Under the Sea Salad

3 parts Trader Joe’s European whole milk yogurt 

2 parts olive oil

1 part apple cider vinegar

Salt, pepper & garlic mixed

Fresh chives

Shell pasta (with garlic salt)

Avocado

Hard boiled egg

Pepitas

Garbanzo beans

Butter lettuce

Mixed greens

Broccoli sprouts 

Radish

Shredded unexpected cheddar cheese (Trader Joes - kind my new favorite)

And the kitchen sink 😜

Verdugo Hills Salad Dressing

Dressing ingredients -- don't refrigerate

 

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons sesame seeds toasted

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1/4 tsp paprika

1/2 cup salad oil

1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup cider vinegar

 

Mix ingredients together and set aside

 

Salad

2 small or 1 large package of baby spinach

1 cup slivered almonds - sugared

1 small bag or box of frozen mixed berries thawed and drained

 

(place 1 cup almonds and 6 tbsp. sugar in small skillet and saute until sugar melts completely and almonds are coated - cool on parchment in single layer)

CILANTRO RANCH

• 1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Buttermilk Dressing

• 1 c. buttermilk

• 1 c. mayo

• 3 tomatillos – look like green tomatoes – a must!

• 2 cloves of garlic

• 1 c. fresh cilantro

• 1 tsp cayenne pepper

For those who like it spicier … add a half of a jalapeno or more!

Mix all ingredients together in the blender. That's it!

Barbeque Chicken Salad

1 pound chopped chicken cooked
mixed greens chopped
1 red apple
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup spicy peanuts
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1 cup shredded cheese
2 Tbs cilantro
1 cup tortilla strips

Dressing - 2 Tbs bbq sauce and 1 cup ranch dressing

blue cheese crumbled on the side is a good addition as well.

Arugula Salad with Strawberries and Goat Cheese

Inspired by a new blog I may consider stalking when it's recipe hunting season is Sutterbean. It is where I found this recipe and modified it a bit for my tastes.

Arugula Salad with Strawberries & Goat Cheese

• 1/2 pint strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and quartered
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 bunches arugula, washed, dried, and trimmed
• 1/2 cup toasted pecan halves (or sugared almonds in my case)
  
• 1/4 cup goat cheese crumbles (sooooo worth it)
• thin slice of red onion, chopped
  
• a quarter of a red pepper chopped
  

Put pecans on baking sheet and toast in the oven at 350F for 8-10 minutes.

In a large bowl, toss 1/2 pint strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and quartered, with 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; let sit 5 to 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together another tablespoon balsamic vinegar with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.

To the strawberries, add vinaigrette, 1/2 cup toasted pecan halves, and 2 bunches arugula, trimmed and thoroughly washed and dried. Toss to combine, and serve. Add a bunch of goat cheese crumbles to push it over the top!

Summer Broccoli Salad

The famous. Yes I'm sure everyone has a variation on it. But this one works for me. I haven't made it in years and I forgot how good it is.

3 heads of broccoli cut into bite-sized pieces
3 green onions chopped
1 lb bacon cooked and crumbled
3 hard-boiled eggs
red onion
slivered almonds
craisins

Sauce
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbs vinegar or 1/4 tsp lemon juice

Mix all together and chill before serving.

Belgian Endive stuffed with Apples, Goat Cheese & Walnuts

This was part of the Teacher Luncheon we hosted last week. Tasty. I could eat this often.

Ingredients

4-8 firm heads of Belgian Endive
2 Apples cored
4 oz plain Chevre log crumbled (goat cheese)
3 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs Orange Zest
1 Tbs fresh Orange Juice
2 Green Onions, finely sliced, included tops
1/2 cup Walnuts toasted and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
Black Pepper

Balsamic Dressing for drizzling

Rinse and dry endives. Trip the bottom (root end) to separate leaves. Set aside. Toss diced apples, goat cheese and olive oil and orange juice. Add green onions, nuts, cranberries, salt and pepper. Stir gently.

Place a small spoonful on the endive leaf. I've forgotten every time I've made this to drizzle the balsamic vinegar on top. And I've loved it that way. One day I'll drizzle it on top and love it that way too.

Chinese Chicken Salad

Mmm. Easy dressing. Thanks Yum Sugar for this one. I modified it a bit.

Ingredients

1-inch piece of grated ginger
3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
Freshly ground pepper

sliced chicken
4 scallions
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1 cup chow mein noodles
1 medium carrot, julienned
1 bunch chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped almonds
cucumber chunked

Directions

1. In small bowl, whisk the rice vinegar with the sesame oil, soy sauce, grated ginger. Season with salt and pepper.
2. In a large bowl, toss everything with the dressing and enjoy.
   

Beet & Goat Cheese Napoleons with Candied Walnuts

Charlie and I went to a faaaaabulous couples cooking class at Sur La Table. This was our favorite find!

4 trimmed medium red beets
1 Tbs cider vinegar
1tsp lemon zest
2 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
2 Tbs walnut oil
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil

2 4 oz logs of fresh goat cheese
1-2 Tbs cream
salt and pepper
2 cups mixed baby greens (preferably spicy)
coarse sea salt (such as Maldon)
1 cup candied walnuts (recipe below)

heart shape cookie cutter (if you have time)

Cook beets. Measure all ingredients except oils into a small bowl. While whisking, drizzle in the oils until an emulsion forms.

Once the beets have cooled, remove the skins and slice crosswise into 18 1/4 inch thick rounds. Use the cookie cutter to cut slices into hearts. Gently toss the beet hearts with 2 Tbs of vinaigrette and set aside.

Blend the goat cheese, cream, salt and pepper. Put in a plastic bag and squeeze in between the beet hearts. Oooooor, just crumble goat cheese pieces in between chopped beets.

Toss the greens with the vinaigrette. Place greens next to heart/goat cheese napoleons. Garnish with Candied Walnuts.

CANDIED WALNUTS
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 Tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of cayenne
1 large egg white, at room temp
1/2 pound walnut pieces

Heat oven to 300 degrees. In a small bowl mix both sugars with the salt, cinnamon, and cayenne. In a large bowl whisk the egg white until frothy. Whisk in 1 Tbs of water until combined. Add the walnuts and stir to coat. Sprinkle on the sugar mix and stir to evenly distribute.

Line a baking pan with a silpat. Spread the nuts in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes and then stir the nuts. Continue baking until the nuts smell toasted and the sugar coating is caramelized (about another 10 minutes).

Let the nuts cool on the pan, separating them as they cool. Transfer to air tight container (if not used immediately.)