Black Belt Living

Ice, Ice, Baby!

A few weeks ago we had the opportunity to skate on the ice at US Bank Arena. 

It was really great, because there were very few people and so we practically had the ice to ourselves. 

Shannon has only been on ice skates once in her life, and that's when she was about 4. Needless to say, that particular experience did not end well. Scarred for life comes to mind, to be honest. Twenty years from now she'll probably be in therapy revealing the trauma that was the ice rink in Monroe Michigan when she was four years old, but being the good sport, she humored me. Actually, she really wanted to give it a try. 

We borrowed hockey skates from our friends and headed downtown for some frozen fun. Keep in mind that Shannon has only been on skates once in her life. I have skated since I was a small kid, but always on figure skates, and normally on "pond ice".  You know (well maybe you don't if you didn't grow up in the "Great White Nort" like I did) what that's like..... rough, bumpy, not generally too slick because the wind and weather take it's toll on the surface.  There weren't any Zambonis on the ice of St. Mary's Academy pond or the Plum Creek when I was growing up, but it was fine and we still had a lot of fun skating outdoors in the winter. 

Shannon lasted about ten minutes on skates and literally became "one with the boards". While there was no drama nor trauma, she wasn't a fan and quickly changed out of her skates and put my sneakers back on and proceeded to slide around the ice. 

Seeing as I have only ever skated on figure skates before, I learned one lesson really quickly (like in the first 60 seconds....).  Never lean back on your heels on hockey skates. You can do that on figure skates because the blades are straight.  Hockey skates have curved blades to give the skaters the ability to make really super tight turns, but if you lean back on your heels, you'll be looking at the arena lights.  Been there, done that.  I got a unique view of the Jumbotron from directly below with my back on the ice! After that it took me a few minutes to adjust, but then it was super fun. I have never skated on ice that was so unbelievably slick before. I have a whole new appreciation for hockey players after an hour on that ice. Not that I didn't appreciate them before. . . . 

I really wish that there was a place that had convenient open skating time. It was such fun and really good exercise. When I was growing up, girls didn't play hockey. Now women compete in the Olympics in hockey. Too bad there aren't hockey leagues for middle-aged moms.  I could really get into that as long as they didn't make me play goalie. Goalies are insane. I love them, but they're insane. 

Speaking of hockey, how 'bout dem Red Wings?  The Winged Wheel shall carry on for another round....

In the Blink of a Week

Wow, I swear that you blink and another week goes by.  What happened to the days when the school year seemed like an eternity and summer vacation was so long that you actually got bored? Those days are gone, aren't they? At least the dark days of April are winding down and my peonies are looking like they're going to bloom early this year. Adios, April, I'm never sorry to see you go! 

My apologies for no recipe this week.  I have been out of town for several days. I actually got on a plane and flew to New York to take photos for people - my first out of town photo gig. That was really cool! I sure hope it isn't the last.  For those of you who attended the events of this past weekend, I hope to get some sneak peeks up for you in the next couple of days.  And a huge thanks and many kisses to my gracious and great hostess and host Maggie & Marco, who always serve up the best company along with the best coffee. I think we all agree that it's been way too long! 

Anyhow, when you get home on a Monday night, it kind of throws off your whole week. I'll be making dinner for a friend this week who is recovering from surgery, so I think I'll post that later in the week or maybe next Tuesday on schedule.  Do you cook for friends who need a hand? I really enjoy doing that and I have a few tried-and-true meals that are not only delicious, but also good for putting in the freezer and saving for later if you'd like, so they work well. I just think that there's something special about sharing lovely food with people who need a bit of help. 

Sad to hear about Bret Michaels in ICU with a brain aneurism. That's scary, and it's something that could truly happen to any of us at any time. I don't know what it is about that crazy long haired rocker, but he seems to have a really good heart as well as being a good and caring dad. Maybe it's because he's my age, I don't know...I just like the guy. I sure hope that he can recover. 

 I guess that's it for me today. I know that I need to post some more photos and layouts, I'll do that later this week too. Have a great day!

Recipe Tuesday - Grilled Portabello Paninis

I had such good intentions for this week's Recipe Tuesday. I took photos of the portabellos and the peppers being grilled, but got so carried away with actually EATING my panini, that I forgot to photograph the final results.  Oh well.  I found something that looked similar on the web, so you'll just have to use your imagination. Sorry about that. The real thing looked SO much better (tasted good too for the little time it was in existance.)

