Try saying that 3 times quickly.

This number right here is borderline too inappropriate to write about.  Its over the top.  Savory, sweet, acidic, pungent, bright.

Lets just hold the phone.  

Georgia, my 3 year old, has this new thing she is doing.  Out of nowhere, she pledges her love for me.  I die.  Not any old pledge, but a pledge that expresses the most believable, burn your heart sort of love that hits the softest spot within me.  It typically begins with a squeeze around my legs, and then she goes in for the kill, Mom, I love you more than… and then she names off everything that is in sight of her little eyes, within the room.  It usually goes something like this:

Mom, I love you more than the purple nail polish on my fingers, my baby in the cradle, the kitchen sink, Judes fingers, my water bottle, the flowers on the table…

And she goes on forever, until she’s out of things in sight.  But let me tell you…this little game requires me to come back with an EVEN BIGGER I love you back to her and most of the time, her pledge is unbeatable.

So, when I start thinking of how I am going to express to you how much I love this dish, I find it necessary to go the “Georgia route” in my pledge:

I love this dish more than the dirty laundry sitting on my laundry room floor…

I love this dish more than the fingerprints on the widows that desperately need to be cleaned..

I love this dish more than the sticky balsamic vinegar that is leftover on the floor from having this salad for lunch..

I love this dish more than my unshowered, smelly, post-gym hair…

I love this dish more than the scratched-down recipes on random papers sitting on my counter that need to be organized.

Which, actually isn’t saying much.  So lets just be frank, here.

This salad?  I just plain love it. Like, last-meal-worthy.

Next time I have to tell you about something I love this much I am going to invite Georgia as a guest writer…she’s much more effective.

Him and I fought over slurping up the leftover “sauce” on the plate…he won. I mean, I could only compete with those muscles for so long..

Balsamic, Buttermilk and Bleu Tomato Salad

Ingredients

1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar

2 Large Tomatoes, sliced

1 Small Red Onion, sliced

1/3 Cup Freshly Crumbled Bleu Cheese

1/4 Cup Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, recipe below

Chopped Basil, for garnish

Directions

Place the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat slightly and lightly boil until the vinegar is thickened and reduce by about 1/3.  Set aside or refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Drizzle vinegar on a large serving dish.  Layer tomatoes and red onion on top of vinegar, drizzle with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, sprinkle with bleu cheese and basil and serve.  Serves 4+ as a side.

Buttermilk Ranch

notes: I triple the recipe for the seasoning and store it in an airtight container…keeps forever and makes putting this dressing together so simple! If you do not have buttermilk on hand here is a simple way to make it:  Mix 3/4 Cup-1 Cup Milk with 1 tablespoon of vinegar…let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes and proceed with recipe.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley

3 Teaspoons Onion Powder

2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder

1 3/4 Teaspoons Dried Dillweed

1 Teaspoon Dried Chives

1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt

1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1/3 Cup Mayonaise

1/3 Cup Buttermilk

Directions

Grind the parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, dill weed, chives, salt and pepper together until fine.  In a small bowl whisk together 1 Tablespoon of seasoning, mayonnaise and buttermilk until well combined.  Store in the refrigerator.