Tabouli Salad

To accompany many of my spicy North African and Middle Eastern dishes, I decided to share a Tabouli salad. It doesn't require any spices, so it's mild, but the heavy amount of parsley really marries well with any spicy dish. It creates balance by adding something light to the heavy meals. Everything can be adjusted according to taste. Feel free to add more tomato, or change the dressing. I eat this with a meal, and not as a salad alone. If I ate it as a salad alone, I would add more tomatoes, scallions, and even cucumber. We've had it with couscous, kebabs, and different tagine recipes. I love it with pita bread and hummus as well.

Tabouli Salad
Serving Size = 2

• 1/4 cup of bulgur, soaked for 2 1/2 hours
• 2 cups or so of Italian Parsley, finely chopped
• 1 scallion, finely chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped

Dressing

• 1 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 - 3 tablespoons oil (EVOO, grapeseed, I used walnut oil)
• 1 - 2 teaspoons honey
• Salt, about 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon
• Black pepper

(All to taste)

1. Drain the bulgur and squeeze out excess water.
2. Mix together all of the ingredients for the salad.
3. Mix together all of the dressing ingredients.
4. Combine and serve. 

Linking to: Hearth and Soul

Tomato, Mozzarella, and Cucumber Salad

If you want a quick summer salad, then I think you will be pleased with this dish. Everything in this meal is fresh. The tomatoes were freshly picked, as well as the basil and cucumber. Even the mozzarella is fresh. When your ingredients are this high in quality, especially the tomatoes (loaded with flavor), then you really only need a light dressing. I added some balsamic vinegar and oil, just a touch of both, to taste.

Tomato, Mozzarella, Cucumber Salad
Serving Size = 2 - 3

• 2 cups small tomatoes, any variety (such as cherry), halved (different colors such as yellow and red are great)
• 1/4 cup or so of cucumber, peeled and cubed
• 4 oz of fresh mozzarella, cubed
• 1 - 2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar (to taste, I used 2)
• 1 tablespoon oil (extra virgin olive oil, grapeseed, whatever you want to use)
• About 5 large basil leaves, roughly chopped
• 1/4 of a red onion, finely chopped

1. Mix everything together and adjust to taste.

Pan Seared Brussels Sprouts and Orzo Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

I'm always trying to think of new ways to use Brussels sprouts. Since I was a kid I've always liked to put vinegar on them, so I thought maybe a vinaigrette would be the way to go. I had some pomegranate juice in the fridge, and voila, a side to go with dinner. Adjust the vinaigrette to taste and don't add it all at once just to make sure it isn't too much.

Orzo

Trim the Brussels sprouts

Saute, cut side down, in a large skillet

Cook until brown

Mix

Add the vinaigrette

Pan Seared Brussels Sprouts and Orzo Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Serving Size = 3 - 4

• 1/8 cup almond oil
• 1/2 - 1 tablespoon honey
• 3 - 4 tablespoons pomegranate juice
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 cup orzo
• 1 1/2 - 2 lbs Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• Oil (I used extra virgin olive oil)

1. In a large saute pan over medium heat, add the extra virgin olive oil and cook the sprouts cut side down for about 5 minutes, maybe less, watch them. Turn, cover partially and cook about 5 more minutes.
2. For the orzo, bring salted water to a boil (enough to cover the orzo, just like cooking any pasta), add the orzo and cook for about 9 minutes. Drain.
3. Mix together the almond oil, honey, pomegranate juice, vinegar, salt and pepper. Adjust to taste.
4. Pour some over the sprouts/orzo and mix, taste to see if it needs more.
5. Serve warm.
6. (I think toasted almonds would be a nice addition to this)

Houston's Buttermilk Garlic Dressing

We make a lot of salad in this house. I've always loved salad.... well, except when I was pregnant with Mimi. I couldn't even look at lettuce. Isn't that an odd food aversion?? Anyway, I'm always keeping an eye out for new salad dressings. Let's face it, oil and vinegar gets a bit boring after a while.... there's only so much you can do with it. I saw this recipe at Cookin' Up North and pinned it to try. We LOVE it. Very yummy, creamy, tangy, and full of flavor. I highly recommend you give it a try and also check out Cookin' Up North, it's packed full of great recipes.

