Tummy Time Tuesday: Caesar Salad Recipe

I really thought that Caesar salad had something to do with an conqueror.  But it doesn’t.

The Caesar salad actually isn’t a very old recipe at all.  The story (one of several) is told that it was created on a busy 4th of July weekend when the kitchen was short on food.  So as not to disappoint his customers,  Caesar Cardini (an Italian-born Mexican) hurriedly created what was first known as the Aviator Salad.  To make the salad appear that the menu was planned with forethought, Caesar assembled this classic salad at his customers’ tables.

Though not prepared tableside, this salad is a frequent accompaniment to our meals.  We typically create a modified version of the original recipe that the Hottie wooed me with when we were dating.

Caesar Salad (only if you use ALL the ingredients)

(Call it a Jodi Salad if you go with only the NECESSARY ingredients)

• wooden bowl
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice (optional)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
• dash Tabasco sauce (optional)
• 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• 1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• raw egg {ONLY if it is from a healthy bird that you could go visit} (optional)
• 2 pounds romaine lettuce, washed and dried
• 8 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese (good cheese is a must)
• croutons (optional)

(By the way, the Hottie strongly disagreed with me listing certain ingredients as optional.  To him – they are not optional.  To me – if I am making this salad with 3 kids running around and a baby slung on my hip – they are optional.)

Press garlic bulbs into wooden bowl using a fork. 

Mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and Dijon mustard  in the bottom of the bowl. 

Add optional ingredients lemon juice, Worcestershire, egg, and Tabasco sauce.  Work combined ingredients up the sides of the bowl so that the mixture doesn’t remain concentrated at the bottom only to drown the lettuce leaves. 

Toss washed and torn lettuce leaves into the bowl, making sure to thoroughly coat the romaine. 

Garnish with croutons and Parmesan cheese.

Green Bean Delivery Day

Excitement, for Gabe, is when the Green B.E.A.N. delivery van is parked outside of our house. 

He watches our delivery like a vulture, waiting to rip open the contents of our newly arrived green containers – hoping for a treat that he can soon munch on.

It is his brothers who get to bring the containers into the house.

And it is I who feels good about the contents of those heavy containers, often filled with items locally grown.

I am thankful for Green B.E.A.N. because it allows me to buy local, order online, stay within our budget, AND stay home!

First Things First: A Review

For starters, the rumors circulating about football star, Kurt and (his wife) Brenda Warner, simply aren’t true.  Yes, they are a rags to riches story BUT they did not meet in the grocery store were Kurt was a stock boy.  Nope.  Nothing like that.  But you gotta read the book to find out HOW they met.

What book? First Things First.  I highly recommend it.

For a fast, interesting, AND applicable book – this is the book for you (and me).  I honestly thought this would be a nice book but wasn’t expecting to read it as if it were one of my “vacation books.” 

However, the Warner’s excellently combined real life stories with practical application.  For example, I pulled a few “rules” out of the book and began applying them in our family.

• I’m completely OK if the boys dress themselves.  I will allow them to wear whatever concoction they come up with, even if it is glaring to the eyes.  I will intervene if they are wearing shorts, though, in sub-zero weather.  If the Warner’s don’t care that their children didn’t walk out of a Gap commercial, then I don’t need to either.  One less thing to argue about.
• I’ve always prayed with the kids . . . like at mealtimes, moments of stress, for ouchies . . . . but never “OVER” them – like as in a blessing.  So, at night I have been asking them their prayer requests and then entreating the Lord’s protection, asking for sweet dreams, and for their current and future spiritual walks.  I felt like an idiot for not already doing this – better late than never.
• At dinner, I have begun to ask everyone what their favorite part of the day was . . . hoping to inspire thoughtful conversation.

To pull three things out of a book AND actually remember them without flipping through the book . . . I’d say it has to be a pretty practical book.

Complete with color pictures and collectable football cards makes this book a hit for the entire family!

Thanks to Tyndale House Publishing for sending me this book to read and review.  I was not paid for this post, nor do I have to return the book.  It will remain in our family library because I really want Brian to read it.

It Is Snowing In Our Attic

I’ve seen a lot of hoses going up our stairs this fall.  But this time the hose wasn’t leading to a birthing tub . . .

You see, the Hottie loves winter so much, he decided to make it snow in our attic.

 

Just kidding. 

But seriously.  (As the Hottie would say.)

The “R Factor,” whatever that is (actually click on the link to find out), went from this:

to this:

You might say that our house was a bit chilly prior to tonight.

1. I’m thankful that the boys’ rooms will be warmer and they shall sleep more comfortably. 
2. I’m also thankful that we will hopefully have a cheaper heating bill now.
3. And Lord willing, we will see a bit of a tax break . . . not that we considered this or anything. 

But who am I most thankful for? (Two people actually)

Two men made this happen today (with the Lord’s help) – 4.  the Hottie, of course, and . . .

5.  my father-in-law, who dedicated his whole day to helping the Hottie install a ceiling fan and load the insulation hopper.

Thanks so much, John!!!!

6.  And thanks for sharing him with us Kathy, in addition to bringing lunch! 

Head on over to Conny’s blog to see what everyone else is thankful for this November.

Egypt: Hideaways in History

Last Saturday our good friends came over to visit from Ohio. 

The visit had many purposes.  The most important being fellowship; followed by an introduction to Naomi, and a crash course in all things Egypt.

(a cartouche – Egyptian necklace bearing the wearer’s name in hieroglyphics)

Jay and Emily once went on a mission trip to Egypt to help a church build a ropes course, modeled after the one at our church. 

Thankfully the Lord brought this fact to my attention when Asher recently mentioned that he still didn’t understand how large the pyramids were.  (FYI—they are much taller than Jay and Emily!)

We learned how to make pita bread.

From the littlest . . .

(Smiley looking oh-so-serious.)

But I personally, like how Ben rolls out his pita dough . . .

He and I get along quite well.

To the oldest . . .

and they were quite delicious . . . though not very round.

  

I don’t know that I could ever go back to a store bought pita . . . now if only I could find the recipe Emily gave me.

The pita bread was accompanied by homemade hummus, mandarin oranges, cucumbers and tomatoes, and fava beans.

She added a few choice spices . . .

 

It’s nice to have this lesson in our Hideaways In History completed.  Thanks Jay and Emily!  It was sooooooo good to see you!

I wonder where we will travel to next?