A Favorite Salad

I don't really have a favorite salad per say.  I have five to seven that I love, and consistently make - depends on my cravings.  But this salad is frequently seen at our dinner table, and I often dumb it down (no shallots or pecans, because I am lazy) and it still tastes fantastic. The recipe comes from this book that my Mom gave me for my birthday.  Lots of inspiration and a fun book to just sit and read (but I am the type of person who recreationally reads cookbooks).   Another plus, this salad is great in the winter, and I love the goat cheese soaked in the dressing.

Again, recipe from REAL SIMPLE Celebrations

1/4 cup fresh orange juice (I use whatever OJ is on hand)
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 heads Bibb or Boston lettuce (or substitute 2 5oz bags of mixed salad greens) (I love butter leaf lettuce)
2 navel oranges, peeled and sliced into thin circles (grapefruit slices are good too)
3/4 cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped
4 oz goat cheese, crumbled (don't skip, you'll regret it)

Combine first six ingredients, which can be prepped ahead, cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble salad.  Combine remaining ingredients together and toss with dressing.

A little trick I learned from watching the Barefoot Contessa - if you are preparing your salad ahead of time,  set the lettuce aside, and place remaining ingredients in the bottom of your bowl, and then place your lettuce on top. Cover and store, (usually several hours) until ready to serve. That way you only dirty one dish, and have only one bowl to carry to your soiree.

This One's A Whopper

Back in March I posted thirty things on my thirtieth birthday.  Well, one of those things was, I was dreaming of Summer and going to the Farmer's Market.  Those days have arrived, and today was a good one.  The weather was nice. The kids were well behaved, sweet and APPRECIATIVE. 

Amazing, when the five year old says, "thanks for bringing us to the market Mom". 

Love this one!

An absolute favorite, chubby cheeks and pouty lips.

There they are again, I wan to eat those cheeks!

Purple and yellow, my favorite color combination right now.

Carting three young children around is not always a graceful endeavor. Many times, I ask myself why I bother.  You know those days, where everyone whines, and nothing, or any amount of anything is good enough.  This morning I balked.  I thought, do I really want to do this.  My expectations were low.  I thought if I come away with blackberries and wildflowers I am OK. 

I know there is a moral and/or message I am trying to convey, but right now it isn't transmitting to word.  Oh well, it was a really good day.  Tomorrow, I think we might just stay close to home.  I don't want to push my luck.

Hope You Don't Mind - A Week of Favorites

My husband, mom and sisters know this about me, but I am fashionably and cosme-to-logically challenged. 
I want my little sister to be my stylist, and apply my make-up, everyday.  You have time for that, right Mac?

So I am sharing this tidbit because I am essentially clueless when it comes to choosing make-up colors let alone applying it.
Although pricey, it is usually the only make-up I wear, so well worth the price, and it is supposed to be a universal color and flattering to most skin tones.

A New Favorite

Vampire Weekend, my new favorite band, they make me happy.  One of the guys at work introduced us. I think they are a mix of Paul Simon, Weezer and Bob Marley.  They make me want to "kick it" in the backyard on a Summer night (in my tie dye).  Just kidding, well, actually, not really.

Summertime

Today was a tie dye play date.

I Love Mondays and Naptime

Handmade number ?.  I lost count it has been a while.  I'll figure it out later.  Despite frequent fighting and/or tantrums, I still love Mondays.  I am thankful to be home with my kids.

 David and the kids have done all of the planting in the garden.  But today I scouted out some herbs and flowers and I hope to do some planting. 

Circa 1998, bought this album today on iTunes - a favorite for me and my sisters.

Fly By

Sorry I have not been posting.  By the time I finished working Monday,  the week was well under way.  Now it is Wednesday evening, and the week is half over.  Running errands, cleaning around the house and tying up loose ends here and there.

This week Betsy turns six months, and tonight is Joseph's first t-ball game.  

When he was a baby, or maybe even when I was pregnant, I used to daydream about Summers at the ballpark watching him play.  Now, the time has come.  Wow.