Category Archives: SALAD DRESSING RECIPES

MEDITERRANEAN BROWN BASMATI RICE SALAD

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I often make extra brown rice just so that I can do something fun with it for a future meal. And the other evening was no exception. Mr. C. wanted to grill steak, so I decided to put the leftover rice waiting patiently for me to do something exciting with it, to good use. But what to do with it? Since it’s summer, I decided to use the rice in a salad. So, I went on-line looking for the perfect salad recipe that contained rice. And as luck would have it, I found this somewhat adapted recipe on the aheadofthyme.com site. I changed things up a bit because I didn’t have all the ingredients called for. I also added more olive oil to the dressing and used my already cooked brown basmati rice instead of cooking up some regular brown rice as directed in the original recipe. Which BTW, I am not going to be using from now on. (To read all about why I am going to refrain from serving regular brown rice any longer, take a quick gander at the information I provided below.) But for now, back to this salad recipe.  

First thing I need to state emphatically, is that this salad is absolutely delicious. We both loved it and it is so very easy to prepare. Plus, the salad needs to be made ahead of time to allow the flavors to get to know one another before being devoured. So, easy to prepare, should be made ahead, tastes amazing. Nothing there not to like!   

So, perfectly grilled steak and this salad made for a great meal enjoyed on our east facing outdoor table. Shade, good food, and a view of the Cascade Mountains and Port Susan Bay made for a very pleasant meal. Of course, the before dinner martini Mr. C. built me didn’t hurt either. Nor did his wine with dinner.

But the real star of the show was this salad. So, I hope you give this recipe a try. And please do read below about brown rice. I don’t know about you, but there is enough poison going around in the form of societal hate, racism, gun control issues, women’s rights pejoration, etc. without inadvertently and unknowingly adding inorganic arsenic to our diet. Just sayin’!

And just because I know you were wondering; brown basmati rice is a lot tastier than regular brown rice. And, this is important, so read carefully – in my humble opinion, brown basmati rice is a perfect replacement for plain old white rice. It is not chewy like regular brown rice. So, it can replace white rice in any of your favorite recipes and no one will be the wiser. In other words – brown basmati rice rocks!

Well, that’s all the news for today. Mr. C. has a gig in Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island this evening. As the crow flies, we are talking about 12 miles from our home. However, because of all the surrounding water, the driving distance is about 60 miles. And not a 70 mile an hour highway to be had. But it is worth the drive. Listening to great jazz (Herding Katz Jazz Nonet) with some of the best players around while eating Southern BBQ at Orlando’s. (Again, some of the best around.) Life just doesn’t get much better. Plus, it’s Friday. And even if I have been retired for 20 years, Friday night is still super special. May you too have a super Friday night. And a great weekend.

Peace and love to all.

3 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 T. fresh lemon juice, or more to taste

1 lg. clove garlic, finely minced 

¼ tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. fine sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 c. cold cooked brown basmati rice (see recipe below)

2 c. baby spinach, roughly chopped  

1 c. cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in thirds   

½ c. diced cucumber or 1 lg. rib celery, diced (or both, why not?)

¼ c. thinly sliced red onion

⅓ c. sliced kalamata olives

⅓ c. crumbled feta cheese

Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, sea salt, and pepper together in a small bowl.

Gently stir the cooked rice, spinach, tomatoes, cucumber or celery, red onion, kalamata olives, and feta cheese together in a salad bowl. Pour on the dressing, stir gently, and refrigerate until ready to eat.

It’s best to let this salad happily sit covered in your fridge for at least 1 hour before serving. Perfect as aside dish or as the main course.  

RICE COOKER BROWN BASMATI RICE

1 c. long grain brown basmati rice*

2⅓ c. water

1 T. unsalted butter

½ tsp. kosher salt

Wash the rice to remove excess starch and use a colander to drain well. Add the rice, water, butter, and salt to the rice cooker and stir to combine. Select the brown rice setting on your rice cooker. Once finished cooking, fluff before serving.

