Lousy Monday? Try Lobster.

It's tough to stay in a bad mood when you come home from work and get a face full of martinis, followed by grilled lobster.

Martinis have a bad rap as a daunting cocktail to prepare and serve. As a former bartender, let me assure you it doesn't have to be that way. I keep a pair of martini glasses in the freezer, along with a bottle of gin and and a bottle of vodka. I also keep a bottle of vermouth and jar of queen olives in the fridge. When it's martini time, I pull out the glasses and drop in an olive (or three). I use the cap of the vermouth bottle as a measure: half a capful into each glass. Top it with the vodka (me) or gin (the Man). Presto: Martinis in under three minutes, no shaker required.

Now, about dinner.

Lobster tails are quick and easy on the grill (and extra-tasty when they're on sale for $7.99 each). Preheat the grill to high for about 10 minutes. While it heats up, use a pair of kitchen shears (or whatever crappy scissors are handy) to cut away the membrane on the underside of the tail. Drizzle the exposed meat with a little olive oil. Poke a skewer lengthwise through the tail to keep it from curling up as it cooks.

At this point, pull together your side: yellow tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil (one of my summer standards). Top a slice of tomato with a chunk of mozz wrapped in basil. Drizzle with a little olive oil and a teeny-tiny bit of balsamic vinegar. Grind a little salt and pepper over the top. Serve with chunks of Italian bread, or in a pinch (as in tonight) a handful of quality crackers. One of my pantry staples is Trader Joe's Pita Bite Crackers -- highly recommended.

Back to the lobster. Lay the tails on the grill, shell-side down, for about 4 minutes. Turn them over and grill for another 3 - 4 minutes. (This is assuming the tails are about 5-6 ounces. Adjust your time if you have much larger or smaller tails.) Pull the tails off the grill, tent with foil, and let them stand for 2 or 3 minutes. Plate with a pot of melted butter, or sliced lemon, or both.

Happy Monday!