And now I need some help from y'all. :) I've decided to squirrel away some money for a new camera. I've had my little camera for years and as much as I love it, I think it's time to step up a bit. I love photography, so it will be a good investment. I am definitely, without a doubt, buying a Canon. I have nothing against Nikon, but I've always owned a Canon and I'm familiar with them. But now I'm stuck between two different kinds. The Canon 60d and the Canon Rebel T3i. I'm leaning towards the T3i because it's cheaper.... but I'm undecided. 

Any thoughts?

Does anyone own either camera and if so what do you think of it? 

Houston's Buttermilk Garlic Dressing
Original Recipe: Cookin' Up North
*Note: I've never eaten at Houston's so I can't compare.

• 2/3 cup sour cream (I added a few extra tablespoons)
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed garlic (I used garlic powder and increased it a bit to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (I increased a bit to taste)
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

1. Mix ingredients until smooth. Refrigerate for a couple of hours and then serve.

Linking to: Full Plate Thursday, Gallery of Favorites, Show Off Your Stuff, Strut Your Stuff, It's a Party at a Creative Princess, Turning the Table Thursday, It's a Keeper Thursday, Tastetastic Thursday, Taking a Timeout Thursday, Foodie Friday, Friday Favorites, Friday Food Fight, Friday Food, Foodtrip Friday

Grandma's Apple Salad

I've decided to change my diet for a month or two. I hate to do this but I am going to try to give up dairy and wheat (possibly nuts too). My two favorite things in life are dairy and wheat. I eat them DAILY. But my baby boy Emmett has been having colic every night. More than likely his colic is caused by nothing and will just go away when he is around 4 months old. But just in case, I am going to change my diet to see if it helps him. I would hate to leave him suffering for months when I could have changed my diet and fixed everything. I really hope this helps him though. Fingers crossed!

Although I kind of have this feeling I will mess up and eat wheat or dairy and not realize it. We'll see though, this is all new to me.

Anyway, since my diet is changing my recipes will be changing a bit. I might still throw in some dairy and wheat since the rest of the people in my house can eat it, so don't run away screaming if you're only here for bread and cheese recipes. :) The recipe I'm sharing today is from my grandma who passed away a couple years ago. I remember eating this at every gathering she ever had and I loved it. It might be an acquired taste though because my husband hates it with all of his heart and soul. :) You be the judge though. You might be able to sub out the mayo with plain yogurt but I haven't tried it.

My inspiration to try this recipe (because I've made this and failed a few times) comes from Everyday Mom's Meals. She made a Waldorf salad and I used it as a jumping point. It worked perfectly. I'm so happy she blogged her recipe, click here to check out her lovely blog.

Grandma's Apple Salad
Serving Size = about 4

• 3 apples
• 1 pear
• 2 cups grapes, halved
• 2 tablespoons mayo
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

Note: My grandma never added pears. She also added bananas and walnuts.

1. Mix together the mayo, lemon juice and sugar. Adjust to taste by adding more lemon juice or sugar.
2. Chop the fruit into bite sized pieces (I didn't peel anything) and mix with the dressing. Serve cold. Also, letting the flavors blend in the fridge before serving makes the salad even better.

Linking to: Hearth and Soul

French Onion Soup and Croutons

If you're pantry is empty, or if you want to save money.... OR if a newborn kept you awake all night and you want a very easy to make lunch, then here's your recipe.

It's so easy a caveman could do it.
hehehe
Couldn't resist.

Anyway, I made rye bread the other day to go with our steak dinner. Of course there were leftovers, so the next day I chopped up the extra bread and made croutons. This gave me the idea to make French onion soup because I could top it with croutons and cheese. I thought this would be more interesting than a salad. And I was right, much more interesting.... and tastier too. Plus, it's cold outside so it's perfect soup weather.

Rye croutons

Croutons
Serving Size = 4 cups
Original Recipe

• 4 cups of breads
• 2 teaspoons garlic salt (I just use garlic and salt)
• 1/4 cup of butter, melted or use EVOO

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Cut bread into 1 inch cubes. Toss with EVOO or melted butter until very lightly coated. Add seasoning and toss to coat (I just used garlic powder and salt).
3. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20-35 minutes, or until toasted and crispy.

