Gorgonzola Iceberg Wedge Salad

 

I just about never pass up an iceberg wedge salad on a restaurant menu.  And I can guarantee if I do, I already know their dressing is no good.  There is something so refreshing and satisfying about a good wedge  and I figured if you get the dressing down, the rest would be a piece of cake.

This gorgonzola dressing is absolutely perfect.  You'll never come close to matching its taste with a  bottled dressing.  And it's a whole lot healthier than those dressings made with mayo and sour cream.  Tastes even better the next day.


From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

Gorgonzola Iceberg Wedge Salad

Ingredients
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (I used fat free)
1 large garlic clove, minced
8 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
salt & fresh ground pepper
1 head iceberg lettuce, cut into 4 wedges
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
Optional: 4 pieces of cooked, crumbled bacon
Step by Step
In a medium bowl, stir the buttermilk, Greek yogurt, and garlic together. Add in 2/3 cup of the Gorgonzola to the dressing. Smash the cheese into the sauce to help it blend.  Stir in a few more sprinkles of the gorgonzola and leave them chunky.  Season with salt & pepper and set aside.

Arrange the lettuce wedges on individual plates. Spoon the dressing over the wedges, top with tomatoes and remaining Gorgonzola (and bacon if using). Sprinkle fresh cracked pepper on top and serve.

Refrigerate dressing in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Makes 4 salads.  Or two salads one night and two the next...

Squash Ribbon Salad

I know I don't have anyone on the edge of their seat over squash ribbons, but come on, stay with me. Seriously, stay with me... it's worth it.

I first tried the ribbon method for this pasta and I all of a sudden became a squash fan.  It turns a rather bland, sometimes boring veggie into a thin, crisp tool that can soak up great sauces without being heavy.  The ribbons turn into something refreshing and crisp that taste somewhere between a fettucine noodle and leaf of lettuce.  Does this make sense?  Keep following...

I rarely get pumped about a big bowl of greens, but this offers more taste,  and the bright pops of yellow ribbons are springier than spring itself.

So come on... just try it. Please?  Thank you.

Summer Squash Ribbon Salad
Adapted from the kitchn
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds zucchini or yellow squash
1 shallot, very thinly sliced... as thin as you can possibly get it (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup basil chopped finely
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
2 ounces goat cheese
Step by Step
Trim the ends off the squash and using a  vegetable peeler, or knife, cut the squash lengthwise into very thin strips.

Place in a large bowl with the sliced shallot, olive oil, and vinegar, and gently toss to combine. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Then add the basil and pine nuts and gently toss to combine.

Transfer to a serving dish and crumble goat cheese on top. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings (or 2 big main servings).

Tomato & Asparagus Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette

Spring is still in my air here in Houston and I continue to find vegetable dishes that are packed with flavor. This is such a great salad with so many fresh flavors.  If you make the vinaigrette ahead, you could have this on a weeknight, but I think it is special enough to serve at a luncheon or a dinner party. I just love all those colors.

That's all I have to say about this... it's just good.  Today, I'm working on putting together a few menus for a catering job so I'm looking for inspiration for what to serve at a baby shower.  Have any bite size favorites you would like to share?

 From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

Tomato & Asparagus Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette
Adapted from Peace Meals, Junior League Houston
Recipe Notes
You might gasp a little when you see the price tag on champagne vinaigrette.  There seem to be varieties that are expensive.  I bought the most inexpensive jar and it has lasted me a long time so it turned out to be a good investment.  Unless you like your salads drowning in dressing, you will also have plenty left over to use for another salad or to make this again.  Blanching is simply cooking a vegetable in boiling water for a few minutes to bring out it's color and then shocking it with cold ice water so that the cooking stops.  If you would like an in depth refresher, click here.
Ingredients
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/2 cup Champagne vinegar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
coarse salt
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
dash of sugar
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
for the salad:
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, any color, halved
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Step by Step
Crush the garlic clove with the side of a knife blade.  The the clove (leaving it in one piece) to a mixing bowl.  Add the vinegar, pepper, and a dash of salt; allow to sit for 30 minutes.  Remove and discard the garlic.  Whisk in the mustard and sugar; slowly add the olive oil, whisking constantly to emulsify.
Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Blanch (see note above) the asparagus for 1 to 2 minutes.  Drain and rinse under cold water.  Combing the asparagus and tomatoes in a medium bowl.  Add the cheese and toss with desired amount of the vinaigrette; season with salt and pepper.  Cover and refrigerate for up to four hours.  Toss again before serving and adjust the seasonings as needed.  

Store extra vinaigrette in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Serves 6-8.

