Category: SALADS, SALSAS & SLAWS

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

Happy Valentines DayValentine’s Day is a truly subjective menu.  Not everyone wants or dreams of the same foods.  So, awhile back when we were just sitting around I quizzed hubby in a round about way and was able to come up with his favorite romantic menu to create a romantic meal.  What are you doing for Valentine’s Day this year?
STRAWBERRY MARGARITAS
2 cups crushed ice
1/2 cup fresh strawberry puree
1 cup tequila
2 limes, juiced
Splash Triple Sec
Splash simple syrup (equal amounts sugar and water heated until sugar dissolves completely and then cooled)
  • Combine in a blender, ice, strawberry water, tequila, lime juice, Triple Sec and simple syrup.
  • Puree until smooth.
  • Pour into rocks glasses, garnish and serve.
CAJUN SHRIMP COCKTAIL
1 1/2 cups ketchup

1/2 cup chili sauce

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons finely minced onion

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

Juice of 1 lemon (save your rind to make the cute serving dish)

2 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon Frank’s red pepper hot sauce

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

salt to taste

plenty of fresh medium-large shrimp, cleaned and chilled
  • I use my mini food processor to mix it all in until well blended.
  • Chill for a day or so before needed to allow flavors to meld together.
CAESAR SALAD DRESSING

6 cloves garlic, mashed and minced

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon Champagne Vinegar

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/3 cup canola oil

Sea Salt

White Pepper

Juice of 1 lemon

Minced anchovy fillets (optional – I usually leave them out)

  • Combine garlic, mustard, vinegar and two pinches of salt in a blender and mix thoroughly.
  • Add mayonnaise and blend together to form a thick base.
  • In a slow stream add oil.
  • Scrape dressing with spatula into a bowl and season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
  • Optional – Add anchovies to dressing to create a deeper, saltier taste.
PARMESAN CHEESE CROUTONS

6 slices thick sourdough bread

butter, melted, enough to coat bread

½ cup Fontina Cheese

½ cup grated Parmesan Cheese

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Place bread slices on oven rack and bake until dry and golden.
  • Melt butter in flat bowl.
  • Combine cheeses in flat bowl.
  • Dip first in butter and the cheese mixture.
  • Bake on cookie sheet 8-10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and melted.
  • Cut to desired size*
*If I’m in a hurry I will sometimes cut these ahead of time and toss with the butter and cheese which coats all the sides better.
GARLIC STEAK
Steak of choice (hubby choose T-bones)
2 cloves of garlic per steak, minced fine
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar per steak
1/2 tablespoon canola oil
sea salt
white pepper
  • Pierce each steak with a marinater.
  • Whisk together the garlic, oil, salt and pepper to taste.
  • Place steak side by side of a large plate.
  • Pour marinade over top.
  • Turn steak and make sure each is well coated.
  • Cover and marinate overnight.
  • Take steak out of refrigerator an hour before grilling, turn several times making sure still well coated in marinade.
  • Firmly press garlic pieces into the steak.
  • Grilled to desired doneness – mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, medium rare….
TWICE BAKED POTATOES
4 large baking potatoes
8 slices bacon
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
8 green onions (tops and all), sliced and divided
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour or until done through.
  • Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
  • When potatoes are done allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl; saving skins.
  • To the potato pieces add the sour cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 the green onions. Mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon.
  • Bake for another 15 minutes.
SOUR CREAM DUTCH APPLE PIE
PIE

3+ cups apples, cored, peeled and chopped

lemon juice

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons flour

pinch of salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon maple extract

1 small egg, beaten

1/2 cup sour cream (not light)

9 inch pastry shell, pre-baked and cooled

TOPPING

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

4 tablespoons butter, sliced extremely thin

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Chop the apples and combine with just enough lemon juice to coat and prevent browning in large bowl.
  • In a small bowl sift together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt.
  • Fold in the sour cream, egg, vanilla and maple extract until well blended.
  • Fold the sour cream mixture into the apples until well coated.
  • Carefully pour into the pie shell, mounding towards the center.
  • Toss together the topping ingredients until well blended.
  • Sprinkle topping evenly over the apple mound.
  • Lay the pieces of butter all over the top.
  • Bake 30 minutes or until apples are tender.
  • Best served with ice cream or fresh whipped cream. If you want to be really decadent try it with Caramel Sauce.
HOMEMADE VANILLA ICE CREAM

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup sugar

2 jumbo eggs

2 cups heavy cream

2 teaspoons real vanilla extract

  • Warm the milk in a small pan.
  • Whisk the eggs with the sugar in a separate bowl.
  • Slowly add the warm milk to the egg mixture while continuously whisking the mixture.
  • Pour the entire mixture back into the pan and heat slowly, stirring continuously until mixture thickens to loose pudding texture. DO NOT BOIL! Let it cool to room temperature.
  • Whisk in the cream and vanilla.
  • Follow your ice cream maker directions for freezing.

