Ok, the crafty girl in me couldn’t resist giving the new push-up pops phenomenon a try.

And surprise surprise — they are so much fun!!!!!

For a “Spring Into Summer” party with friends this week, I decided to try a “Coke Floats” theme — Coca-Cola chocolate cake, layered with homemade whipped cream, and of course, a cherry on top.  They were a hit!!!  Granted, the Coca-Cola cake recipe ended up being a surprising amount of work (not difficult, just a little time-consuming), but the cake was super delicious and made for some adorable little push-up pops!

To assemble them, I was a little perfectionistic and decided to go the route of baking up two shallow sheet cakes, and then using the push-pop dispenser to punch out the little circles to perfectly fill the containers.  But in the future, I think I may just use the little mini-cupcakes instead.  A little less work, and still just as cute.

I definitely see more push-up pops in my future this summer…

Coke Float Push-Up Pops Recipe
(Makes 12 push-up pops)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Coca-cola (do not use diet!)
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly-packed dark brown sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• homemade whipped cream
• maraschino cherries (with stems)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously spray the inside of two 9×13-inch baking dishes or a 24-mini-baking-cup pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a small saucepan, heat the Coca-cola, cocoa powder, and butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the sugars and whisk until dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until just beaten, then whisk them into the cooled cocoa mixture until combined. Gently fold the flour mixture into the cocoa mixture. The batter will be slightly lumpy–do not overbeat, as it could cause the cake to be tough.

If using cupcake tins, pour the batter into the tins until they are each about 2/3 full, and bake for about 10-12 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cupcakes comes out clean. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

If using the 9×13-inch baking dishes, pour 3 cups of batter into each dish and gently shake so that the batter is even.  Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cakes comes out clean.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Then once the cake has cooled, use an empty push-up pop as a cookie cutter to punch out 24 cake circles.  Set them aside on a piece of waxed paper for assembly.

To assemble the push-up pops, gently press a mini-cupcake or a cake circle into the bottom of a push-up pop.  Then add in a swirl of whipped cream and a de-stemmed maraschino cherry.  Then add another layer of cake, whipped cream, and then top with a (stemmed) maraschino cherry.  Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Ali’s Tip:

If you don’t own the official push-up pop acrylic stand, you can use a piece of foam as a display holder for the push-up pops.  (You can find that in craft aisles, or also in the faux floral aisles!)

Also, I purchased my push-up pop containers at Shop Sweet Lulu.

Source:

Coca-Cola Cake recipe very slightly adapted from A Cozy Kitchen.

Sommmme…wherrrrrrrre…ooooover the rainnnnbowww……

This.amazingly-delicious-rainbow-chard-smoothie-dream that you dared to dream….really will come truuuuuuue……..

Ha, ok being from Kansas, I probably should not willingly offer up a “Wizard of Oz” reference.  (For all of you folks from other states who proudly pull a “you’re not in Kansas anymore” line out of your pocket when we’re traveling…trust me.  We’ve heard it.  A thousand times.)

But I actually love Judy Garland.  And (real) rainbows.  And now…rainbow chard smoothies!

I couldn’t resist those gorgeous colorful bunches at our farmer’s market this weekend.  So decided to turn them into a simple, delicious green smoothie with my rockin’ new Blendtec.  I had some ripe bananas and orange juice on hand, so that was my combination of the week.  But for all of you who love green smoothies, would totally encourage you to mix it up and throw some chard into the mix next time!  It’s a little more potent than spinach, but great in smoothies and so good for you!

What are some of your favorite green smoothie combinations lately?

Rainbow Chard Pineapple Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 cups loosely-packed rainbow chard leaves (stems removed)
• 2 bananas, frozen
• 1/2 cup orange or pineapple juice
• 1 Tbsp. ground flax seed
• 1 cup ice

Method:

Pulse all ingredients together in a blender until blended.  Serve immediately or freeze.

Ali’s Tip:

You can also blend the stems into this smoothie, but they will add some bitterness.

Today’s post goes out to my beautiful mom for Mother’s Day!

She is pretty much a rockstar.  In addition to being an incredible artist (remember when newspaper fashion ads used to be hand-sketched —  yep, that was her!), she is also a super savvy businesswoman and has built an amazing company designing cross-stitch patterns for about 15 years.  (Fun fact – it’s named Lizzie*Kate after my sister, Sarah Elizabeth, and me, Alison Kate.)  But then she also lives this amazing life outside of work, being a serious road-biker with my dad, volunteering weekly to run a really cool group for young Latino moms, traveling to really cool places, and of course…whipping up all sorts of deliciousness in the kitchen.  Even with a busy schedule, she made it a point when we were growing up to make mealtimes a meaningful priority, and taught my sister and I the value of healthy, homecooked meals.  And…the joy of desserts.  :)

More than anything, she has been an amazing mother, and a great wife to my dad for 34 years and counting.  She is a total inspiration to me, and grateful for everything I have learned from her.  And forever changed by her love.  She’s the best!

