Berry Salad w/ Blueberry Vinaigrette

Salad

1. 2 Chicken Breasts
2. 3 Cups Spinach
3. 2/3 Cup of each berries- blueberry, strawberry, rasberry or any other available berries
4. 1 avocado diced
5. ½ -1 shallot sliced julienne
6. ¼ cup slivered almonds or crushed walnuts
7. Salt and Pepper

For Dressing

1. 1/3 C Blueberries
2. ¼ cup olive oil
3. 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
4. 3 TBS lime juice
5. Salt and pepper to taste

Apple, Pecan, and Blue Cheese Salad

Salad:
Spinach or spring greens mix
Apples sliced very thinly
Candied Pecans (recipe below)
Blue Cheese crumbles
Maple Dijon dressing (recipe below)

Candied Pecans:
1 cup sugar
1/2 c water
Cinnamon to taste
Dash of cayenne pepper
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 cups pecan halves

Put sugar, water, cinnamon, and cayenne in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Once dissolved, stick in a candy thermometer and let boil on medium heat with NO STIRRING until thermometer reads soft ball stage, or 136 degrees F. Immediately remove from heat and stir in 1 tsp vanilla. Then stir in pecan halves and toss to coat.

Spread out on a well-greased baking sheet and bake at 250 for 30 minutes, stirring every 10. Let cool. Break chunks apart with hands.

Maple Dijon dressing:
1/4 c olive oil
1 heaping Tbsp Dijon
1 tbsp real maple syrup
1 tsp apple cider vinegar (or more to taste)
salt and pepper

Put in a jar and shake vigorously to combine.

Tabouleh with Feta

2 pounds bulgur wheat
1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice, plus additional to taste
6 cups hot water
3 medium cucumbers, seeded and chopped very small
8 ripe medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped very small
1 medium red onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 bunches parsley, finely chopped
5 T fresh mint
2 cups (8 oz) crumbled feta
1 1/2 cups (or as needed) olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1.  Place the bulgur in a large mixing bowl and pour over 1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice and the hot water. Let stand until the bulgur is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid.

2. Add the cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, garlic, parsley, mint, and feta to the bulgur and toss to combine. Dress with enough of the olive oil and additional lemon juice to make the salad moist but not runny. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Refrigerate the salad for several hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve cold or at room temperature accompanied with pita bread.

Makes 14-16 servings.

Notes: Mom made this and I think used garlic powder instead of fresh, cherry tomatoes instead of regular, and only used 2 bunches of parsley.

Emma's Tried and True Spinach Salad

Dressing

1/3 C olive oil
1/4 C red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
3-4 Tbsp sugar or honey
1 Tbsp chopped fresh onion (sometimes I'll use a tsp of dry minced onion, or onion powder, or no onion in the dressing at all if I'm going to put red onion in the salad...)
1 Tbsp poppyseeds
1 Tbsp dry mustard

I put all the ingredients in a mason jar and shake to combine. This usually makes more dressing than I need, but it depends on how many people you're serving and how heavily dressed you like your salad.

Greens

I mix baby spinach with a spring lettuce mix, but any combination of lettuces you want would do.

Toppings

I always put in the following:
toasted slivered almonds
shredded Swiss cheese
cottage cheese
a cubed, unpeeled fuji apple or two

I'll put in any or all of the following if they're in season/I have them on hand/I'm in the mood:
grapes, halved
sliced strawberries
raspberries
blackberries
pomegranate arils
chopped red onion
cooked, crumbled bacon

Wheat Berry Salad with Red Fruit

Here's the wheat berry salad recipe I made last night.  I changed a few things: I added strawberries; I used red wine vinegar in place of raspberry vinegar; and while I tripled the recipe, I only doubled the oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Wheat Berry Salad with Red Fruit
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/wheat_berry_salad_with_red_fruit.html

From EatingWell: March/April 2007

For this sweet and tart salad, wheat berries are blended with cranberries, apples and pecans and tossed in a raspberry vinaigrette—a winning combination. Serve over a bed of peppery arugula for lunch or a light supper.

