Love Shack Larder

Dreaming of Summers in France

Fall is here and the days are getting shorter and the nights a bit cooler.  So...before the warmer days are completely gone...I have been sneaking out back for some fresh air for the past two afternoons.  Nothin' could be finer than...an afternoon a swinging in my hammock!  I have been grabbing a few books that are stacked in my "round tu-it" pile and catching up on my reading as well.  The one book that I couldn't put down was, Summers in France, by Kathryn M. Ireland.  I was so inspired by her "scrapbook" sort of visual journal styled book.  There are so many breath-taking views and vistas and I would so love to be a guest in her villa...a girl can dream after all!

Of course all that fresh air just makes me so sleepy ;}

Hubby thought he was so cute catching me in the act ;} 

But I woke up refreshed and hungry for a salad after reading Kathryn's recipes and viewing her lovely photos.  So I came into the house this evening and whipped up a Balsamic Vinaigrette that I adapted from one of Kathryn's recipes.  Hubby wanted me to write it down so that we could replicate it in the future...especially since we always have such a hard time finding homemade salad dressings that we LOVE.  Sorry no photos...we ate our salads so fast...I didn't even think to grab my iPhone and take a few shots ;}

BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Cloves Garlic (or one teaspoon garlic from a jar)
• 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 Teaspoons Dijon Style or Brown Mustard
• 1/2 Teaspoon Sugar

Place the oil and the garlic in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool. 

Strain out the garlic and discard it (if you don't mind eating the garlic...then you can simply mash it down and keep it in your dressing).  To your garlic infused olive oil, add the Balsamic Vinegar, the Mustard and the sugar.  Whisk it all together with a fork or cover the jar and shake well to combine all the ingredients (just make sure that the oil has cooled down enough ;) 

That's it...simple and so good!  I think the process of warming the oil and flavoring it with the garlic is what makes this vinaigrette.  As well as the fact that you are mixing it while the oil is still warm makes everything blend together nicely.

We served it over a mixed green salad with gorgonzola cheese, calamata olives, yellow pickeled pepperocini slices, pepitas and caramelized pears.   Yummy! 

The salad and a glass of cabernet made me feel like I was somewhere in France...divine!  Hope you all have the opportunity to enjoy the weather along with some good food with your families this weekend.

Fondly,

Roberta

Top 30 Worst Foods Restaurant Foods You Must Avoid and...How to Make Better Choices

Oh my...after being on the road for over 25 days last month and by the end of it all feeling like what we call "food-ed out" {the state we are in when we are forced to eat food prepared out of our home ;} I am really glad that we made an effort to make better choices when we ordered off the menus.  I just found this list today and HAD TO share it with you and basically re-post it here on my blog so that I have it close at hand at all times.  All of these items are loaded with so much fat, sugar, and sodium that eating any of the foods in this article on a daily basis could destroy all of our hard work and best intentions of eating healthy. 

1. Worst Meal in America

Carl’s Jr. Six Dollar Guacamole Bacon Burger with Medium Natural Cut Fries and 32-oz Coke

1,810 calories - 92 g fat (29.5 g saturated, 2 g trans) - 3,450 mg sodium

Of all the gut-growing, heart-threatening, life-shortening burgers in the drive-thru world, there is none whose damage to your general well-being is as potentially catastrophic as this. A bit of perspective is in order: This meal has the caloric equivalent of 9 Krispy Kreme Original Glazed doughnuts, the saturated fat equivalent of 30 strips of bacon, and the salt equivalent of 10 large orders of McDonald’s French fries!

Poogan's Porch, Charleston, SC

If you are ever in Charleston, SC and are looking for a unique place to eat...head on over to Queen Street and get in line at Poogan's Porch...there is a reason why the locale's all gather there...GREAT FOOD and even better prices ;)

WFMW: Bobble Bottles...Make Water Better!

Just getting back after a road trip to Hampton, Virginia for a few days at the Art n'Soul retreat and getting all caught up here at the Love Shack ;)  I have lots to tell you about Art n'Soul but first I wanted to share my latest (and greatest ;) green living find with you for what Works-for-Me this Wednesday.  It's so ironic that today Kristen is hosting a Backwards Edition of WFMW which is: [Please feel free to link up any helpful tip to this party! But if you are having a hard time coming up with a tip, you can go with this week's suggested theme and instead of sharing a tip--ask for one!]

So. here is Kristen's question:

I’m traveling overseas for over three weeks with my hubby and kiddos-a definite first for us. What are your tips for traveling (my youngest is 4 1/2 and definitely the Wild Card, as we affectionately call her) on really long flights with youngish kids? In-country suggestions, things to take, etc?

My suggestion is the Bobble Water Bottle: which is a pattented, filtered, refillable, individual water bottle!