Monday, October 5, 2009

does it change with age?...

I'm amazed at how quickly time seems to slip by these days, aren't you? It never went this fast when I was younger. Where the heck did September go? Now it's October 5th! Now don't fall over, but I have done some SEWING!! Real sewing, yes I have!

I finally got inspired to start Cheri's Trick or Treat Halloween quilt that I said I'd have done before October...better late than never. I have 4 of the pumpkin backs done and hope to get the last 5 done today as they take almost no time at all to do. Especially with the FPP technique...flip, sew, flip, sew, peel off!

Now, I want to share a...*recipe* with you. See, I am a salad snob! I can eat them at restaurants, Sonic, even the grocery store salad bar...but never at home! I hate salads made at home. I've tried but something is different and I can't figure it out. But this technique... It's not so much a recipe as it is a technique..... really enabled me to eat salads at home for the first time in years!! I read this on some body's blog and if ANYONE knows who, please share so I can give her ALL the credit. Here's what you do.

Take any lettuce at all...this happens to be from a head of iceberg, but it's even better to just open a bag of washed iceberg with carrots and purple cabbage already done for you....


Now CHOP the heck out of it! I don't go as small as the recipe maker, she makes it tiny. I stay about here...

Put in your bowl and get the carrots. I save myself the steps and go for the shoestring carrots. Do a few more chops and they end up in little pieces.

Then move to the tomatoes. I use Roma tomatoes and scoop out all the seeds and wet stuff. It just makes a mess and the meaty part stays firm better. I chop it to about the same size as the carrotts...1/4 inch size or so.

I'm done at this point! It has all I need. But you can add green peppers, mushrooms, cucumbers. Anything you want, just chop it into tiny pieces. I'd watch the liquidy stuff if you expect it to last for a few days though.

Mix it all up and I am one happy camper! I can spoon some into a bowl and have salad at home! At home!! Never before have I liked it, but this is great. It's also super easy to go with less salad dressing this way too. Just toss and toss and it gets covered well. I make this full bowl and it last me 4 meals.
**I will warn you that the next time you open the lid, you might think the lettuce has turned brown...it hasn't. All that carrot makes the cut lettuce edges turn orange, but it's perfectly fresh. Heck carrots turn everything orange.

I don't remember where I read this, but I really thank this person who wrote it on her blog! She is a doll and please let me know who she is, if you recognize her recipe! Now I'm gonna go back to sewing! Hope to have something to actually show soon that deals with quilting!!

13 comments:

Sharon said...

Welcome back to blogging and sewing. It's that time of year when a bunch of "wish I had" projects come to mind and get us re-inspired. I'm packed to move and can't wait to get back to my piecing projects. Glad you are back.

Carol said...

Oh I love chopped salad. YUMMY! Can't wait to see your pumpkins.

Allie said...

Can't wait to see your project - that salad looks so yummy, I'm going to have to try it, thanks!

julieQ said...

It does look good! Very good for your too. I hope you enjoy some good quilting time!

Darlene said...

I love a chopped salad - I call it a garbage salad because I put everything in mine. LOL

I'm glad you're happy sewing again!

Libby said...

That's a cute Cheri pattern - I just love everything she does *s*

Thimbleanna said...

Wow -- that looks great! I'm a salad snob too -- I hate salads at home, but I really think it's the hassle to make them that I hate, more than the eating them. Sadly, you still have chopping required! ;-)

Janet said...

I learned something new, I didn't even knoiw what a chopped sald is, lol. Looks a bit like coleslaw, the chopped cabbage, carrot with mayo. version.
Glad you're back to the sewing.

Shakerwood said...

I agree with Thimbleanna.....it's the work required that makes it taste so bad at home! But I can get over it if I have to.

I'm telling ya, you are going to love that wallhanging when you get it finished. I better get mine out and get a picture of it soon so I can post about it. Last year's picture was at a bad angle and the lighting was off. I'm still not quite ready to get my fall decorations out.

Kim said...

Good idea! I don't really dislike salads made at home, but I don't like doing the work. And with being able to make it ahead that way, I can take some to work easily too. Oh, here's a little tip that I DO use for lettuce and salads to keep them a little longer--put a papertowel in the bottom of the bowl (or a zipper plastic bag). It will absorb the liquid but hold it in the papertowel so that salad won't get wilty or dry.

Wendy said...

I'll have to try that salad, it looks easy and yummy. I can't wait to see what you do with the pumpkins. I've had that pattern for a very long time...just never did anything with it.

Red Geranium Cottage said...

I'm glad your sewing again Judy. I love that pattern. Ive wanted to make that forever.
I love salads too but hate to make them at home.

julieQ said...

I just need to do that, chop a large salad and have it throughout the week...looks so good and good for you too!