6 servings, about 1 cup each | Active Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

Wheat Berries
2 cups hard red winter-wheat berries (see Tips)
7 cups cold water
1 teaspoon salt

Salad
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 large Fuji apple, unpeeled, diced
1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted (see Tips) and coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation

To prepare wheat berries: Sort through wheat berries carefully, discarding any stones. Rinse well under cool running water. Place in a large heavy saucepan. Add water and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Drain and rinse. Let cool to room temperature. (Makes about 4 1/2 cups.)

To prepare salad: Combine orange juice and cranberries in a small bowl. Let stand for 15 minutes.
Combine 3 cups of the cooked wheat berries, apple and pecans in a large bowl; stir gently. Drain the cranberries, reserving the juice. Stir the cranberries into the wheat berry mixture. (Refrigerate the extra cooked wheat berries for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month.)

Whisk the reserved orange juice, vinegar and oil in a small bowl until combined. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Pour over the salad and stir gently to coat. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Nutrition

Per serving : 316 Calories; 14 g Fat; 2 g Sat; 9 g Mono; 0 mg Cholesterol; 42 g Carbohydrates; 7 g Protein; 6 g Fiber; 365 mg Sodium; 100 mg Potassium

2 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 Starch, 1 Fruit, 2 1/2 Fat

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the cooked wheat berries for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month; refrigerate the prepared salad for up to 1 day.

Tips: Wheat berries are whole, unprocessed grains of wheat. Varieties (hard, soft, spring or winter) can be used interchangeably. Labeling is inconsistent—you may find them labeled “hard red winter wheat” without the words “wheat berries.” Find them in natural-foods markets and online at kingarthurflour.com.

To toast pecan halves, spread nuts on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F, stirring once, until fragrant, 7 to 9 minutes.

Greek Couscous Salad from Our Best Bites

2 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 1/2 cups whole wheat couscous
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 medium cucumber, seeded and diced
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup evoo
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

1.  Place broth, oregano, and basil in a small pot on the stove top.  Bring to a boil.  Add the couscous, cover the pot, and remove from heat.  Let sit for at least 5 minutes and then fluff with a fork.  Cool.

2.  Combine cooled couscous, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives, feta, and parsley.  Set aside.

3.  In a small jar, combine vinaigrette ingredients and shake until combined.  Pour over salad, stir, and then refrigerate 2 hours before serving.  Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

4.  If desisred, garnish with fresh parsley, extra feta cheese, and lemon slices for squeezing on top.

NOTES:

The recipe called for plain couscous; I used whole wheat.  I didn't have any fresh parsley, so I put in about 1 1/2 T dried into the boiling liquid.  I didn't have any feta, so I used a smaller amount of blue cheese (I liked it a lot, but I'm sure the feta is good, too).  I was in a hurry, so I used 1/2 tsp granulated garlic and thought the dressing turned out just fine.  But generally fresh is best.  I didn't add any more salt and pepper before serving.

Sweet Spinach Salad

Spinach
Granny Smith apple - sliced thinly
Craisins - handful
Almonds (sliced or slivered) - toasted
Bacon - chopped
Cheese (swiss or whatever sounds good) - grated or chopped
Red onion - 1/2 medium, sliced into thin half-moons
Poppy Seed Dressing

Poppy Seed Dressing:
1/3 c white sugar
1/2 c distilled white vinegar
1 tsp dry ground mustard
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
1/2 c canola oil

Mix sugar, vinegar, mustard, salt, and poppy seeds in a blender. (I use a mason jar and immersion blender.) With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the oil to emulsify.

Note: The actual dressing recipe calls for 1 tsp grated onion. I left it out because I had onions in the salad. But if you don't want chunks of onion in the salad, I recommend you put it in the dressing for a little kick.

Reds and Greens Salad

4 cups romaine lettuce pieces (I used more)
4 cups spring mix (I used less)
1 cup red seedless grapes, halved
2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pistachio nuts

Mix all and lightly dress with:

Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/2 cup olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 t Dijon mustard

My notes:

This recipe is from The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner (bought at Costco awhile back). It says it serves 4 to 6, but that all depends, of course. I like to make a goodly amount, but the family is not eating as large servings as the bag or recipe says. Generally.

