Yum...

It was soooo very hot today (102 F) that I was sure I did not want to do have a piping hot meal for dinner tonight. So, I thought we'd try something new. I had a California Salad a while back while we were out to eat. It was delicious, but to make my husband happy I figured I should add some chicken as well. So I did. I picked up some salad greens and fresh spinach, as well. I sliced some strawberries (about 10 large strawberries) and 2 medium oranges, and mixed them with about a Tablespoon of sucanat, to sweeten and help draw out the juices. I also sliced up 2 avocados...for the two of us 1 1/2 was actually quite sufficient. And then I sauteed a few chicken breasts and chopped them up. I also candied some pecans and mixed up a dressing. The salad was assembled as follows:

In a salad bowl I placed equal amounts of salad greens and spinach. Then I added the strawberies, oranges (and the juice) and tossed the salad. Portioning them out in each bowl, I added the chicken, candied pecans, and avocados. Then I added the dressing.

The dressing was a recipe I found here, basically a red wine vinegar and oil infused with several herbs, with sugar (I use Sucanat) too, which I thought rather odd, but it was great!

So after a yummy California salad for dinner, I got to work on tomorrow night's dessert. I had some extra ricotta lying around that was very fine curd, and some extra yogurt cheese. Between the two I had enough for a cheesecake, so we decided on an irish creme cheesecake. I took the recipe for the irish coffee cheesecake from the "Not Just Cheesecake" book, and replaced the irish whiskey with Bailey's instead (left in the espresso). I'll use some of the rest of the Bailey's (very small bottle purchased solely for this cheesecake, as it would happen) to make an irish creme mocha sauce to top the cheesecake with. I am making up the recipe as I go along, but that usually turns out best. Dark chocolate cocoa, confectioner's sugar, milk, espresso, and baileys. I think it will turn out quite well!!