Lentil Salad with Mint and Bell Pepper ~ adapted from the kitchn

3 c cooked lentils, approximately 1/2 lb dried lentils, prepared
3 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
1 c walnuts
1 c dry packed sun-dried tomatoes, not packed in oil, chopped
1 c fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 c fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1/2 c boiling water
1/4 c olive oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 T good quality balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 t kosher salt
2 oz Parmesan, micro-planed
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place dried tomatoes in heat safe dish, cover with boiling water and set aside to steep approximately 5 minutes.

Place walnuts in cold heavy skillet, preferably cast iron. Heat over medium high heat just until walnuts become fragrant and slightly browned, 1-2 minutes maximum. Remove from pan, cool slightly and chop coarsely.

In large mixing bowl, add lentils, walnuts, tomatoes, parsley, mint, and lemon zest. Mix well.

In separate bowl or measuring cup, whisk together leftover liquid from steeped tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, and salt. Pour over lentil salad and toss well to combine. Season with pepper and additional salt if desired. Add Parmesan just prior to serving. May be served at room temperature or refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Cashew Orange Chicken Salad

I've been making this salad based on a sandwich I had at an English tea house in Yorba Linda more than 10 years ago. I love the salty, sweet, and tangy flavor combination. Served with a big glass of iced tea, it's a perfect lunch on a hot summer day.



2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded
1/4 c orange marmalade
1/2 c cashews, crushed
1/4 c mayonnaise
2 T rice vinegar
1 small can mandarin oranges
salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Add marmalade, mayonnaise, and vinegar to large bowl and mix well. Add chicken and cashews and gently toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Best served immediately over romaine lettuce with mandarine oranges or as a sandwich on nine grain bread. Serves 2 as a salad, serves 4 as a sandwich.

Apple Slaw with Brie and Spiced Walnuts

for the Spiced Walnuts
1 T vegetable oil
1 T sugar
2 t honey
1/2 t ground allspice
1/2 c walnut pieces

Line a baking sheet with foil sprayed lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Heat the vegetable oil, sugar, honey and allspice in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly until nuts are well coated, about 10 minutes. Spread warm walnuts in single layer on baking sheet. Break into small pieces when completely cool. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve slaw.

for the Slaw
8 ounces Brie Cheese, diced
4 c red cabbage, shredded
2 c green cabbage, shredded
2 c fresh baby spinach
1 large Golden Delicious apple, peeled and diced

Place all ingredients in large serving bowl and set aside to make dressing.

for the Vinaigrette dressing
1/4 c olive oil
2 T apple jelly
2 T cider vinegar
1/4 c heavy cream
1/2 c golden raisins
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 t salt

Heat all dressing ingredients over medium heat in a small saucepan just to boiling and jelly has melted. Let cool slightly (5 minutes maximum), whisk to incorporate and pour in bowl over slaw. Toss slaw well. Serve with spiced walnuts on the side for garnish. Serves 8.

Asian Style Coleslaw

16 oz package shredded coleslaw mix
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c lime juice
1/4 c canola oil
3 T brown sugar
2 T rice vinegar
2 T fresh ginger, finely grated
1 T sesame oil
12-15 grinds fresh black pepper, to taste
sesame seeds for garnish, optional

Wash coleslaw mix and spin dry. Place in large ceramic or glass bowl*. In jar with tight-fitting lid add remaining ingredients less sesame seeds. Shake well until sugar is melted. Pour dressing over coleslaw and toss to combine. Sprinkle with sesame seeds just prior to serving. Serves 4.

*Chef's Note: Since this recipe contains a large amount of lime juice, do not use an aluminum bowl to mix the salad or dressing as it will react with the acid in the juice and give the salad an off flavor.