*Brown Basmati Rice

Most types of rice, particularly white rice, have a high glycemic index. Basmati rice, however, is much lower on the scale. With a glycemic index between 50 and 58, basmati rice is a low to medium glycemic index food. If you have diabetes, small portions of basmati rice can be a part of your healthy diet.

In addition to a lower glycemic index, basmati rice contains a significant amount of fiber. A higher intake of dietary fiber can help to reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Or if you have diabetes, when eaten in moderation, it doesn’t cause sugar spikes as much as regular white rice. In addition, the fiber in basmati rice is soluble, meaning it adds bulk and helps move waste along the digestive tract.

Eating whole grains like brown basmati rice is linked to a lower risk of heart disease. Whole grains help to reduce blood cholesterol levels. They also help to reduce the risk of high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease.

While both white and brown versions of basmati rice provide vital nutrients, brown basmati rice contains more fiber, phosphorus, zinc, and B vitamins. Brown basmati rice is also lower on the glycemic index. Brown basmati rice from California is also the lowest in arsenic. Arsenic?

Arsenic in Brown Rice

According to consumer Reports “Brown rice has 80 percent more inorganic arsenic on average than white rice of the same type. Arsenic accumulates in the grain’s outer layers, which are removed to make white rice. Brown basmati from California, India, or Pakistan is the best choice; it has about a third less inorganic arsenic than other brown rice.

Rice that’s grown organically takes up arsenic the same way conventional rice does, so don’t rely on organic to have less arsenic.”

  

TAHINI LEMON SALAD DRESSING

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OK, yet another salad dressing recipe. I simply can’t help myself. I love salad, so I am always on the lookout for salad dressing recipes that are easy to prepare and just a bit different. So, when my dear friend Jim lent me his copy of The Complete Diabetic Cookbook, one of the first recipes I decided to try was this one. And boy am I glad I did. Absolutely delicious.

Now one thing I want to discuss with you is the use of fresh lemons over that stuff that comes in a bottle. You simply cannot get the same fabulous real lemon flavor from something that has been processed and then sits for God knows how long on a shelf in the grocery store and then once opened, in your refrigerator. I do realize, that using bottled lemon juice takes less effort than extracting the juice from the real thing. But not that much less effort. Not enough to justify using an inferior substitute. (In my humble opinion!) So, to help you continue using real lemons or for those of you I have successfully guilt tripped into starting to use real lemons, visit my recipe for Simple Italian Vinaigrette for my super easy way to get more juice from lemons. (At least this method works great for me.)

Now let’s talk about garlic. Again, use the real thing. Here’s why.

According to Alex Delany for bonappetite.com “Having a tub of pre-minced garlic in the fridge seems like a smart move. If you need a hit of garlic and don’t have any, it’s there. Pop the lid, scoop some out, and throw it in your braise. But if you open the doors of our fridges (or step into the walk-in of our Test Kitchen), you won’t find pre-minced garlic anywhere. That’s because we don’t think you should be using pre-minced garlic at all.

This might sound like we’re on a high horse, preaching some gospel of food snobbery. We’re not. We’re serious about this. Allow us to explain.

The minute you slice, crush, grate, or chop garlic, the flavor starts to change. Garlic develops strong, bitter, sharp flavors when the cell walls of the bulb are broken. This is a defense mechanism, like deflecting a valid critique of your character by turning it into a joke. When this sharp flavor develops and then sits, it becomes more unpleasant, which is exactly what’s happening in that jar of minced garlic. The more it hangs around, the less it tastes like the sweet, spicy, assertive garlic we know and love.

Also, pre-minced garlic is actually not just garlic. These containers of garlic have added ingredients, like citric acid and phosphoric acid, to help stabilize the garlic as it sits on grocery store shelves. And, as another stabilization technique, most brands will pasteurize the garlic, heating it to kill any unwanted microorganisms. This sounds like a good thing in terms of food safety, but when it comes to fresh ingredients, we like ours to be alive. There’s more vibrance and flavor in a freshly peeled clove than there is in a pasteurized garlic cube.

