Tag Archives: dressing

RANCH DIP and CREAMY GARLIC DRESSING and BUTTERMILK RANCH DRESSING

22 Sunday May 2016

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I love keeping a big bowl of creamy homemade dressing in the refrigerator, so I can easily drizzle and dip into the smooth, rich, luscious deliciousness.

RANCH DIP

ranch dressing

1 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sour cream

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chives

1 teaspoon dried dill

1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

pinch cayenne pepper

pinch salt

4 drops Worcestershire sauce

Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream and buttermilk in a large bowl. Stir in parsley, chives, dill, tarragon, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, salt and Worcestershire until combined. Chill until ready to use.

Enjoy!

CREAMY GARLIC DRESSING

creamy garlic dip

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1 garlic clove, minced

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in blender. Cover, blend until smooth.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Dole

www.dole.com/Recipes

BUTTERMILK RANCH DRESSING

buttermilk ranch dressing

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped chives

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 dashes of tabasco sauce

Mix all ingredients together.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from the GB Group Construction

buildwithgbgroup.com/

BRIE TARTLETS WITH GRAPE RELISH and GREEN SALAD WITH CELERY, WALNUTS AND CRANBERRIES and COQ AU VIN NOUVEAU

28 Saturday Nov 2015

Posted by in Entertaining, Recipes

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My husband left to visit friends who were also in the area for the holiday week, and on the way back to our Condo, drove through the forest, getting stuck in what he described as an unusually large puddle.

We had planned a French themed menu for our family, and along with the Pomegranate Rosemary Sparkling Cocktail (https://recipedoodle.com//?s=pomegranate+rosemary+sparkling+cocktail&search=Go), I had a cheese and olive tray assembled, Brie Tartlets made, the Green Salad with Celery, Walnuts and Cranberries ready to go and a large pot of Coq au Vin simmering on the stove. I was about to take a shower and freshen up, just as my husband walked in the door, 15 minutes before our dinner guests were due to arrive, ready to check on the Cassoulet he had put in the oven that morning.

He reminded me how lucky he had been to make it out of the puddle as I arranged dessert – an idea stolen totally from a dear friend who had provided the sweet end to a recent meal with store bought cream puffs drizzled with store bought chocolate sauce – brilliant, delicious and so quick and easy.

BRIE TARTLETS WITH GRAPE RELISH

brie tartlet with grape relish

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

refrigerated pie crusts

brie, rind removed

3/4 cup seedless red grapes, chopped

1 green onion, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place walnuts on a baking sheet. Bake at 350F for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant. Increase oven temperature to 425F.

Spray a mini-muffin tin with cooking spray. Cut out circles from the pie crusts and press them into the tin. Cut the brie into squares and place one on top of each crust. Bake for 6 to 7 minutes, or until lightly browned and cheese is beginning to melt.

Mix together the grapes, green onion, balsamic vinegar and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into each tart and top with walnuts.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living

http://www.southernliving.com/food/entertaining/appetizer-party-style/200711-appetizer-party-appetizers

GREEN SALAD WITH CELERY, WALNUTS AND CRANBERRIES

green salad with crranberries and celery

DRESSING

1/4 cup apple cider

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon grainy mustard

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

SALAD

mixed greens

1 1/2 cups sliced celery

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted

MAKE DRESSING: whisk together cider, cider vinegar, honey and mustard. Slowly whisk in oil. Add salt and pepper.

MAKE SALAD: place greens, celery and cranberries in a bowl. Serve with walnuts and dressing on the side.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from All You, September 2011

www.allyou.com/magazine

COQ AU VIN NOUVEAU

coq au vin nouveau

2 tablespoons olive oil

10 ounces serrano ham, chopped

10 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into pieces

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup flour

1 onion, chopped

6 garlic cloves, minced

8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced

8 ounces baby portabella mushrooms, sliced

2 cups white wine

32 ounces chicken broth

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

4 celery stalks, chopped

2 springs fresh thyme

Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add ham and saute for 5 minutes. Remove.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Cook chicken in same pan until brown. Remove.

