Love what you cook and cook for people you love. In my mind that pretty much sums up a philosophy that will guarantee you will have fun and an appreciative audience making it worth the effort. For me, because I don't have a lot of leisure time to cook for family and friends these days due to various projects I am presently involved in, I tend to go back and use the same recipes that I love and know over and over again. I never get sick of eating them and I haven't heard any complaints.

One of the most basic appetizers or hors d'oeuvres that fall into that category is bruschetta (pronounced “brusketta”). This is classic and upscale, yet so simple to prepare, perfect when you have limited time or resources. Basically it's sliced bread that has been brushed with olive oil and baked until crusty and golden brown, then topped with a tomato mixture.

Another appetizer or hors d'oeuvre that fits this criterion is one of my features last month; Caprese salad. Both of these foods have endless combinations that can be used to keep things mixed up a little bit and provide variety. This month, here are two variations on these classic recipes that hopefully you will enjoy as much as I have over the years and continue to enjoy on a regular basis.

As always, quality ingredients prepared with love (and a glass of wine helps) results in a warm, enjoyable experience that will be fun for you to eat and serve. I grew up with a family that never bought anything but raw ingredients to make everything from scratch. But times change, new products come on the market worth trying. There are a host of pretty decent, pre-made sauces and even some of the more popular bruschetta toppings that you can purchase to make your life easier if you are so inclined. Life is different today with many more activities in our lives leaving less and less leisure time to spend hours in the kitchen. Try these products if you wish. If you like them, they suit your taste and budget, I say, why not! The key is to enjoy life and not be hung up on doing it the way it was done 25, 30, 40 or more years ago. It's more important to do what works for you without worrying about what someone else might think. Live with gusto; for you, for your family and for your good, long time friends. Bon Appetito.

Bob Leonardi, of Auburn, ran a successful restaurant business, catering, and gourmet food store in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for 15 years.

Insalata Caprese salad with pesto vinaigrette

1/2 cup pesto 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella

3 beefsteak tomatoes

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Cut tomatoes and cheese into 3/8 inch thick slices. Combine pesto, oil and vinegar in a small bowl; set aside.

Layer tomatoes and cheese on a serving platter. Drizzle pesto dressing over top. Garnish with fresh basil and season with salt and pepper.

Pesto is made hundreds of different ways. Most basic recipes have garlic, basil, olive oil, salt and pepper, Parmesan cheese and pine nuts. If you don't have a recipe, buy a quality name brand such as Buitoni and give it a try. If you don't like it, next month I will feature a couple of different pesto recipes for you to try from scratch.

Bruschetta with Garlic Shrimp

1 loaf baguette style Italian bread

3 or 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped Shrimp, peeled/deveined/uncooked, tail off

6 to 8 tomatoes, plum, chopped Italian seasoning

50 to 60 Italian parsley leaves

6 to 8 basil leaves, chopped

Sea salt to taste Black pepper, fresh ground to taste

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Parboil the tomatoes for one minute in boiling water that has been removed from the burner. Drain. Using a sharp knife, remove skins. Cut in half or quarters and remove stem, seeds and juice from center. Then chop tomatoes. Wash and dry all parsley and basil leaves. Finely chop all basil leaves and half the parsley leaves. Pre heat broiler. Brush bread slices with 2 tablespoons oil. Place on baking sheet. Broil on baking sheet for about one minute or until lightly toasted. Heat remaining oil in saute pan and add one teaspoon chopped garlic over medium heat. Increase temperature to medium high and add shrimp. Cook, stirring occasionally for 2 to 3 minutes, until pink and cooked on the inside (inside should be pure white). Put tomatoes, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon chopped garlic and vinegar in a bowl and mix. Add salt, pepper, basil and parsley to taste. Taste as you go so you have the right balance and add a little of the leaves at a time until the taste is to your liking.

Top each piece of toasted bread with a heaping teaspoon of the tomato/basil/parsley mixture. Place one shrimp on top of the tomatoes and garnish with the remaining whole parsley leaves. Do not refrigerate if you will be eating within an hour and try to eat within that time. If not, then refrigerate but it will taste better if you eat within a short time after cooking and assembling.