In the past few weeks, we’ve gone from winter to summer in Louisiana with spring barely making an appearance. Or maybe it did, but I was so busy with book and blog stuff that I missed it. Either way, I’m a little bummed and it’s hot outside. And if you were reading our blog last summer, you know how much I love summer in Louisiana. Let’s just say that I’m already looking into ways we can get away this summer so I don’t harm myself and those around me.
After coming out to the realization that I’m not nearly as stressed as I was two weeks ago (as well as the fact that I totally blinked and missed spring), I took a look at my yard and was horrified. Leaves, acorns, overgrown who-knows-what, grass that needed to be mowed, all covered with a generous dusting of pollen. So we spent the weekend cleaning up the yard, ripping out dead bushes, finding good homes for a whole bunch of roses that I refuse to take care of in the manner to which they’re accustomed, and shopping for plants. I was even brave enough to buy some veggies and herb plants and a garden and I are having a trial run this summer. My husband has very low expectations of success (not without reason).
When we spend so much time outside in the heat, I never really want to eat much, and I definitely want something light and fresh. In a few days, I’m posting a yummy little salad that my sister-in-law Stephanie made a long time ago when we were both newlyweds. I couldn’t remember the salad dressing recipe, but I remembered what it was like, so I did a little experimenting. I love, love, love how light and fresh this dressing is–it totally brightens everything on the plate and is perfect for a spring or summer salad.
You’ll need about two lemons, rice wine vinegar, sugar, canola oil, a little bit of onion, a clove of garlic, some salt and pepper, and some poppy seeds.
Now…when we did our cooking demonstrations at Orson Gygi last week for the book launch, in both classes, we were asked what our favorite kitchen tools were. We pretty much agreed on everything and 100% believe that the Microplane is a totally essential item in your kitchen arsenal. Mine got a lot of love in this recipe.
Using a Microplane, grate the zest off both lemons and then grate 1 tsp. onion. Place the lemon zest and onion in a container with a lid (I just used a Tupperware container). In the same container, add the sugar, salt, pepper, oil, vinegar, poppy seeds, pressed garlic, and about 1/3 c. lemon juice (more or less–if you’re almost there or a little over, don’t toss it or juice another lemon). Close the lid and shake vigorously. This is best if it can stand for at least an hour before you serve it–just pop it into the refrigerator and then shake well before serving.
I could eat just this dressing on plain spinach all the time and totally not feel bad about myself. But the salad I’m posting later this week is even better, so stay tuned!
Lemon Poppy Seed Vinaigrette 2-3 large lemons (use as needed–you’ll need 1/3 c. juice and 1 tsp. zest) Using a Microplane or other fine grater, grate 1 tsp. lemon rind off the lemons. Grate 1 tsp. onion. Place in a small container with a lid. Add the remaining ingredients and shake vigorously. If possible, refrigerate at least an hour before serving. Shake well before serving.
Recipe by Our Best Bites, inspired by Kate’s sister-in-law Stephanie
1/4 c. rice wine vinegar
1/4 c. canola oil
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. poppy seeds
1 tsp. grated onion
1 clove finely pressed garlic
Questions & Reviews
Quick question: Which type of rice vinegar should I use, ‘seasoned’ or ‘unseasoned’??
Either–I normally use unseasoned, but all I had the other day was seasoned and it was awesome. 🙂
Go BYU! We don’t have cable, so we are actually going to a restaurant to eat dinner & watch the game tonight. We have to do that for the big Byu-Utah game every year, too. The only catch- our little town only has 3 restaurants with TVs. Aw, the sacrifices you have to make as a True Blue fan! Cute post, guys!
OBB just got Jimmered! LOVE IT!!!
I made this tonight to go on an apple pecan salad – delicious!
Teach Me How To Jimmer….Lovin me some Jimmer…. Love the snacks what great ideas! THANKS
GO GAMECOCKS!!
Yes, finally a post that my husband can get excited about (he does not get the whole food blog thing, however my cooking skills beg to differ). The hubby thinks kid number three will be named Jimmer no matter the gender 🙁 Thanks for the great ideas for our Thursday night get together! Go Cougs!
Ha ha ha totally just posted this on the wrong thing!! But seriously, BYU rules.
“Teach me how to Jimmer! Teach me how to Jimmer!”
