Salad dressing, that is. Want my best-ever recipes for homemade dressing? Keep reading. 

Summer salad season is here and I’m pretty excited! I get equally jazzed up about fall, winter and spring salad seasons, but there’s something extra special about bountiful fresh, local summer produce.

But even the most tender lettuce leaves, crunchiest cukes, and ripest tomatoes will benefit from a little dollop of dressing to tie it all together. I don’t always take the time for homemade dressing, but when I do put in the effort the entire salad experience gets elevated by a notch or two.

We hosted a dinner party under the stars this past weekend – look for an upcoming post on the spicy grilled salmon with melted tomatoes and jalapenos, muy caliente and muy delicioso! But the dish that everyone loved to distraction was a cold green bean salad with Garlic-Basil Dressing. So simple, but that zesty dressing was damn delicious and would be just as tasty tossed into a green salad, or drizzled over warm potatoes, or a plate of sliced heirloom tomatoes. This just became my Official Salad Dressing of Summer 2016. Yup. 

Click the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

The other go-to salad dressing in my life is a Creamy Dijon Vinaigrette from Thomas Keller of French Laundry, Per Se, and Bouchon fame. The creaminess comes from a whiz around the blender. This is a little more simple, elegant and versatile than the basil-garlic number, perfect for a salad niçoise such as my ‘inauthentic but still hits the spot’ version in the lead photo above.  

A quick peek in the blog archives testifies to my love for salads. Here are a few great ones:

• Cracker Jack Salad
• Farmer’s Market Salad
• Brussels Sprout Salad with Kale, Cranberries & Toasted Hazelnuts

Check out these photos – click to enlarge them and read the captions – and then get the salad dressing recipes below. 

Garlic-Basil Salad Dressing
Recipe source: RVA News
 
INGREDIENTS:

• 1 clove garlic
• 1 shallot
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon sugar (or a little less)
• 3/4 cup canola, corn or other vegetable oil
• 15 fresh basil leaves

DIRECTIONS:

• Turn on the food processor with the steel knife and drop the garlic and shallot down the feed tube onto the spinning blade to mince.
• Add the vinegar, salt, pepper, mustard and sugar.
• With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the oil.
• Add the basil leaves and coarsely chop with several on/off pulses.
• Scrape down the inside of the food processor bowl, then close the lid and give it a few more pulses.
• All done. Dressing will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week. 

Bouchon House Vinaigrette
Recipe source: Thomas Keller’s Bouchon cookbook via Epicurious

This is a basic vinaigrette, pared down to the essentials, three parts oil, one part acid—no shallots, no salt and pepper. The mustard adds flavor and strengthens the emulsion. Additional ingredients may be added to it, depending on how it's to be used. Most often it's used to dress greens that have been seasoned with salt and tossed with fresh herbs.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups canola oil

 
PREPARATION:

• Combine the mustard and vinegar in a blender and blend at medium speed for about 15 seconds. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup of the oil. Don't be tempted to add all the oil to the blender or the vinaigrette will become too thick. It should be very creamy.
• Transfer the vinaigrette to a small bowl and, whisking constantly, slowly stream in the remaining 1 cup oil. (The dressing can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. Should the vinaigrette separate, use a blender or immersion blender to re-emulsify it.)

Yield: Makes about 2 1/2 cups

Do you have a favorite summertime salad? Tell all in the comments. 

The Fish for Dinner feature chronicles my education in the ways of fish-cookery. I grew up avoiding fish other than sticks and was well into adulthood before adding the real deal into my diet, usually at a restaurant. The impetus to cook more fish at home comes from joining a sustainable fish program through Hooked on Fish, like a CSA that delivers boxes of farm-fresh produce but with seafood instead. I’ll tell you what we made and how we liked it, plus a few tips and fishin’ tunes too.

The Occasion: Cooking a nice dinner for my mother-in-law who had just recovered from a too-long period of being under the weather. Healthy food cooked simply but a little nicer than chicken soup in the microwave. Call it a “Glad You’re Well Again” dinner. “Happy to be Out & About” works too.

We received some lovely California White Sea Bass from Hooked on Fish that week – a perfect fit for the easy/yummy/did I say easy recipe from Food52 that I stumbled across. With only 5 ingredients and 20 minutes (give or take) you’ve got a main dish that’s fit for the Queen Mother.

​Keep reading for the recipe, more photos, a little music, and The Verdict. 

