A4 Update - September 2014

We said goodbye to summer this month.

• The Kiddos returned to school at the beginning of September.  Oldest Kiddo gets to wear a tie with her uniform.
• Holly visited Buckingham Palace during the summer opening, and it was more spectacular than you could imagine.
• There was a spider invasion in London.  All windows were sprayed several times to discourage their entry into The Manor.  One got in, and I nearly had a heart attack.  
• The Duchess is going to have another baby!!!
• Nana visited for a few weeks.  We saw The Book of Mormon, visited many palaces (we visited all but Kew), went to Paris (!), and revisited the big tourist locations.

The Best Salad, Ever

You. Must. Make. This. Salad.

Period.

I've had a hate affair with beets since I was a child.  Beets were one of the only foods that kept me at the table well past dinnertime until I could clean my plate.  I think creamed corn was the other.  Truthfully, I don't recall if I ever finished the beets on my plate or if mom & dad got sick of me sitting there, and told me to leave the table.  Maybe I choked them down?  It's a far suppressed memory. 

Until now.

I had this salad at The Strand House in Manhattan Beach, and I will never be the same.  The oven-roasted beets are delicious!!!  If you are in MB, please go to The Strand House.  

*Beets – roast & chill, cut into slices & quarter

*Oranges – slice segments

*Applewood bacon – cook & cool - please use Applewood bacon!

*Goat cheese - crumble

*Butter lettuce – wash & cut into small sections - this lettuce is smooth and creamy, can lettuce be creamy?  Oh yes, yes it can

*Apple balsamic vinaigrette – see recipe below - you will fall in love with this dressing

Spread lettuce on the bottom of a platter.  Layer the remaining ingredients on top!

Apple Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1 T onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup apple cider (I used unfiltered juice because cider was unavailable)

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 t dried basil

1/4 t pepper

1/2 t salt

1 T honey

1/2 cup olive oil

Dressing Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a lidded container and shake!
2. Smell the dressing and float on air for a few seconds
3. Pour over salad (or veggies, or other items to be marinaded)

Recipe Club

Have I ever told you about Recipe Club?  Each month some neighbors and I get together for Recipe Club.  We’ve been doing this since August of 2006.  We’ve grown to a group of ten, although it’s rare for all ten of us to attend each month.  I've been absent for the last few months due to Matt's ever changing work schedule.  

The hostess picks a theme (30-minute meal, crockpot, Mom’s recipes, Julie & Julia, and Homemade Beauty Products) and we all bring an entrée that fits the theme.  The hostess provides beverages and dessert.  As the years have gone on some themes have emerged for a few of the participants:

One person usually says her meal is really bad and did not work out well or she had to call her mom or sister for help.  It always turns out fine.

When we gather in the kitchen to share what we brought I always share first.

One person typically makes up her recipe.  She just uses what she thinks sounds good, and it always turns out good.

One person’s recipes are usually very straightforward and super easy to make.

One person’s husband often makes her recipes because his work schedule allows him the time in the late afternoon to make her recipe. 

Aside from the food we love to have the time to talk.  Many of us have children that are the same age or very close in age.  We can ask the "does your kid do this?" or "what do I do when my kid...?" questions.  The time away from husbands and children is like a mini vacation.  Some of the recipes from Recipe Club have become our family favorites like Josh’s Chicken Enchiladas and Shrimp and Tortellini Salad.  

This month was Soup and Spring Rolls.  We could make one of the themes or both.  I chose to make soup that turned out, eh OK.  I don't think I will make it anytime soon.  The part that was comical about this month was the fact that we needed so many bowls!  The hostess made a fruit soup and chocolate soup for dessert. 

Greek Lemon & Chicken soup, Sweet Cabbage, Meatball & Pasta soup, and Chicken & Green Chile soup

 
Cheers!