Add onion, garlic and mushrooms, saute for 3 minutes. Add wine, chicken broth, carrots, celery, thyme and reserved chicken and ham. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes until chicken is tender. Remove cover and cook about 10 minutes longer, until sauce thickens slightly.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Relish, January 2007

relish.com/

BLT SALAD WITH OLIVE VINAIGRETTE and OLD FASHIONED COBB SALAD

13 Thursday Aug 2015

Posted by in Recipes, Salad

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Although both of these wonderful salads include tomatoes, bacon, hard-boiled eggs and blue cheese, they both have unique ingredients that blend together to create two completely different meals.

BLT SALAD WITH OLIVE VINAIGRETTE

blt salad with olive vinaigrette

Cook 8 slices of bacon until crisp. Chop. Toss 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved, with 1/4 cup Kalamata Olive Vinaigrette, add salt and pepper to taste. Chop leaves from 1 to 2 romaine lettuce hearts. Arrange on a platter, along with 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped. Top with 4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and quartered, the tomatoes and bacon. Sprinkle with 4 ounces of Gorgonzola cheese, coarsely crumbled. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with remaining vinaigrette.

KALAMATA OLIVE VINAIGRETTE

Whisk together 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup finely chopped Kalamata olives, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons each chopped fresh basil and oregano, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, July 2013

www.southernliving.com/

OLD FASHIONED COBB SALAD
old fashioned cobb salad

chopped romaine lettuce

2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved

2 cooked chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

12 strips bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped

6 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

2 avocados, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Old Fashioned French Dressing (see recipe below)

Place lettuce in a bowl. Top with cherry tomatoes, chicken, bacon, eggs, cheese and avocados. Serve with dressing.

OLD FASHIONED FRENCH DRESSING

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon sugar

juice of 1/2 lemon, freshly squeezed

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup olive oil

Shake all ingredients except oil together in a large jar. Wait 15 minutes. Add oil and shake again. Set aside for an hour before using.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Wall Street Journal, June 2011

www.wsj.com/public/page/magazine-food.html

 

 

SALAD WITH AVOCADO DRESSING, PICKLED STRAWBERRIES, FETA CHEESE AND CANDIED PECANS and STRAWBERRY LENTIL SALAD

13 Monday Jul 2015

Posted by in Recipes, Salad

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I love the combination of the sweet strawberries with the salty, flavorful feta and fresh, crunchy greens in these two salads.

SALAD WITH AVOCADO DRESSING, PICKLED STRAWBERRIES, FETA CHEESE AND CANDIED PECANS

Tuscan Salad

CANDIED PECANS

1 cup pecan pieces

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup almond milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

shake of cayenne pepper

Heat oven to 350F. Spread nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes or until done. Stir together sugar, cinnamon, salt and almond milk in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat for 8 minutes or until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage, 236 degrees. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Add pecans to sugar syrup and stir to coat well. Spoon nuts onto waxed paper and immediately separate nuts with a fork and let cool.

PICKLED STRAWBERRIES

1 cup strawberries

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

Rinse strawberries and trim off leaves. Cut in half. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar and water. Mix well so everything is dissolved and pour over the strawberries. Marinate for an hour.

AVOCADO DRESSING

1 avocado

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon agave nectar

shake of cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.

Place salad greens on a plate, top with strawberries, candied pecans, pickled strawberries and feta cheese. Drizzle with dressing.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Hive

www.thehivebentonville.com/menu/

STRAWBERRY LENTIL SALAD

strawberry lentil salad

4 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar

4 teaspoons olive oil

juice from half an orange

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 cups baby lettuce

4 strawberries, sliced

3/4 cup cooked lentils

2 tablespoons crumbled feta

To make dressing, whisk together vinegar, oil, orange juice and mustard in a small bowl, season generously with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, toss lettuce with 2 teaspoons of the dressing, divide between two plates. Add lentils to the remaining dressing and toss well, top arugula with lentils and strawberries. Sprinkle with feta and serve.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Shape Magazine, May 2015

www.shape.com/

 

FAVA BEAN AND PEA SALAD WITH POPPY SEED DRESSING and FAVA BEAN SALAD WITH FENNEL AND RADISH

18 Thursday Jun 2015

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I was intrigued by the fresh fava beans displayed in their pods at the supermarket, and then by the already cooked ones in the produce section. I bought home a bag of each to experiment with, and looked up recipes with great interest. Although I found many wonderful appetizer and main course dishes, I chose delicious salads to have for a light lunch, to feature the fava beans.

