Camping with Bessie

Our view from the front door (in Bessie)

Summertime and the livin' is easy...or so the song goes.

Not so much at our house, until the weekend.

We bust our butts all week to get everything done; watering, cleaning, shopping, cooking, work...
then Friday afternoon rolls around and we are on the road out of town!

Here are some pictures and a short video of our favorite place to camp.  We love it here and can't wait to bust our butts all week so we can head out again.

Tucker and Hershey on the river.

Tucker's favorite place, laying in the water (and that is cold!)

Riley whining because he wants in my lap.

1 year ago:    Vegetable Hash with Eggs and better eating for my husband

2 years ago:   Blackberry Crumble and The Dish Illness

3 years ago:   White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies and Putting the Yard Away for Winter

July 30, 2015   Sunrise 4:43 am  Sunset 11:08 pm  Temp. H 72/ L 50°F

Patriotic Pie and a Kitchen Disaster

We had about 20 people over for a 4th of July dinner.  We didn't have the usual grilled meat type of dinner, no, the Blond Boy and the DIL were here so we had prime rib and crab.  The boy loves prime rib and the DIL loves crab.  I did make a patriotic pie.  It was a cheater pie from this pie, but I used canned pie filling, I was in a hurry.  I made the pie, snapped a picture to post on instagram, and popped it in the oven.  450°F and 45 minutes later, it was ready to pull out of the oven.

I did want to make sure the bottom crust was cooked completely, and since I baked this in a pyrex pan I lifted it over my head and checked out the bottom crust - perfect!  As I was lowering it to place it on the counter, the pie slipped from the pot holders and spilled, upside-down, onto the door of the oven.

I screamed, the glass hit, and my kids came running to see what the noise was all about.  The pie, of course, was ruined.  There was cherry and blueberry lava all over the oven door, inside the oven, the kitchen floor...the kids turned the oven off and started to clean up the mess.  We got a good handle of the mess and the Baby Boy says, "I thought there was blueberry in the pie, I've only cleaned up cherry."

This is after I used two spatulas to clean most of it off the door, I finally calmed down a little.

He opened the drawer under the oven, and there was a pile of blueberry and more cherry all over the pans in the bottom drawer.  More cleaning, one last scrub of the oven and the floor and we were done.

The drawer under the oven...full of blueberry and cherry goodness that we don't get to enjoy.

Now, the good news in this mishap is 1) the pyrex dish didn't break, 2) the glass on the oven door didn't break, and 3) the pie slipped forward, not backward, and I didn't end up wearing searing hot sugary pie filling and ending up in the burn unit at our local hospital!

The Baby Boy and the Chick went to the store and bought ice cream, toppings, and waffle cones and we had an ice cream bar for our dessert.  It was the silver lining to the whole event.

1 year ago:   The Curly Haired Boy's Wedding
2 years ago:  Adult Root Beer Floats
3 years ago:  Strawberry Eating Dogs and Strawberry Pie

July 8, 2015  Sunrise 3:30 am  Sunset 12:23 am  Temp H 73/ L 52°F

Surfing lessons

A couple months have gone by since Dave's mom passed on, so I can share this now.

My husband and I were over at his mom's.  It was a particularly difficult day for her and Dave and I were a little wrung out.  He was in the kitchen and I was in the bathroom with his mom helping her get cleaned up, yet again.  It was an indelicate situation and it went from bad to worse...

So after she was finished getting cleaned up, she had new clothes on and was sitting in her chair, I went into the kitchen and informed my husband that when all this was said and done, he was taking me on vacation so I could learn how to surf.
"Yes ma'am." was his whole answer.

I married a smart man.

He even emailed me information about surfing schools in Hawaii.  I think we will probably go next fall, in October or November.  I'm not sure we are stuck on Hawaii so I am looking around.  When it was my turn to spend the night with June, and she was tucked into bed for the night I surfed the web (see what I did there..."surf" the web, clever, huh), and check out places all over the world that has surfing schools.  It was a wonderful way to take a little stress off the day and dream of oceans and warmer weather.

Coconut Mojito on the Rocks


24-48 mint leaves
2 oz. fresh lime juice
8 oz. coconut rum
2 oz. simple syrup
4 oz. cream of coconut
ice
club soda

Fill 4 glasses with ice.

