Healthy?

We have all seen the commercials with the harried mom serving a breakfast of milk and toast to her fussy kids before they run out the door. She extols the virtues of spreading that toast with generous portions of sweet and chocolatey Nutella hazelnut spread. If you are like me, your mind did a quick spin, you raised an eyebrow, and said, "Really?!?" You knew that a daily breakfast of Nutella shouldn't be categorized as healthy, but there it was televised for the world to see.

It seems that some of the world believed it. A class action suit was filed against Nutella for its health claims, and reportedly, a $3.05 million settlement was reached. Wow. That is a lot of unhealthiness.

I am not someone who believes that any foods should be off limits. (Well, except Fluff...yuck.) I seriously do believe that a healthy diet is about moderation and balance. Nutella is a delicious treat that can be balanced with fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and dairy. Balance. Moderation. And, not believing everything you see in a TV commercial. That is what is healthy.

So...if I grill some fresh pineapple to char some of the sugars and release warm, flavorful sweetness, then top it with a drizzle of melted Nutella and a sprinkle of toasted hazelnuts, is that healthy? Compared to a huge slab of chocolate cake, maybe. It is fruit. Nuts are loaded with essential fats. Nutella is used moderately.

I won't make any healthy claims. Class action suits aren't really my thing. I will just tell you that Grilled Pineapple with Nutella is delicious way that I try to find balance and moderation.

 Grilled Pineapple with Nutella

1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

3-4 tablespoons Nutella

1-2 tablespoons whipping cream

2 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts, toasted 

Heat grill. (Gas, charcoal, or just an indoor grill pan...your choice.)
While grill is heating, toast the hazelnuts in a hot, dry pan. Watch carefully and remove from pan immediately (they will continue to toast to a crisp if left in contact with the heated surface). 
Grill the pineapples slices over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes per side, just to heat through and create grill marks. (Some recommend brushing the grill with oil, butter, or Pam before grilling the fruit. I don't, and have had good success.)
Meanwhile, combine Nutella with whipping cream and heat in a saucepan or in microwave until smooth. (Don't overheat, as the oils in the nut spread will separate.)
Arrange the pineapple on a platter.
Drizzle with Nutella mixture.
Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts.
Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired, but I think it is good just as is. (Serves 4)

That's a Wrap

The other day someone told me that I was obsessed with scarves. This may be true. When reorganizing my closet, I had to finally move my scarves from the overflowing hanger and dedicate a separate shelf for them. This colorful, folded pile of fabric begs for me to sift through it and wrap one around myself to top off my daily wardrobe. They are fun. They are easy. Wrapping one in a certain way can help conceal my tummy. Scarves are a good wrapping.

Bacon is a good wrapping, too. Wrap a beef tenderloin with bacon and make a perfect filet mignon. Wrap asparagus spears or bundles of green beans with bacon for an extra special side dish. Wrap water chestnuts with bacon and drown in a spicy-sweet glaze for Rumaki that is lick-your-fingers-good. Wrap shrimp with bacon and and grill while brushing with a garlic butter for skewers that can bring summer to mind in the dead of winter. Bacon wrapping possibilities are endless, and I haven't met a single one that I haven't liked. (Which might explain why I need to conceal my tummy...)

It is no surprise that I was all over a salad that featured bacon-wrapped pears. Salty, crispy bacon highlights the sweetness of roasted pears so well.  I just love a sweet and salty combo, don't you? Toss in the earthiness of pecans with fresh greens and drizzle with a light, savory dressing and you have wrapped up an incredible salad. Roasted Bacon-Wrapped Pears with Greens and Mustard Dressing is a beautiful (and impressive...but oh so easy!) starter to a meal, but is hearty enough to be the meal itself.

That's a wrap On My Plate.

Roasted Bacon-Wrapped Pears with Greens and Mustard Dressing

12 slices bacon

3 large pears, quartered

6 cups mixed salad greens

2/3 cup pecans, toasted

2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shaved

Dressing:

2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 350.