Legendary world-class trumpeter, bandleader, and mad genius Miles Davis was born on this day in 1926. He died in 1991 at the age of 65. You can and should read about his life here and  here and listen to his music every chance you get. Here’s a good place to start.

But today I want you to turn your eyes to this awesome piece of video of Miles and Prince performing together in concert. Yes. I know nothing about it except god bless the internet for bringing such joy into my life – and now yours too! Thank you Fayçal ZOUMHANE for this gift.

And thank you, Miles, for being a musical innovator and disruptor, long before that became everyone’s bread and butter. Happy birthday, man. 

Salut! To your health. Chin-chin. Prosit. Bottoms up! Skoal. Here’s mud in your eye! Many different ways to say – it’s time to raise a toast and drink some wine in honor of National Wine Day.

Although I won’t say no to a cold beer or a well-made craft cocktail, my adult beverage of choice is wine. Ilise and I have had the extreme good fortune to visit a few of the world’s notable wine regions and do a bit of collecting. But we believe that wine is for drinking, not hoarding, and nothing gives us more pleasure than to share a bottle with friends, especially outdoors on a warm summer’s night with the candles and fireflies glowing.

I asked the resident sommelier (Ilise) to compile a list of our favorite summer sips. We do drink red wine in summertime -- especially the awesome Pinot Noirs made by our friends at Chasing Harvest  -- but today we’re emphasizing the whites and one rosé. You’ll see a range of prices, some on the expensive side. But hey, special occasions deserve a special wine, right?
​

​Ilise recommends:

Dry Creek Vineyard Dry Chenin Blanc 2015 (We had the 2014 last year and really enjoyed it.) Great wine for summertime sipping on the patio or deck. The 2015 release is crisp, clean and dry, offering up flavors of peach and apple with palate quenching acidity. Drink this deliciously refreshing wine by itself or pair with just about anything. About $10-$12 a bottle; can be purchased at Vin and Binny’s.
 
Château de La Greffiere Mâcon La Roche-Vineuse (any vintage). We’ve been drinking this French Chardonnay over many years and many vintages – it’s our go-to for a good, affordable, just-complex-enough Chardonnay. In fact we enjoyed a bottle on the patio just the other night after a hard day’s work in the garden. Refreshing! About $14-$15; purchased at Binny’s.
 
Louis Latour Montagny Les Grande Roche 2014 – This year’s “wine of the summer” at our house. If you come to visit, this French Chardonnay is what you’ll be offered. A bit more expensive than the other two, but with the case discount ended up at around $18 a bottle. Purchased at Binny’s.

Tasting Note from the vineyard:
Of a bright, light golden color, our Montagny 1er Cru "La Grande Roche" 2014 has a complex nose with peach aromas and hints of muscat. Ample and floral in the mouth, it reveals iodine and peppery notes. A lot of freshness on the finish.
 
Turnbull Rosé of Cabernet Franc 2015 – More expensive than our typical sipping wines, this rosé ($27 w/club membership) was so tasty that Ann let me buy a few more bottles. Cheers to that! Bought on the Turnbull website.

Note from the Vineyard:
Intentionally grown and crafted from the start, our Rosé of Cabernet Franc is harvested and pressed to make a Rosé, rather than a Saignée runoff from our red fermentation. A delightfully dry, crisp wine with the slightest blush of color. It’s just super yummy, with tart strawberry and firm raspberry notes.
 
Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc (any vintage) – We've really enjoyed this Sauvignon Blanc over the past several years (probably tasted 3-4 vintages).  It’s more complex Sauvignon Blanc that has some depth almost a cross between Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.  $32 bottle – can be bought at Binny’s or on the Merry Edwards website.

Critical Acclaim for 2014:
"Succulent, lush and rich, with fleshy mango, melon and peach flavors up front, leading to a core of pineapple, lemon and honeysuckle notes. The smoky edge and nervy acidity weave in and out, giving this a fresh finish." 93 points - MaryAnn Worobiec, Wine Spectator Insider, Feb. 17, 2016

​Tell us about your favorite summer wines in the Comments.

Born Cherilyn Sarkisian, our fearless leader (not to mention singer, actress and Twitter enthusiast) Cher is celebrating a birthday today. How old is she now?

Doesn’t matter.
​
She can turn back time. 

The Occasion: Every chance I get this summer. This one’s a keeper! The perfect appetizer with a glass of wine. If you're on the guest list this summer, you're in for a treat. 

