{Foodie} Fridays: Summer Salad

5.25.2012

And now for our next installment of {foodie} friday:
I have a hard time getting myself to make a salad. 
I really enjoy a good salad, and my sister-in-laws on my both side are always bringing these delicious varieties to Sunday dinner, but whenever i try and make one it's like a bag of mixed greens and some hidden valley ranch.
So I finally bit the bullet and tried something fancy.
My mom had a raspberry vinaigrette recipe that i adapted
1. because i forgot to buy raspberries and we have blackberries in our backyard
and 
2. because my moms recipe was incredibly sweet (mine's still sweet, I just cut the sugar way back)

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Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup rice vinegar
  • 2/3 cup of white sugar (to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
  • 1 fist-full of fresh blackberries

Directions
--In a blender combine vinegar, sugar, mustard, berries, & salt mix until combined. With the blender running, add the oils through the hole in the top. Blend until well mixed. Add poppy seeds and pulse just until mixed.

If too thick, mix in water a little bit at a time. Dressing will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.

*I served with half spinach, half romaine lettuce, fresh strawberries, candied slivered almonds, and mandarin oranges (thought of them after i snapped the picture). So fresh and delicious!
Enjoy!

big time insta-drop. sue me.

5.24.2012

as much as i am in denial about it, my favorite season of spring has hit the road and summer and it's 107 degree+ weather shoved itself in it's place, much to my disapproval.
and since my spring cleaning hourglass is up, i decided it was time to do a big photo drop.
look away if instagram photos make you queasy or something...

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c/o modcloth
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if you didn't already know, trader joe's is a fabulous place to buy flowers. i got this gorgeous bunch of daffodils for like $1.22 or something!
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the day i discovered i was actually a vampire...sad times.
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ma nielson grows the best roses. and that's a fact.
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our favorite.
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best $2.50 i ever spent.
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thank you phoenix farmer's market
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the ashes of spring in the valley.
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shadows and smoothies.
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my famous summer waffles. best served year-around.
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a subtle_takeover design.
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i still sort of can't believe this thing is real. and at walmart!
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phoenix.
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a chance meeting with chelsea and scott :) we just love running into them!
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i don't drink soda very often, but it was this bottle that finally made me pick a side. the side is pepsi.
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1st time here!
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good hair day.
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i admire companies with good signage.
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cinco de mayo with lauren and friends.
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the cup of jo braid! did you see me on there? i almost fell off my chair!
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i love the light through the leaves.
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but not as much as i love this guy.
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this is just the epitome of summer, right? that's what i see when i look out my bedroom window :)
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here & here
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here!
mermaid tail again! do you need a video tutorial?
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bahama bucks, please and thank you.
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they follow me wherever i go. i'm at an electronics store for goodness sakes!
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one of the best times of my life. i'll never forget the magic of this moment.
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happyness.
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he's so dapper.
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i'm going to try and make these.
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why? just why? have you seen the everybody loves raymond about these things? so good.
Oil
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when az tries to be hi.
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thanks for you instagram support on this outfit :) i had my doubts...
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so i'm obsessed with this necklace. you've got a problem with it?
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follow along if you wish @ashleyanielson
© i believe in unicorns. Maira Gall.