stephie's lemon tarragon vinaigrette.

Stephie's delicious lemon tarragon vinaigrette with wonderful fresh flavors- fresh lemon zest and lemon juice and fresh chopped tarragon.

1/4 c. olive oil

1/2 t. lemon zest

3 T lemon juice

1- 2 cloves garlic, minced

1 T dijon mustard

1 - 2 T fresh tarragon, washed and finely chopped

salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients in a salad dressing shaker. Shake well. Enjoy over salad greens.

xx.

val

spinach salad with sweet vinaigrette dressing.

1 lb spinach, washed

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

3 eggs, hard boiled and chopped

1 recipe for sweet vinaigrette dressing

Wash 1 lb of fresh spinach.  Cook 4 slices of bacon.  Crumble bacon once cool.  Hard boil three eggs.  Chop into bite sized pieces or slices.  Toss spinach, crumbled bacon and chopped egg together.  Dress the salad with sweet vinaigrette dressing right before serving so that the spinach doesn't wilt.  Salt and pepper if desired.  

Stephie's stove top bacon cooking tips: (Since I always burn bacon, Stephie is earning her keep by cooking it for me.  Here are her suggestions for great stove top bacon.)

1. Don't overcrowd the pan.

2. Cook on med- low heat.  

3. Flip the bacon only once.

4. If cooking a large quantity of bacon, drain grease as needed.  Bacon won't get crispy if you cook it in too much grease.

How to hard boil eggs: Place eggs in a saucepan in a single layer.  Pour cold water over the eggs - just enough water to barely cover them.  Place on high heat until water is boiling.  Once water is boiling, remove from heat and cover.  Let eggs stand in hot water for 15 minutes.  Drain hot water from eggs.  Cool eggs by running cold water over them.  Once eggs are cool, remove the shells from eggs. 

Sweet Vinaigrette Dressing:

1/4 c. canola oil

1/4 c. white vinegar

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 t. worcestershire sauce

1/2 t. salt

Place all dressing ingredients in a bowl.  Whisk to combine.  

xx.

val

caesar salad with homemade croutons.

Serves 4 large salads or 8 side salads.

8 c. Romaine lettuce, washed and chopped

1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, shaved or grated

1 c. homemade croutons*

1/2 c. sun dried tomatoes, optional

anchovy fillets, optional

1/2 Recipe for Caesar Dressing

fresh ground black pepper

Wash and chop Romaine lettuce to the size of your liking.  Shave Parmesan cheese with a peeler or grate with a box grater.  A magic bullet can turn a small piece from a block of Parmesan into fine crumbs in ten seconds.  Chop sun dried tomatoes and/or anchovy fillets.  

*To make homemade croutons, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut the crust off of bread of your choice.  French bread works well, but I have also made them with regular sandwich bread and they are still yummy.  Cut bread into small cubes.  For these recipe you will need one cup of cubed bread.  In a baggie (Ziploc), combine 1/4 c. olive oil, 1 t. oregano, 1/2 t. rosemary, 1/2 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper.  Place the one cup cubed bread in the baggie with the oil and spice mixture.  Shake bag to cover all pieces of bread with olive oil and spices.  Pour out onto cookie sheet.  Bake croutons for 8 to 10 minutes.  

Assemble salads- lettuce, cheese, croutons, sun dried tomatoes and anchovy fillets.  Sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper.  Drizzle with caesar dressing.

xx.

val

caesar dressing.

1 c. mayo

1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

3 to 6 T milk

1 clove garlic, minced (more or less based on your taste)

1 T Dijon mustard

1 T vinegar

1 T lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together ingredients, except for milk. When ingredients are blended, add 3 T milk. If you want it more thinned out, then continue to add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

xx.

val

blue cheese dressing.

4 oz blue cheese, crumbled

1/2 c. sour cream

1/2 c. mayo

1/2 clove garlic, minced

1/2 t. pepper

1/2 t. apple cider vinegar

1/8 t. Worcestershire

half and half

Chunky blue cheese: Stir together all ingredients. Add half and half to thin out, if desired.

