Yesterday, I felt fresh out of ideas. I had nothing to blog about today. No recipes to report. Nothing spectacular. Since I started Zen Foodism almost 2 months ago, this was the first time I’ve drawn a blank. Usually I feel overwhelmed by all the food I want to talk about and share and photograph and describe.

So, I opened up a cookbook I’d never used before - The New Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen. I felt like cooking something homey and comforting. A casserole would do the trick! I made a half-batch of her Spinach and Rice Casserole. Problem solved, right?

Nope. The dish wasn’t very good. My husband didn’t even finish his small serving of it. The flavors and texture actually kind of grew on me and I liked it more at the end of my bowl than when I first started. But this situation brought up two questions:

1. Should I share this mediocre recipe anyway?
2. Now what would I blog about today?

I decided “No” on the first question and a total fluke lead me to answer the second. While I was cooking the unfortunate casserole, I opened up a cheap bottle of merlot that I had bought at Trader Joe’s about a month ago. My husband keeps really nice and expensive bottles of wine in the house. But when I’m cooking or it’s just a plain, old weeknight, I feel bad about opening a high-stakes bottle just for a glass or two. So, I got a couple $6 bottles at TJ’s recently and the one I opened last night was actually pretty good! My husband approved, too, and I trust his wine opinions more than my own because I am just starting to learn about it all.

So, here’s my bit of wisdom for today: If you’re looking for a cheap bottle of Merlot, I can recommend PKNT from Trader Joe’s.

Phew! I survived this post. Now, what will I write about tomorrow?