Sop It Up. It's that good.

When Drew and I were in San Diego for our honeymoon we happened to eat lunch at the Naked Cafe at Solana Beach. I was really into a salad they offered and when the waitress asked me what kind of dressing I habitually answered, "Ranch." Obviously I was in the wrong place for ranch dressing, they are all about whole foods and treating your body to a higher level of delicious.

She rambled off a few of their dressing options and I chose the one with Balsamic and Rosemary. Ever since our first date I have been in love with 3 things: Drew, the rosemary and balsamic combo, and sopping up every last bit of delicious. The dressing was phenomenal and I couldn't get enough. When we ventured back to San Diego in 2008 I was sure to go to the Naked Cafe for the dressing alone. We ended up going for breakfast and that was little bits of heaven but no salad.

One of my souvenirs from the trip, however, was a bottle of their salad dressing. Too bad it didn't last long at home and thus began my quest for a homemade recipe. Like manna from heaven my magazine arrived in the mail and there was a section dedicated to balsamic vinegar and what did they have?! It's serendipity really, a recipe for balsamic-rosemary vinaigrette dressing.

I made it again the other evening. Let's just say the blender was clean before it hit the sink because I used a piece of bread or more and sopped up every last bit left on the glass...and the blades...and...the lid...don't judge me ok. Try the dressing and you'll be doing the same.

Balsamic-Rosemary Vinaigrette
Ingredients

• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 small garlic clove (I put this through the press before adding because I have an older blender)
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1. In a blender, combine vinegar, mustard, garlic, rosemary, water, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth. With machine running, add oil in a thin stream; blend until creamy.

You can put this is a clean jam jar or a dressing jar if you have one. The recipe states that it is good in the fridge for 2 weeks but that is if it lasts that long. When we have this on hand it's common for us to make BIG salads for dinner and add some grilled chicken and crumbled feta. And of course when the salad is gone, and traces of the dressing remain, I have to sop it up. It's that good.

A Summer Favorite

A couple of years ago I was looking through one of my mom's magazines and found a new favorite pasta salad. The flavors come together so fresh and delicious that it is hard to resist.

Ingredients

• 3 large ripe tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lb), coarsely chopped (3 1/2 cups)
• 1/3 cup chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 12 oz fusilli pasta (or your favorite pasta) I love to use a whole wheat pasta. I really enjoy the extra flavor of wheat pasta and I feel like I'm being healthy, even if I'm serving this with juicy cheeseburgers.
  
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips Mmmmm...

Directions

1. Put tomatoes, onion, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper and oregano in a large bowl; toss. Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes or until tomatos release their juices, tossing occasionally.
2. Cook pasta as package directs. Drain and add to bowl with tomatoes; lightly toss. Let come to room temperature. Add basil; toss. Serve or refrigerate up to 1 day.

This works out well because you can cook the pasta while the tomatoes release their juices and if I'm taking this somewhere I'll add the basil when we get to our destination. Honestly, I planted tomatoes and basil with this in mind. (Oh and margherita pizza...)