Place mint leaves, lime juice and simple syrup in pitcher.  Muddle with back of spoon until mint is broken down and infused juice and syrup with flavor.  Add coconut rum and cream of coconut.  Mix well.  Add ice and stir until very cold.

Strain the drink into chilled, ice-filled glasses and fill about 4/3 full.  Top with club soda.  Enjoy

The Blond Boy enjoying a coconut mojito over the 4th of July weekend.

The Blond Boy and his friend "Not-Craig" visiting from California.

July 6, 2015   Sunrise 3:24am  Sunset 12:28 am  Temp H 79/ L 54°F

Chocolate Cake Pops

So, I had all this extra cake from the  heart cakes I made for the wedding rehearsal dinner, and I had some Nutella Buttercream left over, so I just mixed the two, rolled them into balls, and dipped them in chocolate.  Everyone thought I was brilliant and went out of my way to make a special treat...I'll never tell them they are just eating left-overs!

Roll the cake paste (mmm, delicious, cake-paste) into balls.

Add sticks - or not

After dipping in chocolate, sprinkle with sprinkles while the chocolate is still soft.

I left some plain for those sickkos who don't like sprinkles.

An assortment of sprinkles to make everyone happy.

My taste-tester approved.

Chocolate Cake Pops

1 Chocolate cake, your favorite or from a box (I used the left-overs from two sheets of cut out hearts from this recipe)
1/2 batch of Nutella buttercream (here) or a can of frosting

Candy coating or chocolate for dipping (I use Ghirardelli's dipping chocolate)
Assorted Sprinkles
Sticks, if desired

Break up cake and place it and frosting in mixer and mix on low until completely incorporated and a soft paste forms.  Roll into desired size balls.  I like to use my medium scooper for this.  Add sticks, if desired.  Place in refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.

Melt chocolate, I like to use a measuring glass in the microwave.  Dip cake balls in chocolate and let excess drip off.  Place in cookie sheet and sprinkle if desired.  Keep in refrigerator.

You can use any flavor cake, any flavor frosting and white or dark chocolate.  I've also made these with a surprise middle, like a raspberry or candy center.  Use your imagination!

1 year ago:   Chicken with Tomato/Onion Chutney and Blood Work
2 years ago:  Spicy Grilled Chicken Wings
3 years ago:  Homemade Root Beer and Root Beer Float Pie

July 3, 2015   Sunrise: 3:16 am  Sunset 12:35 am  Temp H 68/ L 48°F

Chocolate heart cakes

                                     

It is summer and weddings are in the air.  We have 4 to go to ourselves!  It is very fun to see couples that you have known for a long time take that next step and become husband and wife.  

This past weekend the son of good friends got married. Dave coached the boy young man in high school basketball, and this couple were at our house for their senior prom dinner. The blond boy was in the wedding so he  and the DIL came up.  We were invited to the rehearsal dinner and I was asked to bring dessert.  I made these little heart cakes, filled with Nutella buttercream and raspberry jelly, topped with more Nutella buttercream and a little pink heart (the bridesmaids dresses were this shade of pink).  They were easy, delicious and a big hit.  I'm all for wedding season if I can eat more of these.

Bake the chocolate cake in a 13x17 inch sheet pan, then use a small cookie cutter to cut out the hearts.

As I removed the hearts, I cut them in half horizontally with a serrated knife

The bottom half bordered with Nutella buttercream and filled with raspberry jam.

White chocolate, dyed pink, for the hearts.

Tops added and frosted and hearts added.

Chocolate Heart Cakes with Nutella Buttercream and Raspberry Jam

For Cake

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• ¾ cup sugar

• ½ cup cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 1/3 cup warm water

• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

• 1 egg

• ½ cup milk

• ¼ cup vegetable oil

• ½ tablespoon pure vanilla extract

For the Buttercream

1 large jar or 2 small jars of Nutella (about 26 ounces)