I was first attracted by the beautiful photo in Cooking Light magazine and then fell in love when I realized how easy the recipe is.

My version never got those lovely grill marks like the photo, or the lovely red cherry-swirl through the melted cheese. But then again I don’t have a food stylist on staff either.

Doesn’t matter because this is DG* as my friend Karen likes to say. (*Damn good!)

Pretty flexible too. Try it with different fruits and herbs – peaches, blueberries, basil, and mint come to mind. I’m tempted to add a jolt of minced jalapeno to the fruit next time (cilantro optional), making it more like a salsa.

Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

Grilled Camembert with Macerated Cherries and Rosemary
Recipe source: Cooking Light

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups pitted cherries, halved
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (5-inch) wheel Camembert cheese (about 8 ounces), at room temperature
• Cooking spray
• Crackers

DIRECTIONS:

• Combine cherries, rosemary, sugar, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; cook 6 minutes or until cherries release their juices and juices are slightly thickened. Cool completely.
• Preheat grill to low.
• Coat grill rack and one side of cheese with cooking spray.
• Place cheese, coated side down, on grill rack; cook, covered, 5 minutes or until the rind is soft.
• Invert cheese onto a plate. Spoon cherry mixture over top. Serve with crackers.

What's your favorite simple summertime appetizer that looks fancier than it is? Tell us in the Comments. 

This is a tale of serendipity, defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as the faculty of making happy and unexpected discoveries by accident. 
​

What began as a quest to use up a mountain of extra strawberries turned into an attempt at strawberry-pinot noir jam (said to be an excellent accompaniment for cheese and grilled meats) and evolved further to become strawberry ice cream. That didn’t work out exactly as planned either but it turned out to be a delightful, serendipitous surprise – Frozen Strawberry Mousse, enhanced by wine AND liqueur. Oh happy day!

The strawberry + wine jam was inspired by this recipe (which uses rosé – that sounds good too) but I did a poor job of fulfilling its destiny. I had issues with the candy thermometer and ended up with a too-dense fruity substance. It tasted good but was just not spreadable. 

What to do? Ilise suggested swirling it into homemade vanilla ice cream. Upon consulting my go-to guide, The Ultimate Ice Cream Book by Bruce Weinstein, we decided that a variation on their no-cook Marmalade Ice Cream was the way to go. Substitute the strawberry-pinot jam and Chambord for marmalade and Grand Marnier. (The recipe calls for strawberry schnapps, but come on, who’s got that [or wants that] in their liquor cabinet? Raspberry liqueur works well.) Mix it all up and freeze in the ice cream maker. Bada boom bada bing.

The recipe forewarned that the ice cream would be soft, and it was. Fine, no problem. We kept it in the freezer until the dessert course of our Mother’s Day brunch. My MIL loves ice cream (who doesn’t?!) so we knew this would be a hit. And it was.

It just wasn’t ice cream.

I’ve tried multiple methods for making ice cream/gelato/sorbet/frozen dessert/what have you, and it’s just a fact that the no-cook versions end up … different. It was creamy, rich, flavorful, and had a nice soft-frozen texture. Although there’s no chocolate in it at all, I swore I tasted some melting on my tongue as I savored each bite of this luscious treat, whatever we want to call it. To gild the lily you could add another little drizzle of the liqueur over top of each portion at serving time.
​
So you see? Through a series of happy accidents, we’ve discovered a new favorite decadent dessert and now, serendipitously, pass on it on to you. Enjoy!

Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

Boozy Strawberry Mousse
aka Strawberry Jam Ice Cream
Recipe source: The Ultimate Ice Cream Book by Bruce Weinstein
 
INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ¼ cups strawberry jam
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons Chambord (raspberry liqueur) or strawberry schnapps if you have it. Can substitute simple syrup if desired.
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1 cup heavy cream

 
DIRECTIONS:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the strawberry jam, vanilla, and liqueur or syrup. Mix well.
• Stir in the half-and-half and cream.
• Freeze in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• When finished, the ice cream will be very soft but ready to eat. Although this ice cream will not freeze hard, you can transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze to firm up a little more.

Yield: 1 quart

Janet Jackson turns 50 today – Happy Birthday, Miss Jackson! (if you're nasty) Long established as a fine artist in her own right, along with her famous siblings, Janet has been moving and grooving, body-rolling and shimmying, executing precision-edge choreography like it’s nothing for her whole career. All the while singing her heart out with a kitten-soft yet powerful voice.

