Apple-Cranberry Vinaigrette

Things have been insane around here.  Moving is stressful.  We have our closing this week and I am both dreading and looking forward to it.  Like any commitment, there are a lot questions racing through our heads about whether we are doing the right thing purchasing a home at this point in our lives.  The amount of savings that will be obliterated with all the closing costs alone causes a fair amount of stress.  Then there is the packing, the organizing, the planning, the throwing away of items that we once considered treasures for the sake of freeing up some space.

Mr. Matthew has no idea what is going on.  I wonder how long it will take for him to get used to the new house.  Knowing him, he probably will not even notice the difference just as long as his monkey and his books are there with him.

However, he IS enjoying reaping the benefits from our management company's decision to replace the carpets after we move out.  Since we no longer have to worry about keeping them clean, Matthew has been allowed the following:

1)  To eat breakfast while watching Curious George in the living room.

2)  To wear shoes in the house!

I hope he realizes that he will be doing neither of these activities once we move into our new place!

We took a short break from all the chaos of cleaning and packing to take a hike through the woods.  There is a beautiful 5-mile trail along a creek bed that is so peaceful and relaxing.  A little too relaxing for Matthew apparently.  We had to cut our little jaunt short because the little guy just could not stay awake.  We made it about a mile into the hike before we had to turn around again because he was sound asleep.

The unfortunate thing about that backpack carrier is that it is not conducive to napping, so Matthew's head just flops along uncomfortably.  Neither Paul nor I wanted him to wake up with a stiff neck, so we turned back. Back at home, Paul and I reconnected over a shared peanut butter sandwich.  We had a pretty intense discussion about the benefits of smooth versus chunky peanut butter (Paul vouches for smooth, while I prefer chunky).  It was a dumb subject to debate for 20 minutes, but it was really fun to share a few laughs and relax while discussing something completely irrelevant and unimportant (who knew we were so passionate about our peanut butter!).  Plus, it was nice to take the time to enjoy the place that was our first home as a married couple.  The place where we brought our son home from the hospital.  The place where we mourned the loss of our two angel babies.  The place that, despite its many structural flaws, holds a huge amount of sentimental value for us.  But the time has come for us to move on.

The recipe for today is a simple, sweet vinaigrette that is one of our favorites.  It takes just minutes to throw together and is wonderful on salads with any combination of greens, fruits, nuts, or cheese.  One of my favorite combinations is dried cranberries, toasted pecans, apples, and Parmesan cheese.  Paul prefers pears, candied walnuts, blue cheese, and dried cherries.  Feel free to use your favorite combination!

  

I love giving dressing away in Mason Jars as gifts.  This vinaigrette turns pink when blended - so it makes an especially pretty gift!

Cranberry-Apple Vinaigrette
from Allrecipes


1 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup apple juice concentrate
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon grated onion
1 cup vegetable or canola oil

In a blender, combine all ingredients except the oil.  Process until smooth.  With the blender running on low, gradually add the oil in a steady stream.  Process until thickened and smooth.  Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Matthew Goes to College For a Day

Last month, Paul had the honor of being invited to give a guest lecture in two of his former engineering classes at Notre Dame. In his lecture, Paul discussed real-world applications of the fundamental principles of engineering, utilizing his current post-graduate position as an example. He did a great job, receiving very high compliments from his former professors on his presentation skills. I was very proud of him.

Matthew and I tagged along on this fun little trip. Paul's company completely covered the trip - even providing us with a comfy rental car. Matthew especially enjoyed the removable headrests.

You will do whatever it takes to keep your toddler happy on a six hour car trip. That happens to be my headrest that he pirated for the majority of the trip.

The weather was absolutely gorgeous the entire time we were there. I was relieved because this meant that Matthew and I were able to enjoy campus while Paul lectured (versus being trapped in a hotel room). Matthew loved going up to random students who were coming and going from class, blocking the sidewalk and forcing them into the grass. He did receive quite a few pats on the head, fist pumps, and high-fives from some of the more friendly students.

He was a little apprehensive of Moose Krause...

In fact, he wanted nothing to do with him.

Throwing me into the picture with him did not seem to help matters. Just goes to show you can't force this kid to do anything he doesn't want to do. I guess it's a good thing that he is already wary of strangers. Even if they are made of stone.

