Cupcakes Make My Butt Big

Warm Mushroom Salad

My friend’s 20-month old daughter came home from daycare the other day and declared, while having a snack, “Cupcakes make my butt big.” Half an hour later while sipping a juice she made a similar proclamation: “Juice make my butt big.”

Now, all women have clearly thought these things to themselves occasionally, and have maybe confessed these thoughts to a good friend, but the fact that they were coming out of the mouth of a child not yet even two was understandably shocking and upsetting. A quick call to the daycare determined that the staff there had undertaken a “Biggest Loser” challenge and weight was very much on the minds of the caretakers. Admittedly, weight and body image are things that everyone struggles with, and some more than others, but the demonizing of food is something I vow to try to avoid in my children, for as long as possible.

Food should be celebrated and enjoyed. A chance to get people together, where they may share the mundane reports of the day coupled with the big dreams of the year.

Which is not to say that every now and then a few low-cal additions to the meal plan isn’t a good thing.

This Warm Mushroom Salad is a wonderful mix of indulgent and healthy. Easy to make and very pretty to serve it makes both a great lunch or a pretty salad when entertaining.

Warm Mushroom Salad (adapted from Barefoot in Paris by Ina Garten)

1 lb cremini mushrooms

2 TB butter

6 TB olive oil

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

4 bunches fresh arugula

8 slices prosciutto

3 TB sherry wine vinegar

Chunk of Parmesan

8 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and julienned

Remove the mushroom stems and slice the caps to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.

In large saute pan heat the butter and 2 TB of the oil until bubbly. Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper to pan and saute for 3 minutes over medium heat, tossing frequently. Reduce the head to low and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes, until cooked through.

Meanwhile, arrange the arugula on 4 places and cover each portion with 2 slices of prosciutto. When are mushrooms are cooked, add the sherry vinegar and the remaining 2 TB oil to the hot pan. Spoon the mushrooms and sauce on top of the prosciutto. With a vegetable peeler make large shaving of the parmesan cheese and plan on top of the hot mushrooms. Sprinkle with sun-dried tomatoes. Serve warm.

The Ultimate Caesar Salad Dressing

I adore Caesar Salad; but I’m also extremely picky about it. So many places seem to butcher it, resulting in a boring, bland, watery dressing, or perhaps they go the route of overly thick and too heavily seasoned. Either way, it’s bad.

I’ve been on the hunt for the past few years for the perfect Caesar dressing…and I think I’ve found it.

Try it out and feel free to let me know what you think.

Caesar Dressing

2 egg yolks (you can coddle the eggs before you separate them if you’re concerned about the raw egg factor. I don’t bother personally)

1 TB + 2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Salt & Pepper to taste

2 medium garlic cloves (about 2 tsp, although you can do more or less pending on your affinity for garlic, and if you’ll have to be around company later)

4 anchovy fillets (seldom am I organized enough to have these handy, so I just use anchovy paste that you can buy in a tube at the grocery store. If you go this route, use about 1 tsp)

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil.

In a blender or food processor combine the egg yolks, lemon juice, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, garlic, and anchovy fillets. Pulse until smooth. Slowly add the olive oil until the dressing thickens to desired consistency.