hail, caesar!

Long ago, I spent a winter break from college helping my aunt and uncle out with their 2 kids, who were 5 & 3 at the time. They lived in a cute town about an hour south of San Francisco. They really enjoyed cooking and entertaining and still do so I think a lot of what I've learned over the years about delicious, simple food I learned from them! So AJ and UT, thank you for that! A few recipes in heavy rotation were the following:

Black Beans and Rice

Jerk Pork

Garlic Roasted Orzo Pilaf

Cabbage Salad

Caesar Salad

I still use all of these recipes to this day and they have become favorites of my family as well. A few days ago my husband grilled a couple of chicken breasts so last night's dinner was Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken. The dressing recipe is homemade and it's from one of the Silver Palate Cookbooks that I don't have. I never wrote the recipe down, so sometimes I confuse the amounts of the ingredients. I use too much lemon juice or not enough garlic, or vice versa. But last night the result was perfection and I savored every last bite. I even made my own croutons and they came out great too. So if you love Caesar Salad, request this recipe next time you come over. :)

recipe: caesar salad

source: silver palate cookbook

4 anchovy fillets, minced

1 raw egg

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tbsp. lemon juice

1/3 cup olive oil

Combine all the ingredients in a container with a tight-fitting lid and shake. The dressing will emulsify nicely. Set in the refrigerator for at least an hour to let the flavors blend.

Meanwhile, wash and dry a head of romaine lettuce. Tear into bite size pieces and put in a big bowl. Grate fresh Parmesan cheese over lettuce to taste, add a few grinds of fresh black pepper and sprinkle croutons over salad. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently. Arrange sliced chicken in the bowl and toss again. Serve. Enjoy.

I have been a running fool lately. The hot, humid weather is finally starting to break so this past week has been full of pleasant, comfortable runs. A few days ago, my husband and I took the kids with us on a run around the neighborhood. When I take the kids, I run in a grid for 3 miles in streets behind my house. There isn't a lot of traffic and I can run on the street. It is the most boring run ever, but hey, at least it's safe.