a bun in the oven

I have some very exciting news to share (for anyone who reads SSH whom I haven't talked to lately): Judd and I are expecting a baby girl on or around December 30th! I am quite certain she is going to turn our lives upside down, but we can't wait to meet her and bring her home in about ten more weeks.

I've had a pretty easy time so far - no morning sickness or any major complaints - but I do miss eating some of the foods that I've been advised not to eat, including Boar's Head deli turkey (why!!??? it's so innocent!) and raw tuna. It also took a while to adjust to the severe reduction in my caffeine and splenda intake, and don't even get me started on how much I miss wine. (I haven't gone this long without alcohol since I was a teenager.)

I haven't really had any strange food cravings, either, though I've gone to the Palm often enough that I joined their frequent diner club and will order macaroni and cheese, or anything covered in cheese for that matter, anytime I see it on a menu. So you can guess how plump and round I look by now, notwithstanding the 3-pound baby in my abdomen.  Last week, I decided to connect with my inner tourist and stopped by the famed Carnegie Deli (it's only a few blocks from my office) for a corned beef sandwich on rye. And I ate the ENTIRE thing.

Anyway, I intend to keep food the focus of SSH, but it may sometimes be of the pureed fruit and vegetable variety.

my favorite vinaigrette

Several months ago, my friend Steph suggested I do a blog post about salad dressing.  Excellent idea! I made a mental note to take photos and notes the next few times I made salad.  And somehow, nearly three months went by before I got my act together to share a very simple recipe for my favorite go-to salad dressing, which I particularly like with bibb lettuce. It tastes very French to me, and the shallots are mild enough that they don't overpower the delicate mustard-lemon balance (I generally don't like raw onions or even scallions, so if you can't find shallots, look for a sweet onion, like a vidalia).

Here's what you'll need:

1/2 large shallot, finely minced
1 heaping tablespoon dijon mustard
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup + one tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients together, season with salt and pepper, and toss with lettuce.