samurai 21 dressing copycat (stg japenese steakhouse)

i really like this dressing... I'm not sure what it is about it exactly... maybe it's the fact that while eating it i know I'm about to devour 3 lbs of sushi, or maybe it's because while eating it i know I'm finally on that date I've been hinting towards for the last 3 months... whatever the case it's just so good.

the other night the hubs decided to take me out on that 3 months of build up but we decided to try a new sushi joint. I've had it before, but it was new to him. Osaka... their dressing is sweet and mustardy like... and it just didn't hit the spot.

so, today i decided to make my own. what a really, really good idea that was.

when i first tried this dressing i thought to myself, thousand island without the sweet relish. BUT there was that japaneseness that i just couldn't dismiss... I'm still not certain of the exact recipe and probably never will be..
but here's my take. for all you dressing loving fools.


i should name it easy peasy... well, because it's just that. one super de duper easy and delicious dressing.

what you'll be wantin

• 1 cup mayo


• 1/2 cup milk


• 1/4 cup teryaki


• the juice of one lemon

this should make enough for a party of friends... or just you for a week! i chose the week. it's probably best if it sits for awhile, but i ate it right out the mixin bowl!

hint: mix well! if there is mayo clumps, keep mixin! i use a whisk.

i art-to-choke u

but i'd never do such a thing, cause i'm a sweety.

i've just always always said i art-to-choke u.

cause i think i'm funny.

don't you?

when i was a wee one artichokes became my very favorite vegi real quick like.

by age 2, i was eating entire leaves.

age 5, getting the hang of eating the correct part of the leaf.

age 7, begging my parents to buy them EVERYTIME we went to the grocery store. no lie.

age 24, my husband still has to make special trips to costco once a week just so i can get my choke fix.

it's love really.

getting to the point...

italian artichoke pasta salad... oh yes!

what you'll be wanting to head to the store for

• 
  
  1- 12 oz box bowtie, rotini, or whateva pasta u like to use for salads


• 
  
  2- 16 oz cans of quartered artichokes


• 
  
  1 small box whole mushrooms (i usually half mine, but i'd quarter um if they're biggies)


• 
  
  1 box red grape tomaters halved


• 
  
  1 half medium sized red onion halved and thinly sliced


• 
  
  1 head of mizuna or romaine will do the trick


• 
  
  1 jar peperoncini leave um whole


• 
  
  1 jar pitted kalamata olives


• 
  
  1 cup parmesan


• 
  
  1 hand full chopped parsely


• 
  
  1 bottle of your favi italian dressing (mine is olive gardens) or this awesome copycat!http://www.food.com/recipe/copycat-of-olive-garden-italian-salad-dressing-18840


• 
  
  add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

mix it up and eat er already!!! or wait a hour or two... enjoy!

i got a bag of cherries

today, while 4 boys under 6 galloped around me, screaming, fighting, laughing

... my mind was galloping around the cherries...

what to do with the cherries...

around and around...

so came along, cinnamon, cherry, and brown sugar

mixed and boiled

whipped into a fantastically twisted summer comforting winter syrup.

yeah... i know.

twisted

and oh my gosh... YUM

the shtuff

• 
  
  2 cups fresh pitted and mooshed sweet summer cherries (and a extra handful to munch on)


• 
  
  1/2 cup brown sugar


• 
  
  1/2 cup water


• 
  
  1 tsp cinnamon


• 
  
  1 tiny pinch of salt

mix it up

• 
  
  mix all ingredients into a medium sized sauce pan


• 
  
  bring to a boil


• 
  
  simmer until your syrup has thickened


• 
  
  ENJOY

tomato, cucumber, monz, and basil salad! (it deserves a !)

tomato and basil

separate? just... tomato... just... basil...

together?

magically delicious and insanely perfection.

add a lil cucumber, mozzarella, and clamata olives...

even better!

pretty huh!

tomato basil salad with a sweet red wine vinegar dressing

the stuff

(salad)

• 
  
  1 cup halved cherry tomatoes


• 
  
  1 cup halved yellow cherry tomatoes


• 
  
  2 cucumbers peeled


• 
  
  1 half red onion thinly sliced or chopped


• 
  
  1 cup pitted clamata olives


• 
  
  1 cup mozzarella pearls


• 
  
  2 or 3 large basil leaves chopped or thinly sliced

(dressing)

• 
  
  2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil


• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar


• 1 tbsp sugar


• 1 clove garlic crushed


• 1/2 tsp thyme


• 1/2 tsp salt


• 1/4 tsp pepper

the mix up

• mix this beauty up


• 
  
  let er sit at least an hour and up to over night


• 
  
  enjoy