Grilled Portabello Paninis

• 4 large portabello mushroom caps, cleaned
• 2 large red peppers, seeded and cut into large pieces
• your favorite marinade (I used balsamic vinaigrette dressing)
• 8 slices sourdough bread
• 4 slices provalone or havarti cheese
• dijon mustard
• softened butter or Non-stick Cooking spray

 Wash mushrooms and dry well.  Cut peppers. Put all veggies in a ziplock bag with the marinade and let sit for about an hour. Remove veggies from the bag and grill either on your barbecue grill, or on your indoor grill. (For our sandwiches last week, I was planning on having them done on the big outdoor grill, but the weather didn't cooperate, so I grilled them on my George Forman Grill - oh baby do I love that thing, I have the "360"!).

 Grill portobellos for about five minutes on each side, and peppers until they get some nice black grill marks on them and they are no longer firm.  Butter the outsides of the bread slices or spray with cooking spray (if you want to save the calories, it works great). Remove from the grill and start building your sandwiches, layering the mushroom, some dijon mustard, slices of red pepper, the cheese between hunks of bread. I know that I don't need to tell you this, but make sure that the butter/spray is on the outside, and grill your sandwiches either in a panini press, cast iron skillet, or in your Foreman grill (or whatever way you choose to make grilled sandwiches). Grill them until you get some nice marks like in the photo below. If the cheese is starting to melt out of the sandwiches, you're done!

 So, so, so, so tasty, people.  Try switching up the cheeses if you like.  I personally love some dill havarti or horseradish cheddar.  Mmmm.....

Oh, and just because it's THAT time of year.....

 Let's Go Red Wings! Just sayin!

Holy Hot Tamale, That's Some Spicy Chili!

It's been a crazy weekend full of lots of laughs, lots of family, and loads of fun.  With that being said, I need a day off to recover from the weekend!  Since that's not going to happen and my brain isn't firing right today, I thought I'd post this hilarious email sent to me last week by my dear friend Maggie. She doesn't pass along a lot of jokes, but when she does, they're always good. So since it's Monday and I'm whooped, I thought I'd share these laughs with you. 

There is no denying that we're a family of chili lovers, so I found this especially funny. Many of my family members have had the pleasure of experiencing some super spicy food in our day, so we can sort of relate, but thank goodness not to this degree. Have a great Monday!

For those of you who have lived in New Mexico , you know how true this is.  They actually have a Chili Cook-off about the time Halloween comes around.  It takes up a major portion of a parking lot at the Santa Fe Plaza ..  Judge #3 was an inexperienced Chile taster named Frank, who was visiting from Springfield, IL. 

Frank:  Recently, I was honored to be selected as a judge at a chili cook-off..  The original person called in sick at the last moment and I happened to be standing there at the judge's table, asking for directions to the Coors Light truck, when the call came in.  I was assured by the other two judges (Native New Mexicans) that the chili wouldn't be all that spicy; and, besides, they told me I could have free beer during the tasting, so I accepted and became Judge #3.

Here are the scorecard notes from the event:

CHILI # 1 - MIKE'S MANIAC MONSTER CHILI 
Judge # 1 -- A little too heavy on the tomato.  Amusing kick.  
Judge # 2 -- Nice, smooth tomato flavor.  Very mild.  
Judge # 3 (Frank) -- Holy crap, what the hell is this stuff? You could remove dried paint from your driveway.  Took me two beers to put the flames out.  I hope that's the worst one.  These New Mexicans are crazy.

CHILI # 2 - EL RANCHO'S AFTERBURNER CHILI 
Judge # 1 -- Smoky, with a hint of pork.  Slight jalapeno tang.  
Judge # 2 -- Exciting BBQ flavor, needs more peppers to be taken seriously.  
Judge # 3 -- Keep this out of the reach of children.  I'm not sure what I'm supposed to taste besides pain.  I had to wave off two people who wanted to give me the Heimlich maneuver.  They had to rush in more beer when they saw the look on my face.

CHILI # 3 - ALFREDO'S FAMOUS BURN DOWN THE BARN CHILI 
Judge # 1 -- Excellent firehouse chili.  Great kick.  
Judge # 2 -- A bit salty, good use of peppers.  
Judge # 3 -- Call the EPA.  I've located a uranium spill.  My nose feels like I have been snorting Drano.  Everyone knows the routine by now.  Get me more beer before I ignite.  Barmaid pounded me on the back, now my backbone is in the front part of my chest.  I'm getting sh*t-faced from all of the beer.

