Yes, as a matter of fact. I AM an optimist.

First, let's break the tension. I know it's wearing you down. Bread. That's it. The mystery kebab ingredient. And let me say that I don't want to disparage the fine recipe developers and editors at Bon Appetit Magazine. I'm sure they do a fine job. It had to be user error, really. How else to explain that I trashed the leftovers of this Sausage, Sourdough, and Bell Pepper Spiedini.

I had several reservations about this dish, but the whole bread-on-a-skewer-with-meat-and-veggies thing intrigued me. Let me break it down.

Neither the Husband nor myself like sausage. Can you tell from the picture (and the title of the recipe) what the meat is? That's right. Sausage. It was a bell pepper and onion chicken sausage I foolishly picked up at Trader Joe's, thinking we might like it. And if we did...whoa, baby. Fast meal. But we didn't. Just like we've never liked sausage. Of any kind. Anywhere.

Second, the Husband doesn't like mustard. This recipe calls for a mustard-heavy dressing that is both brushed on the kebabs and drizzled over the salad. Perhaps the Grey Poupon-ish dull yellow color won't give it away, and he won't notice the mustard. R-i-g-h-t. First thing out of his mouth--"Is that mustard?" It was doomed before he took a bite.

Third, I really couldn't see it taking 12 minutes for bread to toast over a medium-high grill. I also couldn't see bell peppers and onions cooking before the bread turned to charcoal. Just for the record...I was right. Good tasting charcoal, though. Really.

Fourth, and last, we got a new grill this summer which we have totally not figured out. We do know that it cost a lot of money. We also know that the infrared burner scares the holy crap out of both of us. It incinerates things in seconds. So we don't use it. Therefore, things are either not really grilled to that crackly crispy crunch that screams grilled, or they are burned. No happy medium, apparently.

So, is this worth making? Maybe. First, you have to like sausage. Second, you have to like mustard. Third, I would put the bread on separate skewers and cook them for just a few minutes toward the end. Last, you need to know how to work your grill.

I will say that the part that intrigued me most--the dressing-brushed bread cubes--really were good, even with the burned edges. I can totally see doing that as a side dish for something else. But squished all together on a single skewer? Never again in this lifetime, baby.

Tomorrow, I have plans for the leftover grilled chicken. I'm totally mangling another Robin Miller recipe. We'll see how it turns out. (Note to Ms. Miller: Look up enchiladas in the dictionary. You SO do not know what they really are.)