Start cooking the onions

After a while they should start to caramelize

Add the broth, parsley, simmer and serve

French Onion Soup
Serving Size = 2

• 2 1/2 cups beef broth (you could also use chicken, vegetable or a combination)
• 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon of flour
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• Salt/Pepper
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of parsley, chopped
• Gruyere, Swiss cheese, or fontina
• Croutons or bread (handful for each bowl or 1 slice per bowl)

1. Place a stock pot on the stove and set the heat to medium. Add 1/4 stick of butter and let it melt.
2. Slice the onions thinly (I slice them like thin onion rings) and add to the stock pot. Stir well and add the bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper. Let the onions cook until they are golden brown and soft (about 25 or 30 mins). In the last few minutes, add the garlic and stir.
3. Once the onions finish, add 1/4 cup or so of beef broth to deglaze the pan. Stir well so that the brown bits come off the bottom. Once the liquid evaporates, add the flour and stir. Turn the heat down to medium low to keep the flour from burning and cook for about 10 mins to remove the raw flour taste.
4. Add the rest of the beef/chicken broth and the parsley. Adjust the heat to a simmer and let it cook for another 10 mins. Now it's ready to serve.
5. Place the croutons on top of the soup, add the cheese and place under a broiler until the cheese melts and browns a bit. You could also just slice some bread, place the cheese on top, broil and then place on top of the soup. Garnish with parsley.

Dear Santa,
Did you see the stunning bowl at the top? Even though I love and adore it, I'm not sure it's made for French onion soup. Could you please deliver me a set of red Technique Flame 2 cup soup bowls that are made for onion soup? You know, the ones with the cute little handles that can also be used on the stovetop, in the oven, broiler, freezer, anywhere, any time, any place, completely amazing.... you get the point. :)
Thanks so much,
P.S. I promise to post more cookie recipes.


Linking to: Mangia Mondays, Tuesday Night Supper Club, Tuesdays at the Table, Hearth and Soul

Mediterranean Za'atar Salad

We've pretty much had the most perfect weather imaginable today. I've spent most of the day outdoors sunning myself, journaling in my baby book, gardening and chasing Mimi around. Unfortunately, I had a routine doctors appointment today which involved fasting and drinking a lemon-lime drink that tasted like flat 7-up. Bleck!! Then I had to sit in the waiting room for a solid hour, which was torture because I kept looking outdoors thinking about the amazing weather.

Yesterday was a different story though folks. It was HOT. I mean as soon as you stepped outside you were sweating. So we loaded up in the car, with the AC on full blast and made a quick trip to the farmer's market to buy a huge box of peaches (oh my goodness, the poor people there were drenched in sweat). I have to freeze them later once they ripen up a bit.

I'm seeing a peach pie post in my future. :)

For now though, I'm going to share a Mediterranean salad with you. I used a za'atar spice blend that I bought from a fancy schmancy spice store. I plan to make my own blend and post the recipe, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. I will though, promise!!

Mediterranean Za'tar Salad
Serving Size = 4
Original Recipe

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 large cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup or so of green olives
• 3 teaspoons za'atar blend
• 1 teaspoon sumac
• 2 tablespoons or so of cilantro, roughly chopped
• Roughly 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt/Pepper to taste

1. In a small skillet over medium heat add the olive oil, garlic and za'atar. Cook for a few seconds, until the garlic becomes fragrant. Remove from burner and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, place all of the veggies, cilantro and sumac. Mix well. Add the oil mixture (should have cooled off a bit by now). Add salt/pepper to taste. Mix well and serve.

Linking to: Full Plate Thursday, Potluck Friday, Foodie Fridays, Simply Delish

Turnip Slaw

I would like to start this post by saying thank you:

Dear Junk Mail,
Thank you so much for sending me a letter asking me if I would be interested in competing for Miss USA. Every 6-months pregnant, weight gaining, back aching, grouchy, tired woman walking out of the house in the early morning, wearing mismatching PJ's, with messy hair and eye make-up from the day before, loves to receive a letter like that. Maybe they wouldn't notice. The swimsuit round might give me away though.