CHILI # 4 - BUBBA'S BLACK MAGIC 
Judge # 1 -- Black bean chili with almost no spice.  Disappointing.  
Judge # 2 -- Hint of lime in the black beans.  Good side dish for fish or other mild foods, not much of a chili.  
Judge # 3 -- I felt something scraping across my tongue, but was unable to taste it.  Is it possible to burn out taste buds?  Sally, the beer maid, was standing behind me with fresh refills.  This 300 lb. woman is starting to look HOT ...  just like this nuclear waste I'm eating!  Is chili an aphrodisiac?

CHILI # 5 - LISA'S LEGAL LIP REMOVER 
Judge # 1 -- Meaty, strong chili.  Jalapeno peppers freshly ground, adding considerable kick.  Very impressive.  
Judge # 2 -- Chili using shredded beef, could use more tomato.  Must admit the jalapeno peppers make a strong statement.  
Judge # 3 -- My ears are ringing, sweat is pouring off my forehead and I can no longer focus my eyes.  I farted, and four people behind me needed paramedics.  The contestant seemed offended when I told her that her chili had given me brain damage.  Sally saved my tongue from bleeding by pouring beer directly on it from the pitcher.  I wonder if I'm burning my lips off.  It really ticks me off that the other judges asked me to stop screaming.  Screw them.

CHILI # 6 - VARGA'S VERY VEGETARIAN VARIETY 
Judge # 1 -- Thin yet bold vegetarian variety chili.  Good balance of spices and peppers.  
Judge # 2 -- The best yet.  Aggressive use of peppers, onions, garlic.  Superb.  
Judge # 3 -- My intestines are now a straight pipe filled with gaseous, sulfuric flames.  I crapped on myself when I farted, and I'm worried it will eat through the chair.  No one seems inclined to stand behind me except that Sally.  Can't feel my lips anymore.  I need to wipe my butt with a snow cone.

CHILI # 7 - SUSAN'S SCREAMING SENSATION CHILI 
Judge # 1 -- A mediocre chili with too much reliance on canned peppers.  
Judge # 2 -- Ho hum, tastes as if the chef literally threw in a can of chili peppers at the last moment.  **I should take note that I am worried about Judge #3.  He appears to be in a bit of distress as he is cursing uncontrollably.  
Judge # 3 -- You could put a grenade in my mouth, pull the pin, and I wouldn't feel a thing.  I've lost sight in one eye, and the world sounds like it is made of rushing water.  My shirt is covered with chili, which slid unnoticed out of my mouth.  My pants are full of lava to match my shirt.  At least during the autopsy, they'll know what killed me.  I've decided to stop breathing.  It's too painful.  Screw it; I'm not getting any oxygen anyway.  If I need air, I'll just suck it in through the 4-inch hole in my stomach.

CHILI # 8 - BIG TOM'S TOENAIL CURLING CHILI 
Judge # 1 -- The perfect ending, this is a nice blend chili.  Not too bold but spicy enough to declare its existence.  
Judge # 2 -- This final entry is a good, balanced chili.  Neither mild nor hot.  Sorry to see that most of it was lost when Judge #3 farted, passed out, fell over and pulled the chili pot down on top of himself.  Not sure if he's going to make it.  Poor fella, wonder how he'd have reacted to really hot chili?
Judge # 3 -- No report

A Slice of the Pie Graph

This week's Digi Dare challeges us to evaluate how we spend our days and try to plug it into a graphical format. This is not an easy task, but it was sure kind of fun. 

Here is my layout for this week:

 

In all honesty, I probably fudged the numbers a bit, and spend more time in the "entertainment" category watching television and playing on the computer than doing housework. Oh well. Nobody ever died wishing that they'd spent more time cleaning bathrooms or washing windows. Then again, I bet there aren't any obsessive clean freaks who wished that they'd spent more time watching America's Next Top Model marathons on their death beds either.  Pity. 

Don't waste your time doing housework, come play along with us this week, you know you wanna! The Digi Dares

Fifty Years

Today kicks off a weekend full of festivities celebrating my in-laws' fiftieth wedding anniversary! 