Mustard Dressing: 

Whisk all dressing ingredients together. Set aside for flavors to meld while preparing the rest of the salad.

Meanwhile, between layers of paper toweling on a plate, heat bacon in a microwave until partially cooked. It should still be "bendy" and not crispy. (I hesitate to give exact cook times, because all microwaves cook differently.)

Wrap one slice of bacon around each pear quarter, and secure with a wooden pick. 

Place pear quarters on a wire rack over a jelly-roll pan.

Bake bacon-wrapped pears for 10 minutes, or until fruit is juicy and bacon is crispy.

Arrange salad greens on 4 serving plates, and sprinkle evenly with pecans and Parmesan cheese. 

Place 3 pear quarters on each salad.

Drizzle with Mustard Dressing before serving. (Serves 4)

Revisions

I have been considering a revision of this blog. I think that the format could use some polishing. Perhaps a 3-column design that doesn't require scrolling to China to see the end of the recipe index? We will have to see. I have spent a little time browsing templates, but nothing has jumped at me...yet. I think that a revision for On My Plate might be a good project for the new year. 

Other revisions in my life include reworking breakfast. Broiled Grapefruit has been around f.o.r.e.v.e.r. Sliced in half, sprinkled with brown sugar, broiled until browned and juicy, and even garnished with a maraschino cherry, this warm, citrus delight is a classic. The problem for me is getting the darn fruit out of the rind. I know the serrated edges of grapefruit spoons are supposed to easily scoop the juicy bits out and into my hungry mouth, but it isn't so easy for a klutz like me. And the rind gets HOT under the broiler. *ouch*

Enter Warm Citrus Fruit with Brown Sugar. It takes a little more prep and dirties a ramekin, but in my book, the enjoyment of easily appreciating the decadence of the bursting flavors of the heated fruit makes up for the extra work. No revision necessary for Warm Citrus Fruit with Brown Sugar On My Plate.

Warm Citrus Fruit with Brown Sugar

2 medium red grapefruits, peeled and sectioned

2 medium oranges, peeled and sectioned

1 cup fresh pineapple, chunked

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter, softened

Preheat broiler.

In a medium bowl, combine fruit.

Transfer to 4 oven-safe ramekins.

Combine softened butter with brown sugar; sprinkle on fruit.

Broil 5 to 6 minutes until sugar is melted and bubbly. (Serves 4)

Berry Merry

I love blueberries. I don't think that is any secret. Click on the blueberry category in the cloud on the right sidebar of this blog, and I believe 10 different recipes which include blueberries as an ingredient will appear. I toss them into muffins, quick breads, crumb cakes, and hot cereals. These little berries are sometimes mixed with other fruits in desserts and also given a well-deserved, solo spotlight. In season, or not, I can't resist picking up a box any time I see them at the grocery store.

A favorite simple breakfast is blueberries stirred into Greek yogurt. Fridge Friday has often shown you a container of Greek Gods Honey Yogurt perched on a shelf in my fridge, and I think this is a perfect, rich, and creamy pairing for blueberries. Digging my spoon into a bowl of yogurt and blueberry goodness *does* make me merry. I even have a go-to plan for those times when I want to up the ante and experience total merry berry bliss: Broiled Blueberries.

Kristen over at Dine and Dish shared a version of the recipe this summer as a dessert. It is an EXCELLENT dessert. Depending on the type of yogurt used, it is even a pretty low-cal way to end a meal without sacrificing a single ounce of sweet berry satisfaction. However, the recipe was first introduced to me as a breakfast, and I have been broiling my blueberries while my whole grain bread is toasting for about 5 years now. (Can you think of a merrier way to start the day?)

The brown sugar topping caramelizes over the smooth, creamy yogurt, and the berries swell with sweetness under the intense heat. It's almost like Creme Brulee over luscious, juicy berries. Truly. Broiled Blueberries is a little cup of merry heaven. Breakfast. Dessert. Anything in between. You have got to try some Broiled Blueberries.