3 sticks of butter or 1.5 cups  room temperature

Whip Nutella and butter together until light and fully mixed.  Scrap down bowl and mix on meduim-high for about 2 more minutes.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Spray 13x17 inch pan with a baking spray, line with parchment, spray with baking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a small cup, dissolve the instant espresso powder in water. Set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl with paddle attachment, mix together egg, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract on medium speed until well combined. Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until everything is incorporated. Stir in mixed espresso. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 15 minutes, or until the inserted toothpick comes out clean.
5. Cool the cake on wire rack  completely.
6. Cut our hearts or desired shape, carefully remove from pan.  Slice in half horizontally and place on a clean sheet pan.
7. Put buttercream in a piping bag with a star tip.
8. Place bottom half of heart on plate, pipe a rim around the edge, fill with raspberry jelly, place top of cake back on and press gently to secure.
9.  Pipe buttercream on top and decorate with candy heart or other decoration. (I do all the buttercream rims, then all the raspberry jelly, then all the tops - it goes faster than doing one full cake at a time.)
Refrigerate until buttercream firms.  Remove from refrigerator at least 15 minutes before serving.

1 year ago:     Patriotic Pie
2 years ago:  White Water Rafting at Denali Park
3 years ago:  Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

July 1, 2015   Sunrise 3:11 am  Sunset 12:39 am  Temp H 63/ L 50°F

Renaming the motor home and box #3 for my brother

Box #3 ready to go!

First, I'd like to apologize for being so lazy busy and haven't posted consistently for a while.  The hate mail can stop now.  I'll do better and we can all be friends again.

So, I've bonded with the motor home.  I no longer call it the MH.  I've renamed it to Bessie.  Bessie is a good name for a cow and Bessie is a COW (Condo on Wheels).  I love the fact that I have my own bathroom, I can shower and curl my hair every morning.  If the weather is too hot, a touch of the button cools things down; too cold and a touch of that button warms things up.  I can make my coffee in the morning without starting a fire or turning on the propane burners...I just plug in the pot and push the start button.  And when it is raining and too cold to be outside, I can turn on the light to sew or read or watch a movie.  I love Bessie.

So, we went camping (if you can call it that) over the weekend.  Nothing special, just drove down the road and stopped by a stream so we could hear the water.  Saturday afternoon my friend, Donna, texted and asked where we were.  I had forgotten to tell her I would be out of town Saturday morning so she showed up for coffee and I didn't.  She is a forgiving soul and she and her husband drove out to our camping spot for coffee outside.

It was lovely!  We cooked dinner and had s'mores for dessert.

Notice the chocolate on my face?  They were a delicious, warm, drippy mess!

It was a nice weekend.

I still have two boxes I have to send my brother to finish off our bet.  My husband reminded me my brother loves rice cereal treats and we laughed about the time I filled a flat rate box with rice cereal treats and mailed them to my son, Zach, his first year of college.  I decided my brother needed a cube of rice cereal treats for his third box.

I lined a flat rate box with waxed paper and taped the seams to seal it.  Made multiple batches of rice cereal treats and layered them in the box until it was full.  Dave will get this into the mail and he should have it by the weekend!

To help avoid staleness, I taped the inside of the box with plastic tape, added a layer of parchment paper and lined the whole thing with cling wrap.

One batch down...

Three batches in the box, pressed down firmly!  Then wrapped with the cling wrap.  Ready to be mailed.

Rice Cereal Cube

3 Tbsp. butter
1 bag marshmallows
6 cups crisp rice cereal

Line box with wax paper, tape seams to secure.  Spread softened butter over all the waxed paper.

Melt butter in pan, add marshmallows and stir until melted.  Add rice cereal and mix to cover with marshmallow completely.  Pour into box (or pan) and press with buttered fingers firmly.  Repeat as necessary to fill desired container! ( It took me three batches to fill a medium flat rate box, but I could have gotten one more in, I just ran out of rice cereal). Mail to desired recipient and wish you could see their face when they opened the box.

1 year ago:   Taco Soup and 20 pounds of hamburger
2 years ago:  Light Pina Colada
3 years ago:  Light Banana Cream Pie and the Night of the Burglar


June 29, 2015  Sunrise 3:07 am  Sunset 1:54 am  Temp H 73/ L 52°F

Chili-Garli Snack Mix for Box #2

So I have been pretty lazy with my blog lately.  I've been working in my garden, trying to get a quilt done for the curly haired boy's first wedding anniversary, and bonding with the motor home.

But, I do still owe my brother 3 boxes of baked goods so I made these cookies and this snack mix for box #2.