Spinach Salad with Pumpkin Seeds & Dried Cherries

Continuing the week of Thanksgiving ideas...

We are not big salad people.  I have nothing against it and I actually love a good salad, but I find it not so necessary for weeknight meals.  If I make a salad, it usually gets pushed aside when there are other things to eat like pasta.  However, here come the holidays and I found a perfect salad that would accompany hearty dishes.  It's a little bit special with pumpkin seeds and dried cherries, but still very easy and not many ingredients in the dressing. If you are starting to think about a Thanksgiving meal, this could be a perfect fancy, but not fussy salad for the big day.


From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

Spinach Salad with pumpkin seeds and dried cherries
Adapted from Food Everyday, Martha Stewart
Serves 4
Recipe Notes
There are a few options when it comes to dried cherries.  The only ones I have found that I don't like are the brand Sunshine that come in a yellow package.  Other than that, I have tried a lot of brands and I like them all.
Ingredients
4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
coarse salt and ground pepper
8 ounces baby spinach
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup raw pumpkins seeds
Step by Step
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread raw pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Roast for 10 minutes, until seeds have puffed and lightly browned.

In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, olive oil until thickened and well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add spinach, red onion and cherries and toss to combine.  Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and serve immediately.

Spiced Chicken with Couscous

It is not even June and it is some kind of hot around here.  Sheesh... I want to melt just thinking about the idea of late July.  Since I can't control the blazing temps, I've decided to move on to enjoying the great produce that comes along this time of year.  It's always nice to find a filling and light meal that tastes especially great with summer tomatoes.  I also love any recipe centered around couscous since it is about the simplest thing you could possibly make in the kitchen.  So if you are looking for an easy, summery dish, give this one a try.

From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

Spiced Chicken with CousCous

Serves 4

Adapted from Real Simple

Recipe Notes

I went ahead and made four portions of this and it made great leftovers for lunch the next day.  It can be served cold, hot or room temperature.  If you are going to eat as leftovers, you can heat the chicken but serve the couscous salad at room temperature. 

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 ounces each)

1 teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoons ground cumin

kosher salt and black pepper

3⁄4 cup couscous

3/4 pound cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered

1/4 pound snap peas, thinly sliced crosswise (about 1 cup)

1/2 cup torn fresh basil

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Step by Step

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with the paprika, cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook until golden brown and cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes per side; transfer to a plate a wrap with foil to keep warm.

Meanwhile, bring 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil.  Once boiling, remove from heat, add couscous and cover.  Let rest off of heat for 5 minutes; fluff with a fork.  Add the tomatoes, snap peas, basil, lemon zest, lemon juice, the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and toss to combine.


Slice the chicken and serve over the couscous salad.

Warm Goat Cheese in Phyllo Salad

I have a bit of a disorder when it comes to the weather.  I usually gage what I will be wearing for the day off of what I feel that the weather will be and not what it actually is.  For example, last week... it's 7:30 a.m. and I'm thinking it's the middle of March in Houston... hmm, sounds hot... I'll go with a skirt and short sleeved shirt. Then as I'm running out the door, I realize it's about 45 degrees with not a lot of time to turn back and change.  But I still justify that it's March in Houston and it has got to be at least 75 degrees by about 10. Wrong again... we had a cold windy spell and I spent most of the day freezing.  What's the point of this story you are wondering?  I seem to ignore the weather when it comes to food too.  I had already bought all the ingredients for this salad I had been dying to try so even though it might not have been the night for a light, spring salad, I made it for dinner.  Not too worried about it now because I am finally getting around to sharing this and the weather has cooperated. 

But what you really need to know is how amazing this salad is.  I have to admit that it seems fancy to me so I wanted to try it because I thought if it was successful, it would be something impressive to serve for company. And even more than being delicious, it is pretty easy. 

