Happy The Bride the Sun Shines on Today!

We've had such beautiful weather this week, all sunny and dry, with a little fog some mornings. Perfect fall weather. Today is my neice' wedding day. As I walked out to chicken house this morning to feed and water the hens I couldn't help repeating "happy the bride the sun shines on today".  I wish her much joy and happiness in this new beginning.

The young couple will be very busy with their jobs and their new home. They bought a big house and have spent the summer painting, landscaping and shopping for furniture. They are mostly second shift workers - that is they go to work in the afternoon and work through the evening, so most of their time together will be mornings and early afternoons.  Neither of them are foodies so I imagine all the kitchen wares she received at her bridal showers will get very little use at least for a while.

So here's my recipes for one of my favorite homemade salad dressings, perfect for big green lunch salads.

Honey Ginger Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

pinch salt (optional)

pinch black pepper

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

5 tablespoons canola oil

In a glass jar with a tight fitting screw on lid place the rice wine vinegar and the salt and pepper. Shake well to help dissolve the salt. Stir in the honey until it blends with the vinegar. Add the soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil and shake. Finally, add the canola oil and shaker very well until the dressing is emulsified.  Pour over salad greens and enjoy. 

This dressing is really good over a salad of mixed lettuce leaves, ripe tomatoes and crunchy croutons. The salty, sweet, gingery dressing goes really well with the acid of the tomatoes.Or substitute walnuts for the croutons.

When the tomato season is over, this is equally good with a salad of lettuce, apples or pears, and pecans.

And last but not least, try chopping up Chinese cabbage or other green cabbage, chopped cooked chicken, sliced almonds, chopped apples, and golden raisins. Dress the salad with the honey ginger dressing and let sit in the refrigerator for half an hour or more to blend the flavors. Yum!