Smooth blue cheese: Put all ingredients into the food processor or magic bullet. Blend until smooth. Add half and half to thin out, if desired.

xx.

val

asian slaw.

1/2 head red cabbage, chopped in 2" strips

1/2 c. carrots, shredded

1/4 c. craisins

1/4 c. candied walnuts or almonds*

2 scallions, chopped

2 T fresh mint, chopped

2 T fresh cilantro, chopped

Chop or shred ingredients as indicated.  Combine all ingredients in a bowl or serving platter. Toss with dressing to coat.  Store in refrigerator.

*To make the walnuts (or almonds), preheat your oven to 350. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray or lay down a piece of parchment paper. Spread one layer of nuts out evenly over the cookie sheet. Don't overcrowd the nuts or stack the nuts. Bake for 5 minutes in the oven. While nuts are baking, on the stove top mix together 1/8 c. honey and 1/8 c. brown sugar over med heat. When sugar is dissolved in the honey, add the baked nuts to the honey sugar mixture. Stir to coat. Turn the nuts out onto parchment paper to cool.

Dressing:

1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil

2 T red wine vinegar

2 T apple cider vinegar

2 T Dijon mustard

2 T honey

1 lime, juiced

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

In a blender, combine all ingredients except olive oil. With the blender on low, slowly add extra virgin olive oil. Blend until fully combined.

xx.

val

raspberry vinaigrette dressing over strawberry and feta salad with candied walnuts.

Serves 2 big salads or 4 side salads.  

4 c. salad greens, washed and chopped (Suggested: Romaine, baby spinach, or arugula)

1/2 c. fresh strawberries, washed and diced

1/2 c. feta

1/2 c. candied walnuts or pecans*

2 pieces of chicken, optional

3 T olive oil

1 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

 

In a bowl, combine washed lettuce, strawberries, feta and cooled candied walnuts.  Drizzle with raspberry vinaigrette dressing and toss to combine.  Divide onto plates.  Top with chicken, if desired.

Salt and pepper two pieces of defrosted or fresh chicken.  Cook in olive oil on the stove top over med high heat.  Chicken will be done when internal temperature reaches 170 degrees and juices run clear.  Let rest for 5 minutes.  Slice. 

*To make the walnuts (or pecans), preheat your oven to 350.  Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray or lay down a piece of parchment paper.  Spread one layer of nuts out evenly over the cookie sheet.  Don't overcrowd the nuts or stack the nuts.  Bake for 5 minutes in the oven.  While nuts are baking, on the stove top mix together 1/8 c. honey and 1/8 c. brown sugar over med heat.  When sugar is dissolved in the honey, add the baked nuts to the honey sugar mixture.  Stir to coat.  Turn the nuts out onto parchment paper to cool.   

Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

1 c. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 c. fresh raspberries, washed

2 t. red wine vinegar

2 t. balsamic vinegar

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

Place all ingredients except the olive oil in the food processor or blender.  Combine until smooth.  Add olive oil in a slow, steady stream while food processor or blender is still on.

xx.

val

southwest caesar salad.

Paradise Bakery (like a Panera for you east coast girls) makes this yummy southwest chicken caesar salad.  I was craving it today so I made my own version of it.  Serves 2. 

3- 4 c. romaine lettuce, washed and chopped

1/2 recipe for southwest chicken

1/2 c. cheddar, cotija or monterey jack

1/2 c. tomato, diced

1/2 c. tortilla strips*

To assemble your salads each salad gets: 1 1/2 to 2 cups lettuce, 1 piece of chicken- sliced on the diagonal, 1/4 c. cheese of your choice, tomato and tortilla strips.  Drizzle with southwest caesar dressing.  

*I took the easy way out and used tortilla chip crumbles.  To make tortilla strips, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Brush olive oil over a whole wheat tortilla.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cut into strips- 1/4 inch by 2 inches.  Bake for 10 minutes.  

southwest caesar dressing:

1/3 c. caesar dressing

1 t. paprika

1/2 t. cumin

1/2 t. chili powder

Stir together to combine.  The paprika gives the dressing a lovely orange color.  

xx.

val

coleslaw.