I would also like to thank Barbie's Princess and the Pauper for teaching my daughter to say "shut up." And more than that, they taught her to say it with an accent so that I actually get to hear "shu up mama" every day now. I would like to take some of the glory for this achievement though. I knew that from all of the phrases in the movie, "shu up" would be the only one she would learn.
2 year-olds...... such fun. :)

So even though I've been insanely busy running for Miss USA, I did find the time to make some turnip slaw to share with you. This recipe comes from my mom and she got it from one of her cookbooks. It's super simple to make, but I'm not sure I would consider it a side dish like most slaws. It's pretty strong to serve as a side, so I tend to serve it next to a salad. I like the idea of making your own salad with the option of pickled beets, turnip slaw, blue cheese, or whatever else you like alongside the salad (buffet style). Without a doubt though, it is one of my favorite things to eat.
Enjoy!

Turnip Slaw

Serving Size = Roughly 3 cups (maybe)

• 1 lb turnips, peeled and shredded
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons oil (vegetable would work, but I used grapeseed)
• 3 tablespoons water
• Salt/Pepper to taste

1. Peel and shred the carrots. I used my food processor. Place into a large bowl and add the rest of the ingredients. 
2. This is a sweet vinegar slaw, so you could add half the sugar and increase to taste if you want, but I add the full 1/2 cup. It will have a lot of liquid though, that is normal. Also, it freezes very well.

Linking to: Full Plate Thursday

Green Bean Salad with Dijon Dressing

A few weeks ago I saw this recipe on Casondra's blog and I wanted to give it a try. But first, I had to wait for my green beans to grow in my garden. They eventually did and now I have tons (which I have to can, don't remind me). I picked out the nicest looking beans and set them aside for this recipe. The rest were snapped and are waiting to go into canning jars. I didn't follow this recipe exactly, mostly because I didn't have all of the ingredients, and some of the ingredients (the feta) would be picked around my husband. He's not a feta fan. Anyway, the recipe was delicious and adding new ingredients just shows the versatility. It's impossible to mess up and you can combine any flavors to match your meal. 

Actually, the entire dinner yesterday was delicious. It was one of those memorable dinners that we will look back on and make comments about. We were going to grill steaks outdoors because it's 40,000 degrees with high humidity here (heating the house is a no-no). But it started to storm, bien sur. I won't lie, I hate storms and rain. I want to be outside, see the sunshine, or sleep in bed without flashing lights in my window. Yesterday was probably one of the very few times that I didn't mind the storm though, even if it interfered with my BBQ. The temperature was insane. So this brought in some cooler weather which allowed me to bake today (yay!!!!!).

Dinner Menu:

• Ribeye steaks, indoors (salt, pepper and a touch of onion powder)
• Swiss chard (remove the steaks from the pan to rest, drain excess oil if there is any, add a little bit of chicken stock to the pan to deglaze it, then some minced garlic, add the chard and a touch of salt/pepper and cover with a lid until wilted)
• Cheesy mashed potatoes
• Green bean salad

Trim the beans

Mix the veggies and dressing

Green Bean Salad with Dijon Dressing

Serving Size = 2 - 3

Original Recipe: Pieces of my Heaven on Earth (I made several changes, so check out her recipe)

• Fresh green beans (as many as you want, I just grabbed two or three huge handfuls), trim the ends off (the ones that attach to the plant)
• 1/2 cup of diced cucumber
• 2 - 3 roma tomatoes
• 1/4 cup or so of rinsed chick peas

*You can also add red onion and feta cheese

1. Place the trimmed green beans into a pot and add water, bring to boil and cook for 8 minutes, or until crisp but tender. Immediately remove from pan and place into a cold ice bath to stop the cooking.
2. Add the other veggies to the dressing (recipe below) and mix. Place the green beans onto a serving platter, top with the veggies and dressing. 

Dijon Dressing

• 3 - 4 tablespoons oil (I used grapeseed)
• 1 - 2 tablespoons or so of apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• Salt (don't skimp or it will be flavorless)
• Pepper
• Pinch of sugar (optional)

*This is a rough guess. First, I like to use a lot of dressing, and second, I just add to taste. Some people like lots of vinegar, others don't.  

1. Whisk everything together and adjust to taste. Remember to add plenty of salt, this will give the dressing more flavor.

