Meatless Monday...a special risotto (with an aside of meat)

We've been enjoying some glorious weather over the last week or so...warm days, cool nights and sun sun sun!!!  Finally outdoor eating is upon us!!  David and I took full advantage of this situation and enjoyed a lovely BBQ Saturday night with a few friends.  Yummy food and good friends...what a wonderful way to spend the evening!

Ok, enough about the meat...

After the BBQ was over we had two gigantic baguettes to use up.  Baguettes are totally a weakness of mine.  There is nothing quite like ripping off the end of a fresh baguette and munching on it while walking around the market...or slathering a big chunk with lovely soft butter...mmmmm

However, baguettes do not stay fresh for long.  We managed to use a whole baguette Sunday between lunch and mushroom sandwiches for supper...but what to do with the whole other stick? hmmmmmm

Bruschetta with roasted tomatoes and roasted red peppers...and some rubbed with garlic (i only had a handful of cherry tomatoes and one pepper).  I have never roasted a pepper before...I just cut it in half, rubbed it with oil and baked until soft.  It tasted really yummy and these bruschetta were a nice accompaniment to our meatless monday risotto!

Tonight's risotto wasn't just my regular stand-by risotto.  We received a gorgeous bunch of fresh asparagus in the veggie delivery on Thursday...and then today the Arborio rice that I usually, and have always, used to make my risotto was substituted (thank you Waitrose) with the more expensive and starchier Carnaroli rice.  In all honesty...I could tell the difference in the rice texture and the final consistency of my risotto.  I think this may become my rice of choice...worth the extra pennies.