- the new high school grad did put in his requests for what he wants me to make for his graduation party....THANK YOU BRETT for making Aunt Judi feel needed. 
Being left to my own devices when doing menu planning can be quite dangerous in one respect and quite freeing in another.  On the dangerous side---I end up with more ideas and more food than anyone can possibly eat in a mere weekend.  Yet....on the freeing side--it gives me the opportunity to consider things that I may not have otherwise.  As long as I continue to successfully do my self-talking to my excessive self, I should be okay.  Fingers crossed. 
(You know, I should have learned my lesson last weekend--when I was running my sorority house--I made a boatload of this enchilada recipe because I guess I figured strapping, hungry frat boys would be coming and going at all times.  Little did I know that college graduate sorority girls are so over frat boys and are content to drink cosmos and stay on their diets.   So, yeah....we'll be eating those enchiladas for a few weeks. And those meatballs.  And that french toast and sausage casserole.  And those cute little mushroom puffs and parmesean tater tots I made.  Yeah, I overcooked...).  
So, on to the freeing part.
No one has ever asked me for Pasta With Roasted Red Peppers & Goat Cheese.
Nor would they ever.  
But, since I'm giving myself freedom to make delish yet easy food.....I chose to put Pasta with Roasted Red Peppers & Goat Cheese on the menu for Thursday night when the house begins to fill up.  With this light, simple salad,  a nice, bright selection of summer wines and a tray of store-bought cut up fruit and this absurdly easy dip.....it's a simple and perfectly perfect dinner-on-the-deck meal to prepare when I get home from work that will be ready when the first traveler steps foot in the house.  
Now, if I can only resist the urge to embellish this plan with anything more, I'm good to go.  
No Judi, you can't make this recipe no matter how amazing it is.  But, maybe YOU, my blogger friends might want to....

Now, it's time to start thinking about putting together an easy July 4th menu....

THINKING, THINKING, THINKING, THINKING......

Sometimes making things easier on myself takes too much mental energy.....
Yes....THANK GOD IT'S MARTINI NIGHT!!!!