The best Ceasar Salad, with homemade croutons and dressing......

This is a great Caesars Salad dressing...so good...It is garlicky.. and spicy,maybe the best Caesar dressing you have ever had....well it sure is the best I have ever had...I have not bought Caesar dressing since I first made this..it is easy to make and keeps well in the fridge...Do not be turned off by the anchovies in the dressing...every good Caesar dressing you get when you are out to eat has anchovies in them...the store bought.... has none...that  is why you like the one you have when you go to a restaurant so much...
Here are the ingredients

Caesars Salad Dressing

1/3 cup grated Parmesan dressing
1/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry
2 teaspoon worcestershire
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

Put the first group of ingredients in a blender and blend....as the blender is running slowly pour in the olive oil until just mixed...

this is dry buttermilk...the best thing to have on hand for those rare times you need buttermilk...the container will keep forever...

all the ingredients in the blender....whirl until smooth and then drizzle olive oil....

through the top while blending....

..set aside...

in the meantime...put two cloves of chopped garlic in a bowl and 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoons of salt...mix together and toss in...

4 cups of fresh bread cubes cut in 1/2 inch cubes then...

spread out on cookie sheet and bake for 20 minute at 350, no need to stir...

and now done...They are soft and crisp and flavorful all at the same time...

pour half the dressing on 2 heads of chopped Romaine (buy a salad spinner to dry your salad, really worth the money)  and add 1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan..

and toss in  your croutons and mix well...

add a wedge of lemon and extra Parmesan and croutons...you could add grilled chicken or shrimp....but

I had mine with fried oysters....really the BEST!

oh my ....

Cheers to Happy  !!

A Senseless Tragedy

This morning there was a senseless assassination of 4 local police officers. A gunman entered a coffee house and walked up to the counter as if to place an order. A barista saw a gun when the man opened his jacket and fled out the back door. The man then turned and opened fire on the officers as they sat working on their laptops, killing the three men and one woman. The suspect is still at large and the police have identified him. It will just be a matter of time before they find him...

I live fairly close to where this happened. On the way home from work I heard that they were going to be bringing the bodies out of the coffee shop and take them to the medical examiners office and people were forming alongside the road to pay their respects, so I hurried home and grabbed my camera and went...it was such a touching scene that played out before my eyes..the firemen and police officers were everywhere. There must have been 200 police cars there... they lined the streets and were there to escort their fallen fellow officers...

these are cars coming to pay their respects...

Our local fire department 'Central Pierce' and the 'Lakewood 'firemen formed and arch with the American Flag flying high....so very touching...

This was the arch they will be coming through in their procession...

The police cars are forming for the escort...

Every local news was accounted for...

The Washington State Patrol motorcycle police started off the procession...

first and last car a Lakewood Police car....most people covered their hearts with their hands...

I was standing across from a tavern and all the patrons had come out to honor the officers...

the white trucks are carrying the deceased men and woman...

The people lining the streets are so touching....

unmarked car...

another unmarked car...

the last car...a Lakewood officer following his comrades....

the procession gone now...moving slowly towards Tacoma...and crowd starts to dissipate...

Snowy Church

Here it is Sunday, and I was thinking about church. My daughter Becky said to me once 'Mom you are not religious', I was crushed until she added 'Mom you are spiritual'.... okay that was much better, why yes, that is exactly right, I am spiritual....  It is my firm belief that you can find church anywhere, and on any day. That whether you attend this church....

or this church....

or this one....

you can also find church in many other places....at this time of year you can make a trip... over the river and through the woods... to the mountains....and find the old giant trees...

and in that grove of trees is where he is...

and look you can see the pews just through the trees...and listen to the peace and quiet...ahhhh..music to my ears...

just look up....see?......can you feel it?....this is the first church...it is right here...

Cheers to Happy  !!

Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies...

Chewy, moist, Cranberry and white chocolate Oatmeal Cookies....so good and so easy....definitely a holiday cookie....

Cranberry, White Chocolate and Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups rolled oats (not instant)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (can use raisins)
1 cup of white chocolate chips

2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper, foil, or silicone mats
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar until smooth. Mix in the brown sugar, then the egg, applesauce, and vanilla.

4. Stir in the dry ingredients, then the oats and raisins.

5. Drop the batter by rounded teaspoons 2-inches apart on the baking sheets and use a fork to gently flatten the dough.

6. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they "look dull on the surface but are moist and soft",
makes 30 cookies.... 

put the softened butter in a bowl....

add brown sugar and white sugar and cream together...

hmmm....that did not work very well.....now put it in the mixer and cream together....

that's better...

add the egg, vanilla, and applesauce... and mix again on medium speed...

stir together the flour...

baking powder...

soda and salt and the oatmeal, stir all these dry ingredients together and add to the mixer...

mix this just until together...

add the cranberries and chips and mix by hand so as not to break up the chips....

Don't eat the dough...there will be none left for the cookies...

set oven 375....

drop onto prepared cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes...

(how did my dearly departed grandmothers hands get in the picture)

they should be not to dark and not glossy....cool and store in airtight container...if there is any left...

Oh so Good!!!!

Cheers to Happy  !!