And as a fun shout out, thought I would share a toffee ice cream pie that we used to make together back in the day.  It celebrates one of our favorite indulgences — the oh-so-delicious Heath Bar!  And it also features a yummy Oreo crust, and lots of hot fudge and caramel drizzle.  Super-easy and super-yummy.  You’ll love it.

Hope you all have a wonderful Mother’s Day.  I love you, Mom!!

Heath Bar Ice Cream Pie Recipe

Ingredients:

• 25 Oreo cookies
• 6 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 1.5 quarts Heath Bar or toffee ice cream, softened (**see tip for homemade toffee ice cream**)
• 1 (12 oz.) bag miniature Heath Bars, crumbled into small pieces
• hot fudge sauce, for topping
• hot caramel sauce, for topping

Method:

Finely ground the Oreos in a food processor.  (You can also do this by hand by placing the Oreos in a thick plastic bag, and then use a rolling pin to crush them.)  Stir the melted butter in with the Oreo until it is evenly mixed.  Transfer to a 9-inch pie crust, and press the mixture into the sides to make an even crust.

Spoon the softened ice cream into the crust, and then use a spoon or spatula to even out the top.  Sprinkle with the crumbled Heath bars, and then freeze for 2-4 hours or until ice cream is solid.

Serve drizzled with caramel and hot fudge sauce.

Ali’s Tip:

If you cannot find toffee ice cream, you can buy vanilla ice cream and mix additional toffee bars and caramel sauce into the ice cream when softened.

This recipe would also be terrific with Twix or Snickers bars!

Food photography can be bewildering at times.

When I looked through the viewfinder, the main thing I saw was this luscious, creamy goat cheese sauce covering every bite of this dish.  But strangely after uploading my photos — of course after having devoured this for lunch with a friend — the sauce is just barely visible.  What the what?!

Still.  Ttake my word for it.  You goat-cheese-lovers will go nuts over this one.

I definitely did!  This was my first time making a goat cheese sauce, and it made me regret the years of just dotting my pastas with little crumbles here and there.  This sauce is ridiculous!!!  So full of great, well-balanced flavor with just a few ingredients.  And, it only took about three minutes to whip up, making this pasta a 20-minute meal.  Yet one more reason why I will be making it again.  Stat.

Pasta with Goat Cheese, Chicken, Asparagus & Mushrooms Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. pasta of choice
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• 1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bunch (about 1 lb.) asparagus, ends trimmed then cut into 2″ pieces
• 16 oz (2 cartons) fresh button or baby bella mushrooms, halved
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 8 oz. goat cheese
• 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method:

Prepare pasta al dente according to package instructions.  (I would add the pasta to the boiling water around the time you begin cooking the asparagus and mushrooms.)

Season the chicken with salt and freshly-ground black pepper.  Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat.  When oil is shimmering, add the chicken and cook 5-7 minutes (flipping halfway through) until the outside is lightly golden and the center is no longer pink.  Remove chicken and set aside.  Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil, and once it has heated, add the shallot.  Saute for 2 minutes, then add the asparagus and mushrooms.  Continue cooking for another 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove skillet from heat.

While the vegetables are cooking, heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add flour, and whisk quickly to combine, then let cook for 1 minute.  Add 1 cup of the pasta water, goat cheese, Parmesan cheese, and a generous pinch of salt and freshly-ground black pepper, and whisk to combine.  Cook for 1 minute, then reduce heat to low until the pasta is ready.  If the sauce is too thick, gradually add additional tablespoons of pasta water until you reach the desired consistency.

Drain the pasta once it has cooked, then immediately toss with the goat cheese sauce, chicken and vegetables.  Serve garnished with additional Parmesan cheese.

Ali’s Tip:

I imagine this sauce would also be fantastic when made with feta cheese!

What does one bring to a rockin’ Cinco de Awesome fiesta thrown by a bunch of foodie friends?

But of course, a super-awesome strawberry cheesecake…

…kicked up a notch.

Si, amigos.  This strawberry margarita cheesecake is filled with all of the fresh strawberry and lime goodness of your favorite drinks, a salty pretzel crust, plus the tequila and Grand Marnier to make it a par-tay.  And then I had a little too much fun playing with my food to make it extra pretty.  (Which was actually super-easy — you should try it!)

