Over Belled

I almost named this post "A Preponderance of Peppers," but that would have been, well, ponderous. I am at work and waiting for my coworker to get back from lunch. In the meantime, I want to tell you about what was on my menu this afternoon. It was just too good not to share. Last night I accidentally made myself a really delicious dinner. I had meant to simply boil up some fresh ravioli and perhaps smother them in some sort of pre-prepared tomato stuff. Well, I had no pre-prepared tomato stuff--it's a rarity in my pantry. Then I looked over and spied the three gorgeous bell peppers that I had been sent home with when I left Olga's house on Tuesday. Not a green pepper in the bunch, they were a luscious portrait in shades of orange, gold, and red.

I sauteed an onion, two of the peppers, and some spinach in a bath of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and oregano and thyme. It was amazing! Not only was it incredibly tasty, it was beautiful to look at. When the ravioli were done, I spread them out on the plate and dropped a large pile of the pepper "sauce" on top in the center. It looked like something you'd find in a fancy schmancy restaurant--well, except for the cheap thrift-store stoneware plate. Best of all, it was a satisfying surprise after what I had originally intended to eat for dinner--a real feast for all of my senses. All hail the simple round beauty of the bell pepper!