 

Broiled Blueberries

4 cups blueberries

2 cups Greek Gods Honey Yogurt (or other vanilla yogurt)

1-2 cups packed brown sugar

Preheat broiler.
Divide the berries between 4 oven-proof ramekins.
Spoon 1/2 cup of yogurt over berries in each ramekin. 
Top with brown sugar. (Use enough to completely cover the yogurt and berries.)
Broil 3-4 minutes, until the sugar is melted and caramelized. (Watch carefully, as the sugar can burn.)
Serve immediately (although, leftovers can be refrigerated and are still quite tasty when cold).

Grapes of Wrath

I think that Hubs thought I was punishing him when he first came home to a Chicken and Pesto Pizza that had sugary red grapes scattered under the gooey, melted cheese. Grapes? On Pizza? WARM grapes on PIZZA??!?? One taste calmed his indignation. It is good. Damn good. This isn't any ordinary pizza. It is the difference you have been searching for among the goopy, red-sauced, pepperoni pies. Don't be trapped with the ordinary. Try it. There is absolutely no wrath for Chicken and Pesto Pizza with Red Grapes On My Plate.

 

Chicken and Pesto Pizza with Red Grapes

pizza crust (refrigerated, frozen, or homemade...your choice)

1/3 cup pesto (refrigerated works, but homemade is best)

1 1/2 cups seedless red grapes, halved

1 cooked chicken breast, shredded (rotisserie chicken or leftover grilled/roasted, whatever is in your fridge)

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/2 - 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

3 tablespoons grated Romano cheese

fresh cracked black pepper

1/4 cup green onions, sliced

Preheat oven to 425°.
Prep dough for pizza (pat, spread, unroll, whatever you have to do).
Spread pesto evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edges. 
Arrange grapes evenly over dough; top with chicken and garlic.
Sprinkle with mozzarella and Romano.
Top with fresh cracked black pepper. 
Bake at 425° for 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown. (If you use a premade crust, this bake time will be reduced until the cheese is melty and toppings are headed through.)
Sprinkle with onions.
Slice into 12 wedges. (Serves 6 average servings, but just Hubs and I usually eat an entire pizza alone.)

Fridge Friday: Episode 8

This episode of Fridge Friday should probably be called Fridge Friday Flop. I don't know if I jinxed myself in my earlier rant where I claimed that I didn't mind if some of my menus didn't exactly turn out as I had planned, or if it is karma kicking me for making fun of a commenter that stated they have never "served a bad or mediocre dish" on Epicurious's How to Throw Terrible Dinner Parties. (I cried bullsh*t. We have ALL made something that wasn't up to par.)

Now here I am, facing the time crunch of Friday ticking away from me and staring disgustedly at a pan of what was supposed to be a Baked Omelet Roll which is hopelessly overcooked and not willing to roll at all. Fridge Friday Flop. I had the eggs, ham, and cheese in the fridge and thought that this recipe that I have made a thousand times would be a perfect addition to the blog. The eggs had other ideas.

Thankfully, I had just baked a gorgeously delicious pan of Lemon-Glazed Blueberry Muffins last night. The remainder of the carton of blueberries is still in the fridge (second shelf, between the pickles and the cherries, under the strawberries), and I can save this Fridge Friday post by sharing a beautiful muffin.

The recipe is from The America's Test Kitchen Cookbook. They tell us that they were looking for "rich, moist, and dainty muffins, not the big, bland, coarse muffins so popular today." Let me tell you, with the addition of sour cream, there is no flop here. They hit their mark. While I certainly loved the light as air Blueberry Cinnamon Crunch Muffins that I posted back in March, the heavy batter of these muffins is more cake-like (dare I say possibly even pound cake-like?). Rich and even more beautiful when brushed with a lemon syrup and dusted with lemon zest and sugar, I won't mind a Fridge Friday Flop On My Plate with Lemon-Glazed Blueberry Muffins.