From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

Warm Goat Cheese in Phyllo Salad

Adapted from Ina Garten's Back to the Basics
Recipe Notes
The original recipe calls for regular bread crumbs. I happened to have panko so I substituted, but either one will work. I did enjoy the little bit of crunch from the panko, but if you don't feel like venturing into the world of Japanese bread crumbs, you can use regular. The phyllo dough I bought ended up being quite tricky. Mine was less in sheets and more in little strips. As you can see the picture below, I just made a pinwheel with the strips and built the little cheese sacks from there. I was worried it would not work out because I did not have nice sheets, but there was no problem. Bottom line... don't worry if the bundles are kind of messy when they come together. Whether you have to adjust the amount of goat cheese that will fit or your phyllo dough is acting funny, just keep going and worry about making the bundles look pretty at the very end. You can always add extra phyllo layers to make the outside have a good presentation.
Ingredients
12 sheets phyllo dough, defrosted
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 to 3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs (or plain bread crumbs... see note above)
12 tablespoons of goat cheese, divided into 6 balls
Baby salad greens, such as a spring mix or arugula
For the Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup good olive oil
Step by Step
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Unroll the sheets of phyllo dough on a flat surface and cover them with a slightly damp towel. (if the towel is too wet, the dough will get sticky). Working quickly so the dough doesn't dry out, place one sheet of phyllo on a board, brush lightly with melted butter, and sprinkle lightly with bread crumbs. Place a second sheet of phyllo on top, brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Continue until you have 4 sheets stacked up. Cut the sheets in half crosswise to make 2 almost-squares.

Using two tablespoons of goat cheese at a time, make 6 small balls of goat cheese. Place each ball in the center of one phyllo square. Starting at one corner, fold the phyllo up over the cheese and continue folding and pleating the phyllo around the cheese, as though you're wrapping a round gift that's tied on top. You will end with extra phyllo dough on top; twist the excess into a top knot. Brush the discs all over with melted butter and place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Continue with the remaining phyllo dough and goat cheese to make 4 additional packages.

Bake for 20 minutes, until the phyllo is lightly browned. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

While the cheese packages bake, place the salad greens in a large bowl. Whisk the vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. Still whisking, slowly add the olive oil, making an emulsion. Toss the salad greens with enough vinaigrette to moisten.

Distribute the salad among six plates and place on warm goat cheese package in the center of each plate, Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.

Leftover goat cheese bundles can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees until bundle is heated all the way through, about 10 minutes.

Pesto Pea Spinach Salad

So I probably did not fool any of you with this picture.  I couldn't stand the idea of posting my same dinner party picture one more time so I cropped this so you could just see the salad.  And yes, this is the official last recipe from the dinner party.  My friend's mom gave me this Barefoot Contessa recipe a couple years ago and it has become a staple salad recipe for me.  I have served it for dinner parties and also made smaller versions when I am just cooking for two.  It is a unique salad and goes with anything from grilled meats to casseroles.  I touched on this when I posted on how to blanch peas, but do not pass this recipe by because you do not like peas. Trust me! I am a pea hater and I love this salad.  They are a perfect crunch in the salad and their flavor is transformed with the pesto.  Enjoy!
Pesto Pea Spinach Salad
Serves 4
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa
Recipe Notes
Depending on what kind of pesto you use, you might want to add kosher salt and pepper at the end.  If you make fresh pesto, this will probably not be necessary, but some store bought pestos could use a little extra seasoning.  Simply prepare the salad and taste before serving.  Add salt and pepper if it needs an extra kick.
Ingredients
2 cups of frozen peas
2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts or pignolis (see toasting instructions below)
2 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves
4 tablespoons of pesto (click here for recipe or use store bought)
Step by Step
1.  Blanch peas in a pot of salted water (click here for blanching instructions)
2.  To assemble the salad, place spinach leaves in a bowl.
3.  Sprinkle spinach with peas and pine nuts.  Toss with pesto.

To toast pine nuts...
1.  Place nuts in a dry saute pan over medium high heat for about 4 minutes.
2.  Toss frequently until evenly browned.  Watch closely so they do not burn!

Avocado Chicken Salad with Avocado Dressing

There are certain recipes that are responsible for my love of cooking.  I have such vivid memories of tasting  certain meals and thinking how could I have lived this long without knowing about this!  I would immediately forget about the time that went into the preparation and be taken away to some foodie euphoria.  This is what keeps me in the kitchen... this is one of those recipes.  It was one day in college that my friend Allison and I decided to take a "personal day" and do lots of cooking.  At this point, I had made a few things that were tasty, but I knew Paula Deen's avocado chicken salad was going to always be one of my favorites from the first bite I took.  If you love chicken salad and avocado as much as I do, I would bet my crepe pan on the fact that this will be one of your favorites too! Enjoy!

I made this for my sister-in-laws baby shower last weekend and it is a definite go-to recipe for any brunch or luncheon.   It takes a little bit of time, but is definitely worth it for a special occasion!