Steak and Bleu Cheese Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 pound top sirloin steaks
1 T canola or vegetable oil
salt and fresh ground black pepper
5 oz mixed spring field greens
1/2 one large purple onion, sliced in rings
1/4 c bleu cheese crumbles
1/2 recipe Balsamic Vinaigrette

In grill pan, heat oil over medium high heat 3 minutes. Season one side of steak with salt and pepper and place on heated pan, seasoned side down. Grill steak to desired doneness (recommended medium rare). Remove from heat and let rest at room temperature 10 to 20 minutes minimum. Slice thinly and set aside.

In large bowl, toss field greens, onion and 1/4 c blue cheese with vinaigrette until well mixed. Plate salad and top with steak slices, sprinkle with remaining blue cheese. Serves 2.

Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
2 t brown sugar, optional*
1 T garlic, minced
1/2 t salt
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
3/4 c olive oil

Place all ingredients in jar with lid. Seal and shake until well blended. Store tightly covered in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

*High quality aged balsamic vinegar will not require the addition of sugar. If using new balsamic, start with minimal sugar and adjust to taste.

Ranch Potato Salad

5 lbs russet potatoes, washed thoroughly
1 T salt
1/2 c ranch dressing, recommended Litehouse Homestyle Ranch
1/2 c sour cream
2 T fresh dill, finely chopped
3 t rice vinegar
10-12 grinds fresh black pepper

In large pot, cover potatoes with water. Add salt and bring to boil over medium heat. Boil potatoes until it slides from knife when pierced (approximately 15 minutes). Drain and allow to cool to room temperature.

When cool to the touch, coarsely cut potatoes into bite size pieces and place in large mixing bowl. Add ranch dressing, sour cream, vinegar, dill and pepper. Gently fold until well combined. Add salt and more pepper to taste. Refrigerate, loosely covered, a minimum of 4 hours before serving. Serves 8.

Chef's Note: This is a dish prepared by taste alone. I did not follow any recipe so all measurements are approximate. Adjust as your taste prefers. I prefer to leave the potatoes un-peeled as it adds to the home-made look and texture. If you want to peel the potatoes, do so prior to boiling and lessen the cooking time by 2 minutes.

Insalata Caprese

2 ripe tomatoes, cut to 1/4" slices
8 oz fresh mozzarella, cut to 1/4" slices
15-20 fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
2 T olive oil
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

On two large plates, layer alternating slices of tomatoes and mozzarella, place a basil leaf under each tomato. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, serves 2.

Spinach Salad with Buttermilk Bleu Cheese Dressing

1/2 c buttermilk
1/2 c sour cream
2 T cider vinegar
3 oz blue cheese, crumbled
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 lb bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
10 oz fresh spinach leaves
1 small red onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 to 4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon to paper towels to drain.

In large bowl, whisk buttermilk, sour cream, and vinegar together. Stir in blue cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add spinach and red onion to bowl with dressing and toss well to combine.

Mound salad on plates and top with bacon and one chopped egg per salad. Serve immediately. Serves 2 as a main dish, serves 4 as a side dish.

Asian Noodle Salad~ Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Salad Ingredients
1/2 pound Linguine, prepared and cooled
1/4 head each green and purple cabbage, shredded
1/2~ 10 oz bag fresh baby spinach
1 whole each red, yellow, and orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 c fresh bean sprouts (a.k.a Mung bean sprouts)
1 c fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
3 scallions, diced
Red pepper flake, to taste

Asian Ginger Dressing Ingredients
1/3 c olive oil
1/3 c soy sauce
1/3 c rice vinegar
1/4 c brown sugar
2 T sesame seed oil
3 T fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lime

Mix salad ingredients together in large bowl. Whisk dressing ingredients together and pour over salad. Toss thoroughly with tongs to combine and serve immediately. Serves 2.

Chef's Note: If preparing ahead, individually pack vegetables and refrigerate up to two days. Dressing may be stored for three days in refrigerator.

If you think you would enjoy an overly detailed step-by-step tutorial of how to prepare this salad, visit The Pioneer Woman Cooks.