My new favorite salad!

I just wish I’d taken a picture!

This jello salad recipe is just one of the many great recipes I have collected over the years from my mother in law. She loves to entertain and along with her wonderful meals she always has her table beautifully set with china, silver ware and the perfect choice of crystal bowls for her many varieties of salads.
Step one:
-1 box orange jello
-1 box lemon jello
Mix the two boxes of jello powder together in a large glass mixing bowl and stir in 1 1/2 cups of boiling water. Mix well until jello has dissolved and them add 2 cups of cold water.
Place mixture in the fridge until it begins to set. (this does not take long)
Step two:
-3 bananas, sliced
-1 small can mandarin orange segments, well drained
-1 14 oz can crushed pineapple, drained but save the juice in a 1 cup measuring cup for step five.
Mix together the three fruits and stir into partially set jello.
Step three:
Top the jello-fruit mixture with 1/2 bag mini white marshmallows and then put jello back in fridge.
Step four:
-1/2 pint whipping cream
-1 tbsp sugar
-1/2 tsp vanilla
Whip together until thick, cover and place in fridge until step five is ready.
Step five:
-1/2 cup sugar
-2 tbsp flour
-1 egg, well beaten
-1 cup pineapple juice,( use the juice from the fruit and add water and 1 tsp lemon juice to make one cup)
Stir ingredients together in a microwavable bowl and heat for 1 minute at a time, stirring between until mixture is thick (2-3 minutes) You can also cook this on the stove top, stirring constantly.
Cool this mixture completely and then fold in the whipped cream. Spread over the marshmallow mixture.
Step six:
For the final layer, use a very fine cheese grater and grate 3/4 cup of cheddar cheese on top.

HOT CHICKEN SALAD

serves 8-10
HOT CHICKEN SALAD
4 cups cubed cooked chicken 1 Costco rotisserie chicken torn into pieces
2 celery ribs sliced 4 celery ribs, chopped
2-8 ounce cans sliced water chestnuts, drained (I only had one can and it was great)
1 can cream of chicken soup 1 can green enchilada sauce
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise 3/4 cup REGULAR mayonnaise (do NOT use lowfat)*
1 1/2 cups sour cream 1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons lemon juice Juice of 1 lemon (it was a large lemon – closer to 1/4 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs 1/2 cup Panko crumbs
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used finely grated SHARP cheddar) 
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted, 1/2 cup Almond Accents honey roasted sliced almonds**

  • In a large bowl combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, enchilada sauce, lemon juice, salt and pepper until well blended.
  • Add chicken pieces, celery, water chestnuts, almonds and onions until well combined.
  • Turn into a greased casserole.
  • Top with bread crumbs and then cheese.
  • Bake uncovered for 35-45 minutes or until heated through.

NOTES:
*I cut this in half for continuity because the enchilada sauce was much thinner than the cream of chicken soup
**from the produce section – a salad topper

Loaded Baked Potato Salad

Min here, from The Bad Girl’s Kitchen.  Long time no see!  I was lured over here yesterday by Melynda’s Apricot Pie, if you must know.  Then I just had to come back over and share my new creation with you!!

This recipe came about when I received an email listing “summer salads.”  There was a link to a recipe someone had called “Loaded Baked Potato Salad,” which I thought sounded great…but when I read through the recipe, it was really a casserole…?! 

What do I mean by “casserole?”  It was a potato dish that was assembled and then BAKED in a 9×13 pan.  Sort of reminiscent of my Twice Baked Potato Casserole, actually.  Totally not a “salad” at all, (salad in my mind means “cold”), and certainly not a dish I would think about serving in the heat of summer.

I set out to create a true potato salad.

First, I used my grill to bake the potatoes.  I just clean them, rub them with olive oil, then grill on the top rack over medium-ish heat for about one hour, turning over halfway through.  You want them baked but not too soft, keep in mind your grill may cook differently than mine.  Remove potatoes from grill and let cool before chopping, of course. I found that using a serrated knife helps the potatoes hold together better, while keeping the skin pieces intact.

Once salad ingredients are prepped, it’s important not to mix it until you’ve added everything, because the potatoes are a bit fragile.  You want to gently fold the ingredients together.  I used a mixture of sour cream and real mayonnaise because that’s what I prefer.  The real mayo adds a bit of flavor you wouldn’t get with sour cream alone.  You need to put this salad together ahead of time, and I’d recommend chilling it in the refrigerator for at least an hour or so if you have time.

I have to tell you, this is an amazing potato salad!  Make it for your next barbecue, and everyone will be impressed!  I think the baked potatoes add so much to the flavor compared to a traditional potato salad made with boiled potatoes, that I may actually try to bake all my potatoes for salads from now on.

