Caesar Salad

Caesar salad and I have a kind of love, hate relationship.

Up until just a few years ago, I was more of a french or bleu cheese dressing type of gal.  I thought caesar salads were quite boring actually.  At least with a house salad you get tomatoes, maybe some cheese, a few shreds of carrot, and on a good day, a crouton or two.   Caesar salads are always the same; romaine, which has no flavor whatsoever, dressing, parmesan cheese if you are at a reputable place.

But then I got pregnant.

I know.  Not the statement you were expecting, eh?  But nevertheless, there I was.  Pregnant and sick and tired and not hungry.  And for reasons still unknown, I found myself at a deli and ordering a chicken caesar salad wrap for the first time in my life.  And it tasted amazing.  It was cold and crunchy and tangy and salty and...ghah.  After that day, I never looked back.  There are some great places with some pretty fantastic salads out there, and I now know which ones to skip, and which ones to order every chance I get.

Now, though not pregnant :), I find myself craving that same salad love at home.  But I so rarely purchase bottled salad dressings anymore, I started messing with my own version of caesar dressing.  And believe you me!  It was quite a process!  Too much anchovy, too much garlic, not enough vinegar, too thin-sheesh.  But I finally nailed it.  Ha!  And then I had to go and make it one more time to make sure that I could actually follow all my notes and scribblings and produce a solid recipe!  Now, I plan to enjoy the fruits of my labor with all the fresh greens coming out of the Farmer's Markets.  I am quite particular about salads in general and almost always eat my caesar salads the same: romaine (because its traditional), hard-boiled eggs, grilled chicken, and parmesan cheese.  I also like to make what I call a 'loaded caesar salad' but that is a recipe for another day!  And remember when I said that I had a favorite way to eat that Honey-Lemon Grilled Chicken in the last post?  Well, voila!

Caesar Salad

Do not be afraid of the anchovy paste in this recipe!  If you have ver purchased it, you can usually find it by the tuna and canned meats at your grocery store and it comes in a little tube.  It lasts in your fridge for forEVER and it is not a big deal so just be brave and pick some up!  The flavor is unbeatable and it is amazing in so many things!  You never know its in there, but you miss it if you don't use it!  I prefer to use mayo in place of the egg yolk used in a traditional caesar recipe, but only for the sake of convenience.  Feel free to go old school.

2 cloves garlic
1 tsp anchovy paste
1 T lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 heaping T mayo
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
1 T honey, optional
salt and pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients in a blender or mini food processor. Taste for seasoning, but be careful with the salt.  Chill.  The dressing will thicken up and become creamy when it is cold, but is more pourable when freshly made!  Serve over fresh romaine with hard boiled eggs and Honey-Lemon Grilled Chicken.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Honey-Lemon Grilled Chicken

So here it is.  

Many of you email me or send messages asking for healthy, gluten-free, dairy free, easy meals.  Well, my lovelies, it doesn't get much better than this.  

Much like the oh so popular grilled pork chops, this recipe requires minimal ingredients and minimal effort with a big return.  The lemon is bright but not overly tangy and the honey adds more flavor than you would expect!  And you know how much I love to cook with honey.  It is just.  so.  good.  In a future post I will show you one of my favorite ways to serve this dish, but for now, you get it straight up.  Grill it, slice it, serve it.  Spring veggies are the perfect thing to share the plate with this chicken so make sure that you have lots of fresh greens, peas, asparagus, or beets piled on the side.  Aaahh.  The smell of a grill, the snap of fresh vegetables-delicious!  

Can I take this time to chat with you a little about your zesting though?  I feel as if we know each other well enough to discuss this.  In regards to your preferred zesting apparatus, I hope you are all using a Microplane, or something similar.  You can buy them anywhere nowadays and they all run about fifteen bucks.  Not too shabby for a tool that does so much!  Of course I use mine mainly for zesting citrus which means it is pretty much always dirty.  But it can turn a block of parmesan cheese into wonderfully fluffy gratings that stir into pasta much easier than the grainy store bought stuff.  Back to the whole zesting dealy-o, make sure that you always zest with the grater OVER THE VESSEL YOU ARE MIXING IN, as opposed to zesting onto a counter, plate, or cutting board!  Believe it or not, you get way more flavor this way.  When you scrape your citrus over the blade, it cuts the rind into teeny tiny little ribbons, spraying the oils-which have a TON of flavor-as you go.  That beautiful essence of lemon, orange, or whatever, should be in your recipe, not making your counters sticky.

Ding!  Zest lecture complete.

Now go grill something!

One Year Ago: Lemon Quick Bread

Two Years Ago: Black & White Angel Food Cake

Honey-Lemon Grilled Chicken

White meat is more versatile but boneless, skinless chicken thighs are equally awesome in this recipe.  Don't skimp on the black pepper; it adds a subtle heat that is part of what makes this chicken so addictive.  Replacing the lemon with orange is just as stellar.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

zest of 1 lemon

juice of 1 lemon

1/4 c honey, preferably local

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2-3/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 c extra-virgin olive or grapeseed oil

Combine all ingredients in a large resealable plastic bag or large bowl.  Squish and turn to mix and coat the chicken.  Let marinade for at least 4 hours, or up to 8, turning occasionally if you can.  Grill chicken over medium, direct heat, letting the extra marinade drain off before placing it in the grill.  Grill about 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until chicken is just done, but not dry.  Cover and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!!