Lemon-Glazed Blueberry Muffins

Muffins:

2 cups unbleached flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 cup sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 1/4 cups sour cream

1 1/2 cups blueberries

Lemon Glaze:

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

Muffins:
Heat oven to 350.
Grease muffins tin.
Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
Whisk egg in a second bowl until light-colored.
Add sugar and whisk vigorously until thick.
Add melted butter in 2 or 3 addition, whisking to combine after each addition.
Add sour cream in 2 additions, whisking just to combine.
Add blueberries to dry ingredients and gently toss.
Add sour cream mixture and fold with rubber spatula until batter comes together and berries are evenly distributed.
Use ice cream scoop to drop batter into greased muffin tin.
Bake until light golden brown and toothpick inserted in center of muffin come out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
Allow to cool on wire rack for 5 minutes.
Lemon Glaze:
While muffins are baking, combine 1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon zest and 1/2 cup sugar in shallow bowl.
Bring 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1/4 cup sugar to a simmer in a small sauce pan.
Simmer until mixture is thick and syrupy and reduced to about 4 tablespoons.
After baked muffins have cooled 5 minutes, brush tops with glaze, then dip tops of muffins into lemon sugar. (12 muffins)

Oh My Darling

Oh my darling, oh my darling; Oh my darling, Clementine!

I love those juicy, little citrus fruits. They are a flawless balance of sweet and tart in such a perfect size for snacking. A full orange or grapefruit sometimes seems too much, but the little darling of a clementine is just right. I snatch some up every time I see them in the grocery store.

However, Hubs isn't a fruit guy. Apples with caramel dip or occasionally some grapes when the mood hits him are pretty much his limit. He doesn't care to indulge in citrus snacks. Often this means that unless I find someone with which to share the bag or mini crate of clementines, some go to waste before I can eat them all. It is a disgrace, and I am honestly ashamed at how much food I probably do allow to spoil because when shopping, my eyes are bigger than the amount of meals we are realistically able to prepare and eat.

I was, therefore, delighted to find a way to use more of those dear clementines with a Clementine Quick Bread recipe discovered while sorting through some Martha Stewart Living magazines. (Yes. I am sorting through A LOT of magazines lately. It is part of my belated spring cleaning process, and my attempt to not be a hoarder.) The original recipe included vanilla bean seeds which I didn't happen to have on hand, but would ultimately only improve the flavor of the bread. As is, zest and clementine segments provide a delicate citrus sweetness to a pretty basic quick bread recipe. Brushing the baked loaf with a glaze created with clementine juice enhances it perfectly. Even Hubs sliced into this quick bread for a second portion. It is darling to have Clementine Quick Bread On My Plate. 

Clementine Quick Bread

10 clementines

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter

1 1/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Butter and flour a 5-by-9-inch loaf pan. 
Zest 4 clementines to yield 1 tablespoon zest.
Juice 8 clementines to yield 3/4 cup juice. 
Cut pith from 2 remaining clementines. Slice fruit along membranes to release segments into a bowl; discard membranes and any seeds. 
Combine 1/4 cup clementine juice, the cream, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. 
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in another bowl. 
Beat zest, butter and 1 cup sugar with a mixer on medium speed until combined, about 4 minutes.
With machine running, add eggs, 1 at a time.
Reduce speed to low, and beat flour mixture into butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour. 
Fold clementine segments into mixture, and pour into pan. 
Bake until a tester inserted into center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes. 
Meanwhile, bring remaining 1/2 cup clementine juice and 1/4 cup sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. 
Reduce heat, and simmer for 3 minutes. 
Remove bread from oven, poke top all over with a skewer, and brush with half the clementine syrup. 
Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cool for 15 minutes. 
Invert pan to remove bread. Let cool completely on wire rack, top side up. 
Brush remaining clementine syrup onto sides and again on top of bread.
(Bread can be stored, wrapped, at room temperature overnight or refrigerated for up to 5 days.) (Yields 1 loaf)

J-J-J-Juicy!

