Snap Pea & Asparagus Salad with Mustard-Dill Vinaigrette

spring forward to spring green...

We all lost an hour today, which sucks, but it really is good news because it means that spring is just that much closer (only 12 more days!). It has been warm and sunny this weekend - it's hard to believe we had snow last week. Most of the snow has melted and I'm really hoping we are done with it for this year. I guess we will see...

For this series I'm focusing on snap peas. Little more makes me think of spring than green, green peas that is! This recipe celebrates both snap peas and green peas along with asparagus, another veggie that makes me think of spring. These vegetables are blanched and then tossed in a Mustard-Dill Vinaigrette to create a simple side salad to welcome the up-coming spring season. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 6
Salad
1 lb. Snap Peas
1 Bunch Asparagus
1 C Frozen (or fresh) Peas

Vinaigrette
1 T Dijon Mustard
1 T Fresh Lemon Juice
1 1/2 tsp. Sherry Vinegar
1 tsp. Capers, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp. Caper Brine
3 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 T Fresh Dill, chopped
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper

Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously.

Trim the asparagus and then cut into 2 inch pieces. Drop the snap peas, asparagus, and frozen peas into the boiling water. Blanch for 2-3 minutes. Remove to an ice bath (bowl filled with ice and water) to shock the veggies and stop their cooking. After 5 minutes, drain and pat dry.

Meanwhile, make the dressing: In a large bowl combine the mustard, lemon juice, and vinegar; whisk. Next, add in the capers, brine, and a pinch each salt and pepper. Whisk in the extra virgin olive oil. Stir in the dill.

Add the dried peas and asparagus to the bowl with the dressing. Toss well. Refrigerate up to 2 hours before serving. Stir and serve. Enjoy!

Easy Caesar Salad w/ Cornbread Croutons

waste not, what not...

It is a winter wonderland here in Cincy. We've been getting snow since Monday and it's only stopped briefly. I think we have about a foot as of today...it's just a bit much. But, it is February. Given the weather we've had, I haven't made it to the store this week. So, I was quite limited for this post to what I had in my refrigerator and/or pantry. So, I'm getting creative with this series. I'll be focusing on corn meal and the variety of things you can make with this versatile ingredient.

To start off I've made a simple Caesar salad. To put a twist on this classic salad I'm using leftover corn muffins I made earlier this week to create cornbread croutons. If you don't have leftover cornbread, just buy a pre-made loaf from the store. I like the Jiffy Cornbread mix personally and use it all the time. Other than the croutons, this salad is pretty standard. I'm finishing it with a dressing from Anne Burrell of Food Network fame and lots of cracked black pepper. If you are stuck inside like me and have these ingredients on hand, make this salad tonight. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 4
Salad
2 C Cubed Cornbread, 1 inch pieces
1 Romain Heart
1/2 C Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Cracked Black Pepper

Anne Burrell's Caesar Salad Dressing
1/2 C Grated Parmigiano Cheese
1 Lemon, zest & juice
1-2 Cloves Garlic
1 T Dijon Mustard
2-3 Anchovy Fillets (I used 1 T anchovy paste)
2 Shakes Worcestershire Sauce
1/3 C Olive Oil
Kosher Salt, as needed

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Make the croutons: Put the cubed cornbread on a large baking sheet. Cook for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through. The croutons will be dry, crisp, and browned. Set aside to cool.

Make the dressing: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the parmigiana, lemon zest and juice, garlic, mustard, anchovies, and Worcestershire sauce. Puree until the mixture is smooth, 15-20 seconds. With the machine running, add the olive oil through the feed tube. Let the processor continue to run another 10-15 seconds. Taste and season with salt if needed.

Make the salad: Chop the lettuce and divide among 4 bowls. Top with the cornbread croutons, shredded Parmesan, Caesar dressing, and lots of cracked black pepper. Toss lightly and serve immediately. Note: To make this a dinner, split among two large bowls and add some cooked shrimp or chicken! Stay in, stay warm, but eat well. Enjoy!

Winter Fruit Salad

heart healthy...