My family and I loved this potato salad; in fact my oldest son H-Bomb even asked for seconds although he’s not a huge potato fan.  It’s my new favorite, and I’m going to make more today!

Loaded Baked Potato Salad 
Serves 6 to 8 

6 baked potatoes, skin on
1/2 pound bacon, chopped and cooked until crisp, then drained and cooled on paper towels
3 – 4 scallions, chopped
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste

Reserve a few pieces bacon, some green onions and cheese to use as garnish. 

Use a serrated knife to gently chop potatoes, leaving skin on.  I cut each potato in quarters lengthwise, before chopping in pieces.  Add to large mixing bowl.

Add bacon, onions and cheese; do not mix. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix sour cream and mayo.  Add to potato mixture and mix gently with a rubber spatula.  Taste and adjust salt and pepper, if needed.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Before serving, garnish with reserved cheese, bacon and green onions.

Don’t forget to visit me at The Bad Girl’s Kitchen for more fabulous recipes!

I also host the fun monthly food blog event, Taste & Create!  Please join us!

Broccoli & Cauliflower Salad

This is a fantastic low calorie tasty salad. I used to make the super fattening broccoli cauliflower with tons of mayo, sugar, sunflower seeds and tons of bacon. Delicious yes, but so fattening, you can eat such a tiny portion compared to this salad. The red wine vinegar is so good in this. It’s a nice make ahead salad but I wait until about an hour or two before serving time to add the dressing.

Broccoli & Cauliflower Salad

3 roma plum tomatoes

1 pound fresh broccoli florets, about 8 cups
1 small head of cauliflower, about 1/2pound
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup light sour cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup Splenda

Dice tomatoes, chop broccoli and cauliflower. Mix veggies together in a large bowl. Mix mayo, sour cream, salt and pepper, Splenda and red wine vinegar together in a small bowl. Add to veggies. Stir thoroughly and refrigerate for 1-2 hours, stirring often. Keeps in the fridge for about 24-36 hours nicely in my opinion.


Total calories = 791

13 loose filled cups

FARMERS MARKET SALAD

FARMERS MARKET SALAD
1 Kiwi, sliced
1 hard boiled egg, sliced
1/2 cantaloupe, sliced thin
1/2 cucumber, sliced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup rotisserie chicken pieces
4 green onions, sliced thin
4 large romaine leaves, torn
salt & pepper
2 tablespoons thousand island dressing
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

  • Layer salad ingredients together.
  • Whisk together vinegar and dressing.  Pour over salad ingredients.
  • Toss & Enjoy.

CHICKEN SALAD STUFFED AVOCADO with LEMON GARLIC VINAIGRETTE

CHICKEN SALAD STUFFED AVOCADO with LEMON GARLIC VINAIGRETTE
2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
4 green onions, sliced thin
1 stalk celery, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon blood orange vinegar*
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1 avocado or tomato per person

  • Combine chicken and celery in mixing bowl.  
  • Salt and pepper generously.
  • In a small food processor blend garlic, green onions, lemon juice, vinegar, oil and sugar until well mixed.
  • Pour vinegar mix into mixing bowl and toss well.
  • If using tomatoes carve out centers with sharp knife.  Slice insides onto plate.  Salt and pepper generously.
  • If using avocados carefully scoop out of shell with a large spoon and arrange on plate with tomato slices.  Salt and pepper generously.
  • Fill centers with chicken salad.
  • Serve with garlic toast points.

*or flavor of your choice

2 1/2 BEAN SALAD

I love 3 bean salad, but I hate kidney beans. So, I developed this recipe to cater to my own likes. If you like kidney beans, just add them back in.
2 1/2 BEAN SALAD
2 cans green beans
1 can wax beans
1-2 oz. jar pimentos
1 cup white vinegar
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons salt
  • Drain beans and pimentos and place into a jar with enough room for the liquid.
  • In a sauce pan dissolve the sugar and salt into the vinegar and bring it to a boil.
  • Let it cool.
  • Pour it over the beans.
  • Marinate at least 24-48 hours for the best flavor.

SUMMER APPLE COLESLAW

I love coleslaw. And I love to combine different flavors to make new salads!  I am more of a celery and cucumber fan in salads.  The husband and my brother both prefer green pepper. So I made this for them. They put up with me putting beans into almost every meal so I can certainly cave and put green pepper into their coleslaw. It admit, it was good. 
We ate this salad with the most delicious grilled cheese sandwiches with a caramelized red onion jam.  It was an excellent meal.
I’ve actually made this a couple times as everyone loved it and it is an easy summer side dish.

Apple Coleslaw
4 cups coleslaw mix
1 green pepper, chopped
2 apples, chopped
1 – 8 oz. Yoplait french vanilla yogurt, light
2 tablespoons mayonnaise, light
2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dill weed
Salt and pepper

Combine coleslaw, pepper and apples.  In a small bowl, combine yogurt, mayo, lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper. Mix and add to coleslaw.  Mix and serve.