Xiexie!

Cheddar Ranch Salad with Chicken

Romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
1 grilled chicken breast, sliced
1/2 c grated cheddar cheese
1/4 c Litehouse Homestyle Ranch dressing
Bacon pieces

Place lettuce on serving plate, add chicken and cheese. Top with dressing and sprinkle with bacon. Serves 2.

Parisian Salad

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped, washed and dried
1 c white balsamic vinaigrette dressing (recommended: Girard's)
1/2 c dried cranberries
1 c toasted walnuts *(recipe to follow)
1/4 c crumbled feta cheese

Place lettuce in large bowl and add feta. Pour dressing over and toss well. Dived between 4 salad plates and top with cranberries and walnuts. Serves 4.

Toasted Walnuts
1 c shelled walnuts
3 T walnut oil

Over medium-high flame, heat walnut oil for 3 minutes in medium skillet. Add walnuts and toast 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove walnuts to paper towel to drain and allow to cool.

Excellent Ranch

Today I revisited some comfort food and made Beef Dip Sandwiches. Actually, as pointed out by my fantastic husband (hi Big D!), it is more of a "Pot Roast Sandwich". Whatever, it was like a big warm hug in my belly... comfort food to the max.

As to the Excellent Ranch, I have discovered there is a prepared ranch dressing and dip that is every bit as good as homemade. Litehouse Homestyle Ranch was purchased by said hubby last weekend to serve to guests as a veggie dip. Again, he is fantastic and so is this dressing! I have used it as both a veggie dip and a salad dressing and I was very pleased with the results from each encounter.

Since the dressing was purchased by the husband (who doesn't save receipts), I don't know if it is cost effective to purchase this prepared dressing as opposed to making it myself, but that doesn't matter. It is outstanding and I would purchase it again even if it is twice the price of comparable dressing like Hidden Valley (eww!). It's that good.

Curried Chicken Salad

4 cooked chicken breasts, chopped
1 c red seedless grapes, halved
2 fuji apples, peeled and diced
¼ c crushed pineapple, drained
2 T raisins
1/3 c mayonnaise
2 t honey
1 t curry powder
juice from 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
crushed pecans for garnish

Combine chicken, grapes, apples, pineapple and raisins in a large bowl. Whisk together mayo, honey, curry, lemon and salt and pepper. Pour over chicken and fruit and toss to thoroughly combine. Place on bed of romaine lettuce for a salad or cracked wheat bread for a sandwich. Sprinkle with pecans. Serves 4.

Mexican Taco Salad

16 oz shredded iceberg lettuce, rinsed
1 lb ground turkey
1 package mild taco seasoning, recommended: McCormick
1/4 c water
15 oz can Pinto Beans, rinsed and drained
1 c shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 Tomato, diced
1/4 c Black Olives, chopped
1/3 c Sour Cream
1 c Brianna's Chipotle Cheddar dressing
chopped Cilantro for garnish

Brown ground turkey over medium high heat. Add taco seasoning and water, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Divide lettuce between 4 plates. Top each salad equally with beans, taco meat, and cheese. Drizzle with Chipotle Dressing and sprinkle with tomato and olives. Add sour cream and cilantro, serve with tortilla chips if desired. Serves 4.

Chef's Note: To use canned tomatoes in this recipe, place tomatoes in sieve over a large bowl and allow to drain 10-20 minutes. Discard the juice and store tomatoes tightly covered in refrigerator.

Cool Coleslaw

1 head green cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, grated
1/2 c mayonnaise
1/4 c rice wine vinegar
1 T sugar
1 t salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Wash cabbage and dry, place in large serving bowl and add carrot. Thoroughly mix mayo, vinegar, sugar and salt until well combined. Pour over cabbage and mix well. Add pepper to taste. Will keep up to one week refrigerated. Serves 10.