I made a cake last year for my BYU (GO COUGS!!!)Softball player, bunt cake with a softball in the middle, baseball will work too! Absolutely love the dipping the pretzels and marshmellows idea!
Sara and Kate…..you girls ROCk! As, do your followers!
xoxo Tami (aka BYU Softball Mom).
Please remember to send us the salad that is so delish, with this dressing.
Thank you.
RitaMarie, I’m asking anyone who has ideas! 🙂 Will you send it to me? Thank you!!
gsfallon at gmail dot com
Made this for dinner tonight on a yummy salad- loved it!
Lemon anything is delicious!
That sounds delish!
Isn’t it funny–you are dreading the hot weather already and here in MN we would give anything for it to be hot! (It’s been a really long winter…)
Just saw whole foods is running a contest for food bloggers to win Europe trip–that’ll get u outta the heat! 🙂 deadline march 30–sorry forgot to grab the link–just check their blog.
This isn’t really about this recipe (which looks so good!), but I didn’t know where else to ask this. Do you have any good April Fool’s Day recipes? Meatloaf pie/cupcakes frosted with mashed potatoes is all over the internet, but I can’t find anything else for a main dish. We’re doing a big date night and want to do something fun, but not something that everyone else will think of too. Thanks in advance!
I know you’re not asking me and I don’t know if it’s even appropriate to offer, but I have a fun recipe for Ravioli in “tomato” sauce if you are interested.
Sure!! Send it our way to general (at) ourbestbites (dot) com! 🙂
I have some fun desserts, but no main dishes. I’ll peek around!
So very exciting 🙂 Another dressing and salad recipe!! Can’t wait, you guys do these so well!
Hi Kate! I am a fairly new reader to your blog. I loved it so much I ordered the cookbook and I am LOVING it just as much! I just wanted to tell you, you are not alone in your despise of LA summers! I spent the past 3 yrs living there and it is the WORST during the summer (one of those I was 7-8months pregnant too!)! And don’t you love the lovely 1 inch of yellow dust that accumulates on anything and everything outside! We lived in Mandeville, which is north of New Orleans. I grew up in TX so I thought I would be able to handle it. Boy was I wrong….Louisiana is so much worse! Take care and crank up the A/C. Hope you find a great vacation up north.
Oh, my gosh, they’re the worst, right?! And I canNOT imagine being that pregnant in the middle of the summer here! The pollen is insane–I seriously thought it was a freak of nature occurrence the first year that we lived here, but nope, it’s for real. 🙂
Ooh, this does sound lovely and light and fresh!
That looks divine…!!
Any chance you guys will post a recipe for coconut cake before Easter?? I’m dying to find a good one, and I only trust you!
This sounds WONDERFUL! Good luck with the garden, if we were neighbors I would garden for your family and you could cook for us! lol I put in a big enough garden so the squirrels & deer damage does not wipe out the whole thing (darn buggers anyway) around 20 tomato plants about that many hot peppers along with tons of corn, come watermelon-cantaloupe-cucumbers and Pumpkins that did nothing last year. LOVE my garden and all the goodies it produces! I canned last summer for the 1st time and found a new passion 🙂
Brooke–I’ll totally cook for you if you’ll be my personal gardener! 🙂
Brooke- do you want to be my neighbor?!! I’ll cook in exchange for vegetables too…
You can use the microplane to grate your garlic, too. I like it a lot more than the press…especially since I broke my press.
Sounds delicious! Excited to hear about the salad!
I exercised my black thumb last year and got some beautiful tomatoes so we’re trying a few herbs and a few more vegetables this year! I don’t have a lot of hope with my garden vs. the deer/bunnies/ground hogs and moles but at least we’ll have some well fed wildlife! 🙂
This looks great for summer, so fresh and zesty! My family loves anything lemon and poppy seed so they will surely like this.
Thanks guys–I added the sugar to the recipe. 🙂
Stephanie, it totally reminds me of you and life before kids. Which was a long, long time ago, haha! 🙂
Sugar?
That’s so funny that you remembered that salad. It was probably Britney’s recipe that I still have to call her for every time because I never can seem to hold onto it! By the way I love that you micro-planed the onions. I’ve never thought to do that but I hate big chunks of raw onions so that’s the perfect solution!
Yummmmm . . .
How much sugar do I use? You listed it above, but the amounts are not in the actual recipe.
1/4 cup