Early this summer, I took a detour on the way home from Sioux Falls and zipped up to Arlington to visit the greenhouse of an old high school friend. I loaded up with heirloom tomato plants, a gorgeous Fuchsia plant, and a multitude of other assorted bedding plants as we filled each other in on the current happenings in our lives and laughed about old times. It was a great visit, but all too soon, I had to hit the road home. That is when things got j-j-j-juicy. As I crossed the lake-filled countryside, my windshield was soon splattered with some of the juiciest bugs I have ever encountered. I couldn't help but think of the refrain of a Better Than Ezra song, "J-j-j-juicy...Aw, ooh, aw, ooh, yeah yeah yeah. Juicy."

A few weeks ago, I had to make a trip to the southeastern corner of the state. Hubby joined me, and on the way home, we felt that we were doing our due diligence to reduce the mosquito population. Thousands of the juicy buggers found their death with splats on my windshield. Summer is here, and it is j-j-j-juicy.

The best juiciness of summer is certainly not the bugs, though. It is the fruits. Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, nectarines, apricots, cherries, and of course, peaches are all ripe and juicy. Unlike splattered bug guts, lush fruits make me want to sing j-j-j-juicy praises.


I have nothing but praise for some cute little fruity desserts that allowed me to finally really use the assortment of ramekins that I have been collecting from World Market. Hubby is neither a peach, nor a blueberry fan, but he loved the combination in some Individual Fruit Cobblers that I first whipped up last summer. This dessert is so simple and the juiciness of the fruits is really showcased in every bite. I served it with scoops of vanilla ice cream on the still warm cobblers. Yum. Yum. Yum. This is a j-j-j-juicy that I want to splat right On My Plate.

Individual Fruit Cobblers

1/4 cup flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup fresh peaches, sliced and peeled
1/4 cup fresh blueberries

Combine first four ingredients in small bowl.
Combine milk and melted butter; stir into dry ingredients until smooth.
Pour into two greased 8-oz. ramekins.
Top with fruit.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until fruit is tender.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. (Serves 2)

Eat Dessert First

I can't keep up.

Life comes at me fast and furious and despite detailed to-do lists, and working my butt off to meet my responsibilities, there is always something left to be done. There is always someone or something demanding my attention...and in case I didn't catch it the first time, they want it all done NOW.

I can't keep up.

That's why I have decided that it is time for me to Eat Dessert First. It isn't a matter of prioritizing. It's a matter of perspective. I need something good in order to deal with everything else. I need the little bit of joy to fortify me. I need Breakfast Blueberries to fill my tummy with sweet goodness and put my mind in the right frame of mind for the rest of the day.

Of course, this mixture of blueberries and Grape-Nuts cereal isn't really a dessert, but it is as sweet and tempting as any proper dessert might be. If you were to top it with whipped cream and save if for the sweet ending of a meal, I doubt that anyone would question its breakfast cereal beginnings.

But, as for me, I am going to indulge NOW. I need to Eat Dessert First. I need Breakfast Blueberries On My Plate.

Breakfast Blueberries

2/3 cup fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/3 cup Grape-Nuts cereal

Place blueberries in a microwavable bowl or ramekin and heat on high for about 45-60 seconds.
Add maple syrup and Grape-Nuts. Stir to combine.
Heat in microwave 15-20 seconds more to warm cereal and syrup. (Serves 1 very happy breakfast or dessert eater.)

Are You Being Served?

Are you being served breakfast? The only time that I usually manage a real, true breakfast is when I am out of town. Eggs Benedict with a Bloody Mary, stacks of fluffy pancakes with warm syrup, and creamy eggs whipped into omelets with ribbons of cheese, veggies, and ham are only morning dreams for me on a normal day. Hubby and I might pull one of these meals onto our plates for a lazy evening dinner, but with our hectic schedules, we just don't have time or energy for much of a morning breakfast.