Check out this video (it's a little silly in the beginning but gets real good starting at 2:40) and then crank up the playlist -- it’s time to start dancing. Miss Jackson wants it that way.

The obvious thing would be to play singer and social activist Stevie Wonder’s tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. and the fight to get his birthday recognized as a national holiday. The single Happy Birthday failed to hit Billboard’s Top 100 list but it did reach #2 on the U.K. charts in August of 1981. (Thanks, Wikipedia!)

But while I appreciate the song’s message (and supported the cause back in the day) it’s just not one of my favorites. Mind you, Stevie’s got a rich catalog to draw from, which is how we’ve ended up with this delightful playlist.

Hit the Play arrow, turn it up, and sing right along – you know you want to!
​
Happy 66th birthday, Stevie, and thanks for all the great tunes!
​

The Fish for Dinner feature chronicles my education in the ways of fish-cookery. I grew up avoiding fish other than sticks and was well into adulthood before adding the real deal into my diet, usually at a restaurant. The impetus to cook more fish at home comes from joining a sustainable fish program through Hooked on Fish, like a CSA that delivers boxes of farm-fresh produce but with seafood instead. I’ll tell you what we made and how we liked it, plus a few tips and fishin’ tunes too.

The Occasion: A quick dinner on a night when there’s no time for dinner.

This dish came together quickly, easily, and deliciously. It’s another one where the quality of the ingredients will determine the success of the dish. And thanks to the ultra-fresh fish from Hooked on Fish and some lovely and juicy cherry tomatoes we enjoyed a tasty and relaxing meal … before it was time to race off to the next thing.

Sometimes I feel guilty using convenience ingredients from the market – like pretty, pre-washed leaves of lettuce all boxed up and ready to go – but then I get over myself and keep moving.

This dish is quite flexible – the recipe calls for the fish to be grilled, but it could easily be pan-roasted instead. Recipe says tarragon is the herb to use in the vinaigrette. I didn’t have any so used parsley which was just fine; basil or chervil would be fine too, maybe even fresh mint.
​
Let’s keep up the pace right now and slide into a little fishing tune before reading onward for the recipe and photos. 

Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

Grilled Whitefish Salad with Tomatoes and Herb Vinaigrette
Recipe source: Michael Lomonaco via Serious Eats via Hooked on Fish

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 six-ounce whitefish fillets, skin on, any bones removed
• 6 teaspoons canola oil
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 cups salad mix
• 2 cups quartered cherry tomatoes, use different colors if possible
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh herbs of your choice, chopped, such as tarragon, parsley, basil, or oregano
• 1 tablespoon capers, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

• Brush each fish fillet with a teaspoon of canola oil, and then season both sides with salt and pepper.
• Prepare the grill for medium heat, brushing the grates with canola oil. Add the fillets flesh-side down. Cook until flesh is firm, and grill lines start to appear, 2-4 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets. Flip the fillets, and cook until skin starts to crisp up, 2-4 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the olive oil and vinegar in a medium bowl. Then toss in the tomatoes, herbs, and capers. Season this mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
• Divide the salad mix between four plates. When fish is done, place a fillet on top of each salad. Top each fish with a quarter of the tomato mixture and vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

Photos by Ann Johnson unless otherwise noted

Our foodie group’s recent dinner party centered on the theme Sweet Home Chicago.

​If you missed the earlier blog posts, you may catch up here - Part 1 and Part 2, for your reading pleasure.

This turned out to be one of our most interactive evenings ever thanks in part to Greg and Dan’s awesome spinning salad presentation and also Ilise’s Chicago Candy Trivia Contest, conducted just prior to my wrestling match with soft cheesecake in the kitchen. The prizes? Candy, of course!

​Think you know a thing or two about Chicago’s sweet treats? Test your skill with this little quiz, courtesy of our resident sweet tooth Ilise Goldberg:

​How did you do? Tell all in the comments.

The Foodies (formerly known as the Supper Club) are a group of friends who love to cook, eat, drink, and laugh together – plenty of each occur at our periodic themed dinner parties. Friends and family like to live vicariously around our feasts so we’ll share the stories, pictures and recipes here from time to time. Click here for previous Supper Club posts, and here for the group’s origin story. 