Total calories = 467 calories
4 servings = 117 calories per serving

Grilled Cheese with Red Onion Jam + Apple Coleslaw = 515 calorie dinner

GREEK SALAD

I can’t even begin to tell you how good this is.  I could seriously sit down and eat the entire bowl.  If you like feta cheese, you are going to love this.
Greek Salad adapted from A Step Into My Kitchen
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 red bell pepper, large-diced
1 yellow bell pepper, large-diced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, sliced in half-rounds
1/2 pound feta cheese, 1/2-inch diced (not crumbled)
1/2 cup calamata olives and green olives, pitted

For the vinaigrette:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup good red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup good olive oil

Directions:  Place the cucumber, peppers, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl.

For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Still whisking, slowly add the olive oil to make an emulsion. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables. Add the feta and olives and toss lightly. Set aside for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.
 
Modifications:
-I didn’t have a cucumber on hand so I just left it out.

Here is some of what you will need.  I messed up the first picture and didn’t have all of the ingredients out for the vinaigrette.
Dice up the peppers. Dice up the onions.  Cut up the tomatoes into about the same size as the peppers and onion
What you’ll need for the vinaigrette:
Mince up a couple cloves of garlic.  Toss garlic and oregano into a bowl. Add the dijon mustard
Add the red wine vinegar and whisk away.
Slowly whisk in the olive oil and use sea salt to season, as needed
Pour over the veggies

Add olives and feta cheese
Here’s what you’ll end up with:
Our Thoughts:
What else can I say?  It is absolutely fantastic.

5-Want it again tomorrow!

POWER SALAD

Power Salad Adapted from JJ Twigs
1 bunch/bag of spinach
1 can of black olives, drained
1 can of mandarin oranges, drained
1 container feta cheese
Handful of raisins
Handful of sunflower seeds
Some red onion
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions:  I seasoned the chicken breasts and put them on the grill until finished.  I combined all other ingredients.  Once chicken was done, I sliced it up and added it to the salad.

Modifications:
-I left off the bacon bits.
-I added grilled chicken (an extra cost at the restaurant)

Here’s what I started with:
Season the chicken with salt and pepper or your favorite poultry seasoning and grill until chicken juices run clear.  Build your salad with the other ingredients.  Slice the chicken and place on top of salad. Serve with your favorite dressing.

Here’s what you’ll end up with:

A couple of week’s ago we went out to this local restaurant and I ordered their Power Salad and it was SO good.  The ingredients were so easy that I decided to make it at home.  They serve it with a sweet dressing much like this one but, personally, I found that the mandarin oranges added just enough juice to the salad for me.
This is a very healthy, delicious salad and we will be having it all summer long.  Of course, you could add any fruits or vegetables to this salad that you may have on hand.

Tabbouleh (Lebanese Parsley Salad)

Tabbouleh is a well known Lebanese dish, and they even have a National Tabbouleh Day held each summer in Beirut. I am sure like many nationally known dishes each family has their own version of how they make it. Some will use flat leaf parsley and some use curly parsley, but where mine differs from an authentic Lebanese tabbouleh is the amount of parsley. They use mostly parsley and a little bulgar thrown in, so it’s mostly green in appearance.
I still have to get used to eating mostly parsley, which is supposed to be very good for you. The bulgar (cracked wheat)used in the salad is small or fine, which is soaked soft before using. If you can only find medium soak it a little longer. I used sumac in mine, but you can skip it if you can’t find it, it’s a little lemony in flavor.

Dressing:
1 tablespoon sumac
1/2 cup lemon juice (fresh squeezed)
1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp Lebanese mixed spice

Mmmm..smell that nothing like beautiful squeezed lemons…so fresh…gosh I sound like Giada!

Ingredients:
2 bunches flat leaf parsley (washed and dried)
4 green onions (sliced thin)
1 handful fresh mint or basil (sliced thin)
1/2 cup bulgar (soaked and drained well)
3 tomatoes (diced)
salt and pepper
Cabbage or romaine lettuce leaves for serving

After the parsley is washed and dried chop it finely, try not to overwork the parsley…you don’t want to bruise it. Make sure parsley and the bulgar are dry, mix together in a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss together until well mixed, squeeze on the lemon juice, and then olive oil, you don’t want it too wet, just nice and moist. Salt and pepper and one last toss together and you have a refreshing summer salad!

Of course you can adjust the amounts and ingredients to what you like. I made it once with diced cucumbers…just a small amount mind you, but my husband (who doesn’t like cucumbers) could really taste them in the salad, and he didn’t like that. So now I leave them out. Oh, and you can make yours more authentic by adding mostly parsley and making it look green!