FAVA BEAN AND PEA SALAD WITH POPPY SEED DRESSING

fava bean and pea salad with poppy seed dressing

2 cups shelled fresh fava beans

salt

2 cups frozen peas, thawed

1/3 cup sour cream

1 1/2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

2 tablespoons buttermilk

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

freshly ground black pepper

2 heads lettuce, leaves separated

4 cups pea sprouts

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Cook fava beans in a medium saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 4 minutes. Using a sieve, transfer to a colander set in a bowl of ice water. Drain well and peel, place in a medium bowl.

Return water in saucepan to a boil, add peas and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain, add to the bowl with the fava beans.

Whisk sour cream, goat cheese, buttermilk and lemon juice in a medium bowl, thinning with more buttermilk as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange lettuce and pea sprouts on a platter, top with fava beans and peas, drizzle with dressing, and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, July 2014

www.bonappetit.com/

FAVA BEAN SALAD WITH FENNEL AND RADISH

fava bean salad with fennel and radish

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups cooked fava beans

2 cups thinly sliced fennel bulb

2 cups arugula leaves

1/4 cup thinly sliced radish

1/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

pecorino romano cheese

Combine lemon juice, olive oil, pepper and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add beans, fennel and arugula, toss to coat. Place about 3/4 cup fennel mixture on each of 6 plates. Sprinkle evenly with radishes and walnuts, shave cheese over the top.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light, April 2014

www.cookinglight.com/

BERRY MANDARIN TOSSED SALAD

03 Wednesday Jun 2015

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Today is the last day of school for part of our family, and I can’t even begin to say how very excited we are for the long, lazy and fun summer stretching endlessly ahead, and there is no way to even begin to thank the Teachers and Staff at the school who have made it such a wonderful year – for me, my husband and our children!

There is one week during the year, officially dedicated to Teacher Appreciation activities, one of which is a lovely luncheon traditionally held off-campus, where parents bring dishes according to the theme, which was BBQ this year. I made a Berry Mandarin Tossed Salad with home made vinaigrette, and added a few store brought varieties of dressing to go alongside the salad, smoked meat, rolls, beans, potato salad and coleslaw.

It is always one of my favorite events to organize and help out with, but it never feels like enough thanks or recognition for all that our incredible teachers do!!

Happy Summer!!

jennifers back porchBERRY MANDARIN TOSSED SALAD

berry mandarin tossed salad

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/3 cup vegetable oil

salad greens

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained

1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted

In a small saucepan, combine sugar, cider vinegar, honey, lemon juice, paprika, ground mustard, onion powder and celery seed, season with salt and pepper.

Cook on medium-low, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Whisk in oil. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

In a salad bowl, combine the salad greens, strawberries, oranges and almonds. Drizzle with dressing or serve dressing on the side.

Enjoy!

 

APPLE CIDER VINAIGRETTE – FAYETTEVILLE PILATES AND BARRE

14 Thursday May 2015

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I have recently begun making all of my salad dressings. It used to seem like an unnecessary extra step in meal preparation, when there are so many delicious pre-made ones, needing nothing more than a quick twist of the top, and a squeeze onto a pile of greens. However, I have discovered salad dressings are very quick to make and I enjoy having control over the ingredients, and the amount of each I put in. My daughter, while pouring her favorite store bought Honey Mustard salad dressing over her bowl of arugula, noticed the ingredients listed on the back of the bottle and commented on the long list (fifteen – with high fructose corn syrup being number two) and how many of them were unfamiliar (xanthan gum, calcium disodium EDTA), however, it hasn’t stopped her from reaching for the Honey Mustard when there is salad on the menu.

APPLE CIDER VINAIGRETTE

apple cider vinaigrette

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup olive oil (I usually reduce the amount of oil in my dressings – just a personal taste preference), 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon agave nectar and 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Oprah Magazine, October 2014

www.oprah.com/app/food.html

FRENCH SALAD

09 Thursday Apr 2015

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My husband and I were cooking for friends one Saturday night, after just getting back into town. We developed a menu together, discussing ideas and looking through magazines for inspiration, and then we made two shopping lists – planning to divide and conquer the supermarket scene.