If there's ever a month to be good to your heart, February is it. With the American Heart Association brilliantly dubbing February "National Heart Month" and spreading the word about how to care for your heart, eating smart is a large part of it. Some of us will celebrate Valentine's Day by wearing red, others will go out to dinner, and some of us won't celebrate at all. So, I say, celebrate your heart all month, not just on February 14th. I'll be focusing on pomegranates for this series in all their ruby red glory.

This Winter Fruit Salad is a good place to start caring for your heart. Loaded with a variety of fruits and lightly dressed with lime juice, this is an excellent source of vitamins and antioxidants. And, it's super easy to make. Pomegranates are just going out of season (you can still find the seed however) so make this salad soon! Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 6
1 Pomegranate (or 1 1/2 C seeds)
2 (10.5 oz.) Cans Mandarin Oranges in juice (not syrup)
1 Mango, diced
2 Firm Bananas, sliced
2 Kiwi Fruit, pealed & diced
1 Lime, zest & juice
1/2 T Granulated Sugar
Big Pinch Kosher Salt

Directions
Fill a large bowl with water. Extract the pomegranate seeds: Score (don't cut through) the skin of the pomegranate with one circular cut around the top and bottom. Then, score the skin by cutting down from the circular cut at the top to the bottom. Score the pomegranate 5 or 6 times from top to bottom.

Next, submerge the fruit in the large bowl of water. Gently pull the pomegranate apart to expose the seeds. Work carefully to remove the skin and membrane that hold the seeds in. The membrane will float to the top of the bowl and the seeds will sink to the bottom. Discard the skin and membrane. Then, scoop out the seeds and lay them on paper towels to dry.

Meanwhile, mix the other fruit together: Drain the mandarin oranges and add to a large bowl. Toss in the mango, bananas, and kiwi fruit. Add the pomegranate seeds, lime zest & juice, sugar, and salt. Stir everything together well.

Allow the salad to sit for about 10 minutes. Stir again to distribute the juices and serve. It's easy to be good to your heart. Enjoy!

Grilled Peach, Quinoa, & Arugula Salad

movin' to the country, gonna eat a lot of peaches...

This is probably one of the dumbest songs, but so catchy. I think of it any time I think about peaches, which will be a lot over the next week as I create recipes to post here. This recipe is a great summer side. It can easily be made ahead of time and travels well. Steven and I went on a picnic yesterday at Ault Park and we brought this salad along. It was a great addition to our meal.

The base of this salad is quinoa (keen-wah). If you've never cooked with quinoa don't worry, it cooks just like rice. This whole grain is much healthier though and it's full of protein and is gluten-free. The star of the salad, however, is the grilled peaches. They provide sweetness to an otherwise nutty salad. Make this side, pack a picnic, and visit one of your local parks. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 6-8
1 C Quinoa
2 Semi-firm Peaches, washed & dried
3 T Olive Oil, divided
1 Orange, juiced
4 C Arugula
3 T Parsley, chopped
3 T Mint, chopped
1/3 C Sliced Almonds
3-4 oz. Goat Cheese, crumbled
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper

Directions
Preheat a grill or grill pan to med-high heat.

Begin by making the quinoa: In a fine-mesh strainer, rinse the quinoa. This removes a coating from the grains that can be bitter. Bring 1 3/4 C water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the quinoa, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the water is absorbed, 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat, keep covered, and rest for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a bowl to cool.

Grill the peaches: Meanwhile, half and pit each peach. Scoop out the red flesh from around the pit. Rub 1/2 T olive oil on the cut side. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Grill until marked and beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Remove from the grill to cool. Dice into 1 inch pieces and set aside.

Make the dressing: In a small bowl combine the orange juice, 1/2 tsp. salt, and pepper. Slowly stream in the remaining olive oil (2 1/2 T), whisking to emulsify the dressing. Set aside.


Build the salad: In a large bowl combine the quinoa, peaches, arugula, parsley, mint, and almonds. Pour on the dressing and toss to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Plate (or serve from the bowl) and top with the crumbled goat cheese. Serve at room temperature. Enjoy!