My husband comes from a large family, many of whom also have large families, so people are flying in from all over the place. From Maryland to Oregon, from South Carolina to San Diego, brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins are coming in to celebrate a marriage that has lasted a really long time. Fifty years of celebration and sadness, of births and deaths, of different states and different homes, of four children and four grandchildren. 

Thirty one years after my mother in law walked down that really long aisle at St. Mary's Catholic Church, I walked down that same long aisle to marry Andy. I think that's pretty cool. 

Fifty years is a really, really long time.  

Fifty years is 600 months, 2609 weeks, 18,263 days, 438,312 hours, 26,298,720 minutes, or 1,577,923,200 seconds give or take a few depending on when you're reading this. It's 350 dog years. 

In 1960, John Fitzgerald Kennedy was elected President of the United States with one of the smallest margins of victory in US history. The aluminum can, the heart pacemaker, and the laser were invented in 1960, and Xerox introduced the first photocopier machine. The US sent the first troops to Vietnam to support the French in their fight against communism and the North Vietnamese. The Flintstones made their debut on television while big movies included The Magnificent Seven, Ben-Hur, and Psycho. Cassius Clay (later, Muhammad Ali) won his first professional fight. 

In 1960, the average cost of a house was 12,700 and an average monthly rent was $98.00. 

The average cost of a new car was $2600, and a gallon of gasoline cost 25 cents/gallon. 

Minimum wage was $1/hour. 

A loaf of bread cost 20 cents, a gallon of milk was $1.04/gallon, a dozen eggs were 50 cents, and a pound of butter was 65 cents. 

The hot toy of 1960 was the Etch-A-Sketch, and Chubby Checker had everybody doing the twist, while Elvis Presley twisted everybody up with Are You Lonesome Tonight, Stuck on You, and It's Now or Never.

As you can tell, things have changed a lot, but some things still look the same.  Can you tell? 

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad H! 

 

There's A Chicken in my Dining Room

I'm totaly serious. There is a chicken living in my dining room, and she (well, we think it's a SHE so far) has her own fan page on Facebook. I'm not making this up. I couldn't make this up. Earthquakes, volcanos, Tiger Woods, and now this. It's true, the world is truly going mad.

 

Meet Shellbey, the chick. She is a seventh grade science project turned pet. At least for a few weeks, because there was no way in hell that a chicken was coming to roost for real within the four walls of my house. I love animals, and I don't mind critters of all sorts, but the only chicken I want in the house is named Tyson and lives in my freezer. Time is winding down, however, as Shellbey the chick is starting to sport more feathers and that means that it's almost time to go to her permanent home at a local summer camp. I made sure that S had an "exit strategy" before bringing her home, it was the only way I was going to sign that permission slip, trust me! Sadly, that time is drawing VERY close, and Shellbey will soon be leaving the roost (and hopefully not becoming the roast...just kidding Shannon!)

Actually, this is a pretty funny chick and not a bad pet, I have to admit. She's quite entertaining (granted, we're very easily amused around here!) She follows S along wherever she goes, and watching her chase after all of us and try to fly is just funny.  She sits on our shoulders like a pirate's parrot, and she even hitches rides on Olive's back now and then. How does Olive feel about this newest critter? She cares about as much about the chick as she does for the hamster or the lizard. She can't be bothered. Even when the Peepster is riding on her back, she doesn't care. I wish I could get a good photo of that, it's funny.

She must hate anything shiny, because she'll peck at anything that is bright, shiny, or sparkly... nail polish, my watch, S's cell phone, my engagement ring, and my lip. My lip is neither bright nor shiny (well, maybe it's the MAC lip gloss that I love so much...), but she seems to love to nail me in the lip regardless. Maybe she's trying to be affectionate, but chicken kisses kind of hurt. Who needs collagen injections, really? Just adopt a chicken and let it peck away at your lips. They'll puff right up like Pam Anderson on Dancing With The Stars. 

She tried to peck my mother-in-law's eye out last Sunday. I have no comment on that whatsoever. 

Last night she was pecking at my computer screen as I moved the mouse around. I've never been around chickens much, but it's pretty obvious that their brains aren't too highly developed. Obviously she's more easily amused than I am, but probably not by much.  

