Pardon Me Vinaigrette

If you don't have one already, you really ought to invest in one of these:

They're in the grocery store and it even comes with a packet or two of that delicious Good Seasons salad dressing mix. And if you've never made your own vinaigrette before, just follow the directions on the box and you'll realize how easy it is to substitute your own ingredients. Like this one for example:

• In your bottle, shake together (or whisk in a bowl if you really aren't going to get one, sheesh) a couple spoonfuls of Grey Poupon, a squirt of honey, a generous shake of sage, a little garlic powder & black pepper with white wine vinegar (I also used apple cider vinegar... good, but not as awesome). The amount of vinegar should be a bit above the line marked on the bottle since the mustard takes up more volume (yeah, volume... right?) than just a packet of seasonings. 
• Add a little dash of water and your olive oil. The ratio for these two can change to fit your own health requirements and consistency preferences. Give the bottle one more good shake to combine (or a few good whisks) and you're done!

**Tastes best served over salad with the following ingredients:

• romaine lettuce
• arugula
• carrots
• cucumber
• red onion
• chicken (browned with sage & garlic)
• sliced strawberries
• sunflower seeds

Sage & Basil Bread

Since working at the bakery at Eataly I've been wanting to embark on all kinds of bread adventures. This is the first, pretty basic, step. This bread recipe would work just as well turned into rolls (or whatever shape you like) or with a sweet, cinnamony center. 

 What You'll Need:

• 1 package yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
• few tablespoons of butter
• basil, sage, salt

Put it All Together:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water, about 10 minutes.
• Mix dissolved yeast, sugar, salt, oil and 1 cup of flour together. (I used my Kitchen Aid with the bread hook attachment.)
• *Note: When you add flour, sift it in instead of just dumping it. It helps to aerate it and be less dense.
• Add the rest of the flour, 1/2 cup at a time making sure it's mixed well after each addition.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 5-10 minutes. 
• Put the dough into a greased bowl, turning it to coat. (I just used cooking spray.) Cover with damp cloth and put in a warm place to rise for about an hour.
• Make herbed butter by mixing a few tablespoons of butter (room temperature) with sage, fresh basil and a little salt. 
• After the dough has risen to about twice its size, remove from the bowl and smoosh it down into a relatively flat shape. Slather the herbed butter in the middle and then fold the dough over. I ended up making it into a circular, wheel shape because it was easier and just sort of happened.
• Put the dough onto a greased cookie sheet, cover and let it rise for about another 40 minutes.
• Bake at 325 for about 20-30 minutes. (Some butter will leak out, but don't worry.)

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