Real talk: This supposed product of convenience isn’t really saving you much time at all. If you needed 3 cups of garlic for the largest batch of pasta sauce you’ve ever made, sure, we get it.

But really, we don’t mince garlic all that much after all. Chopped garlic is a pain in the ass. We co-sign techniques like smashing cloves with the flat side of a knife or grating garlic with a microplane, both of which take very little time.

Grocery store minced garlic is a food product of convenience that is just not that convenient—and certainly not that tasty. At this very moment, pre-minced garlic is 0-2 in our book. Fresh garlic? That stuff remains undefeated.”

Now, I know. Why saddle you with all this information when you are just trying to get healthy, decent tasting meals on the table. I get it. I’ve been there. But using real lemons and garlic that you squeeze or mince/grate yourself, is going to make the dishes you prepare just that much better. And always remember, I really am on your side.

Well, that’s enough blather for today. Mr. C. has just left for an afternoon gig followed by a rehearsal this evening. With no time in between to have dinner at home. So, I have the afternoon and evening to myself. I plan to do some reading, then maybe take a nap, followed by some more diving into my book. I am currently reading the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear. Delightful!

As always, peace and love to all.

3 T. fresh lemon juice

2 T. tahini

1 T. water

1 garlic clove, finely minced

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

¼ c. extra virgin olive oil

Whisk all together. Serve over mild flavored greens.

      

ITALIAN DRESSING WITH PARMESAN

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I know. I am always posting salad dressing recipes, but what can I say, I get bored easily. And I am always seeking lovely salad dressing recipes that are easy to build. And seriously, salad dressing prep can’t get much easier than this emulsion based on a Robert Irvine recipe. And oh my, is this dressing delicious. Perfect with just a simple selection of greens, like romaine, spinach, and arugula.

So, if you too are a salad lover but don’t want to spend very much time preparing the perfect salad dressing, give this beauty a try.

Peace and love to all.

5 tsp. red wine vinegar

1 sm. garlic clove, roughly chopped

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

3 crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste

1 T. finely grated Parmesan

¼ c. extra virgin olive oil

Whirl all the ingredients together. (When making this dressing, I use my Waring Commercial Pro Prep Chopper-Grinder by Cuisinart. See a picture and read all about this fantastic appliance under Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing.) (And no, this is not a paid political announcement.)

 

CREAMY ITALIAN SALAD DRESSING WITH 2 CHEESES

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There are just so many great salad dressing recipes out there, and so many lovely greens to dress with these marvelous dressings, that I am almost hesitant to provide you with yet another way to serve up a damn delicious dinner salad. But I’m going to do it anyway! Because I made this dressing the other evening and it was really, really good. Then I used it on another salad a couple of days later and it was even better. So, I had to share it with you. Just chop up some greens, slather on a bit of this dressing, and prepare to love the heck out of your salad. Enough said!

As always, peace and love to all.

6 T. extra virgin olive oil

¼ c. mayonnaise

2 T. sour cream

2 T. white wine vinegar

½ tsp. granulated garlic

½ tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. celery salt

¼ tsp. granulated onion

freshly ground black pepper

pinch granulated sugar

pinch dried thyme

1 T. chopped fresh parsley

2 T. finely grated Parmigiana Reggiano cheese

2 T. finely grated pecorino Romano cheese

Whisk or shake all the ingredients together. Taste and add kosher salt if desired. Store in refrigerator.   

ITALIAN PARSLEY AND FRESH BASIL VINIAGRETTE  

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You know I am always looking for new salad dressing recipes to bring an ever-changing flavor sensation to our otherwise tedious adherence to salads that begin by adding romaine and arugula to a salad bowl. But don’t get me wrong. We love green salads. But, whereas many refrigerators contain several flavors of bottled salad dressing from which to choose, our refrigerator only contains the remnants, if any, of the last salad dressing I prepared. So, the dressings I make had better be pretty darn delicious.

