Matchless Salad Dressing

i bet you were thinking, "gosh I never use matches in my salad, or dressing for that matter" well I mean to say that it would be hard to find a better match for salad than this dressing.

It might just be the perfect salad dressing. I have had this recipe for years. I first acquired it when I was a personal assistant/nanny in the mid 90's. June of 1996 to be exact. I have the same beat up, wrinkled, folded and stained recipe card. Worn like good leather. Originally this dressing was for a mammoth Cobb Salad I would make, it has now had evolved into a staple in our fridge. I make a batch every other week. We enjoy it on , salad (duh), chicken, for dipping fresh warm bread in, drizzled over a hot steak, veggies, etc.

Matchless, unbeatable, perfect...you decide.

I like to make it it a large mason jar

1/4 C Balsamic Vinegar (the better the quality the better the dressing) (I splurge here!)
1 1/2 Tsp Fresh Lemon or Lime Juice (I prefer lime)
3/4 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 Tsp Dry English Mustard
1 Clove Crushed Garlic (more or less depending on who your smooching later)
3/4 C Safflower Oil
1/4 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tsp White sugar (brown sugar, honey, or agave nectar will work)
1 Tsp Salt (I use Kosher Salt or Fleur de Sel)
Fresh Ground Black Pepper

I love to add crushed rose pepper for color! Beautiful especially for dipping.

I don't go crazy if I don't have all the ingredients like fresh lime or lemon juice, the little sweetener is changeable, and any light oil like vegetable, safflower, Canola oil will work, but everything else you should have to make it great.
Enjoy.

Oh for the Cobb Salad


1/2 head Bib (aka butter) Lettuce
1/2 head Romain Lettuce
1 small head Chicory
1/2 bunch Watercress

Mix all the greens place in large bowl.
The beauty of a "matchless" Cobb Salad is the presentation (like most food, except meat loaf)
I like to keep all ingredients lined up on top of the greens.
Then nothing sinks to the bottom of the bowl and we miss out on the eggs
or worse the bacon bits.

Display over Greens
2 Medium Tomatoes (peeled, seeded, chopped, its a pain but do it anyway)
2 Poached Boneless Chicken Breasts
6 slices Chopped Crispy Bacon (get the deli kind, bacon bits are illegal)
3 H.B.'s HB's is what we fondly call Hard Boiled Eggs (slice across the yolk for display)
1/2 C Roquefort/Blue Cheese crumbled
1 whole Avocado
2 Tsp Salt

You can prep most of the ingredients a day in advance, if I make this for a party I bring the bowl and all the ingredients in separate Ziploc baggies so I can compile upon arrival. I keep the dressing separate so the greens don't go limp. I like to rinse the lettuce then lay it out over a towel, careful not to lump green together then roll up. It keeps fresh that way.

The salad is a meal in itself. Yum

Fruits of Labor

For the last few months my friend Abby & I have discussed tackling CANNING. The age old method of preserving the current harvest. Abby's home has a beautiful orchard with Apples, Plums, Cherry's and more. (top photo is looking up from her grass) The apples were so abundant so we decided to start with them.

Neither of us had canned, I started to research. Which is what I usually do when I become obsessed with anything. Here is a web site I found incredible useful.

http://www.pickyourown.org/index.htm

Her neighbor Pamela came over to show us the ropes. I would advise having a canning mentor for first timers. We learned so much. We spent a full day developing a system. Next time it will become a social event...a few ladies, a little wine, food and canning.

Abby's house smelled delicious, sorry about the sticky floors:)

I can't wait to try the apple butter on a fresh slice of home made bread!

The fruits of our labor was so satisfying.

(pun intended as Abby says)

Here is what we made (lower photo).....

Apple Butter Chunky Apple/Pear Sauce Pureed Apple Sauce

The only thing we were missing is the Midwest farm apron.

Maybe next time:)

1st Timers Pork Chops

Well, my relationship with Pork has been so so,
the few times we got together it was parched disagreement.

Well we have turned a new leaf...
I've combined several recipes to make it Aaaahmazing.

Spicy Pork Chops
(serves 4)

1. Make the rub (mix together in a large zip lock bag)

2 Tbsp Paprika
1 Tbsp Chili Powder
1-2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar (I like the darkest)
1 Tsp Cumin
1 Tsp Dry Mustard
1 Tsp Oregano
1/4 C Kosher Salt

2. Take 4 bone in Pork Chops and drop each one in the bag of spices shake until covered.
This step can be done a few days in advance (I like at least 3 hours for it to marinate)

3. Heat a pan drizzled with canola oil, sear each pork chop until it is golden brown on each side.
Set seared pork on a plate a cover with foil.