When writing down the ingredients we had to shop for, I thought my husband had chosen a completely different recipe, and wrote down cherry tomatoes and creme fraiche instead of the chicken and lentils he required to make his dish. Despite my initial confusion, somehow we both arrived back at the house with all of the ingredients that were needed, and enjoyed our dinner with wonderful friends – and I still had all the ingredients for this French Salad, which I made the next day.

FRENCH SALAD 

french salad

PICKLED MUSTARD SEEDS

2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds

1/4 cup white vinegar

DRESSING

4 ounces cherry tomatoes

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

salt and pepper

SALAD

4 slices bacon, cut into strips

2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup creme fraiche

baby romaine

salt and pepper

chopped chives for garnish

PICKLE THE MUSTARD SEEDS

In a small saucepan, combine the mustard seeds and vinegar and bring to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let stand for an hour.

MAKE THE DRESSING

Heat the oven to 450F. In a small ovenproof skillet or baking dish, toss the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Roast for 30 minutes, until the tomatoes have popped and are browned in spots. Transfer to a blender. Add the remaining ingredients, puree until smooth.

MAKE THE SALAD

In a small skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until browned and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. In a small bowl, blend the blue cheese with the creme fraiche until smooth. Dollop the mixture onto plates and spread slightly. In a large bowl, toss the lettuce with half of the dressing and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the lettuce on top of the blue cheese mixture. Garnish with the pickled mustard seeds, bacon and chives. Serve the remaining dressing on the side.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine, April 2015

www.foodandwine.com/

ASPARAGUS AND SMOKED SALMON SALAD – FAYETTEVILLE PILATES AND BARRE

04 Thursday Dec 2014

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I assembled this Asparagus and Smoked Salmon Salad before we left for the Thanksgiving break, in an attempt to use up what we had in the refrigerator.

Although the salad we ended up with and ate for dinner may not have followed the measurements in the recipe exactly, it was still a wonderful, tasty combination of ingredients.

ASPARAGUS AND SMOKED SALMON SALAD – FAYETTEVILLE PILATES AND BARRE

salmon and asparagus salad1 pound of fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 cup pecan pieces

2 heads red leaf lettuce, rinsed and torn (I had arugula in the refrigerator, so thats what I used)

1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed

1/4 pound smoked salmon, cut into 1 inch chunks

1/4 cup olive oil (I added less)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

a couple of anchovies

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Place asparagus in the pot, and cook for 5 minutes, just until tender. Drain and set aside.

Place the pecans in a skillet over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted.

In a large bowl, toss together the asparagus, pecans, lettuce or arugula, peas and salmon.

In a separate bowl, mix the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and anchovies. Toss with the salad or serve on the side.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes

allrecipes.com/…/asparagus-and-smoked-sal…

SALAD WITH ANCHOVY VINAIGRETTE, PECORINO AND WALNUTS

01 Monday Dec 2014

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After all the rich, varied dining over the past week, I felt like something very simple and unadorned. This Salad With Anchovy Vinaigrette, Pecorino and Walnuts was exactly what I was yearning for.

On the rare occasions I don’t get enough vegetables in my daily diet, I begin to really crave them. While in Slidell, Louisiana this past weekend, I ordered a side of steamed broccoli to accompany our Zydeco Shrimp, Charbroiled Oysters and Crawfish Cakes. As much as I enjoyed the rich food, it was good to get home to some plain eating.

SALAD WTIH ANCHOVY VINAIGRETTE, PECORINO AND WALNUTS

greens with anchovy dressing

Eight 1/4-inch-thick baguette slices, cut on the diagonal

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more to brush bread

3 garlic cloves, peeled

salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 anchovy fillets, finely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

salad greens

2/3 cup walnuts, lightly toasted

1/4 pound pecorino shavings

Heat oven to 425F. Brush bread on both sides with oil and place on a baking sheet. Toast until golden and crisp, about 10 minutes. Cut one garlic clove in half. Remove toasts from oven and rub on both sides with cut garlic. Set aside.

Meanwhile, using a mortar and pestle, crush remaining garlic with a pinch of salt to form a paste. Add anchovies and grind into paste. Transfer to a bowl and stir in vinegar. Let rest for 10 minutes. Whisk oil into anchovy mixture until dressing thickens and season with salt and pepper.

Toss greens and walnuts with enough dressing to coat. Toss in cheese and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with croutons.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Wall Street Journal, November 2013

www.wsj.com/‎