The recipe calls for pistachios, but I used toasted slivered almonds. I got the pistachios, but it was a pain trying to remove the paper skins from each nut. I would hold a nut in my fingers and try to twist it and see if the paper would loosen for removal. It sometimes did, sometimes didn't. I didn't know if they would be good or if the paper would get yucky, so I sent the almonds instead. However, in the leftovers I kept for myself I added the pistachios, and they were terrific. So if you've got the time and the patience, they would be good. But I'm sure the almonds were fine, too.

I don't like running out of salad dressing and having to make more, so I doubled the recipe. Don't know if there were many leftovers or not.

I wasn't sure I wanted a strong olive oil taste, so I put in half olive oil and half corn oil. It seemed a little tart to me, so I added a spoonful of sugar and then I liked it better.

I REALLY liked this.

Smoked Turkey Salad from The Silver Palate Cookbook

This we also served at Matt and Jess's open house. Takes a bit of time to chop the cheese (of course, we made a huge amount).

Again, quoting right from the book:

This meat-cheese-and-fruit salad, with its nutty, sherry-flavored drssing, is a complete meal. Arrange individual servings on lettuce-lined plates, accompanied by black or whole-wheat bread and a glass of white wine or beer.

1 1/2 pounds smoked turkey (or cooked, lightly smoked ham or chicken), skinned
and cut into 2-inch julienne
3/4 pound Jarlsberg cheese, cut into similar julienne
2 cups seedless green or red grapes, washed and patted dry (and if they are
really bit, I would cut them in half)
1 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 cups Sherry Mayonnaise (recipe follows)
salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons water-packed green peppercorns, drained (I don't think
I was able to find these. At least it doesn't ring a bell. I wonder
how capers would taste here?)

Combine the turkey, Jarlsberg cheese, grapes, and celery in a mixing bowl.

Add the Sherry Mayonnaise and toss gently but well. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss again. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.

Arrange the salad in serving portions and sprinkle with the green peppercorns to taste.

6 portions


Sherry Mayonnaise
This richly flavored mayonnaise complements combinations like the Smoked Turkey Salad, but it is also delicious on such simple fare as a chicken sandwich on white bread. We have also served it as a dip for crudites with great success.

1 whole egg
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon prepared Dijon-style mustard
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
2 cups corn oil

Combine the whole egg, egg yolks, mustard, and vinegar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Process for 1 minute.

With the motor still running, dribble in the oil in a slow steady stream.

When oil is completely incorporated, shut off machine, scrape down sides of bowl, taste mayonnaise and correct seasoning. Transfer to storage container, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.

2 1/2 cups

Note: When I first made this, locating sherry vinegar required a trip to a specialty store. If you use another kind of vinegar, it might be good, but it will not be the same as you remember.

White Bean and Ham Salad from Matt & Jess's open house

This recipe is from The Silver Palate Cookbook and I will write it as it is written there:

Serve this charcuterie salad with tart cornishons and whole wheat or black bread. A wonderful autumn or winter lunch, perfect on a picnic. A good dark beer would be especially appropriate here. (Well, maybe you don't need that piece of information, but maybe we get outside viewers to our blog who would like to know that.)

1 pound Great Northern or other dried white beans
salt, to taste
1 to 2 cups Garlic-Mustard dressing
1 medium purple onion, peeled and sliced paper-thin
1 cup chopped Italian parsley
1 pound cooked ham, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
salt and freshly-ground blac pepper, to taste
1 cup best-quality imported black olives (Kalamata or Alfonso) (garnish)

Rinse and sort through the beans, discarding any pebbles, and soak them overnight in water that covers them by at least 3 inches.

Drain beans and transfer them to a kettle. Add cold water to cover the beans by at least 1 inch. Set over moderate heat. Bring to boil, skimming off any scum that may form, and cook beans until tender, about 40 minutes, salting to taste after 30 minutes. Cooking times will vary. It is important not to overcook the beans.

Drain beans, transfer them immediately to a mixing bowl, and pour 1 cup of the garlic-mustard dressing over the still-hot beans.

Add the onion, parsley and ham, season to taste with salt and pepper, and toss again. Cover and refrigerate.

To serve, allow salad to return to room temperature. Toss again, correct seasoning (add more dressing if you like), and garnish with the black olives.

