Stuffed Tomatoes

Book Club is serious business. I took a couple of days off from work simply because I was the hostess for this month's book club.

I needed one day to prepare and one day to recuperate. You probably think I jest. Let me explain:
My home is well lived in--cluttered. I have to clean.
The appetizers are more important than anything else.
The book discussion is just an excuse for us friends to gather.
The wine has to be good. Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir and in my case some rum to spice the hot mulled cider. (It's cold outside.)

So I began the day, shopping for ingredients. I was making stuffed tomatoes. Lest you think I'm some kind of slacker, let me set you straight. I am talking about stuffed CHERRY tomatoes. Yup, the teeny ones. Cleaning the house takes time, too.

I prepared stuffed cherry tomatoes and a four layer dip for appetizers. The cherry tomatoes were a hit! Every single last one of them was eaten. The dip was good, too. I placed the dip in the middle of three different kinds of crackers.

The wine was Cavit's Pinots. The cider didn't go over that well. Only two imbibed.

After the wine and appetizers, and discussing the book (The Shack by William Young), we adjourned from the living room to around the dining table, for coffee/tea and dessert. It really doesn't matter what the dessert is, the tone has already been established by the appetizers, book discussion and wine. But we had brownies. That's all. Brownines with nuts, and plain brownies were dessert. Of course, they were good.

I needed a second day off from work because the meeting was at my house. That means I didn't have to drive home.

Do I have to draw you a picture?