So, the other day I went looking for a salad dressing recipe that possibly contained a new, and perhaps completely unheard of salad dressing ingredient. I didn’t find one. But what I did find was this fabulous recipe straight from Jenn Segal’s blog onceuponachef.com. There were no new and exciting ingredients to be found in the recipe. Not a single ingredient that I had never used before in a salad dressing. But, for whatever reason, I was drawn to the recipe. Not only because it was easy to prepare, but because the ratios looked a little off to me. I know that sounds strange. But a full cup of fresh parsley? That seemed like too much to me. But I trust Jenn. I have messed with enough of her recipes to feel comfortable that she and I think a lot alike when it comes to food. So, I made the vinaigrette exactly as written. And I am here to tell you, this recipe makes for one absolutely delicious salad dressing. So, thank you Jenn for another wonderful recipe.

Well, that’s it for today. Sorry for no picture, but a picture of salad dressing in a bottle is not my idea of something that would pique your interest.

We’re staying home today because we had snow again last night, and the roads are a bit dicey. Not to mention our steep driveway. Mr. C. just finished shoveling it, but I’m not going to sit in a car, going backwards down a steep and not terribly wide bit of concrete. And should we not be able to stop the car at the bottom of our driveway, after crossing the road we would find ourselves backed into a fairly deep ravine. So, I’m not going anywhere! I’m staying in the safety of our warm and cozy home. And do a bit of recipe research. (As if I don’t do that every day anyway!) But forced confinement makes it all that much easier to justify spending hours on my computer.

Peace and love to all.  

1 c. loosely packed fresh Italian parsley leaves

1 c. loosely packed fresh basil leaves

2 cloves garlic, peeled

¼ tsp. dried oregano

¼ c. red wine vinegar

¾ c. extra virgin olive oi

1½ tsp. honey

¾ tsp. kosher salt 

freshly ground black pepper

Whirl everything in a food processor. Store in the fridge.

   

MEDITERRANEAN QUINOA SALAD

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I love salad. And when salads like this one contain grain (quinoa is technically a seed though usually classified as a whole grain), I feel super proud of myself when the dish turns out not only delicious but very, very healthy. If you aren’t already familiar with quinoa, be advised that it is a good source of plant protein and fiber. One cup of cooked quinoa provides about 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. Quinoa is also naturally gluten-free and can be eaten safely if one has gluten intolerance such as celiac disease.

Quinoa is also a good choice for diabetics. Foods high on the glycemic index are associated with causing blood sugar spikes. So, people with diabetes should choose foods rated at medium to low on the glycemic index. A glycemic index of 55 or below is considered low. Quinoa has a glycemic index of around 53, meaning it won’t cause as dramatic a spike in blood sugar because it contains fiber and protein, both of which slow the digestion process.

Now, what I haven’t mentioned so far, is that quinoa is like a sponge. It absorbs the flavors of whatever dressing or sauce you are using. In this case, the simple olive oil and lemon dressing seems to just melt into the quinoa. So, along with all the other lovely ingredients, this makes for one tasty salad. And a perfect side dish for almost any fairly simple meat preparation.

I served this salad last evening with Baked Rack of Lamb with a Savory Topping. (Recipe to follow in the next couple of days.) And since the salad contained both a grain and lots of veggies, a third dish was not required. Which I always appreciate, because you know how lazy I’m getting in my golden years. And of course, it didn’t hurt that the salad had been very easy to prepare.

So, I hope you make this salad soon. It truly is yummy. (And super healthy!)

As always, have a grand time in your kitchen. Play with your food. And endeavor to make mealtime as pleasant as possible. And remember, good food doesn’t have to be fancy. And this salad proves that point perfectly. It’s not a bit fancy. Perfect for the likes of Mr. C. and me!   

Peace and love to all.

