SUCCESS!

Last Monday afternoon I had a vision. It involved roasted butternut squash, and it was powerful.

I was really down on myself for not making a perfect meal with a new ingredient. I needed to undo the damage from last Sunday's Tof-ail.

My vision led me to the dangerous and bank account draining Eli's, where deep orange colored redemption was on the very top of the squash pile. I was so consumed with produce, that I didn't even ogle the cheese section. A first!

AnonyMouse was out and about, but I was not alone. My temporary companions*: a squash, shallots, and some almost dangerously overripe bananas were about to go on a journey. A banana bread was in the oven by the time a freshly shorn AM got home. He knew how bad I felt about the previous night, and I really wanted to knock his socks off.

Banana bread...done. Squash and shallots...roasting. AnonyMouse was now under the impression that we were having roasted squash and banana bread for dinner. I let him think that. (I'm now imagining a restaurant that serves dessert with dinner)

The final outcome was a bowl of bliss: whole wheat penne tossed with goat cheese, roasted shallots, and butternut squash.

Success tastes pretty darn delicious!

Three Successful Culinary Experiments Paired With Three Very Bad Culinary Experiments

Molded chocolate cup filled with peanut butter vs Molded loaf filled with jellied chicken**

Meat tucked between two slices of bread vs Pasta tucked into a bread bowl

The Unbearable Sadness of Vegetables vs Rabbage

*Just a note...Rachael Ray's practice of referring to foods as "guys" makes me grind my teeth. I in no way endorse this.

**Many thanks to Kris @ Cheap Healthy Good for directing me to this treasure trove.