Salad Dressing: Oil and Vinegar

I’ve been on a salad fix lately, call it new years resolutions, call it what you will. The other day, I realized I didn’t have any dressings other than ranch, and I was not in a ranch mood. I wanted something light and not creamy. So I made my own. Gasp!Actually, its not hard at all and is very easy to add flavors to. Let’s start with the basic recipe:

• 3 to 4 parts Oil
• 1 part Vinegar

Yeah, like I said, easy. Now you may be wondering well what type of oil to use, or vinegar.  I use extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar. Here are some notes about oils:

- The stronger the oil, the more vinegar needed
-Color influences how it tastes: Green  oils are peppery and sometimes bitter while Yellow oils are butterier
- Any vinegar is fine for salads except white vinegar (too harsh). Balsamic vinegar is sweet, while cider is fruity and rice is more mellow.
-Don’t like vinegar? No problem, try substituting in Lemon, Lime or another citrus fruit.
- Add syrups or other flavor additives to change it up! I love adding pomegranate syrup to my mixture!


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Weekly Wonderings: January 18th, 2012

So last week, I know I showed everything about how I want tear books apart but this week I am feeling pretty inspired about all these ways to keep books together. I love libraries. Today, I had to go into the science library on campus and I am fairly certain the librarian was surprised someone actually wanted to check out books. I checked out five whole books on syphilis during the 18th century, yay thesis research!  Anyways, when I have a spare room, after my craft room of course, I will turn it into a library. Here’s some of my current inspiration!

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1st Giveaway!

So I decided to finally jump the gun and do it… A GIVE AWAY! I know it’s not huge but I need to test the waters out first before I start rolling out the big gifts. So help me make this successful and enter!



One winner will get these two lovely notebooks PLUS A SECRET SURPRISE! Perfect for keeping your inner most thoughts, daring adventures or the growing to do lists.

Here's how to enter:


Required: Leave a comment with how you would fill a notebook (lists? Work? Journal?)  and follow First Apartment Living using Google Friend Connect.


Note: Anonymous comments will not count.  Please login using the Google Friend Connect account that is following The First Apartment Living

Ends 1/31/12 at midnight!


It's Over and Joann won! Email me!

Weekly Wonderings: January 11th, 2012

I love to read, I treasure all of my books. At home they are all organized in my room according to color. Well a select number are, the rest are shoved behind them. So the idea of tearing out pages of my beloved books to make crafts really is hard for me to swallow but these are pretty great ideas. I may just have to go buy some books just to make these.

 

Also, buy more books to make this!

Because even Bottles get cold…

So first off, I admit I have already fallen off the blogging band wagon and it’s only day 10. In my defense, my grandfather has had 2 heart surgeries in the past week, he’s doing just fine now! In fact, he seems much better, but I spent more time in real life this past week than internet life. But everything is back to normal now! Soooo….

Doesn’t this just crack you up? Apparently the guy who lived previously in my apartment was a brand ambassador for Maker’s Mark. We receive the weirdest ‘gifts’ from them, including big ice molds that are just balls. This year, we got a sweater for our whiskey bottle, the problem being we don’t have a whiskey bottle. Instead, we placed it on our champagne bottle, but it looked lonely so we attached a mini bottle to it. It has been cracking us up all week. This would be great as a gift with a mini bottle of Chambord attached to make “Scarlet Letters".

Weekly Wonderings: January 4th, 2012

Wow, I already find it weird to write 2012 on things, it will probably take me a month or two to get used to it. Anyways, I want to have more dinner parties this year, I love them. I love dinner party games. I love candles. I love food. I love friends. AND you can make them themed. I love a good theme. Anyways, for my future dinner parties, I’ve been searching around on pinterest for ideas. Here’s my inspiration so far:

What about you? Got any plans for the new year? Does anyone else love dinner parties as much as me or is this just another case of me being an old lady??

 

P.S. You can find all my pins HERE

Easy Entertaining: Tea Cups

I love a quick way to upgrade a party or even just having a few friends over. One of my favorite ways to add a little “Oomph” is to serve things in dainty tea cups.  Be it pudding or tea, it certainly ‘stirs’ things up. I found these cute teacups at Goodwill for hardly any money and they have certainly come in handy. I made white chocolate mouse the other day and when friends stopped by they were quite impressed. You can even serve dips for crudité (veggies) in them. Think caramel with apples or humus and pita chips. The possibilities are endless.  Even plain jello seems cooler in a tea cup!