Quinoa, Plum, Cucumber and Honey Salad

I saw several versions of this salad online and just pieced together my own. I love this salad, it is absolutely delicious and I plan to take it to a gathering some day because it seems fancy. The only thing I might do differently next time is to leave out the onion. It was still great, but that's just my own preference. I think every single version of this salad had onion in it, so I know it's popular.

You can also adjust the honey to taste. I knew that when I took a bite of the salad I wanted the honey to jump out, and it does. Another option, and I plan to do this later, is to take this to a complete fruit salad. Skip the onion and cucumber and instead add banana, grapes, apple or whatever else you want. I would even keep the dressing the same. The vinegar really brightens the dish and brings it to life.

Extremely healthy cookies.....

Oh yes, and this is what I also made yesterday. Ahem, "eating healthy during this pregnancy" failure number 3,010. The worst part about making these chocolate chip cookies that I was having a huge, uncontrollable, over-the-top craving for was that it was during the afternoon when it was 1,000 degrees outside. I tend to turn my AC up to 80 degrees.... and then add the hot oven..... 

We all roasted for a while. Woops!

I also felt ill for a while from over eating them. Woops again!

Oh well, the cold and healthy salad made up for it, right? Sure, why not! :)

Chop up as much cucumber, plum and green onion as you like

Dressing

Don't forget the walnuts! Toast, chop and add

Quinoa, Plum, Cucumber and Honey Salad
Serving Size = 4 - 6

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 5 - 6 plums, pitted and diced
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (roughly, just eye it)
• 4 - 5 tablespoons grapeseed oil (to taste, it depends how much vinegar you like and I prefer a lot)
• 1 green onion, finely chopped (will probably skip next time, but I just used the green part)
• 2 tablespoons or so of honey (to taste)
• Salt (don't skimp, it brings out the flavor)
• 1/2 cucumber, diced

1. Rinse the quinoa thoroughly. Place it in a saucepan and add the water, bring to boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes, or until all of the water has absorbed. Remove from heat and leave for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Transfer to a bowl and cool down, then refrigerate for 30 minutes or until cool.
2. Chop the veggies, fruit, nuts and mix the dressing. Add to the cooled quinoa and mix. 
3. Refrigerate for an hour or so and then serve (mix again before serving).

Linking to: Full Plate Thursday

Mediterranean Eggplant Steaks and Orzo Salad with Walnuts

The other day I was trying to think of something for dinner. It had to be vegetarian because I didn't get out any meat to thaw and I wasn't about to go to the store. Since shopping was out, that also meant that I had to use what was in the good ol' pantry. I was patting myself on the back all night after this meal. Not only was it budget friendly, made from scratch, extremely healthy, planned at the last minute, but the flavor was wonderful and no one complained about the lack of meat. Wait, wait --- I have to pat myself on the back again. hehehe Ok, ok..... I have to be honest, not everyone was thrilled with the meal. My 2-year-old would have nothing to do with it. But she's a picky eater and doesn't eat the majority of what I make anyway, so we can just ignore that.

By the way, I am amazed with her vocabulary lately. She went from speaking very little, to saying more new words than I can count in the last 2 weeks. Every day she says something new. It amazes me the difference a week or two can make in a 2-year-olds life.

This is completely random, but I took this picture and I absolutely love it. The bug sat on the flower right next to me and I was able to get a clear picture. I'll post more random photos later (I have tons of garden pics), but for now we can actually get to the food. :)

Remember the beast (cast iron grill)? When I pick this
up, the only thing I can think about is how I would lose
my foot if I dropped it. Yikes.

Onions, banana peppers and a pepperoncini pepper

Artistic close-up :)

