Feature Friday: The Man of the House

You all get a special treat today!

My husband is our feature friday!!!

I have to take a second to brag on my husband. Next Monday, June 3, marks our 7 year wedding anniversary. I really can not believe that it has been 7 years since our wedding! I remember when we were dating, I couldn't wait until we were engaged, then I couldn't wait until we were married, and then I couldn't wait until we had babies (yes, I wanted to be a stay at home momma my whole life, that was my dream job! My momma made it look fun!) I wish I could tell that girl in such a hurry, to just slow down and enjoy that special time! But ya know..I knew how fun and special our life would be...and I was ready for it!

And I must say, that my life is better than I dreamt it would be.

NO our lives are not perfect...by far

And I'm really not trying to portray that AT ALL

But I must say my girls make our lives together that much sweeter!

 

And I am so thankful that I married a man with the same morals, values and life dreams.

So thankful that he wants me to be a stay at home mommy to raise our precious girls even though it means making sacrifices. This man works so hard, puts us first and is truly a special guy!

I really thank God for him everyday!

 

He doesnt cook much..

He grills and he has mastered his grill

but the Gronauer specialty is the Caesar Salad

and it is so good.

it is not your creamy caesar

but a mustard base, so a healthy caesar!

and its sooo delicious

and I bet a bunch of my friends will be happy to have this recipe!

 

So now I turn over the blog to him!

Ladies and Gentlemen, my husband
Jerry Gronauer, Jr.

 

 Hello Everybody!  I hope you enjoy my family's recipe for Cesar Salad.  My parents taught me to make this when I was in grade school and I have been making it ever since.  I feel like we were raised on it.  I tell you this because I have not measured out the ingredients in years (I just eyeball it) so I will do my best to give you easy-to-follow instructions.    Here is what you need:

 Fresh Garlic (2 or 3 cloves), 1 can of Anchovies, Dijon Mustard, Worchester Sauce, 1 Lemon, Apple Cider Vinegar, Olive Oil, Parmisan Cheese, and cracked black pepper. 

 Start by pressing the Garlic Cloves into a bowl. 

 

 Add the can of Anchovies and then mash and cut them into a paste with the garlic.

 Next, add 2-3 table spoons of Dijon mustard and mash it all together in to a paste.

 Now, add 2-3 table spoons of Worchester Sauce and stir in.

Then squeeze in one full lemon.  Make sure no lemon seeds end up in the sauce.
Next is the Apple Cider Vinegar.  I put in two overflowing capfulls. (yes, the vinegar bottle cap).
Now pour in one 1/4 cup of Olive Oil. 
Shake in enough graded parmisian cheese to lightly coat the whole bowl (approx 1/2 cup).
Then finish it off with a couple table spoons of fresh ground/cracked black pepper.

 

 Now just throw in some Romain and toss the salad!

 Tonight Christina made salmon and squash to go with it. 

Salad Dressing

So if you don't know me and my family, one thing I think everybody will tell you is that they love our salads! We are known to have a salad with EVERY meal and sometimes it IS the meal!
When Jerry and I first started dating in college, one night he told me that he would take care of dinner-for me not to worry about it,study and he would bring dinner over.  Of course, I was thinking he would pick up something from a Restaurant...well....was I in for a suprise and he got a quick lesson as to what was "dinner" approved in my little world...lol! (KEEP in mind that I was only 19 and a sophmore in college and still lived in a very naive, somewhat innocent bubble of a world)
He brought over BAGGED salad...and a BOTTLED dressing....umm what was that? (I know many people use them and they're some good ones, so dont take this offensively) but I had NEVER had bottled dressing in my life and just thought they were gross and didn't really think people actually used them. ALONG with the BAGGED SALAD (gross, is that salad even washed, and does it even count as lettuce if its practically white/see through...not even green?) he brought over a Stouffer's Frozen Swedsih Meatballs microwavable meal (gag reflux)...ummm I HAD only had a frozen microwavable meal once in my life (my sisters and I begged my mom to let us try one when we were little bc all our friends got to have them and they looked so good while we had to eat all her homeade food, needless to say 2 bites in and we said, you're right mom this is gross and never had one again!)
So HE proceeds to microwave this stuff/food and plate it for me...
Trying not to be too rude bc we did just start dating and I did REALLy like him....I told him as politely as I could that I was not going to eat that but thanks. So he ATE both of them, which thoroughly grossed me out and then he went and got me a sandwich from Food for Thought (love that place!)
Jerry learned very quickly that I had FOOD standards and my family took our food seriously but he thanks his lucky stars everday because he says I have introduced him to so much good food that he would have missed out on....
SO back to our salads....
Really, I could give you LOTS of different salad recipes..there is endless possibilities but what makes our salads so good is the way we season or dress our salads and really its quite simple.
It is as basic as olive oil, lemon juice and then you can add different vinegars or mustards to change the flavor. I suggest just trying different combinations and see what you like.
I also put a spoonful of greek yogurt if I want to make it creamy.
Avocado also makes it creamy too!
I used to love nuts in my salads but since Jacq has a nut allergy, we are a nut free house.
We had leftover chicken fajitta meat from our cinco de mayo party sunday so tonight we made this big salad for dinner-

This was romaine lettuce, sweet onion, orange bellpepper, heirloom tomatoes (they are insanely good right now), fresh basil (still haven't killed my plant yet!), chicken fajita meat, avocado and manchego cheese.

I seasoned it with Tony's, olive oil, and the juice of one fresh lemon.

No vinegar tonight, I wanted it to be just light and fresh!