I think I need to compose myself. I’m at that point that I need to make sure my fingers slow down and not type words I don’t mean but I’ve really had it. I’m done. Ka-Poot!
I’m talking about this winter! I was misled last week by a “reliable source” that we’d only be seeing one more day under 20 degrees this season. (Reliable in the sense that it was something I read on the Internet…so it was supposed to be true)
I was thrilled!!!
I kept thinking one more horrible day and I can say I’ve made it through this winter. One more day of face numbing walks with the dogs. One more day of waking up so chilled that I’m sore from being curled up like a ball all night. One more day of finding tissues in every pocket because my nose is always running. It was supposed to be ONE MORE DAY!
Nope. I was led astray and I am ready to blow. I watched the forecast last night for the beginning of March and guess what it is going to be below 20….for multiple days!!!!!! ARghh! What are the spring bunny rabbits going to do? How is the first robin of spring going to know when to come back? When will I get to just walk outside and enjoy food from my own garden?
I really tried to remain calm but I lost it last night. I needed the hope of knowing that I was not going to HAVE to make a dinner that is served piping hot just so the minute it hits the bowl it doesn’t get cold. I needed just a glimmer but it was taken away from me.
Usually I am at one with each season but February has been rough here in the Midwest. We get these teasers, see the sun and then it is all ripped away by a breeze that makes your bathing suit parts tingle. (And not tingle in a good Bradley Cooper/Lady Gaga singing a duet at the Oscars way.)
So, last night I took control of my happiness and we had a great big hearty salad with romaine lettuce for dinner.
I picked romaine for a couple of reasons. First of all, like winter, Romaine seems to have it good points and bad points. The good is that it has big strong leaves so it is suitable for a salad with some substantial ingredients and a heavier dressing. (Normally I like a very light dressing but it is winter and I need the calories to help keep me insulated.) It is also a higher source of Vitamin C than other lettuces which is helpful during cold and flu season.
The bad…hmmm…how do I say this delicately….there have been some “issues” with Romaine safety in the past few years. There was a ton of information on the Internet about who/where to buy from BUT after being led astray by a meteorologist about the weather…I really have not trust in this world or at no trust in the internet. (Which probably isn’t something a blogger should ever repeat!)
Let me say recalls are not an issue right now so I wasn’t too worried about taking a walk on the wild side and making a salad with Romaine. It can’t be any more dangerous to eat a salad than it is to walk on an ice laden street so really what have I got to lose!
Therefore, I made us a GIANT Cobb salad with crisp Romaine, shredded chicken, smoky bacon, crumbled gorgonzola), creamy avocado chunks and some juicy grape tomatoes.
By no means, would I say this is a “healthy” salad but I will say it fits the bill when we are talking about wintertime comfort food. To throw it over the top, I tossed the romaine with some green goddess dressing.
If you aren’t familiar with green goddess, I wouldn’t say it is your everyday dressing but the fresh herbiness and the bright green color is really the cure for the winter blues. (And yes, I forgot to take a picture of the dressing before I tossed my salad greens!)
“Romaine” Calm….spring is around the corner!
Green Goddess Dressing
Ingredients
1 cup of Greek yogurt
1/3 cup of fresh flat leaf parsley
2 TBsp fresh tarragon
2 TBsp fresh chives
1 garlic clove, minced
1 TBsp lemon juice
2 tsp anchovy paste
Directions
Add all the ingredients to a small blender and blend until everything is incorporated. If it comes off too thick, you can add a little olive oil or even a little buttermilk. If you don’t want to use anchovy paste, you may need to add some salt.
