Colleen's Posterous

My friend Heidi explores lots of yummy food (mostly vegetarian) and posts about them on her blog - Living with a High Maintenance (Near) Vegan. So she commented on my adventures in Watermelon-Feta and pointed to her recipe for Cucumber-Watermelon-Tomato salad.

I tried it tonight and it was really good. The recipe is simple – cukes, tomatoes, watermelon, fresh basil and some Hoisin sauce and lime juice for dressing. I cut everything to make less salad because I am the only one in my house who would go near that combination of vegetables! But I do like onions so I added some red ones.

While I thought the Hoisin sauce was strange, I tried it and it was great because it reminded me of Asian sesame dressing. I added a little olive oil to thin out the sauce and reduce the amount of lime juice needed. It came out fine. Photo by Colleen above.

Thanks, Heidi!

So happy that I made the watermelon-feta salad at home and it came out delicious! The watermelon and feta are a nice combo, accented by red onion. For a dressing, I used olive oil and lime juice. The only modification I would make is to use less lime juice. Otherwise, it hit the spot. I even took a photo!

Next, I am going to try Heidi's cuke and watermelon  combo. Need to get some Hoisin sauce though.

Sweet and Savory and Terrific

 In searching for a restaurant for a special meal with my husband (his birthday dinner), I found this article in the New York Times which focused on the best dishes at a variety of Central Jersey establishments. The author’s choice for the best main course was the braised short ribs at the Witherspoon Grill, which is a  Princeton steakhouse with a casual atmosphere and of course, with a big emphasis on beef—steaks, burgers and the like.

I had lovely braised short ribs (so tender!) in a restaurant in New York City last summer, and I have been craving that taste again. So, the decision was made!

Yes, the short ribs were falling-off-the-bone tender and just top-notch and served over some very well-prepared mashed potatoes.

But the most interesting dish of the night for me was my starter -- the Watermelon-Feta Salad. Suffering from this summer’s heat, watermelon appealed to me. What was truly wonderful was the combination of flavors and the temperature (it was served room temp, not cold). The juicy, slightly sweet watermelon was balanced perfectly by the stronger and slightly salty flavor of the feta cheese. A few red onions added a little bite and the whole dish was dressed with lime juice and olive oil. Well balanced and not overpowering.

Wow! I came for short ribs and I was amazed by the salad. I must try this salad at home. Now I have a new dish to explore.

Sorry no pics this time. Next time, def.