I came home from work one day last week and the chicken had indeed flown the coop sometime during the day. The top was off her "house" and she was running around flapping, peeping, squawking  and carrying on like a row of tweens in the first row of a Justin Bieber concert. There was food and yes, of course, crap everywhere.  As soon as I grabbed her and put her back into her cozy crate, all was well again. For all I knew, she'd been loose and flipping out for as many as eight hours. Chick stress. I'm sure there will be long term psycological trauma as a result. "But Doctor, I can't lay eggs. I keep having flashbacks from that terrible day that I got loose in that suburban dining room. All that shiny china, noisy lawnmowers, and the dog snoring...it was just TOO MUCH!"  We'll see her on Dr. Drew next season.

 

So right now we have four pets. Olive  the Wonder Dog, Pip the Hamster, Guaqua the anole lizard (hey, I don't make up the spellings!), and Shellbey the chicken with a Facebook page.  That means that we are, at least temporarily, the parents of 

The Pupster, The Pipster, The Poopster, and The Peepster.  

All my photos for April seem to have either a chicken or a hockey player in them. I really need to get out more. And speaking of hockey, we DID go skating at US Bank Arena last night. I hadn't skated in probably ten years and it was my first time lacing up hockey skates as opposed to figure skates.  Hey, it's different! Way different! Anybody know of an old lady's hockey league in Cincinnati? Stay tuned!

Recipe Tuesday - Spicy Shrimp and Edamame

Last week I was busy with activities almost every night, so there wasn't much time to cook. Other than the occasional pizza night, I'm not big on carry-out. I'd always rather cook than pick something up, so those are the "whip something out of nothing nights". On top of being short on time, my local "go-to" grocery store is closed for several months for remodeling, so for a while, the quick trip to the grocery store opportunities are gone and that forces me to be more creative. That's a good thing.

On Wednesday, I pulled some things from here and there and ended up with a great dinner!  I made a stir fry using frozen shrimp, edamame, red and yellow peppers, and purple cabbage. We love stir-fried cabbage. If you haven't tried it, you should, it's great! 

Anyhow, this dinner was simple, and simply DELICIOUS! I swear, I would have eaten the whole pan if I could have. It was that good.  It was super colorful too. I like pretty food, so that was a plus. Who am I kidding. I love all food...pretty, ugly, or pretty ugly.

Spicy Shrimp and Edamame Stir-Fry

 

• 1 lb. fresh or frozen shrimp (I used tiger shrimp w/ shells) peeled and deveined
• 1/2 large purple cabbage, shredded
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• 1/2 yellow pepper, diced
• 1 pkg frozen edamame seeds, thawed
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
• 3/4 C bottled Szecuhuan Stir Fry Sauce (easy, but if you want to make your own, check out Jamie Oliver's recipe)
• 1/3 C oil (I like peanut oil for stir fry, but it really doesn't matter. Chili oil could kick things up a notch!)
• hot cooked brown rice (optional)

Thaw, clean, and devein the shrimp and set aside in a bowl of icy cold water.  Prep veggies and set aside. Heat oil in your wok or large, deep pan, until a piece of pepper tossed into the pan sizzles when it hits the oil. Add garlic and stir fry for about 30 seconds.  Drain the shrimp, and pat it dry with a paper towel (if it's watery, the water will splatter and burn you when it hits the pan, trust me!).  Stir fry the shrimp a few at a time until all shrimp are added to the wok.  When the shrimp have all turned pink, add all of your veggies, including the edamame, and continue to stir fry for about two minutes.  Add your Szecuhuan sauce and continue to stir fry until all contents in the pan are well coated.  Serve over hot rice.

I really like having this bottled sauce in my fridge. It's low in sugar and adds a good bit of spice and heat with little fuss and muss. There is a Korean version and a Chinese version, and I love them both. Making your own sauce is super easy, but I like knowing that if I've got some veggies in the fridge and some of this sauce, I've always got a quick meal that my family is going to love.

 

That's it for today, tomorrow I'm talking chicken, and not in the way you might think after reading a post about food.  As for tonight, we girls might just be strapping on the hockey skates and taking to the ice at US Bank Arena. That's a blog post just aching to happen right there.....

Sickening

They cut down the 100 year old trees in the village last week. I understand that they have the Ash Borer disease and there was no option, but it doesn't make it any easier to take. I think the photos speak for themselves. I feel sick to my stomach every time I see this.  The photos aren't good, it was raining really hard when I took these, but you can still get the idea. 