Did you miss Part 1? Find it here. Here’s the menu:

• Drinks (Karen & Kathleen) – Shikaakwa Bloody Marys; Al Capone cocktails; Assorted Chicagoland craft beer; Various wines including Ditka Cabernet Sauvignon and Monsanto Chianti
• Appetizers (Greg & Dan) – Shrimp de Jonghe; Don Roth’s Blackhawk Lodge Spinning Salad Bowl
• Main course (Ellyn) – Chicken Vesuvio a la Harry Caray; Grilled Asparagus with Green Onions; Salad with Strawberries and Poppyseed Dressing
• Dessert (Ilise & Ann) – Milk Dud Cheesecake; Caramel-Dipped Pretzel Rods with Candy Toppings

We previously covered the sumptuous cocktails and appetizers that Karen and Kathleen, Dan and Greg chose to represent Chicago’s great culinary history. Today’s post will offer savory details about the main course and desserts. Who’s hungry? Well, pull up a chair and let’s dig in.

You know by now that Sunday is Mothers Day. What a wonderful, heartfelt occasion for whipping up a little kitchen magic to honor our special someones! In fact, everyone deserves a little lovin' from the kitchen whether they're a mom or not - even and especially yourself!

Some moms like brunch, others prefer a family dinner, and still others enjoy a nice happy hour. So make her what she likes. Still figuring it out? Here are a bunch of tasty options from the Entertain the Possibilities archives.

Brunch:

• Asparagus, Leek & Gruyere Quiche with Arugula Salad
• Raisin Scones

 
Drinks & Snacks:

• Springtime – a lovely pink concoction with a lovely little kick
• Blackberry Gin & Tonic
• Salted Olive Crisps
• Chevré Devils – aka dates stuffed with goat cheese but a little fancier

 
Dinner:

• Pan-Roasted Sea Trout with Roasted Garlic and Lemon Compound Butter
• Chicken Piccata
• Shaved Asparagus and Mint Salad

 
Dessert – Mom deserves some chocolate:

• Chocolate-Cherry Cookies
• Cappuccino Brownies

There has been a long dry spell since our last Afternoon Dance Break so to make up for lost time today’s post is a two-fer. We'll take a look at two entirely different dance styles called “jerk”, one from the 1960s and the other from the late 2000s.
​
Until I began writing this post I had no idea about current day jerkin’, which comes from West Coast hip-hop culture. For a little tutorial, peep this video from The Ranger$ dance crew.

​And for the youngsters out there who had no idea there even was a 60s jerk, take a look at this video clip. 
​

Alright, let’s put it all together in one cool playlist and start dancing! We’ll start with the old school jerk and finish with the new.

Programmer’s note: Although The Capitols recorded Cool Jerk in 1962, this playlist features a cover by Human Sexual Response which was my very favorite new wave dance song in 1980. Enjoy!
​

Saturday was National Oatmeal Cookie Day. Honestly, I don’t need much more encouragement than that to make a big batch of the good stuff, but saw a chance to combine gluttony with hospitality and volunteered to bring cookies to a party that evening.

Friends, I made 4 different kinds. I mean, if one oatmeal cookie is good, four dozen are better, amirite? Each flavor had its own fan club. Me, I like to spread the love around – they are all my favorites.

• Raisins Only
• Raisins & Pecans
• Cranberry with White Chocolate Drizzle
• Everything – nuts, raisins, cranberries, and chocolate chips

I’m a little embarrassed to share “my” recipe with you – it’s the one on the Quaker Oats package with no changes except my add-ins. It’s been a consistently great recipe all these years, so why mess with it.

However I’m tickled pink to share my cookie conveyance and presentation system with you AKA the cookie suitcase. How cute is this?! 

The wicker case is part of a picnic set; I made dividers out of folded card stock. Paper muffin cups held the cookies neatly in place and post-its were used to identify the flavors. As a person who leads an extremely messy, non-Pinterest-ready lifestyle I have to say, this little project makes me want to show-and-tell.

So please click the photos below to enlarge them and read the captions.

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Recipe Source: Quaker Oats

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ cup (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt (optional)
• 3 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
• 1 cup raisins

NOTE: You can add to or swap out the raisins if you wish. Options may include chopped walnuts or pecans, chocolate chips, dried fruits such as cranberries or apricots. Aim to keep the total quantity of add-ins to about 1 to 1½ cups in total.  
 
DIRECTIONS:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy, about 4 minutes.
• Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
• With a whisk, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in small bowl. Add to mixer; beat well.
• Add oats and raisins; mix well.
• Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets (use a Silpat if you prefer).
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Rotate sheets in oven about halfway through.
• Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely.
• Store tightly covered.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.