Makes 6 cups slaw. Enough to feed a crowd!

1 head white cabbage

1/4 head red cabbage

2 carrots

1/2 red onion

Dressing:

1 c. mayo

1/2 c. olive oil

1/2 c. white vinegar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 t. salt

1 t. pepper

1 t. celery salt

1 T fresh lemon juice

Cut cabbages into chunks. Peel carrots and onion. In a food processor, shred cabbages, carrots and onion. Whisk to combine dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over shredded veggies. Toss to combine.

xx.

val

sexi mexi salad.

I love Chili's Quesadilla Explosion Salad.  So here is my version with some additions!  Serves 4.

For the Salad:

4 - 8 c. salad greens of your choice, washed (I used 2 cups romaine for a large salad pictured above).

1 recipe for Southwest chicken, sliced

1 can mexi corn, drained

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 red onion, diced

2 tomatoes, diced

2 avocados, diced and sprinkled with salt and pepper

Tortilla strips (Chips crumbs work well or you can make your own tortilla strips*)

1 c. cheddar or monterey jack cheese, or combo of both

1/2 c. fresh cilantro, chopped

Sour cream, for garnish, optional

In a saucepan, add can drained and rinsed black beans and can of mexi corn over med low heat.  Keep on heat until black beans and corn are just warmed.  If you prefer cold black beans and corn, then skip this step.  

To build each salad, place down a layer of washed salad greens- 1 cup to 2 cups depending on your appetites.  Add warmed black beans and mexi corn.  Top with diced red onion, tomato and avocado.  Add tortilla strips (or chip crumbs) and cheese.  Cook southwest chicken according to directions, slice or dice and add to salad.  Top with fresh chopped cilantro. Garnish with a dab of sour cream, optional.

*I took the easy way out and used tortilla chip crumbles.  To make tortilla strips, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Brush olive oil over a whole wheat tortilla.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cut into strips- 1/4 inch by 2 inches.  Bake for 10 minutes.  

For the Quesadillas:

4 whole wheat tortillas

2 c. cheddar or monterey jack cheese, or combo of both

olive oil

Brush olive oil on each side of the tortillas.  In a skillet on med heat, lightly brown each side of the tortillas. Add cheese to one tortilla, top with another tortilla. Flip after one minute. When cheese is melted, cut quesadillas into 8 pieces.

For the Dressings:

I used two different types of dressing on this salad- a Salsa Ranch dressing on the greens and a Cilantro Lime Ranch dressing over the quesadillas.

For the Salsa Ranch dressing, mix together 1/2 c. salsa and 1/2 c. ranch. Drizzle over your salads.

For the Cilantro Lime Ranch dressing, mix together 1/4 c. ranch, 1 T olive oil, 2 t. fresh lime juice and 1 t. fresh chopped cilantro . Drizzle on the quesadillas.

xx.

val

martini salad.

I made these fun, fabulous salads for Corri's bridal shower.  Classy and tasty!  This recipe serves 4.

4 martini glasses

4 c. of salad greens of your choice (Suggested: green leaf lettuce, bibb lettuce, arugula or baby spinach)

2 pears or apples, sliced, reserve 4 slices for garnish

1/2 c. parmesan, use a block of parmesan and grate in thin strips

1/2 c. toasted pine nuts or walnuts*

Dressing-

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1 t. balsamic vinegar

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

Blend oil and vinegar together throughly. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In a bowl, combine lettuce, pear or apple slices, cheese and nuts.  Drizzle with dressing.  Toss to combine.  Divide evenly into martini glasses.  Garnish each martini glass with a pear slice.

* To toast the nuts, put a thin layer of nuts in a skillet over med heat.  Don't overcrowd them though and watch them closely.  The nuts are done when they have turned a few shades deeper than their original color.

xx.

val