4. In the large pan you seared the pork in deglaze the pan with the following items and bring to a boil...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deglazing_(cooking)

4 cloves Garlic chopped
1/2 C White Wine
1 C Chicken Stalk
1 Tsp Chopped Herbs (whatever is fresh and in season)
Rosemary, Thyme, or Oregano, etc
Salt & Pepper

5. Add marinated Pork Chops to pan & cover. Simmer
until pork temp reached 145-150 degrees

6. Serve with Mashed Potatoes or Grilled Veggies, save the sauce for drizzling

side note: careful with with the cayenne and Chili, it gets hot quick.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I googled dad today...

I googled dad today.

Mark John Lambert

I found a man who was an author who wrote about land mass.
not MJL
An application for a trade mark for John Lambert.
not MJL
John Mark Lambert holds an electoral roll in Australia
not MJL

While it seemed that my dad was, as usual,
under the radar, I clicked the next link and found an 2002 article...

"Remodeling is a smart investment," said Lambert, "because it's not a commodity. What you're really doing is changing the allocation of your assets.
And your home is an asset you can live in and enjoy."
Looking at it from that viewpoint, Lambert doesn't see it as a choice between buying or remodeling. It's just a choice of how to distribute assets.

I started to think about my dads various roles and enthusiasms in life. The immense impact he has had in others lives, including my own. Whether he knew it or not.

Business, Rotary, Church, Entrepreneur, tease, loving husband, student, brother, son...

I still haven't been able to look at the amazing photo collection my brother Jules put together, or the link on the my home town newspaper page for the obituaries, or anything else about my dad.
Bellingham is home and it is nice to visit, but I picture dad just behind the house or still working in the garage, just beyond my sight. Which is where he usually was.

Visually I see my boyfriend wearing one of dads baseball hats that's from bellingham mill work. I can just imagine dad saying "Cool Hat!"

His inflection would have been on the C and the first o elongating it slightly.
I am sure he got it for free.

On my desk is a photo of my dad grinning with hands on hips, black head to toe and from cleaning a chimney. Always working, only on Sunday working spiritually.

It is Sunday, I am sad about the anniversary of my dads death tomorrow.

I have been trying to think about his life, the good memories and all the values he instilled.

What really brings me sadness is the future,
not being able to phone him if I have a question
How do I get my squeeky closet doors to close smoothly?
Whats the best way to remove wall paper ? Or his favorite...
How do I make simple syrup for the perfect lemonade?

He is gone, and gone with him is the memories of the bad times, his impatience, his unavailable emotions and overtime work ethic.

With ease I only reacall the best of times.

I know he would want me to take his strengths make them my own and take his weakness and change them so they aren't mine.

I might be googled one day


PS:
Dads Tips
Squeeky Closet Sliding Doors:
Take a long candle and rub on the wheels and the tracks, the friction will slightly melt the wax and allow the doors to close easily and squeek free.

Simple Syrup: For perfect lemonade

2 parts sugar
1 part water
Preparation:
Bring the water to a boil.
Dissolve the sugar into the boiling water.
Once the sugar is dissolved completely, remove the pan from the heat.
Allow to cool and add the juice fresh from 10 lemons & 2 limes.

Sunshine Daggers

I have 3 sisters and 4 brothers... All amazing in their own ways. Today as I woke up, the sun was daggering through the window. (if it were after my a.m. coffee I probably would have said streaming not daggering) It refracted off one of the best gifts I have ever gotten. About 1 year ago my youngest brother Weston came to Portland for a visit. He brought with him one of his latest collections of glass work. Calling it "glass work" doesn't even come close justifying the craftsman's ship or artistry. I am not sure why but looking at his pieces brought me to tears. I can't tell you if I just had an emotional day, if it was the tears of a super proud big sis, or was it the tears of a moved art appreciator. His work is a combo of recycled glass and stone from the earth...it is the type of work your hand wants to reach out to touch...you know the type...So check out his website, and the pic attached of his work. Thanks Weston for the gift.

Art should make you feel something. -e


http://westonlambert.googlepages.com/home