Those who know me well know that I have a tendency to make disastrous experiments in the kitchen. Whether it be the instant oatmeal and mustard of my college years, the macaroni and cheese with half-cooked noodles and the instant cheese powder, mustard pancakes, (mustard on anything really), or my newest creation, I tend to take terrible risks in the kitchen.

Last night’s disaster was a little less experimental and more just a lack of good, forward thinking. I went to the store and picked up a bag of mixed greens, some portabella mushrooms, a half pint of raspberries, some yogurt, and some granola. Logically, you would think that the raspberries were for the yogurt and granola. If only that were the case. I decided to save the granola and yogurt for breakfast this morning- it’s a safe bet and I’ve become infatuated with probiotics. The raspberries, I thought, would be excellent in the salad. I tossed half the half pint into a bowl, half the bag of mixed greens, a handful of the granola for some extra crunch, and set it aside to make the dressing. This is where I went wrong. The only dressing I know how to make is olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and garlic, so that’s the kind of dressing I made. I dumped my little bit onto the salad, mixed it up, and began eating. Yum, right?

….

No. Not good at all. Here’s the problem: the worst example of two rights=one gigantic wrong: garlic and raspberries in the same anything. They were the most disgusting combination I’ve ever tasted. Seriously seriously gross. But I ate the entire thing; I wasn’t going to let all that good food go to waste. Luckily today I fixed my recipe, and sensibly took out the garlic from the simple little dressing.

I also cooked up the mushrooms with oregano and red pepper and at them on a sandwich roll. That was delicious, easy, and awesome. The only kind of respectable veggie burger. Tonight I was a bit simpler for dinner- only a salad, a potato, and some yogurt with granola.

I also made myself a Manhattan, in preparation for my trek to NYC next week. It’s actually the first time I’ve made one that I’ve liked. I keep making them because otherwise I’ll have a bottle of bitters and bottle of vermouth for the rest of my life.