I tried to get my brother to bet on the second Royals/Yankees series, but the big chicken wouldn't bet.  Too bad because in the second series the Yankees swept the Royals...and still I am sending boxes of baked goods to my brother.

Chili-Garlic Snack Mix
adapted from Food Network Magazine, June 2015

100 calorie bag microwave popcorn, or 2 Tbsp. popcorn, popped
2 cups Chex cereal
2 cups Cheeze-It crackers
1 cup mini pretzel twists
1 cup smoked almonds
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
kosher salt

Preheat oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pop microwave popcorn according to package directions or pop 2 Tbsp. popcorn by favorite method.  Transfer to large bowl.
Add cereal, crackers, pretzels, and almonds to bowl, toss to combine.  Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat.  Stir in the chili powder, paprika and garlic powder.  Drizzle over the popcorn mixture and toss with a rubber spatula to coat; season with salt.
Spread the snack mix on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake, stirring once or twice, until lightly toasted, about 10 minutes.  Let cool completely.  Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

1 year ago:    Donut Strawberry Shortcakes and going to work at 5:00 am
2 years ago:  Key Lime Flan
3 years ago:  Beef Fillet with Red Pepper Coulis 

June 2, 2015  Sunrise 3:30 am  Sunset 12:07 am  Temp H 66/ L 42°F

Caramel Brownie Bites

Those damn Yankees.

I love baseball and I love the Yankees...yes, I don't want to hear it, you either love them or you hate them.  My brother loves the Royals and they had a three game series last weekend.  We bet, as we usually do, and this time I lost.  He wanted a box of baked goods once a week for a month and I will pay up (even though when he lost and was supposed to mow my lawn he never did...just saying).  So during the 8th inning on Sunday, I put some butter on the counter to soften because I could see the writing on the wall...crap.

I made some these jammy-delicious Blackberry crumble cookie bars and these caramel cup stuffed brownie bites.  I am glad I don't have the cooking ability like that chick in the movie "Like Water for Chocolate" when her emotions get all mixed in with whatever she makes because if so, these cookies would be bitter.  But I am no slacker, and I pay my bets off...even if my brother doesn't.

I like how the tops of the Rolos peek out, but cover them if you want a surprise in your bite.

Moist brownie, soft caramel, mmmmmmmmm!

There is another three game series between the Yankees and the Royals coming up at the end of the month, but my brother won't bet with me on that one...he's a big chicken.

Caramel Brownie Bites
I use the "One bowl Brownie" recipe on the box of Baker's Chocolate

1- 4oz. box Baker's Semi Sweet Chocolate
3/4 c. butter
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. flour

Mini Rolo caramel cups

heat oven to 350°f.

LINE mini muffin pan with mini cupcake liners.

MICROWAVE chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add flour and mix well. Scoop into cups with two teaspoons or a small disher.  Place one mini Rolo in center and press down.  You can smooth the batter over the top or leave the little top showing.

Bake 10- 15 minutes or until a toothpick placed close to, but not in, the Rolos cup comes out with moist crumbs.  Do not overbake!

1 year ago:   Black Forest Cake
2 years ago:  Barbie Shots and Friendships
3 years ago:  Meet the Pups and Homemade Dog Treats

May 21, 2014  Sunrise 4:08am  Sunset 11:30pm  Temp. H 77/ L 48°F

Penne with Asparagus, Pepitas, and Mint

Dave and I just spent a long weekend in Austin, Texas.  I had work there on Monday so we flew down on Saturday, spent the weekend going to the Texas History Museum, the Austin Aquarium, out to eat, and shopping!  Dave flew home on Monday while I worked and I flew home on Tuesday.  It was a fun weekend together, and Austin is much greener than I expected.

The downside to that was I didn't get to spend Mother's Day with any of my kids.  I did get a phone call from each of my boys so I was very happy.  I am one lucky momma.

Because of the break in salads over the weekend, we are back at it again.  This is not really a salad, or it is a warm pasta salad if you will.  I added the cheese to Dave's plate, but left it off the kids and then added grilled chicken.  We all enjoyed the dish and the stinky pee the rest of the evening...you gotta love asparagus!