½ c. uncooked quinoa (I used Bob’s Red Mill Tri-Color Quinoa for this salad)

1 c. water

2 T. fresh lemon juice

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp. dried oregano

1 T. chopped fresh parsley

tiny pinch crushed red pepper flakes (like 5-6 flakes)

1 c. chopped baby spinach

1 tomato, chopped and seeded

¾ c. chopped English cucumber

⅓ c. diced red or white onion

½ c. sliced kalamata olives

½ c. crumbled feta cheese

Rinse and drain the quinoa even though the package might state that the quinoa has been pre-rinsed. (Pre-rinsed could mean it was given a very light spray of water insufficient to remove all the saponins.)

Place rinsed quinoa and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Remove from heat., remove lid, fluff with a fork, and let cool for at least 20 minutes. 

Meanwhile whisk or shake the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes together.

In a medium bowl, stir the chopped spinach, tomato, cucumber, onion, and kalamata olives together.   

When the cooked quinoa is cool, add to the bowl, and gently stir in the dressing and crumbled feta. 

Serve immediately or let the salad chill in the fridge a couple hours before serving.

  

SIMPLE ITALIAN VINAIGRETTE

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Made this dressing last evening. Simple to prepare, and because I was feeling lazy, the only thing I had to mess with was the fresh lemon juice. No chopping onion or fresh garlic, etc. etc. And while I was juicing the lemon, I remembered that I hadn’t shared my new “trick” with you. So, today before I started writing up this post, I took a few pictures.

Now you know I don’t usually take an abundance of pictures. Because to my thinking, there is nothing worse than going to a blog and seeing at a minimum, 9 pictures of the same thing. I don’t have that kind of time. I just want a few choice words, then give me the darn recipe thank you, and let me be on my way! (And yes, I’m getting cranky in my old age!)

So, if you aren’t interested in getting more juice from your lemons, then don’t go all the way to the bottom of this post. But if you are intrigued by the shear idea of more juice per lemon, I’ll forgive you if you stop reading at this point and jump right to the juicy part of this post.

I assume you’re back now, so I’ll tell you how much we enjoyed this dressing on a simple salad of romaine, arugula, baby spinach, grape tomatoes, and sunflower seeds. We were practically fighting over the last little bits. (OK, not really, but every little bit of the salad was enthusiastically eaten.)

So, even if you have been making your own salad dressing since God was child, I think you will find this delicious dressing (compliments of Christina at thewholecook.com website with a couple minor changes by me) to be a great addition to your salad dressing recipe collection.

As always, have fun in your kitchen. And eat salads like they are going out of style. Veggies are good for us. And although green salads will never be my favorite dish to prepare, salads are still one of my favorite dishes to eat. So, you do the math!

Peace and love to all.  

¾ c. extra virgin olive oil

¼ c. red wine vinegar

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. granulated garlic  

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried basil

¾ tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste

½ tsp. granulated onion

freshly ground black pepper

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

Place all ingredients in a covered jar. Then shake like crazy. Store in fridge.

How to get more juice from a lemon. (At least this method works for me!)

Cut the nub end off half a lemon.
Then cut off the rind. Be careful to cut off only the yellow part.
Place the cut end down in your lemon squeezer gismo. (At least, I believe that’s the technical name for this helpful tool.)
What’s left after you extract the juice.

I don’t know if I actually get that much more juice cutting off the rind. But I sure know my arthritic hands appreciate not having to squeeze the juicer as hard.

TUNA SALAD SALAD

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First an apology. I haven’t been posting as many new recipes these last few weeks because, well, I’ve been busy being Mrs. Santa. I’m sure most of you will fully understand. The rest of you, well, it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to get permission. (Words to live by, BTW. Especially when it includes serving a cruciferous veggie at the Carr table!) But I digress….

The other evening both of us had just about eaten all the rich food we could stand. So, I suggested a simple salad. Mr. C. thought that was a good idea. And since Mr. C. is very fond of tuna, I thought a nice crunchy tuna salad would hit the spot. But Mr. C. is also enamored with a creamy salad dressing. So, I decided to mix up a ranch style dressing to slather on the greens. And boy was the salad good. Just what was needed.

So, if you too are a bit tired of rich food, give this salad a try. I promise it will be a nice change from leftover turkey or ham.