In the food department, I realized that I have only been posting baked goods and decided that it was high time to post something healthy before everyone thinks the only thing I eat is cookies and muffins. This dish is a little easier on your waistline and is one of my favorite fall salads. Feel free to substitute peeled, cubed butternut squash in place of the sweet potatoes or sliced pears in place of the apples.

Warm Sweet Potato Harvest Salad

very loosely adapted from Ina Garten

For the salad:

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed

1 sweet, crisp apple, peeled and cubed

1/4 cup sliced red onion

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup pecans or walnuts, lightly toasted

1/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola or shaved parmesan

5-6 cups arugula and/or baby spinach

For the dressing:*

3/4 cup apple cider

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons minced shallots

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 T maple syrup (Please do not use imitation maple or pancake syrup!!!)

1/2 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Toss the cubed sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet covered with foil and roast for 15-30 minutes or until tender, but not falling apart (the amount of time will depend on the size of your cubes).

Meanwhile, combine the apple cider, cider vinegar, and shallots in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced to about 1/4 cup. This will take about 8 minutes or so. When reduced, remove from the heat and whisk in the olive oil, mustard, syrup, salt, and pepper.

Toss the apples, onions, cranberries, and salad greens in a large bowl and set aside. Add the warm roasted sweet potatoes, nuts, and cheese. Drizzle with desired amount of vinaigrette (you will definitely not use all of it!) and toss to coat and wilt the greens. Serve immediately.

*In a pinch, you can use the previously posted Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette.

A Dinner Party

I love to entertain.

I really do.

Then why do I freak out so much when I finally have the opportunity to throw a dinner party? I think my anxiety about dinner parties stems from my innate fear of displeasing people. What if I make something my guests will not like? What if I accidentally make something they are allergic to and one of them collapses on the floor due to anaphylactic shock? Or...and perhaps even more likely....what if I burn the house down in my attempts to present a fancy, company-worthy dish?

You may think my fear is not stemmed in some sort of reality - but really, it is. There actually was one occasion where the hubby and I almost rendered ourselves homeless as we set out to recreate our favorite Chicken Tikka Masala dish from a local Indian restaurant. While broiling our yogurt-marinated chicken breasts in our tiny kitchen, we carefully monitored the internal temperature of the bird with a thermometer with a rubber cord that enabled us to keep the oven door closed. Both of us were science majors at the prestigious University of Notre Dame and graduated with honors in our respective concentrations...yet, we both managed to forget the simple, commonly-known fact that rubber is flammable. So yes, the cord of our thermometer burst into flames and quickly ignited the chicken followed by the pan drippings and the rest of the oven. We opened the oven door quickly only to allow a huge, dark cloud of smoke to escape and large yellow flames to dance in our faces, as if mocking us for our stupidity.

Luckily, we keep a fire extinguisher under our sink for just such an emergency. My husband quickly grabbed it and prepared to aim it at our flaming oven as I rushed outside with the child, yelling behind: "Save the chicken!" I did not see what happened next, but apparently Paul managed to reach inside the oven with some barbecue tongs and grab out each piece of flaming chicken before putting out the fire with the extinguisher. His act of bravery saved our dinner. We managed to clear the rest of the smoke out of the house, spray some air freshener about, and happily arrange our chicken on a beautiful serving platter right before our guests arrived. And you know what? It was delicious! And the extra char on the chicken was divine.

Even though that situation worked out for the better, my anxiety about dinner parties continues. Tonight, we are hosting my old boss for the night. He loves fine food, good wine, and friendly conversation. Basically, a casserole does not cut it. Not that I would ever serve a casserole. I decided for this dinner to set about making Boeuf Bourguignon, the famous French stew immortalized by Julia Child. I planned to serve this with a souffle of garlic mashed potatoes, some crusty rolls, and a fall salad. Dessert would be a Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse Cake served with fresh raspberries.

I made most of the stew as well as the dessert last night so that I am free tonight to focus on the side dishes tonight. This afternoon, I put the finishing touches on the salad I plan to serve and I am super excited with the dressing I just made. I am making a Harvest Salad with pears, Honeycrisp apples, dried cranberries, pecans, blue cheese, and a Maple-Dijon Vinaigrette.

Maple-Dijon Vinaigrette

1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic

1/4 Maple Syrup

1/4 Cider Vinegar

2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard

3/4 Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Whisk all ingredients together! Be sure to whisk the mixture enough to completely emulsify the oil. It should be a pale yellow color.

Hopefully the rest of dinner tastes as good...