Holy moly, it's hot!  We went from long sleeves last week to sunburns this week. Lily doesn't mind the heat because while I'm spraying the plants, I spray water into the sky above her as well.  She squeals and runs back and forth trying to figure out if she loves or hates the cold water falling on her, generally deciding to love it.  And, even though it is probably unsafe, she loves to drink from the hose.  It's new, so there can't be too many bad things in there, right?

The problem is that we still have to eat dinner when it's hot out.  Last night I had the stove on and I just about melted right into the floor.  So, now seems like the perfect time to start focusing on salads.  They are fast to pull together, use up fresh produce, and don't require any heat.  I love Caesar, but since anchovies aren't a part of the diet, I had to make my own.  There are a ton of oil-based caesars out there without anchovies (Trader Joe's has a delicious option), but not many creamy.  Luckily, my mother-and-sisters-in-law went to Ithaca last year and brought me back the Moosewood Restaurant Cookbook.  It is chock full of great ideas, this dressing being one of them.  The texture is a little grainier than I expected, but the flavor was full and rich.  I loved it.  It's definitely one for you to try this summer!

Vegetarian Creamy Caesar Dressing

2 hard boiled eggs 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 garlic clove, pressed or minced ground black pepper to taste

Peel and chop the hard boiled eggs.  Put all of the ingredients into a blender and pulse until smooth.  Cover and refrigerate for at least half an hour and up to 5 days before serving on salad or vegetables.

Source: Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home: Fast and Easy Recipes for Any Day