YUMM-O!!!

I'm still sorting and sending pics to print. I think I'll be at this a while ... and then comes photo album organization. I expect to be done by this project this time next year ;) Nah, maybe by the end of the month. I'm still enjoying it - tonight I came across this delightful reminder of summer:

Its my version of the Med Salad at one of mine and Des' fave restaurants, the Casbah. We love to go there on any occasion, but especially after work on a warm summer day and enjoy this fresh salad with a glass of the house red vino. Yum-o!!! We love it so much, I came up with this close replica to enjoy at home.

There is no written recipe, its really just a guesstimate each and every time - so feel free to adjust to taste:

Colleen's Take on the Casbah Med
(serves 2 large salads)

4 cups of mixed salad greens (or spinach, or arugula, whatever is fresh and available)
10-12 olives (I use the unpitted mixed ones from the supermarket deli)
Sun dried tomatoes (maybe about a 1/3 of a small jar, oil packed)
2-3 ounces of feta cheese
2 tbsp of pine nuts, toasted
Balsamic Vinaigrette to taste (recipe follows)

Toss first five ingredients in a large salad bowl. Add vinaigrette just before serving. Toss and plate.

And there you have it folks, easy-peasy. If you want to make it prettier for presentation, reserve a few of olives, tomatoes, and feta to put on top of the tossed and dressed salad. Recipe can be easily double and tripled too, which I did for the above pic.

Balsamic Vinaigrette
(makes about a cup)

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp of grainy/coarse Dijon mustard
2 tsp honey
1 clove of finely minced garlic
pinch of salt & pepper
2/3-3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Mix everything but olive oil together first, in a small bowl. Then stream in EVOO slowly while whisking to combine.

Enjoy!