Summer Menu Part III: Steakhouse Peppercorn Salad

A Salad Craving & An Important Message

You know that divine feeling when you go to a restaurant and you get a salad before your entree and they have a house ranch dressing, which is the perfect mix of creamy and tangy—then you blast it with fresh ground pepper and you wonder why every dining experience can’t feel like this?

Well, that's what I was going for last week when I craved a steakhouse salad, but Kyle Henry refuses a dinner with no protein, so I just threw the steak on the salad and called it a night.

I made my homemade blue cheese dressing, home made croutons, extra onions and it pleased everyone except our child who prefers food that comes from a factory and not the earth. Patience is a virtue. This salad is a choose your own adventure. Lettuce, croutons, red onions, steak, and cherry tomatoes. Add or remove at your own pleasure.

Before I walk you through the steps of my dressing and croutons, I wanted to talk to you for a second.

It was just over a year ago when I hit the weirdest algorithm ever. I posted a short reel about us eating at home for a year, and a lot of people showed up to watch. During that time I have to admit, I wasn’t excited. I was scared.

It was stressful to have so many new eyes on me—and then on top of that was the opinions and pressure of what I would do with “my new platform.” In the video that went viral, I was wearing my grandmother’s blue and white geese apron from the eighties. Friends and family told me to bring back the pattern, sell it all on Etsy, and try to cash in. People asked if I would bring back my podcast, relaunch my book, or get an Amazon storefront. And truth be told, all I wanted to do was write to you.

This newsletter is by far the most rewarding thing to come out of my platform.

It was brought to my attention a few weeks ago that I’m not good at writing out or walking you through these recipes. I know that to be very true, because I’ve never cooked with them. I don’t measure, I don’t weigh, I don’t follow instructions very well—in the kitchen or in life. I think of my recipe newsletters as idea post and not a step-by-step recipe. I share with you what I’m feeding my family and hope that you want to feed it to yours too. And I leave you plenty of wiggle room to add or take away whatever you like.

What I’m trying to say is this—thank you so much for being here in this very normal space with me—whether it be for the stories or the recipes. We are bombarded everyday with information, ideas, links, and promotions, and I’m incredibly grateful you’re here with me. I’ve never aimed for perfection because I find it offensive and boring. At Henry House Collective you can expect virtual warm hugs, typos, optional garlic, raw honesty, and grace extended with grace received. You’re loved.

Now, back to business.

Homemade croutons are actually much easier than I thought. Sourdough, I’m sure, would be the best—but Dave’s Bread works great too.

I chop about 4-6 bread slices into cubes, cover with olive oil and salt. And bake at 450 for about 10 minutes.

I realized not a ton of people like Blue Cheese Dressing, but if you’re one of those people, here is how I make mine.

1 4oz container of Blue Cheese crumbles

1/2 cup of sour cream

1/2 cup of greek yogurt

1 lemon

Salt

Olive Oil

splash of water

Put all contents in a blender to mix well, or if you have more time—simmer all contents over low heat with a smidge of butter. That is the basis for how I make my blue cheese steak sauce and it makes a fine dressing too!

If you skip the low heat simmer, eye the mixture for desired consistency and add water as needed.

Until next time,

BH