Most importantly, I think the cheesecake lived up to the party name, as person after person gave it the “awesome” seal of approval.  Would definitely recommend giving it a try next Cinco de Mayo.  Or Diez de Julio.  Or Treinta de Febrero.  Or….whenever in the world margarita cheesecake craving strikes.

As my Costa Rican host family’s parrot would say (of course, in between his renditions of Madonna songs and hurling expletives at the family beagle), this one is definitely “muy rrrrrrrrico”.  Agreed.

Strawberry Margarita Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients:

Crust Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup ground pretzels or graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Cheesecake Ingredients:

Lime Topping Ingredients:

• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. grated lime zest

Method:

To Make Crust:

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F.   Spray 9-inch springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with cooking spray. Whisk together pretzel (or graham cracker) crumbs, sugar and butter in a medium bowl until blended. Press crumbs evenly into the bottom of prepared springform pan. Bake for 6 minutes, then remove.

To Make Cheesecake:

To Make Topping:

Ali’s Tip:

Blueberries, blackberries, cherries or mangoes would also be great in place of (or in addition to) strawberries with this.  Or the cheesecake also stands well berry-free on its own!

Source:

Cheesecake recipe adapted from Liv Life.

Happy Cinco De Mayo, amigos!

My birthday happened to fall a few days ago, on the not-quite-as-famous Dos de Mayo.  But with my fond affection for Mexican food, I usually end up celebrating both occasions at some point with a margarita in my hand and an attractive sombrero on my head.  (Thus, the picture below from my 29th bday dinner last night — the kickoff to the final year of my roaring twenties!)

Still, as fun as margaritas are when we’re out, I also love making them homemade when my friends are all hanging out at mi casa.  This year, these blackberry lime margaritas are my new favorite.  Made with crushed fresh blackberries, this simple, fresh combination is absolutely irresistible.  And way better than any mix you could ever buy.  I love mine frozen (especially in the summer!), but serve them on the rocks or however you love best.

Cheers to a great summer to come!

Blackberry Lime Margaritas Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh blackberry juice (**see instructions below**)
• 1 cup 100% agave blanco tequila
• 2/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup Grand Mariner or Cointreau
• 3 Tbsp. simple syrup (optional)
• ice cubes and lime slices

Method:

To make fresh blackberry juice, heat approximately 12 oz. fresh blackberries and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan over medium high-heat.  Once heated, use a spoon or fork to mash the blueberries together.  Then use a fine-mesh strainer or a cheesecloth to strain out the juice.  Reserve 1 cup of juice for the margaritas.

Combine all ingredients for the margaritas in a blender until thoroughly mixed.  If serving frozen, mix in an additional 2 cups of ice until well blended.  If serving on the rocks, pour the mixture over ice.

Garnish with lime slices.

Ali’s Tip:

This recipe would also work with cherries, blueberries, or strawberries in place of blackberries!

Whenever my coworkers ask where I’d like to go to eat for lunch, about 9 times out of 10 my reply is a super-enthusiastic vote for Mexican.  Yeah, it’s kind of the office joke.  This little food blogger could live on Mexican food!!

But being that we work clear out in the ‘burbs, authentic Mexican food can be a little hard to come by.  Thankfully the closest local Tex-Mex chain happens to have some of the best chips and salsa in town, plus one of my all-time favorites — “Parmesan-Crusted Shrimp Quesadillas.”

Yes, I admit, the first time I saw them on the menu, I did a double-take.

Parmesan-Crusted?  With sun-dried tomatoes?  At a Mexican restaurant?!?

Apparently these quesadillas are one of their most popular dishes.  And with good reason — they are are muy, muy, muy delicioso.  Seasoned shrimp is paired with fresh avocado, sun-dried tomatoes, lots of melted cheese, and then of course, sandwiched between parmesan-crusted tortillas.  Ridiculously good.  So now after seven years of ordering them at the restaurant, the lightbulb suddenly went off and I decided to try making them at home.  Why I waited so long?  I now have no idea.  These were a complete, Parmesan-y success.

Do yourself a little favor, and make some today.  :)

Parmesan-Crusted Shrimp Quesadillas Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 Tbsp. cumin
• sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1 white or yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and finely diced (**use more or less for desired level of heat**)
• 6-8 medium tortillas
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
• 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 3 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Sprinkle shrimp evenly with cumin and a generous pinch of sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper.

Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes per side, or until shrimp is pink and no longer translucent.  (Depending on the size of your shrimp, they could take more or less time to cook.)  Remove shrimp from the skillet, and heat an additional tablespoon of olive oil.  Add the onion and jalapeno, and saute for 5 minutes or until the onion is cooked and no longer translucent.  Remove skillet from heat and set aside.

Lay out three tortillas on a baking sheet (or two if need.  Sprinkle each tortilla with about 1/2 cup of Monterrey Jack cheese.  Then layer on the avocado, sun-dried tomatoes, shrimp, and the onion/jalapeno mixture as evenly as possible.  Sprinkle each quesadilla with an additional 1/2 cup of Monterrey Jack cheese, and then top each with another tortilla.  Brush (or mist) the remaining tablespoon of olive oil onto the top of the three tortillas, and then sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the Parmesan is golden and the Monterrey Jack cheese is melted.  Remove, and use a pizza cutter to slice quesadillas into sixths.  Serve immediately with salsa.

Ali’s Tip:

If you don’t like shrimp, these would also be delicious with chicken, steak, sausage or even mushrooms.

Asparagus and lemon just seem to be a match made in heaven.

So simple.  So beautiful.  And SO tasty!

This easy lemon pepper recipe is definitely one of my favorites.  You can prepare the asparagus a number of ways — roasted, boiled, steamed, or sauteed.  Then pair it with the citrusy zest and juice of a fresh lemon, lots of cracked black pepper, a little olive oil and salt, and this delicious side dish is ready to go instantly.  And the vivid greens and yellows make it all the lovelier to enjoy.

Definitely a favorite in my book.

Lemon Pepper Asparagus Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. asparagus, ends trimmed
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• pinch of sea salt
• lots of freshly-cracked black pepper

Method:

For Roasted Asparagus:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Toss or mist the asparagus with olive oil and 1 Tbsp. lemon juice until evenly coated.  Sprinkle with a pinch or two of sea salt, and then generously season with freshly-cracked black pepper.  Roast for 8-12 minutes, or until the tips begin to brown and the asparagus is tender.  Remove and garnish with lemon zest.

For Boiled Asparagus:

Fill a large stockpot 2/3 full of water, and bring to a rolling boil.  Add asparagus spears, and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until crisp-tender.  Remove and drain asparagus, then toss with olive oil and 1 Tbsp. lemon juice until evenly-coated.  Season generously with freshly-cracked black pepper, and then garnish with lemon zest.

Ali’s Tip:

This recipe is also delicious with some fresh thyme mixed in!

Ok, this is not a recipe post.  :)

But for those who are interested, or who might have wondered why your comments on the blog have gone unanswered for the past two weeks, thought I would share a brief glimpse into my past two weeks.  After a weekend trip to Washington D.C. to participate in an event with the International Justice Mission (pretty much the most amazing organization ever), I had the chance to travel with my friend Amanda to spend a week living at Energy of Hope, an orphanage that she runs in the heart of Zambia.

The two of us 28-year-olds packed up our little carry-ons, and six enormous boxes full of baby formula, clothes, toys, and all sorts of supplies, and navigated airports and flights for about 30 hours until we reached our new home sweet home.  And thus the real adventure began.

In short, the trip was overwhelmingly good, heartbreaking, encouraging, challenging, and beautiful — often all at once.

It is one thing to read statistics about the average age of a country being 16.  But it is an entirely different experience to walk through the villages and fields, and look in the eyes of child, after child, after child who has nothing to eat.  And no toys to play with, or school to attend, or safe place to rest.  And all too often, parents who are too sick and weak, or no longer living to care for them.  And stories of abuse, trafficking, slavery, and sickness were far too common.  Over the course of our time there, we had discussion after discussion about the historical, political, cultural, and economic factors that have piled together to bring about such devastating conditions.  But there are clearly no easy solutions, and even the fierce optimist in me felt the heavy waves of hopelessness that can take your breath away.

But, I believe that while “the moral arc of the universe is long, it bends towards justice.”

And brave people around the world, and in Zambia, at at amazing places like Energy of Hope are a huge part of that effort.  My friend, Amanda, is definitely one of those leading the way, with incredible strength, courage, and humility all the way.