Spinach mixture

Top the eggplant

Breadcrumbs and parsley

Once brown, remove from oven

Mediterranean Eggplant Steaks

Serving Size = 2 - 3

Adapted From

• 1 eggplant, cut lengthwise, 1 inch (I would cut them smaller)
• 1 box of frozen spinach, thawed and drained (9 oz)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt/Pepper
• 4 very small peppers, chopped (banana peppers) or 1 roasted red pepper chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• Handful of pitted olives, diced (I used green)
• 1 onion, chopped (I used the white part of the spring onions pictured above and reserved the green part for the orzo salad)
• Hummus (roughly 15 oz)
• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs, panko + 1 - 2 tablespoons EVOO
• 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. I made my hummus, so click here for the recipe.
3. Get out your monster grill and heat it up. Brush the eggplant slices with EVOO, sprinkle on salt and pepper and grill until tender (ALMOST cooked completely, but a little undercooked). 
4. In a large skillet, add some oil and cook the onion and peppers until they soften a bit. Add the garlic and spinach, mix until combined. Add the green olives and remove from heat.
5. Place the eggplant slices on a baking sheet and top each one with the spinach mixture. Then top that with a few tablespoons each of hummus (you can't have too much). Then mix together the breadcrumbs, parsley, and 1 - 2 tablespoons of EVOO (just eye it). Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top.
6. Bake until the breadcrumbs are brown and toasted (5 or 10 mins).

Fresh oregano

Mix and serve

Orzo Salad with Walnuts

Serving Size = 3 - 4

Adapted From

• 1 cup of orzo
• Water (cooking orzo is like cooking spaghetti, fill a pot with enough water to cover the orzo well)
• Broccoli (as much as you want)
• 1 cup or so of toasted walnuts
• 3 stems of fresh oregano, chopped
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced (I didn't have much lemon juice, so I replaced it with apple cider vinegar)
• 1 tomato, chopped (I skipped it)
• 2 tablespoons of EVOO (or almond, grapeseed or avocado oil)
• Salt/Pepper
• Onion, thinly sliced (I used spring onions, only the green part reserved from above recipe)
• Feta (I skipped it, but add to taste if you want)

1. Bring water to a boil, add some salt and add the orzo, cook uncovered for 9 minutes, or until al dente, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, drain and let cool (I start grilling the eggplant after this). 
2. Chop up the veggies and add to a bowl with the orzo. Toast the nuts and let them cool, then chop and add. Mix together the lemon juice or vinegar and oil, add some salt and pepper (a pinch of sugar if you like) and pour over the mixture. Add the oregano and mix well.
3. Serve at room temperature or cold.

Linking to: Foodie Friday, Weekend Roundup

Italian Cold Pasta Salad

The other day I was trying to think of something for lunch. Pasta salad just popped into my mind (probably because it's so hot out). Normally people make this with a bottle of Italian dressing, but I never buy dressing so that wasn't possible. I would love to use fresh herbs, but my herb garden is lacking slightly at the moment. As soon as I recover from whatever I currently have I plan to get my herbs going again. Anyway, I decided to put together an Italian herb dressing mix with dried herbs and it is now stored in my pantry. Any time that I need Italian dressing, I can pull out the mix and add some vinegar and oil et voila --- Italian dressing. 

By the way, check out the two bowls (the one on the very top and the one on the very bottom). Both came from a store in TN. They are handmade pottery and they are absolutely stunning. You can easily buy them online with a quick search (which I plan to do in the future, shhh, don't tell hehehe). I love all pottery, as you know --- Mexican, Moroccan, Algerian, American --- I don't care. The only thing I would caution people about is to make sure you're not buying anything toxic. Some can be made with lead or other dangerous things. For lead, you can actually buy a lead test online if you're worried. Anyway, just discuss it with the store owner and do a bit of research to make sure. I would not recommend buying old pottery to cook/serve in, I would stick with new. And if you are REALLY unsure, then just use them for decoration, they are stunning to look at.

Italian Dressing Mix

Original Recipe

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1/2 tablespoon white sugar
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley

Mix together ingredients, store in an airtight container. The original recipe adds the salt to the mix, but I prefer to add the salt to the dressing.

1. For the dressing, whisk together 1/8 cup vinegar (I used tarragon vinegar) and 1/3 cup oil (I use grapeseed or avocado oil) and 1 tablespoons of the dry mix and salt/pepper to taste.

Pasta Salad

• 1/2 lb rotini pasta
• 2 roma tomatoes, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1/2 bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup carrots, diced
• 1/2 cup or so of chopped broccoli
• Italian Dressing, as seen above (you may not need to use all of it though, just to taste)
• 1/4 cup or so of Parmesan cheese

1. Add any veggies you want, any amount you want. Boil the pasta, rinse it off under cold water. Mix everything together, add the dressing, mix and serve.