As always peace and love to all. And a special thank you to all of you who are fully vaccinated. Getting a covid shot is such an easy way to help stop the spread of this horrid disease. And for any of you who resent wearing a mask while grocery shopping or entering a restaurant, imagine that you were in the service industry and had to wear one every single moment you were at work.

It should be an honor to help stop the spread of this deadly pandemic. And a simple gesture like wearing a mask should not be construed as an attack on an individual’s freedom. But rather as a kindness shown to others to help keep everyone healthy.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

For the tuna salad:

⅓ c. light mayonnaise

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

pinch granulated garlic

2 T. minced dill pickles or dill pickle relish

1 T. finely minced onion

½ c. finely chopped celery

1 can (5-oz.) water packed albacore tuna, drained

Mix all together.

For the dressing: (and yes, you need a bit of dressing for the greens, etc.)

½ c. sour cream (I use Mexican style)

⅓ c. buttermilk (I use Bulgarian style)

1 T. mayonnaise (I use Best Foods light)

1 garlic clove, finely minced

½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. dried dill weed

1 tsp. dried parsley

¼ tsp. seasoned salt, or more to taste

freshly ground black pepper

Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate until needed.

For the salad part:

romaine lettuce (or lettuce of choice)

any combination of the following: (or anything else that sound good)

cucumber slices, tomatoes, black olives, hard-boiled egg slices, grated carrot, pepperoncini slices, frozen peas (thawed and uncooked), sunflower seeds

To serve the salad, lay down a bed of greens and other assorted yummies on a dinner plate.  Dollop on a big old scoop of the tuna salad, then drizzle on as much or as little of the dressing as you like. That’s it! Tuna salad salad.

CREAMY BALSAMIC SALAD DRESSING

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And yes, the recipe makes more than the little bit you see at the bottom. Once again, I failed to take a picture until after I had made 2 (count them 2) salads already.

So, while in Brookings, Oregon for my son Sven’s wedding, a few of us had dinner the first night at the Black Trumpet Bistro. Daughter Paula ordered the Cobb salad. And after the first bite, she proclaimed the dressing to be the best balsamic dressing she had ever tasted. She offered me a bite, which of course I gladly accepted. And by golly, she was right. The dressing was amazing. So, the next thing out of her mouth was, “mom, would you please work up a recipe for this dressing”? Well, she’s my daughter, so, how could I refuse! (Plus, of course, I wanted more of that dressing in my life too!) So, what I came up with was my spin on Katy’s recipe from her aforkstale.com. site. Basically, the same ingredients but the proportions a bit different. Plus, I used granulated garlic rather than a clove of garlic because I wanted a softer garlic presence. And kosher salt rather than just “salt”. And extra virgin olive oil, because, well, I always use extra virgin olive oil! I don’t even bother with any other kind. But back to this dressing.

All you really need to know is that 1) The dressing is Paula approved. 2) The dressing is Mr. C. approved. 3) The dressing obviously has my seal of approval, or it wouldn’t be on this site to begin with! 4) The dressing is terribly easy to prepare. 5) The dressing will last several days in your refrigerator. 6) If you can name a better tasting purchased balsamic dressing that doesn’t contain any preservatives, too much salt, or unpronounceable ingredients, I will send you a crisp dollar bill! The ball’s in your court!

As always, keep building your own salad dressings. And I know, it’s just so darned easy to buy salad dressing. But think of the money you’ll save by concocting your own. And how much more room you’ll have in your refrigerator by not filling the shelves with 8 to 10 almost empty bottles of dressing that are never going to get eaten. (I’ve tried not to look when I’m in other people’s kitchens and they open their fridge door. But I’m human, and invariably what catches my eye are the salad dressing bottles with a half-inch of dressing glued to the bottom.) (BTW, I’m not proud of this particular brand of voyeurism, but never-the-less I am cursed with this affliction, and I don’t count on any miraculous recovery happening anytime in the near future!) Of course, I welcome any prayers for my rehabilitation. But frankly, I don’t think your lovely thoughts would make a flying fig bit of difference. I’m pretty set in my ways by now. But if you still feel compelled to offer up prayers, I think the poor Afghanistan citizens and Americans trying to leave Afghanistan could use your help.