Cherry & Cucumber Panzanella Salad

ba da bing cherry...

A summer staple, especially in July, are cherries. These small bright red stone fruits can be sweet and tart all at once. They are perfect eaten all by themselves (watch out for the pits!) or added to your favorite recipes. I love panzanella salad, a traditional bread salad usually paired with tomatoes, fresh herbs, and an olive oil dressing. So, I thought, perhaps I could riff on a panzanella to create the perfect brunch version just by switching out a few ingredients.

For this summer brunch salad I swap the tomatoes for cherries and use a buttery bread such as brioche or challah. The addition of cucumbers comes from a salad that my husband and I had at our friends Chris and Karrie's house. It was an interesting pairing (cherries and cucumbers), but tasty. Finally, I use fresh mint and cilantro in place of traditional herbs such as basil. The salad is finished off with a light white balsamic vinegar dressing. This helps to bring out the sweetness in the cherries. Make this panzanella for your next brunch or serve breakfast for dinner, like I did. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 6-8
4 C Brioche or Challah Bread
1/2 lb. Cherries, pitted & halved
1 English Cucumber, diced
3 T Fresh Mint, chopped
3 T Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1/4 C Sliced Almonds, toasted
2 T White Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper

Directions
Preheat the broiler to low and move the oven rack two slots from the top.

Toast the bread: Cut the bread into 1 inch cubes. On a large sheet tray, arrange the bread into a single layer. Toast, tossing as needed. Remove from the oven to cool. NOTE: Don't skip this step. It's important to have dry bread so that the dressing will be better absorbed.

Make the salad: In a large bowl combine the cherries, cucumber, mint, cilantro, and almonds. Toss and set aside.

Make the dressing: In a small bowl combine the vinegar, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until it emulsifies.

Build the salad: Add the cooled bread to the cherry and cucumber mixture. Pour in the dressing and toss to mix well. Allow the salad to sit for 10 minutes. Toss once more to distribute the juices from the cherries and cucumbers. Then serve along side your favorite brunch foods. Enjoy!

Summer Golden Beet Salad w/ Balsamic Drizzle Dressing

a mid-summer's night salad...

It's summer solstice or mid-summer or the longest day of the year as many say. A day where the sun is up its longest, making it the perfect time to celebrate the beginning of the summer season. Although it's not actually any longer than any other day of the year, we have more light (5 seconds more to be exact). So, have a picnic, grill out, or just have dinner for the family outside. Whatever you decide to do, try to at least stay up until the sun sets for our "longest day" of the year.

I've made this summer salad to kick off the season. It's fruity and earthy and quite beautiful. The colors make me think of the golden sun setting over an empty field. The reds, yellows, greens, and purples. I'm specifically focusing on balsamic vinegar for this series and its deep flavors and purple color. Make this salad to celebrate our "longest day". Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 4
Summer Salad
3 Medium Golden Beets (~ 1 1/2 lbs.)
1 T Olive Oil, divided
3 C Arugula
1/2 Small Red Onion, thinly sliced
1/4 C Dried Cranberries
1/4 C Pistachios, shelled & roughly chopped
4 oz. Plain Goat Cheese, crumbled

Balsamic Drizzle Dressing
1/3 C Balsamic Vinegar
2 tsp. Dijon Mustard
2 tsp. Honey
Salt & Pepper

Directions
Begin by roasting the beets: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the top (leafy parts) and bottom off each of the beets. Note: you can save the leafy parts to cook or discard if they don't look good. Scrub the beets and pat them dry.

Lay out a large piece of heavy duty foil (or double up with regular foil). Place the beets on top and drizzle with 1/2 T olive oil. Rub to coat the beets well with the oil, then wrap them tightly in the foil. Put them in the oven and cook for 45-50 minutes or until cooked through.

Remove the beets from the oven, unwrap, and allow to partially cool, about 10 minutes. Using a paper towel, carefully (beets will still be a little hot), rub the skin from the outside of the beets, discard. Once all the skin has been removed, cut the beets into wedges. Set aside.