Penne with Asparagus, Pepitas, and Mint

adapted from Cooking Light

8 oz. uncooked whole-grain penne pasta

5 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1-1/2 inch pieces

3 green onion, chopped, white and green parts divided

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

2 tsp. butter

1.5 ounces percorino Romano cheese, grated

1/4 cup pepitas

2 Tbsp. fresh mint, chopped

4-4oz. grilled chicken breast tenders, sliced

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.  Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.  Return pasta and 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid to pan.  Cover and keep warm over low heat.

Meanwhile, heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Add 1 Tbsp. oil to the pan; swirl to coat.  Add asparagus; sauté 3 minutes or until tender-crisp.  Stir in white parts of green onions and garlic; cool 30 seconds.  Add wine; cook 1 minutes.  Add asparagus mixture, salt and pepper to pasta mixture.  Stir in remaining 2 tsp. oil, remaining green onions, butter, and cheese.  Divide pasta evenly among 4 bowls.  Sprinkle evenly with pepitas and mint.  Top with grilled chicken.

1 year ago:   Cheese Stuffed-Bacon Wrapped Grilled Hot Dogs

2 years ago:  Scary Movies and Pork Sandwiches

3 years ago:  My addiction and Lemon Meringue Pie

May 19, 2015    Sunrise 4:14 am  Sunset 11:23 pm  Temp. H 76/L 49°F

Clams

With all the salad my husband has been eating, without (much) complaint.  I decided he needed a little treat.  He loves clams.  Me? Not so much.  But I will make them for him once in a while.  The baby boy also eats clams, so they shared a plate while the chick and I  watched.

There isn't a real recipe for these, I'll just tell you how I make them.  It is a little different each time, but the method is the same.  It doesn't matter if you are making a pound (like I did here) or 5 pounds, which I have done before for a family gathering.  Sometimes I add finely diced yellow and red peppers for color and/or top with a small sprinkle of cilantro or parsley, depends on who I am making them for.

Since these were for Dave, I didn't add anything green or peppers (not his favorite), and he was getting salad for dinner after this appetizer so he was good.

These only take a couple minutes to make.  They are perfect with a cold beer, a crusty baguette, and a warm day on the back porch.

Clams

3 slices bacon, chopped
1 small onion, finely diced
splash of brandy or dry white wine
1 pound clams, cleaned and scrubbed
2 cups chicken broth

optional: diced bell pepper, parsley or cilantro

Fry chopped bacon, remove bacon to towel covered plate and drain all but about 1 Tbsp. of the bacon fat.  Fry onion in the bacon fat.  When onion is soft and translucent, add broth and brandy or wine and bring to boil.  Add clams to pan and cover.  Steam 3-5 minutes or until clams open.  Remove clams to a large bowl, cover to keep warm.  Continue to boil broth until it is reduced to about 3/4 cup (add peppers at this point).  Pour broth over clams, top with parsley or cilantro, if desired, and serve with bread.

1 year ago:   Bacon and Cheese Corn on the Cob
2 years ago:  Butterfinger Martini
3 years ago:  Barbecue Chicken Salad with Cornbread Croutons

May 15, 2015  Sunrise 4:28 am  Sunset 11:09 pm  Temp H 77/ L 48°F

Updated Wedge Salad for Salad Summer

Ahh, the old wedge salad.  This is one of my favorite salads.  I love the cold, crisp iceberg lettuce, I love the bacon bits, the blue cheese dressing...

This is a little updated, with romaine instead of iceberg, I added tomatoes, bacon, and blue cheese crumbles.  This was my dinner, I added a grilled steak and a little blue cheese dressing to Dave's plate to keep him quiet happy.

Updated Wedge Salad
serves 2

1 head romain lettuce
2 pieces bacon, chopped and cooked until crisp
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 oz. blue cheese, crumbled

optional: blue cheese dressing

Cut the bottom core off the romaine and cut in half lengthwise.  Place each half on a separate plate.  Top with 1/2 the cooked bacon, 1/2 the cherry tomato halves, and 1/2 of the blue cheese crumbles.
Serve.