Amanda had actually had a dream before we left about seeing two little girls on a rock that she felt like we needed to “rescue”.  That word seemed strong and a little bewildering to me at first, but we were both curious so decided to just keep our eyes open.  Sure enough, on our first day there, we happened to be out in the fields of a nearby village when we came across a path where two small girls were sitting on a large rock stoop in front of a hut, clearly malnourished and very, very weak.  After a conversation with their mother who was also very sick and struggling, she immediately gave her blessing for the girls to go live at Energy of Hope.  Before I knew it, Amanda and I were carrying the two little girls in our arms back along the miles of paths to their new home.  And then we had the honor of giving them each a warm bath, soft new clothes, and — such a powerful moment — their first meal in days.  At night, we sang them to sleep as they fell soundly asleep, safe and protected.  The best part, though, was seeing the tender care, warmth, and love with which these sweet girls were welcomed into their new family.  These sweet children really are family in the truest sense of the word.

The musician in me also had a blast – literally!!!  Oh my goodness.  Most of you know that I am a worship-leader-turned-music-teacher for a living, so am used to spending my workdays surrounded by music.  But there was literally music at Energy of Hope day and night.  We would wake up in the morning to the children and staff singing song after song as they did their morning chores and bathed all of the little ones.  And then the days would be filled with random sing-a-longs to albums cranked up on the stereo, a few fun music lessons that I was privileged to teach, tug after tug on our shirts from kids asking if they could sing (or teach!) us another song, and of course, some indescribably crazy and fun drum circles and dance parties on the porch at night.  (We taught them Florence & The Machine’s “Shake It Out” song, which of course became the chorus everyone sang a zillion times throughout the week!  Check out the video below.)

And of course, there were also plenty of good times shared in the kitchen.  We could tell endless stories of hilarity we encountered with food, and the bewildered looks the Zambians would give the Americans, and the Americans the Zambians, as we learned from one another around mealtimes. After a week of Zambian meals, Amanda and I decided to cook dinner for all 40 kiddos and the staff — an “American” meal of chicken pot pies, cinnamon baked apples, and no-bake cornflake cookies.  Everyone seemed doubtful that we could pull it off!  But thanks to some creativity (quite a few interesting ingredient substitutions), some ingenuity (there were no measuring cups or utensils in sight), a few “American” decisions (the teenage girls shot me their “looks” when I insisted they could only include boneless diced chicken), lots of patience (we didn’t realize that the oven only held one shelf, and only one burner on the stove worked!), and thanks to the help of our incredible team of young sous-chefs, the meal was a success!!!  Everyone happily came back for seconds and even thirds, and then once everyone was full, we all curled up and happily sang along to “The Little Mermaid” before bedtime.  So much fun.  :)

Anyway, there are about a hundred more stories to tell and photos to share.  (Although tragically I left my camera battery charger in Kansas, so halfway through the trip we had to switch to Instagram!)  But wanted to share with you a glimpse of these amazing new brothers and sisters I met halfway around the world, who also send you their greetings and love.  If any of you want to hear more about Energy of Hope, feel free to email me or check out their website or Facebook page, where you can also give if you would like to support their continued amazing work there with orphans and vulnerable children.

Sweet little Ruth's first meal after arriving.

Our first time jamming out together!

So many of these kids are miracles. We celebrated the 3-month birthday of this sweet baby, who was rescued when his cries were heard after he had been thrown in a pit latrine after birth. He miraculously floated until a crew from Energy of Hope was able to break into the latrine and save him.

Ok, since this is a food blog, a few foodie pictures. Fish heads, shima, and tomato soup for lunch, anyone? ;)

Everyone loves sugar cane!!!

***Photos were released with permission from Energy of Hope.  Please respectfully do not copy.***

I am obsessed with this salad.  It’s basically the joy of BLTs, with the L turned into an A (baby arugula!).  Plus some blue cheese, red onions, and buttermilk dressing.

Ok, so maybe it’s not exactly like BLTs.

But I promise you’ll love it!

It’s definitely a great base for a salad that can be served easily on its own.  Or it also pairs perfectly with grilled salmon, shrimp, chicken, or whatever sounds good to you.  And the buttermilk dressing can be also made “lighter” with Greek yogurt if you’d like.

See?  I promised you would love it!  :)

Arugula Salad with Bacon, Tomatoes & Buttermilk Dressing Recipe

Ingredients:

Salad Ingredients:

• fresh baby arugula
• crumbled cooked bacon
• cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• red onions, sliced thinly
• blue cheese, sliced or crumbled
• buttermilk dressing (see below)

Buttermilk Dressing Ingredients

• 1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• 2 Tbsp. plain Greek yogurt or mayonaisse
• 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, smashed or minced
• 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper

Method:

To Make Salad:

Toss ingredients together with dressing until combined.

To Make Buttermilk Dressing:

Whisk together all ingredients until well-blended.

Ali’s Tip:

The buttermilk dressing would also be great with some chopped fresh chives and/or oregano thrown in!