I feel cheated. I want breakfast. I am considering hosting a breakfast/brunch party some late Sunday morning. Do you think my friends will want to come out for waffles, muffins, egg casseroles, bacon, and mimosas? Can the lure of good morning food rouse their weary bodies for a daylight party? Would they want a stack of blueberry pancakes on their plate?

Blueberry Buttermilk Oatmeal Pancakes

5/8 cup old-fashioned oatmeal (not instant)
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg, beaten
½ cup flour
½ tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 cup butter, melted
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Mix oatmeal and buttermilk.
Add eggs.
Combine dry ingredients separately.
Add to the oatmeal mixture.
Stir in the butter.
Add blueberries to each pancake after pouring the batter on the griddle.
Cook on hot greased griddle until bubbles show through.
Flip and cook on other side until golden brown. (6 pancakes)

Odds and Ends

One lonesome button, a lighter, a nail file, a small allen wrench, a tiny light bulb from the Christmas lights, an expired credit card, and a AA battery are rolling around in the corner of my desk drawer were odds and ends come to rest. In a Mason jar on top of the dryer, I have a collection of nuts and bolts, screws, springs, fuses, coins, an old pocket knife, and even a few business cards that have made their way through the laundry but have no real home. The console of my car has tins of Altoids cinnamon gum, lipbalm, a granola bar, change from McDonald's, a rock, and the charger for the cell phone I had before my current one. Odds and ends collect everywhere, if we let them.

One morning, someone woke up to find a few strawberries, an orange, some grapes, and an avocado staring at them. They were inspired to throw together a quick salad, season with salt and pepper, and post the recipe online. I am grateful. It is beyond delicious. The contrast of the crisp flavors of the fruits and the creamy avocado is brilliant. Of course, I am happy when odds and ends become Odds and Ends Fruit Breakfast Salad On My Plate.

Odds and Ends Fruit Breakfast Salad

1 medium navel orange
6 strawberries
12 green seedless grapes
1 avocado
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper

Peel and segment the orange, slice the strawberries, grapes and avocado.
Toss together.
Season with salt and top with fresh ground black pepper. (Serves 2)

It Isn't Always Easy to Choose a Green

Kermit had it right. Green isn’t easy. When we first purchased this house, the kitchen was painted a horrible mustardy shade of brown. I didn’t want to do the tradition old house white kitchen and debated about paint colors for what seemed like eternity. Finally, I settled on a deep foresty green for the cupboards with the walls in taupe and cream. Hubby fought me. He didn’t like the idea of the green cupboards. I bought the paint and started painting on my own, and eventually he came around.

Unfortunately, after 10 years, he seems to have come around so much that he isn’t pleased with the ideas that I now have for the kitchen. I am ready for change. I would love to have an entirely new kitchen, and that plan is in the works, but several years down the road. In the meantime, I want to repaint in new shades of green. Again, Hubby isn’t impressed. This time, he is proclaiming a love for the deep foresty green, and this time, I am again purchasing the paint and starting on my own. I am trusting that he will come around eventually…probably just in time for the full renovations.
 
It isn’t always easy to get enough green in our diets, either. Because we recognize the importance of the nutrition that greens can provide, I usually try to choose green veggies as sides for dinner. Spinach is one of my favorites, and I went into severe withdrawal during the recent E. coli scare. I add it to meatballs and meatloaves, in soups, to pasta sauces, use it in appetizers, and sauté it. Of course, there are also always salads; wonderful, crisp, flavorful, fresh spinach salads. A simple one combines oranges and red onions with French dressing. You can use purchased, or make your own. This is a green that is easy.

Easy Spinach and Orange Salad

¾ pound fresh spinach, torn into bite-size pieces
3 medium oranges, peeled, sectioned, and seeded
1 medium red onion, sliced and separated into rings
1/4 to 1/3 cup French dressing

Wash spinach thoroughly and allow to dry (use a salad spinner, if you have one).
Combine spinach, orange sections, and sliced onion in a large salad bowl, tossing well.
Drizzle dressing over spinach mixture; toss gently.

