It’s a rainy Sunday here in the Houston area and I could not be more happy. I absolutely love the rain. I mean, we honeymooned in Oregon… in late October. We actually only saw the sun once that trip when we hiked above the clouds in Mount Hood. Heaven.
Caleb has drill this weekend so I am taking full advantage of the quiet apartment and binge watching of Netflix! Last night, we met the family at BJ’s Brewhouse and I went hard into some pizza. I am a creature of habit so venturing out to something other than the Ahi Tuna Salad without the wonton strips, and the homemade dressing hiding in my purse, was huge. Caleb and I split a five meat treat with mushrooms and sweet angels above, it was incredible. Today, not so much. Perhaps it was the pizza, or the bottle of wine, or maybe the pitcher of Hefeweizen, or even the ice cream we yearned for. One of those things, right? Regardless, it was nice to treat ourselves to something we work hard to avoid and to a place we had not visited in a long while.
My favorite things to do when it’s raining:
- Grocery shop– It’s like going to the store at 6 AM. No one is there and you can mosey down the aisles with your cup of coffee. Bliss.
- Run errands– I know it’s crazy but you can get so many chores done when everyone else is at home.
- Drink coffee on the patio– Covered patio of course. The rain is my haven and nothing slows me down more than the smell of rain mixed with coffee.
Now, lets get to the fun stuff! Vinaigrette!
We go through salad phases and this one has lasted 3 weeks and I am planning to push it through the month. Caleb grills chicken and we dice it along with onion, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, shredded carrots, bacon, and this vinaigrette. Easily made in less than 5 minutes, we divide it into two mason jars that we grab throughout the week.
Zesty Italian Vinaigrette
Ingredients
-
- 1/4 cup light olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard*
- 4 tablespoons red -or- white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) red bell pepper
- 1.25 teaspoons (about a small handful) fresh parsley
- Salt
- Pepper
Directions
- In a jar large enough to fit an immersion blender, combine all ingredients. Blend until all is incorporated and there are no large pieces of pepper.
- Store in an air tight container and refrigerate for up to one week. Shake before use.
*Many Dijon mustard’s contain white wine. Depending on your diet, this may be something worth remembering when purchasing.
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Wholesome Joy 