Grilled Ham and Double Cheese Sandwich with Strawberry and Walnut Salad

Grilled Ham and Double Cheese Sandwich
4 slices white sandwich bread
2 T butter, softened
1 t grated parmesan cheese
4 slices swiss cheese
2 pieces thick cut ham

Heat griddle to medium high. Combine butter and parmesan and spread one side of each slice of bread. Place two pieces of bread on griddle, butter side down. Add one slice of cheese on each bread, add ham and additional slice of cheese. Top with remaining two slices of bread. Grill first side of bread until well browned, approximately 5 minutes. Flip sandwich over, reduce heat to medium low and continue to grill until second side is browned and swiss cheese is melted. Remove from grill and serve immediately. Serves 2.

Strawberry and Walnut Salad
1 head romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
6 large strawberries, sliced
1/2 c walnuts, chopped
1/4 c bleu cheese, crumbled
1/2 c Brianna's blush wine vinaigrette dressing

Prepare lettuce, dry and plate. Top with remaining ingredients. Serves 2.

Italian Pasta Salad

1/2 pound rotini pasta, prepared and cooled
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c Girard's Old Venice Italian dressing
2 T fresh Italian herbs (oregano, parsley, chives, basil), plus more for garnish
1 T grated parmesan cheese
1/4 c red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
romaine lettuce, shredded
fresh ground black pepper to taste

In large bowl, toss pasta with olive oil and drizzle with Italian dressing. Chop fresh herbs and add to pasta, mix well. Plate lettuce and place pasta in center. Sprinkle with cheese and top with bell pepper. Add garnish. Serves 4.

Antipasto Salad with Homemade Croutons

1 head romaine lettuce
1/2 c hard salami, cubed (4 oz)
1/4 c sliced deli ham, chopped (2 oz)
20 slices turkey pepperoni (1 oz)
1 ~7 oz jar marinated quartered artichoke hearts
1 c mozzarella cheese, cubed (8 oz)
2 T shredded parmesan cheese
2 T black olives, sliced
1 c homemade croutons, recipe to follow

Chop romaine, rinse and dry thoroughly. Place lettuce in large bowl and top with remaining ingredients. Garnish with fresh ground pepper if desired. Serves 4.

Homemade Herb Croutons
1/2 loaf Italian bread, sliced thin and chopped
1/4 c olive oil
1 t dried oregano
1 t dried basil
1/2 t kosher salt

Heat oven to 350. Place bread in large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Add herbs and salt; toss with hands to coat evenly. Spread in single layer on baking sheet; bake 15 minutes. Cool completely prior to adding to salad. May be stored one week in an airtight container at room temperature.

Tomato-Basil Pasta Salad

1/2 lb elbow macaroni
1 Roma or plum tomato, seeded and diced
4 fresh basil leaves, shredded plus additional sprig for garnish
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 T olive oil
1/2 t salt
2 T shredded parmesan cheese

Mix together tomato, basil, garlic, olive oil and salt. Refrigerate 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Prepare macaroni to package instructions. Rinse under cold water and drain. Combine pasta and tomato; mix until well combined. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and additional basil for garnish. Serves 2.

Chef's Note: Fresh basil will bruise and turn black if chopped. To prepare, roll basil leaves lengthwise and slice into ribbons or tear to desired size.

Chinese Chicken Salad

Sesame Ginger Dressing, recipe to follow
2 cooked chicken breasts, cooled
1 head Romaine lettuce
1/4 c toasted slivered almonds
1 green onion, chopped
15 oz. can Mandarin oranges, drained

Chop Romaine into bite-sized pieces, wash and dry. Cube chicken and place on lettuce, add dressing to taste and toss in large bowl. Top with oranges, almonds and chopped onion. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Sesame Ginger Dressing
1/2 c canola oil
1/4 c rice wine vinegar
1/4 c pineapple juice
2 T sesame oil
1 T soy sauce
1 t ground ginger
1 t honey

Whisk together until well blended.