French Dressing

¼ cup water
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon sugar
½ lemon, juiced
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¾ teaspoon dry mustard

Combine all in a lidded jar.
Shake vigorously.

(This dressing is a little more tart and tangy than a purchased French dressing, but balances well with the sweetness of the oranges in the salad.)

Pucker Up

I prefer sour to sweet. Chocolate is awesome and satisfies a certain type of craving, but most days I want the crisp, tart flavors that make my taste buds pucker. Cranberries are one of my favorite Fall offerings. As a child, the jellied, canned cranberry sauce on the Thanksgiving and Christmas tables was something that I always looked forward to enjoying with my turkey. I have been making the Cranberry Dessert Cake that I featured earlier all of my adult life, and recently tried a Cranberry Apple Pie that was superb. These little tangy berries (fresh, frozen and dried) have found their way into relishes, salads, bread stuffings, and trail mixes, in addition to many, many desserts. I love to pucker up.

This morning's breakfast provided that perfect pucker. The cranberries are macerated in a sugar syrup and combined with juicy grapefruit. This is a tart lover's paradise and a crisp and flavorful way to start the day. The cranberry syrup can be made ahead and stored in the fridge. You can also use the the grapefruit that is already peeled and sectioned in jars from your produce department, if you need a time saver. If you like tangy, but slightly sweet treats, you should try a Cranberry Grapefruit Cup.

Cranberry Grapefruit Cup

1 cup sugar
2 cups cranberries
3 grapefruits, peeled and sectioned
1 cup water

In a saucepan, combine sugar and water; boil; stir to dissolve sugar.
Boil for 5 minutes.
Add cranberries; cook until skins pop, about 5 minutes more.
Remove from heat; chill.
Pour cranberry mixture over grapefruit sections in individual servings bowls. (Serves 6)

Movie Night

Hubby came home early tonight. It is usually at least 7pm or later before he finds his way home. During the summer, it is common for us to put off dinner until 10pm. His work demands long hours, and we don't get to spend much time together, but tonight he found a way to share a little more time. I think that should warrant a movie night. We subscribe to Netflix and always have a DVD waiting for us. Out here in the sticks, those red envelopes from Netflix are a godsend. There is no frustration with limited selections, no last minute long drives to find a movie, no late fees when we can't get back "to town" to return the movie on time, no hassle. Whenever we find the time, our biggest concern can be who is hogging the blanket as we cuddle up to enjoy the movie.

But, what would movie night be without popcorn? Just like pizza, popcorn is practically a food group for Hubby. His favorite popcorn is made on the stove top in a Whirely Pop popcorn maker, but the microwave serves well for those got-to-have-it-now cravings. The Boy Scouts know to always knock on our door during their sales promotions. Extra Butter, Kettle Corn, or Caramel, the variety doesn't matter as long as it is popcorn.

I have found a way to give our popcorn treat an anti-oxidant and flavor boost. Tangy pome-granate seeds are a great combination with slightly sweet, yet salty popcorn. Until last year, I had only sampled pomegranate juice, and had no clue what to do with the luscious edible seeds of the whole fruit. Now, I am adding the colorful seeds to salads, chicken dishes, and this great popcorn treat. Grab a movie, a blanket for cuddling, some popcorn...and don't be afraid to try a little pomegranate.

Pomegranate & Popcorn

1 bag microwave Kettle Corn popcorn
1 medium pomegranate
salt, to taste

Remove the seeds from the pomegranate.
Pop the popcorn according to package directions.
Salt the popcorn to taste.
Put about a cup of popcorn in a bowl.
Add a handful (about 1/4 cup) of pomegranate seeds.
I suggest mixing this a bowl full at a time, because the pomegranate sinks to the bottom.
Be sure to get some of both the pomegranate and popcorn in each bite to truly enjoy this snack.