6 to 8 portions


Garlic-Mustard Dressing

1 egg
1/3 cup prepared Dijon mustard
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
6 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 cups best-quality imported olive oil

Combine the egg, mustard and vinegar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Season to tastse with the salt and pepper and process for 1 minute.

With the motor still running, drop the garlic cloves tshrough the feed tube. Then begin dribbling in the olive oil in a slow steady stream. (But if you have a Cuisinart, you can just fill up the plunger that lives in the top of the lid -- it has a tiny hole and will let the oil drizzle in at an appropriate speed. I LOVE this feature.)

When all the oil is incorporated, shut off motor, taste, and correct seasoning (the dressing should be very garlicky).

Transfer to storage container and refrigerate until ready to use.

3 cups


Notes: It took me considerably longer than 40 minutes to get the beans tender. Old beans take longer that fresher beans, and I'm sure they cook quicker at low altitude levels than they do here in the mountains. I would look around the web for ideas about how to get your beans cooked just right. You don't want them to be mushy, but you DEFINITELY don't want them to be not soft. If you try to make them al dente, let me assure you you will regret it and probably during the night.

You may be able to find cornishons in a well-stocked grocery store. They are perfect with this, but in a pinch I'd go with a good dill pickle.

I can't remember what kinds of olives I used. You should be able to find Kalamata in a good grocery store. It's worth your while to develop a taste for imported olives. When Emma was two (she of the "May I have some more quiche and tabouleh, please?" fame) and I don't know how long before or after, I used to get some prepared yummies at a now-defunct place called The Upper Place on Foothill. Was it in the tabouleh that I first had my first really good olive? I wanted to spit it out, it was so foreign to our bland American Black Pearls or whatever. But I kept trying them and eventually learned that they are really yummy. But there is a learning curve here. There are brined olives and others that I think are kept in salt for a long time. The latter are the really pungent ones.

We really need to work on overcoming our food biases. We went to a Mediterranean restaurant with Joyce and Merrill a couple of months ago, and I assured everyone they would love the baba ganoush. But Merrill (and I didn't know he was so provincial) said that what was "smoky" to me was "burnt-tasting" to him. Imagine! How could ANYbody not love my precious baba?

I probably used the whole second cup of dressing.

Southwestern Taco Salad

I found this recipe online and tweaked it to suit myself and turn it into a taco salad. Here's the original recipe. Below, I'll tell you the changes I made.

Salad:

• Romaine lettuce
• Handful of grape tomatoes
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 2 small baby bell peppers – red, yellow or orange, diced
• 1/2 cup black beans
• 1/2 cup sweet frozen corn, thawed
• 1 tbsp raw or toasted pumpkin seeds
• 1 avocado, diced
• 2 tbsp cotija cheese
• 1 handful of tortilla strips for salads
• Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette (recipe below) to taste

In a large salad bowl add chopped lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, avocado, bell peppers, black beans, corn, tortilla strips, pumpkin seeds and cotija cheese. Top the salad with the vinaigrette to taste and serve. Enjoy!

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette:

• 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1-2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar OR red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp oregano

Use am immersion blender or a regular blender to blend the dressing. Let the flavors mingle for at least 30 minutes before using.

I omit the pumpkin seeds and the cotija (substituting jack or cheddar or something). This makes a great salad that can stand alone but I like to turn it into a taco salad for a complete meal. Chips on the bottom of your plate, then taco meat (or my black bean/quinoa taco filling, recipe below) and this salad on top.

Vegetarian Taco Filling

1 med onion
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 can black beans, drained

1 can diced tomatoes

1 1/2 tsp cumin
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic salt
dash pepper

Dice onion and saute in oil in saucepan. Add cup quinoa and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover, simmer 15 minutes. Add beans and tomatoes. Stir. Add spices. Add water if too thick.

Spring Panzanella

This was heaven.  My pregnant taste buds may not be the most reliable right now, but I'm pretty sure everyone else will find this as delicious as I did.  I may have found myself a new signature salad.  Bonus: it is satisfying enough to serve as a main dish.