For Mamma

What is it about cooking and baking for those we love that makes them feel so special?  Its the time, energy, and detail it takes that tells someone that they are worth the effort.  For some, it is stepping out of their comfort zone and into the kitchen to do something they have never done before.  It is an individuals willingness to be vulnerable enough to create that which fulfills our most basic need, food, and in turn, shows people that which we all most desperately desire; love.

There is a reason Mom's around the country are going to be smiling through their tears tomorrow morning as husbands, daughters, sons, grandchildren, and in-laws, present them with elaborate brunch masterpieces or gooey pancakes.  Because regardless of all the hoopla, be it a simple card and a hug with a kiss, or a full on party, Moms everywhere do it out of love.  Thats it.  Nothing else.  And truth be told, we like it that way.

But you can bet there will be tears here at my house on Sunday morning.  Runny pancakes and all.

Cornmeal Pancakes W/Blueberry Sauce

Fried Rice Scramble

Baked Doughnuts

Gluten-Free Apple Carrot Muffins

Earth Bread

Classic Buttermilk Biscuits

Yogurt Salad

The BEST Banana Pudding

Sour Cream Cherry Bars

Strawberry Watermelon Cooler

Lemon Quick Bread

Fruit Dip

Strawberry Shortcake Cake

Have a wonderful day!

Power Parfaits & Quinoa Granola

A few weeks ago, I confessed my love of quinoa.  When I recently came cross a recipe that called for cooked quinoa in granola, I nearly fell off my chair.  I thought it was brilliant, and before I had even made any I was sold.  Granola is a protein, nutrient rich food anyway (check out our favorite basic recipe here!), but add a grain like quinoa to it and it becomes a full on powerhouse of a snack!  Pair that with vitamin and antioxidant rich berries, low fat, organic yogurt for an extra boost of calcium, and you have yourself a nutrient dense breakfast or lunch that will give you energy for your day or boost your recovery after a workout.  Truly powerful.

This recipe begs to be stirred into something.  This is not your, snack-out-of-the-bag type of granola that is all clumpy.  Um, no.  That would be crumby. 

Get it?  Crumby?  Heh heh...

Nope, this is a crunchy and dry, sprinkle over yogurt or eat out of the bowl with berries, type of granola.  I like to leave this plain.   As in, I don't add any kind of dried fruit or chocolate chips to it.  I want it straight up so that I can do with it whatever my mood calls for.  Obviously, you can add whatever you feel like and because it is granola after all, mix-ins are allowed and encouraged.  The picture above is how I like to serve it to my kids.  The plain glass, footed dishes are fun and they feel like they are eating something extra special.  Being able to see the layers just makes mealtime that much more exciting!  And if they eat it with chunks of ripe peach or apricot, fresh blueberries, or even bananas on the bottom, the rainbow just looks cool.  And whether you are a parent, kid, or a kid at heart, it is kinda nice to have your meal look cool.  Dontcha think?

And there isn't anything crumby about that!

One Year Ago: Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

Two Years Ago: Grilled Pork Chops, Strawberry Ice Cream, & Sweet Veggie Pasta Salad

Quinoa Granola

Adapted from How Sweet It Is

This granola is great sprinkled over frozen yogurt.  For breakfast, if yogurt isn't your style, pour milk over it and eat it like cereal!

2 1/2 c rolled oats

1 c cooked quinoa (I freeze one cup portions of my leftovers)

1 c sliced almonds

1/2 c ground flaxseed

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 stick of butter (4 T)

1/2 c honey

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together.  Melt the honey in the microwave and stir in the honey and vanilla.  Pour the warm mixture over the oat mixture and mix until evenly moist and well incorporated.  Spread out on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes.  Stir well, and bake for 10 minutes more.  Continue to bake, checking every few minutes, until dry and crunchy.  The amount of time will vary based on the moisture in your quinoa and your particular oven. For me, it takes about a half hour total.  Remember, the granola will crisp up a bit as it cools.  When its done, let it cook completely on the sheet pan before storing in an airtight container.  The granola freezes great!  

Layer with fruit and yogurt for a healthy parfait.  Enjoy!

White Sangria

Don't let this simple and unassuming picture fool you.  That little drink above packs a heck of a flavorful punch!

If you are a regular reader, you know that I don't really drink.  But there are a handful of cocktails and party drink recipes that I rely on when I have adult company over.  And with Cinco De Mayo coming up, you could make the best margaritas on the planet, or you could make this sangria.  Citrusy, refreshing, and delightfully tangy.  This recipe has to be made ahead so it is a great recipe to use when entertaining.  It also doubles very easily, so you won't ever run out of refreshment!  After serving it a half dozen times at a half dozen different kinds of occasions, I listened to all the people who raved about it and made it part of my regular party repertoire.  It has easily become my favorite drink to serve, expertly slipping into lots of different menus with a comfortable sense of belonging.  

One Year Ago: Strawberry-Ruhbarb Jam

Two Years Ago: Lemon Chiffon Pie

White Sangria

Adapted from Gina Gallow

When I make this in fall and winter, I use sliced granny smith apple and pears.  The rest of the year, I like to use pears and lemons, or lemons and oranges.  So pretty.  

In the bottom of a large, glass pitcher, stir together:

1/3 c sugar

1/2 c brandy

juice of 1 lemon

1 bottle of fruity white wine

1/2 lemon sliced

1/2 pear sliced

Or 1/2 lemon, half orange or 1/2 tart apple, half pear, and 1/2 lemon

Stir to dissolve the sugar and chill for 3-4 hours. 

Just before serving, add 1 liter of seltzer water.  

If desired, serve over ice.