Olive and Mozzarella Spaghetti

I should write about magic.

An idea I stole from Meg Ryan as I watched her fall in love for the second time this week. On an elliptical. At the gym.

Both times with Tom Hanks. (You've Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle.)

And by the second time, I thought. Really, how lucky can one girl get. Tom Hanks once, and I could suspend my disbelief. Alter my sense of reality. No big deal.

But Tom Hanks twice? In one week? Not to mention that both times her relationship starts out without her even having met the guy. She seduces him with her writing.

(Newsflash. Any single men out there. You see what I am doing here. Writing. So what I need you to do is go. Watch the movies. Take notes. Learn a few lessons from Tom Hanks. Come back. And be seduced.)
In the meantime. Because that may take a while.

Where were we?

Oh right. Magic.

Sometimes magic is falling in love with the big shot bookstore owner who is about to drive your little shot store out of business. Sometimes it is falling in love with a somewhat emotionally unavailable grief-stricken man who lives 3,000 miles away. And then flying across the country to declare your undying emotion for a man you have never met. (Note - this is also known as stalking. Do not try this at home.)

And sometimes it has nothing to do with falling.

But everything to do with love.

Love of pasta.

Love of dinner that can be prepared with five ingredients in the amount of time that it takes to boil water.

Love that, sure, you may complain about being single. But it means that when you make something really good for dinner. You get to keep all the leftovers for yourself.

Now that. That is magic.
Olive and Mozzarella Spaghetti
Serves 3, adapted from The Essential Pasta Cookbook

8 oz spaghetti
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil (I used roasted garlic olive oil that I bought at the Ferry St. Market in SF!)
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 can black olives, halved
3 oz cute little mozzarella balls
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil water and cook spaghetti.

2. While that is happening, cut your ingredients. When the water boils, just as you put the spaghetti in, heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet. Saute the garlic on low until the pasta is done.

3. Mix all of the ingredients and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

I am submitting this to Presto Pasta Nights which is being hosted by Gay of Scientist in the Kitchen!