Prepare the onion for the salad: Put the onion slices into a small bowl and cover with cold water. Soaking the onion in cold water will take away a little of the harsh bite raw onions can have. Set aside.

Make the drizzle: In a small sauce pan, whisk the balsamic, mustard, and honey together. Over med-high heat, bring the mixture to a bubble. Simmer until the mixture is reduced to 1/4 C, approx. 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat to cool.

Arrange the Salad: Dress the arugula with the remaining 1/2 T olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Then, on a large platter put the dressed arugula down first and top with the other ingredients in this order: red onion (drained), beets, cranberries, pistachios, and goat cheese. Drizzle the balsamic dressing over top. Serve immediately. Sun and summer have arrived! Enjoy.

Spinach Salad w/ Lemon-Pepper Chicken, Candied Walnuts, & Raspberry Vinaigrette

a red, red raspberry

I was a creative writing English major and one of my favorite poems we studied was A Red, Red Rose by Robert Burns. I like the rhythm and rhyme and, of course, the idea of loving someone to the end of time. While Burns chose to liken his love to a red rose, I'm loving this season's red raspberries. They have been especially beautiful and tasty.

For this recipe I'm building out a spring salad. There are many pieces to this recipe and you don't have to make each piece. Feel free to buy rotisserie chicken or candied walnuts, but if you have the time, I suggest making each item. It really doesn't take as long as you would think! The star of the salad is the dressing, so if anything, just make that to top your favorite salad. Make this recipe for your luve. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 4

Lemon-Pepper Chicken

~2 lbs. Chicken Breast, pounded to 1/2 in. thick

2 Lemons

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

Candied Walnuts

1 C Whole Walnuts

1/4 C Powdered Sugar

1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

1/8 tsp. Kosher Salt

Raspberry Vinaigrette

1C Fresh Raspberries (~1 Pint)

1/4 C Apple Cider Vinegar

1 T Balsamic Vinegar

1 tsp. Honey

1/2 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

Salad

5oz. Package Baby Spinach

1/2 Small Red Onion, thinly sliced

1 Large Green Apple, cubed

4oz. Goat Cheese, crumbled

Directions

Start by making the chicken: In a large resealable bag add the zest of 1 lemon, juice of 2 lemons, 2-3 T olive oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, and the chicken. Seal the bag and massage the marinade into the chicken. Place the chicken in the refrigerator to marinate for 2-4 hours.

When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the bag to a plate, discard the bag and marinade. Season with a little more pepper on each side. Then grill (or cook in a skillet) until cooked through. Rest the chicken on a cutting board for 5 minutes, then thinly slice.

Make the candied walnuts: Follow the directions from this Food Network recipe, but be sure to use my measurements. Based on the comments, I've upped the cayenne pepper. Allow the nuts to cool completely before assembling the salad.

Make the raspberry vinaigrette: In a blender combine all of the ingredients except the salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste and blend together once more. Set aside until the salad is assembled.

Assemble the salad: Arrange 4 dinner plates with the spinach. Top each evenly with the red onion, apple, thinly sliced lemon-pepper chicken, goat cheese, and candied walnuts. Finally, pour the vinaigrette over the salad. Be sure not to over-dress, there will be more than enough dressing. Serve immediately with any extra dressing at the table. Enjoy!

Crab & Avocado Salad

put a little spring in your step...

Given the wintry weather we're still enduring, I'm thinking about a bit of spring for this post. In my mind the countdown has begun...only 40 more days to go...ha! Anyway, this meal is light and really good for you. So, if you are still sticking with any New Year's resolutions to eat better or take better care of yourself, this is the perfect lunch or dinner recipe for you.

