It's Hot. Eat Salad

Okay, I am over my jet lag and back on Florida time after three weeks in California. Yes, it was gorgeous and fun and I got to wish my mother a happy 80th birthday at a lovely party, but talk about HOT. Usually the nights and mornings in Nor Cal are in the mid-50s, even in the summer, but a massive heatwave brought those temps up drastically.

Let me tell you, 115 is scorching even without all the humidity.

A round of applause, please, for my colleagues and friends Sean Daly and Linda Cole who helped keep the blog going while I was gone. Sean swears he is going to teach me how to put post photos with the entries so I'll be more flashy.

This salad recipe sounds perfect for a hot summer evening, and don't we have plenty of those left? Serve with a small croissant or roll. If you want to add protein, consider grilled chicken or strips of leftover flank steak. The recipe comes from the chef at Carmel Forest Spa near Haifa, Israel.

Fresh Strawberry and Blue Cheese Salad
2 cups halved or sliced strawberries (cut lengthwise)
2 cups mixed baby greens
1 cup cilantro, leaves only
1 rib celery, sliced lengthwise and finely diced
½ cup thinly sliced Bermuda onion
2 ounces toasted pecans
5 ounces blue cheese or Roquefort, crumbled
Dressing:
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup freshly squeezed fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
½ hot chili, minced
Place all the ingredients for the salad in a large salad bowl except for the cheese, and toss gently.
Whisk all the ingredients for the dressing together (or place in a jar with a cover and shake vigorously) and pour over the salad. Garnish with the cheese and serve.
Makes 4 servings.