Avocado Chicken Salad
Adapted from Paula Deen
Recipe Notes
One of the unique things about this chicken salad is the dressing that goes on top.  It is really what makes the dish pop.  Serve it alongside the chicken salad and drizzle over before eating.  This also goes great with your favorite cracker or some crusty french bread.  The chicken salad can be made the night before if you leave out the avocado chunks.  Add avocado up to 30 minutes before serving.  The dressing can be made the night before as well and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Salad
3 cups cooked, diced chicken (click here for instructions)
3 cups cooked white rice
2 avocados, peeled, diced and tossed with 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup mayonnaise
1 to 2 teaspoons pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
For the Avocado Dressing
1 small avocado mashed with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
Dash cayenne pepper
Step by Step
For the Chicken Salad
1.  Mix all ingredients except for avocado chunks.  Mix until ingredients are well combined.
2.  Add chunks of avocado and toss lightly.
3.  Chill until ready to serve.
For the Dressing
1.  Combine all ingredients into a food processor.
2.  Blend until completely smooth.
3.  Chill and serve alongside the chicken salad.

Makes 8 servings.

Mediteranean Salad + Lemon Caper Vinaigrette

So another challenge came my way, and I just had to take it on.  At lunch in the office one day, my coworker Frances had a salad with a yummy lemon caper vinaigrette from a restaurant called the Picnic. It was light and a refreshing and we decided we just had to figure out what was in it.  I did a little research and found a great recipe that came out very similar and found a great salad to go with it as well. It would pair perfectly with any grilled meat or fish. You could also use the dressing on all sorts of salads.  Enjoy!

Lemon Caper Vinaigrette

Adapted from recipezaar.com 

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 teaspoon minced shallot

1/4 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon honey

1 1/2 tablespoons capers, with their liquid

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Step by Step

1.  Combine all ingredients in a jar or bowl.  

2.  Shake well to combine ingredients.

3.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Mediterranean Salad 

Ingredients

1/2 bag mixed greens (I like the bag of baby mixed greens, but you could also use spinach or romaine)

8 grape tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup kalamata olive, pitted

1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbles

1/4 red onion, sliced thin

Step by Step

1.  Mix all salad ingredients in the bowl.

2.  Toss with dressing before serving.

Corn, Tomato & Avocado Salad

 

This is such a lovely summer salad.  The sweet fresh corn goes perfectly with the creamy avocado and chunks of fresh tomato.  You can put this together in seconds and goes great with pretty much anything.  You could serve it with grilled meat, a sandwich or Mexican food.  I found this lovely recipe years ago from Food Everyday and love bringing it out in the summer when all these ingredients are at their prime.  Enjoy!

Corn, Avocado & Tomato Salad
Serves 2

Recipe Notes
I try to use just a little romaine lettuce because the other ingredients are what make it so delicious.  And like I do with a lot of recipes, I have paired it down for two, but you can easily double it if you are feeding more.  
Ingredients
1 cup (approximate) romaine lettuce, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 cup fresh con kernels
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (a vine ripened tomato cut into chunks will work as well)
1 large avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed (or two small)
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon of chili powder
Coarse salt & ground pepper
Step by Step
1.  Combine torn lettuce, corn kernels, tomatoes
2.  Separate out 1/4 cup of the avocado cubes.
3.  Take the 1/4 cup of avocado and combine with 1/3 cup water, 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon chili powder.  Season dressing to taste with coarse salt and pepper.
4.  Add the rest of the avocado cubes to the lettuce, corn and tomato.  Toss salad with dressing and serve.

Toasted Pecan & Goat Cheese Salad

This is by far one of my favorite salads.  It is simple and pairs well with meats as well as pastas.  I have made many different variations of this and it really goes well with most types of salad greens.  On this particular day, I used a spring mix of bagged salad, but baby spinach works really well too.  I found this delicious recipe for balsamic-rosemary vinaigrette in Everyday Food magazine and I have to say the fresh dressing makes all the difference.  You can definitely use a store bought balsamic dressing if you are short on time, but I think it is worth the effort... Enjoy!


Toasted Pecan & Goat Cheese Salad
Serves 4
Ingredients- salad

1 bag of salad (either spring mix or baby spinach)
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans (see below for details)
1/4 cup balsamic-rosemary vinaigrette
Ingredients- balsamic rosemary dressing
Recipe adapted from Food Everyday Magazine March 2009
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 small clove of garlic
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions- Salad
1. Combine all ingredients except dressing and toss.
2.  Pour dressing over salad just before serving.
Directions- Dressing
1. Combine all ingredients but the olive oil in a blender.
2.  Blend until mixture has a smooth consistency.
3.  While blender continues to run, remove lid and add olive oil slowly.
4.  Continue to blend until mixture is combined.
Dressing may be refrigerated up to two weeks and also works well as a marinade for chicken and pork chops.

To toast pecans, heat a dry skillet over medium heat.  Add pecans and toast about 5 minutes, shaking every once in awhile.  Keep your eye on these... they can burn quickly!