This Crab and Avocado Salad is a twist on the classic tuna salad. It contains similar elements such as celery, onion, mayo, etc. But introduces a few switch-ups like avocado instead of egg and capers instead of pickle relish. Light, fresh, and versatile, make this salad when you need a little help getting through these next days of winter. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 6-8
4 Cans (4.25 oz) Lump White Crab Meat
1 Stalk Celery
1 Shallot
3 T Fresh Dill
2 T Capers, drained
2 T Mayonnaise
2 T Sour Cream
1 T Spicy Mustard
2 Avocados
1/2 Lemon, juiced
Salt & Pepper

Directions
Drain and pick through the crab to remove any remaining shells. Put this into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

Finely chop the celery, shallot, and dill and add to the crab meat. Add in the capers, mayo, sour cream, and mustard. Mix everything together well. If you are making this ahead, stop here, cover, and refrigerate.

When read to serve, dice the avocado and add to the crab mixture along with the lemon juice. Gently toss everything together and taste for seasoning. I didn't need to add salt, but I did add some freshly ground black pepper.

This salad can be served in a variety of ways: with crackers, with toast points, as a sandwich, or the way I served it, in lettuce cups. Clean and dry Boston Lettuce leaves, then scoop in about 1/4 C of the crab and avocado salad. Spring really is right around the corner. Make this dish and think spring...enjoy!

Watermelon Summer Salad

simple supper + summer = salad

One of my favorite things about summer is how easy meals can be. Nearly anything you get at the store or farmer's market is fresh and requires little to no preparation. Meals also tend to be much simpler. When I cook it's usually on the grill. When I don't cook I turn to salads.

This watermelon salad is one of my favorite go-tos. It requires few ingredients, but still offers something a little bit different. It is flexible in terms of what you have on hand and can be made for many or just a few. When you just don't have the time or energy to cook this summer try it out. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 4
2C Diced Watermelon (1in. cubes)
5oz. Feta Cheese
1/2C Diced Cucumber
1/4C Thinly Sliced Red Onion
1/2C Slivered Almonds, toasted
Mixed Spring Greens, large box
Optional: Grilled Chicken, sliced (2 breasts)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar

Directions
Begin by preparing all of your ingredients. Dice the watermelon and cucumber. Thinly slice the onion. Grill and slice the chicken, if using. I suggest using a grill seasoning or just salt & peper on the chicken. Finally, toast the almonds in a small dry skillet. I suggest standing at the stove and watching the almonds toast...they burn quickly and easily. My husband can attest to that - I burned a whole bag while trying to make this last night and he had to run out to get another one!

After all of the ingredients are prepared, build the salad. Fill a large plate with the spring greens, top with cucumber, onion, watermelon, feta, almonds, and chicken. Finally drizzle about 2T each of balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil over the whole salad. Enjoy this simple supper that celebrates summer!

Pear, Endive, & Gorgonzola Cheese Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

an arranged salad almost too pretty to eat...almost...

My husband and I were married last fall and my parents threw us an engagement party at a local wine bar and then we had dinner at our home. My mom got us two cakes from The BonBonerie, a local Cincinnati favorite. On one of the cakes was a cute design of two pears, one in a white dress, the other in a tux, and underneath it read "The Perfect Pair".

What can I say, it was adorable. I love pears! Especially the golden brown variety that take center stage in this salad. They provide that little bit of sweetness that's needed when combined with bitter endive and salty Gorgonzola. The golden brown skin also gives them some texture, so I leave it on for this salad. Here's how to make it...

Arranged Salad - Serves 4

8 Large Endive Leaves, likely from 2 heads
1 Ripe Golden Brown Pear, diced (leave skin on)
2-3oz. Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese
1/3C Slivered Almonds, toasted

Lemon Vinaigrette
Zest & Juice of half a Lemon
Pinch of Salt, Pepper, & Sugar
1/4C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions

First make the dressing in a small bowl: add the lemon zest and juice, a pinch each of salt, pepper, and sugar, and then whisk in the olive oil. It's important to use a good quality extra virgin olive oil for dressings since nothing is being cooked.

Next, arrange the salad on a serving platter: place the endive leaves cup-side up, fill with the diced pear, Gorgonzola cheese, and slivered toasted almonds.

Finally, drizzle the arranged salad with the dressing and serve. I have to say, I think that pears and Gorgonzola cheese are a perfect pair too!