Strawberry Balsamic Salad with Basil and Feta

I made this recipe months ago. In all honesty, I think it was before summer actually hit. Trust me when I say that we haven't completely stopped cooking, although lately we have not been adventurous by any means. Unfortunately, life gets in the way of the things that we all enjoy and for me those things are reading, cooking, and blogging (to name a few). Now that my last PhD exam is over with, hopefully I can start getting back into my life's routine.

I found this recipe on Two Peas and Their Pod, one of my two favorite food blogs. I will admit that I was a little skeptical at first. It just seems like a very odd combination to me. However, I pushed my mind open a little bit and decided to try it since Maria (and Josh) has yet to steer me wrong! I love everything that I have tried from her (their) blog.

This recipe was definitely interesting, but was also amazing at the same time. I love all of the individual ingredients alone, but together they made a wonderful, light, and healthy summer salad. The flavors come together well and I could easily eat this for breakfast, lunch, or supper. I did not change Maria's recipe at all. You can see her original post here. Enjoy!

On another note: Am I the only one that is addicted to all of the amazing dishes that would be great for food photography. I feel like every time I go to Kroger or Walmart I see one that I want to buy just one of in every color!


Strawberry Balsamic Salad with Basil and Feta

Ingredients:

2 cups sliced strawberries
2-3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
5 basil leaves, chopped
1/4 cup feta cheese

*Place sliced strawberries in a medium bowl. Drizzle strawberries with balsamic vinegar and stir until well coated.

2. Sprinkle fresh basil and feta over the strawberries and stir.

3. Serve cold.

My Grandma's Strawberry-Rhubarb Cake

Don't get me wrong, there are TONS are dessert recipes that I love and adore. However, I am not kidding in the slightest when I say that this is my FAVORITE dessert EVER. Honestly, if I could only eat one dessert for the rest of my life, this would be it. Hands down, the best. Today is just a Grammy recipe day, since my late lunch/early supper is also one of her recipes.

I have been eating this Strawberry-Rhubarb cake as far back in my life as I remember. My grandmother has made it over and over again. Since I moved away to college (granted only a little over an hour away), every time I come home to visit she asks me what I want for lunch and so on. This is even more so true now that I am away at grad school in Ohio. It never fails that I either always ask for this cake or she just makes it on her own without me asking because she knows that it is my favorite. The only dessert that I usually ever ask for besides this is caramel cake with caramel frosting, but that is only for my birthday. :)

This cake is tried and true and I honestly have never ever met anyone who did not like it. My friend and fellow blogger Tessa and I made it a few years back in Omaha (when I still lived in the state). She and her hubby Derek both really enjoyed it. Then there is the boyfriend and picky chef Adam. My grandma made this for me when we went home over spring break this year. Adam tried one bite and fell in love with the cake, maybe more with the cake than with me. Kidding :)

**I will be honest and tell you that this is NOT healthy at all, but it is soooo good**

Now for your promise to me...You must promise me that you will only make this cake if you try it my way (and my grandmother's) first. Yes, you could eat it plain. Yes, you could put whipped cream on it. No, you will not do this right away because...do us both a favor and try it this way first: *Microwave a piece so it's slightly warm and put a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream with it.*

The combo of cold and warm is perfect here. I hope that you love this as much as my grandmother, Adam, and I do. :)


Ingredients:
-5 cups chopped rhubarb
-1 dry yellow cake mix
-1 cup sugar
-1 stick butter or oleo
-1 packet (3oz) dry strawberry jello mix
-1 1/2 cups water

Strawberry-Rhubarb Cake

*Spread chopped rhubarb in the bottom of 9x12 pan.
*Sprinkle on dry jello mix, followed by sugar,
*Sprinkle on dry cake mix evenly
*Melt butter in with water in microwave until mixed thoroughly
*Poor butter/water mixture over top of rhubarb/dry mixture
*Bake for 45 minutes at 350

Remember your promise to try it our way first ;)