there's nothing like a good salad. really.

Seriously. The title is true.
Anna 'learned' --more like had-- this salad on a pretty daily basis when she was up north in the beginning of November.
She ran to the store tonight just for it.
Leaf lettuce, romaine because it was on sale, and some spinach.
Feta cheese.
Apple, diced...optional.
We already have a bulk bag of walnuts on the counter.
That's all it takes to make this bit of heaven while the rest of the family watches MI5. ;)
So. To the sounds of said British show, I shall upload these photos and eat said salad.
Sound good?
Yep. ;)

Smile!!
The balsamic dressing:
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3-4 cloves of garlic minced or crushed or blended with one of the liquids to smithereens
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste
...Shake it all in the jar:) Yummo!

I didn't truly care for the apples on it, as the balsamic vinegar/olive oil dressing had a more more garlic in it this time........ bleh. Don't do the apples if you're not a person who loves experimenting with those different flavors. :P

Yeah, we were a veritable salad factory for a little while there.
Dad, Mom, Anna, me.....Caleb had to make his own because he'd left the kitchen to look like crap until evening time...heheh.  

Feta cheese. SO yum.

Darnit.
No seriously. That happened.
And Caleb, the smart-aleck, starting to wash dishes, tells me "whoa! hahah! take a picture of that and show everyone!!!"
Well, thanks.
I'm about to tear up here, my salad splat on its face...

"This makes you feel, like, gourmet, doesn't it??"
A slightly blank look, a hesitation, then her voice over the music that's playing rather loud: "Yeah. It does."
No excitement, no smile.
Sheesh.
Gourmet is cool, isn't it??
I mean, some types of gourmet anyhow...
Somehow we got around to correcting ourselves.
Oh!
I smiled.
Strangely, since I didn't get her unenthusiastic way of response to feeling gourmet.
"Why are you smiling??"
"Well, y'know...gourmet. "
"What?! I thought you said 'this makes you feel like going away'."
Incredulous, yes. Both of us. Smiling and amused.
"Uh, heheh, no. I said this makes you feel gourmet, doesn't it?"
We laughed.
But the first assumption was true.

Not sure if you saw the last painting I posted.... sunrise and coffee. :)
I'm happy.
Yoga tonight. :]


p.s. excellent post by Leonard Pitts today in the newspaper... 
(i Googled it for ya, and this was one of the first links....we don't live in Seattle. boohoo. haha:)