Peace and love to all.   

6 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 T. balsamic glaze or vinegar (I use Ponti Glassa Gastronomica)  

2 T. mayonnaise

1 T. honey

1½ tsp. Dijon mustard

¼ tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste

freshly ground black pepper

¼ tsp. granulated garlic

In a covered jar, shake all the ingredients together. Store in refrigerator. Shake well before serving.

Perfect tossed with a combination of greens such as romaine, arugula, and baby spinach. For garnishes, any one or combination of the following would be delicious: crumbled bacon, Honey Roasted Walnuts (see recipe below), crumbled bleu or feta cheese, thin slices of apple or pear, dried cranberries, roasted beets, thin slices of red onion. (To name a few. )

Honey Roasted Walnuts

4 c. walnut halves

2 T. granulated sugar

1½ tsp. kosher salt  

1½ tsp. brown sugar, packed

1½ tsp. water

1 T. honey

1 T. canola oil

Preheat the oven to 375-degrees. Spread the walnuts out on a rimmed baking pan. Toast in the oven for about 8 minutes or until they begin to smell toasted.

Meanwhile, stir the sugar and salt together in a large bowl; set aside.

When the nuts are toasted, remove them from the oven and make the glaze.

In a large frying pan over high heat, combine the brown sugar, water, honey, and oil. Stir until the mixture is boiling. Reduce heat and immediately stir in the warm, toasted nuts and cook, stirring just until the glaze is stuck to the nuts and the pan is almost dry, about 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and toss the hot, glazed nuts in the sugar and salt mixture. Gently stir the nuts until every single one is evenly coated. Return them to the baking sheet and spread them out in a single layer. Pop them back in the oven for one minute to set the glaze and the sugar coating.

Remove from oven and allow the nuts to cool completely on the pan before you move them around. (Tossing or packaging them before they are completely cool could cause the coating to come off.) When the nuts are completely cooled, store in an airtight container.

    

BABY ARUGULA AND ROMAINE SALAD WITH LEMON SALAD DRESSING AND PARMESAN CHEESE

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So, the other day Mr. C. comes home from the grocery store with a tub of baby arugula. We had been talking about how much we liked arugula, but I hadn’t included it on my shopping list. Never-the-less I was delighted with the purchase. So, that evening I made this salad. The recipe from saltpepperskillet.com didn’t call for romaine, but I felt that using a combination of the two different kinds of lettuce would be delicious. The arugula providing the spicy, peppery, slightly bitter component, while the romaine offered a nice crunch. And then, when tossed with this lemon dressing, well, to put it succinctly, we were blown away! This made for an absolutely delicious, simple to prepare salad. One that we will be enjoying over and over. A salad that will go very well with any kind of simply prepared meat or seafood I choose to serve. Yum, I can’t wait.

We are avid lemon lovers to begin with. But when you add the other ingredients to the firm lemon base in this dressing, magic happens. And of course, you could add other ingredients besides lettuce to this salad. But honestly, why bother! This is perfect as is. So, thank you Justin for this marvelous recipe.

As always, eat your vegetables! They are good for you and when they taste as good as they do in this salad, there is no excuse for not gulping them down!

Peace and love to all.  

¼ tsp. lemon zest

2 T. lemon juice

2 T. extra virgin olive oil 

¼ tsp. Dijon mustard

2 tsp. minced shallot

1 T. honey

1/8 tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

baby arugula

romaine lettuce, chopped

coarsely grated Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano cheese

Whisk or shake the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, shallot, honey, salt, and pepper together.

Place the arugula and romaine lettuce in a salad bowl. (I use equal amounts of each.) Toss with enough of the dressing to coat the lettuce leaves without drowning them. Serve immediately. Pass the Parmesan.