Credit: fresh365online.com
(http://www.fresh365online.com/recipes/2009/4/6/spring-panzanella.html)

Spring Panzanella
serves 4

1/2 loaf day-old French bread, cut into 1" cubes*
4 T olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 small bunch asparagus, tough ends trimmed
1 medium leek, sliced thin
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1 15.5-oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed**
1 c wild arugula (or other spring greens)
1 T fresh mint leaves, chopped
2-3 T fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 c olive oil
1/4 c white wine vinegar

Arrange bread cubes on a baking sheet in a single layer.  Drizzle with 4 T olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.***  Broil 2 minutes, turn, and broil an additional minute, until golden brown.  Let cool.

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil and add asparagus.  Boil one minute, drain and run under cold water to stop cooking.  Chop into 1" pieces and transfer to a large serving bowl.  Add bread cubes, leek, red onion, beans, arugula, mint, basil and garlic.  Toss with olive oil and white wine vinegar.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.****

---

*I used the Rosemary Garlic loaf from Costco.
**I used Garbanzo beans.
***I tossed the bread cubes with not only olive oil and salt and pepper, but Parmesan cheese as well, with satisfying results.
****I also added fresh squeezed lemon juice to the finished salad, which gave it a bit more zing.

Spicy Pasta Salad with Smoked Gouda, Tomatoes and Basil (from Pioneer Woman)

Ingredients
12 ounces, weight Mostaccioli (Penne) pasta
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/4 cup Whole Milk
4 Tablespoons White Vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoon Adobo Sauce From Chipotle Peppers (or One Minced Chipotle Pepper)
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Ground Black Pepper To Taste
10 ounces, weight Grape Tomatoes, Halved Lengthwise
1/2 pound Smoked Gouda Cheese, Cut Into Small Cubes
24 whole Basil Leaves (chiffonade)
Preparation Instructions
Cook pasta until done. Drain and rinse in cold water until no longer hot. Set aside.
Mix mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, salt, pepper, and adobo in a small bowl.
In a large bowl, stir together pasta, dressing, halved tomatoes, and cubed Gouda. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if needed, and even an extra teaspoons or two of vinegar if necessary. Stir in basil at the end. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.
Divine.

Mom said she only used half the cheese called for, and I don't think she used the chipotle sauce.

Spinach Salad with Bow Tie Pasta

I got this recipe from tastykitchen.com.

Dressing:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 T chopped fresh basil leaves (or 1 1/2 tsp dried basil)
2 T brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt and pepper, or to taste

Salad:
10 oz. bag of baby spinach
1/2 cup candied almonds or pecans
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped grape tomatoes, seasoned with salt and pepper
4 oz. tomato/basil flavored feta cheese (bleu will work too)
1-1/2 cup chopped apple (any crispy, firm apple will do)
8 oz bow tie pasta, cooked, drained and cooled (tri-color is pretty if you can find them)

instructions:
for the dressing, whisk all ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to use.
for the salad, add all ingredients together in a large bowl. when ready to serve, toss with dressing.

My notes:
I doubled everything except the spinach and the feta, but I didn't quite use all the dressing. In the dressing I used fresh basil, Costco fresh minced garlic and fresh ground sea salt and ground peppercorns. In the salad I used toasted almonds because I didn't want to bother candying them, but that would be fun to try. I used a granny smith apple but I have used fuji and liked that too. I think their ratio of 10 oz. spinach to 8 oz. pasta is too much spinach because I really like pasta, but I've made it the other way and it was fine.

Green Salad with Almonds and Orange Dressing

Green Salad with Almonds and Orange Dressing, A Pinch of Salt Lake

1 large head red leaf lettuce, washed, dried and chilled
1 medium Bermuda onion, sliced into rings
2 oranges peeled and thinly sliced, or 1 11-ounce can mandarin oranges, drained
1 small jicama peeled and cut into Julienne strips
4 ounces sliced almonds
3 tablespoons sugar

Orange Dressing:
1/2 tsp. grated orange peel
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon Good Seasons dry Italian dressing mix

Place first 4 ingredients in a salad bowl; chill.  In a small skillet sprinkle 3 tablespoons sugar over the almonds and cook over medium heat until almonds are coated and sugar has dissolved.  (They brown quickly; do not burn.)  Place in a small bowl and allow to cool.

Mix dressing in a shaker jar; chill.  Pour salad dressing over chilled salad and sprinkle sugared almonds over all.  Toss and serve.