“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” ~ Henry David Thoreau
NOTE: I spend my Wednesdays Unplugged from appointments. It’s my day to stay home, enjoy cooking and welcome our kids and grandkids for dinner in the evening. We end our meal with quotes from the Norwegian ‘Quote Cup’ passed on to me from my grandmother. I share a quote and a recipe here each week, and sometimes some photos of family fun. I love trying new recipes…and love getting recipes you would like to share!
We have been thinking about John’s brother and his wife this week as she struggles with last stages of cancer. The photo above was from their son’s wedding last month with the two brothers and close cousin who grew up as buddies. When I hear stories of their adventures I think of the “Three Amigos”… which also describes their three sons!
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
This is a simple recipe that is a great guide to throwing together summer salads… fresh greens, fresh fruit, nuts, cheese. The key ingredient here is the sweet dressing, with lemon and honey instead of vinegar.
FRESH SUMMER SALAD with honey-lemon dressing
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- freshly ground black pepper
For the sweet almonds…
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
For the salad…
- 5 ounces arugula, or baby field greens
- 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
- 2-3 ounces goat cheese
- 1/2 cup sweet almonds or glazed pecans
For the almonds, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place honey, butter and olive oil in a medium size oven-safe pan like a 9-inch cake pan. Heat on burner over low heat, just until butter is melted and stir to combine. Add almonds and salt, stir until coated and spread to an even layer in pan. Bake for 8 minutes or until light golden brown, stirring after the first 5 minutes. Remove from oven and spread onto a sheet of parchment. Cool completely. and store in an airtight container.
For the dressing, combine lemon juice, garlic and salt in a small bowl and let sit for about 5 minutes to soften and mellow the garlic. Add honey and stir well. Add olive oil in a slow drizzle, stirring continuously with a small whisk. Take a small taste… if too tart add more honey and olive oil, if too bland add more lemon juice. Add freshly ground pepper to taste.
For the salad, place greens in a salad bowl, add about 2 tablespoons of dressing and toss to coat the leaves. Scatter the blueberries, goat cheese and almonds over the top. Serve immediately, passing the extra dressing at the table.