1 year ago:   Bacon Burgers for Burger Fridays
2 years ago:  Compound Butter and the Joys of and Airline Upgrade
3 years ago:  Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon and Mushroom Dressing

May 8, 2015  Sunrise 4:53 am  Sunset 10:44 pm  Temp H 64/ L 43°F

The New "Camper"

My husband said he wanted a camper.  We had one when we were first married, but with the changes of family, vehicles, and schedules we got rid of it.  Now, 16 years later, he wants a camper.  No problem, I thought, a camper would be nice.  I'd have my own bathroom, a place to get out of the rain when we were out, a bug free place to read, it could fit on his pick-up in the summer and we could store it in the back by the storage shed in the winter.

So, while I was gone this spring, Dave was looking for a camper.  I was in Utah on our anniversary, and Dave posts this to Facebook...

"Happy Anniversary to my amazing wife"

Oh hell no, that is not a camper and that is not MY anniversary present.  There had better be some diamonds for me involved if this is the "camper" he got!  But I was in Utah so what could I do at that point?

When I got home, he took me on a tour of what I fondly called the monstrosity humungous or MH for short.  I do have my own bathroom, and shower.  My husband and I, along with 8 of our closest friends, can sleep comfortably, the dogs have their own bed (o.k.  I really do like that, I hate sleeping with dogs), we have a heater, 2 t.v.s (because nothing says camping like watching a movie), a microwave, coffee pot, and electronic recharging station (o.k. I like that too because I can take my iPad with books).

We took the MH out on it's maiden voyage last weekend.  It was still pretty cold outside so I spent a lot of time inside reading.  We watched the Avengers, my nephew came out and we had dinner together, we took a walk.  It was a really relaxing weekend.  I might grow to like the MH and all it's comforts; just don't call it camping!

Sunday morning, Riley on my lap, the dogs on their bed, coffee and a good book in the MH.

1 year ago:   Learning to like Dark Chocolate and Chocolate Fruit Bark
2 years ago:  Manilla Clams and the Night I Almost Got Murdered
3 years ago:  Meatloaf for Two

April 5, 2015  Sunrise 5:04 am Sunset 10:34 pm  Temp. H 64/ L 36°F

Salad Summer - Baby Greens and Artichoke Salad

I am home now from my big work trip, I've been home for 6 days now but have been trying to catch up on housework, mail, and sleep.  I caught a lovely cold the last 4 days of my trip (I blame the Seattle rain) and I've been sleeping like a dead person every night and most afternoons when I come home for a nap.

Now, I am feeling a little caught up...the house has been vacuumed at least once, parts twice, the bathrooms have been scrubbed, I dusted and mopped the floors, the bills all got paid and there is only one small pile of mail left for me to go through.  Feeling accomplished, I jumped on the scale...

So, I have named this summer "Salad Summer."  Yes, my big girl pants were feeling a little tight, but I contributed that to all the salt in restaurant food, and I did eat out, every meal, for the last three weeks.  But no, that really was not the case and there needs to be a plan to get me into the new clothes I purchased at the Mall of America and the Seattle shopping malls I visited (no, I didn't try them on, because I knew I was retaining water from all that salt you know and yes, I did have to buy another suitcase to bring them all home in).

I figure if we have a salad based dinner a couple times a week it will 1) be healthy for all of us, 2) not be too often for my husband to complain, 3) be easy prep, cooking, and clean-up, 4) be fresh and delicious!  A win-win-win situation for all of us.  After dinner, with a quick clean-up we can all go for a walk.  I'll get into those new clothes soon enough.

Baby Greens and Artichoke Salad
Cooking Light, May 2015

4 tsp. good olive oil
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. minced shallots
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
9 oz. package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and quartered
5-6 cups baby greens
4-5 radishes, sliced

In a large bowl add olive oil, lemon juice, minced shallots, Dijon mustard, sugar, salt and pepper.  Whisk together.  Add artichoke hearts and toss to coat.  Let marinade for 30 minutes.  Add salad greens, toss to combine and coat with the dressing.  Divide between 4 plates and top with sliced radishes.
 Serves 4

I added grilled chicken for a protein and we called it dinner.  Delicious!

1 year ago:   Strawberry Eating Season and Strawberry Mousse
2 years ago:  Cherry Tart and the Weight Loss Challenge
3 years ago:  Hiving the Bees and Bee Cupcakes

May 1, 2015  Sunrise 5:18 am  Sunset 10:20 pm  Temp.  H 55/L 32