Last night was a punchy night. You know when you just feel all weird and twisty inside and out, and the only thing that makes it better is watching mindless television and eating a really delicious dinner? The dinner definitely helped. So did snuggling with my husband and watching The Voice and rejoicing over the fact that I could see ZERO cleavage on the talented but sometimes scarily dressed Ms. Christina Aguilera. Seriously girl. I could focus on your gorgeous eyes and wise counsel and not your cleavage for once. It was a refreshing change.
We savored two very savory dishes last night while we were spending some quality couch time together. The first was this amazing Balsamic Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad. The second were these amazing Balsamic Braised Brussels Sprouts with Maple Bacon. Both were to die for. The salad is a snap to throw together. The Brussels are a little more work, but well worth it. More on the Brussels in their own post.
Let's focus on the salad. A bed of crisp romaine (spinach would work beautifully here too), topped with a succulent, juicy sliced chicken breast that has been marinated and grilled in sweet and acidic Balsamic Vinegar, sprinkled with salty Kalamata Olives and hearty bits of Sun-Dried Tomato. Top that with some creamy, garlic-y homemade Caesar Dressing and freshly grated Parmesan, and you have died and gone to heaven. This is a lighter take on a Caesar Salad, and is made from whole, fresh ingredients. Nothing better than that. It's also a quick dinner. If you marinate the chicken early, you can have this baby on the table in under 20 minutes. Heck yeah and fo' shizzle and all that jazz. This recipe is designed to serve four and can easily be increased to serve more.