 

  
 

Recipe Tuesday on Thursday - Caesar Salad a la Jason

Before we get down to the serious business at hand today, FOOD, I want to thank everybody for popping in over the last two days and reading my thoughts about the concert. It was fun being "out there" and expanding my blog horizons a bit.  

Anyhow, it's good to be back blogging about food again. And given that I'm all about bloggers spotlighting others this week, for this week's recipe, I'm putting my friend Jason in the spotlight with his stupendous Caesar salad.

Jason is a great friend of our family. He's an engineer by day, and a fantastic singer, creative cook, photographer, parent of a 13-year old, and a sports nut when he's not in the office.  Hey, wait a minute ~ he's the male version of me! Seriously, we have so much in common. I guess it never really hit me so obviously until I wrote this right now!

Jason is married to lovely Kris (whom we also adore) and they have a 13 year old son, a beautiful 14 month old boy and another one due in about five weeks. I had the honor of photographing their birth experience last year and I'm so excited to be repeating that adventure very soon!  On a serious note, there is no greater honor than to be invited to photograph the birth of a new life. Thanks J&K for trusting me with your special moments.

Jason and Kris not only put up with us on home turf, but have vacationed with us a few times too.  We just have entirely too much fun when we're all together if that's even possible. And if vacationing together wasn't enough fun, J & K always ramp it up foodwise when we're all together. They are both stupendous in the kitchen and really enjoy serving up some seriously tasty food. I can thank Kris singlehandedly for convincing me that guacamole really IS good, and doesn't have to be just a tasteless gloppy mess. I have been enlightened. In fact, I could go on and on about all the GREAT food that these two have created and fed us over the years.

One of those yummy, tasty treats is Jason's Caesar Salad. He's agreed to share his recipe with me and with all of you today. It's well worth it, trust me.  If I remember correctly, and I could be wrong, this recipe is a modification of his late uncle's recipe. I love how food traditions live on even after people have passed. Food really IS love people!  And with that, here we go:

Caesar Salad ala Jason

 2-3 heads of Romaine lettuce, washed, cut and dried
8-10 inches of Anchovie paste
1/3 C olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic minced
2 1/2 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
2 eggs, coddled
juice from 1 lemon
Worchestershire sauce
Parmesan cheese
Fresh ground pepper
Salt

Add minced garlic to olive oil at least 2 hours prior to making the salad. (I usually do this in a glass measuring cup and cover with plastic wrap)

Coddle two eggs. (place eggs in pan with water just covering, put pan on high heat. At first sign of boiling, take eggs off and run under cold water to stop the cooking process.)

In a large wooden salad bowl, squeeze 8 to 10 inches of anchovie paste into the bottom of the bowl. Spread the anchovie paste around the bowl with a fork.

Add olive oil to the bowl by pouring it through a strainer to ensure no raw garlic gets into the bowl. Mix anchovie paste and oil in bowl until uniform color.

Add red wine vinegar and mix.

Add the two eggs. *these coddled eggs should have just the edge of the white set with the rest of the egg basically raw. You can almost soft boil the eggs if you want, the main thing is to ensure that the yolk is not set.

Add the juice of 1 lemon.

Mix thoroughly. Add W. Sauce until color is appropriate for Caesar (a light tan/brown color). I usually use as much as 1/8 cup of W. Sauce and sometimes more depending on taste.

Add 1/2 of the parmesan cheese (I use shredded, but you can use grated as well). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Finally, add ingredients until the flavor is correct (lemon/W sauce add tang, oil can cut vinegar flavor, anchovie paste can add salt along with richness... really a balancing act at this point)

Once all ingredients are balanced, toss the lettuce with the dressing, add the rest of the parmesan. Add croutons if you like them and add some fresh pepper. Serve immediately.

Finally, some notes from the chef.....
 
I realize that most recipes for vinegrette add the oil last. This is just how I always make caesar, the exact order doesn't matter that much. Mainly I add the ingredients because of what flavors balance each other (oil/vinegar, eggs/lemon).

I also note that not everyone likes anchovies... trust me when I say that this recipe DOES NOT WORK without them. I have tried it, it doesn't work. sorry.

Finally, find out how you like the eggs for this salad and cook them accordingly. If you do not feel comfortable with an egg cooked as lightly as described above, cook them more. I've never gotten sick due to this method, but for all I know, I'm just lucky.