winter harvest salad

these past few days

hubster has been ill

with the flu

which means

i get to eat what i like

and i like

butternut squash

and 

arugula

winter harvest salad

(printable recipe)

roasted butternut squash--roasted with olive oil and sea salt

arugula

cooked puy lentils (i buy mine at trader joes)

goat cheese

roasted and salted almonds--chopped

yogurt date dressing

2 pitted dates soaked in boiling water-just to cover

2 Tbs plain non-fat greek yogurt

1 Tbs cider vinegar

splash balsamic vinegar

2-3 Tbs olive oil

4 roasted garlic cloves

 (i roast a head of garlic along with the butternut squash)

1 tsp or more of lemon juice

for the dressing:  place all ingredients, including water from dates, in a blender and whirl until smooth.  you may need more or less olive oil...depending on your specific taste. add salt and pepper to taste.  serve over salad.

watermelon with mint and feta

last summer, i shared this recipe

but i love it so much, 

and summer is here in full swing

 this is my not so gentle nudge

and strong recommendation

that you should pack this

for your next picnic

watermelon, mint and feta salad

(printable recipe)

1/2 small dulcinea watermelon

4 oz feta cheese

6-8 mint leaves

olive oil

rice wine vinegar

cut your seedless watermelon into small pieces(i  like to cut it into brunoise, but that isn't necessary). cut your feta into small pieces as well.  chiffonade your mint leaves. gently toss all in a bowl and let sit for a bit in the fridge.  drain off some of the watermelon juice.  make a dressing of rice wine vinegar and olive oil...i use about 2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar but do this to your taste.  lightly toss the dressing into the salad and let chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Tuesday Night Supper Club--Taco Salad

as the days get 

warmer

i look forward to my food getting

cooler

there are days when

even i

don't like to be in a warm kitchen

growing up,

come summer

there was always a crowd

at our table

this salad was 

my mother's summer standby

it was one of those dinners

that every body loved

and tastes surprisingly good

with a tall cold glass of milk

or

a tangy margarita 

(click it..it is a great recipe)

i really love it

and

hope you do too

Taco Salad
(printable recipe)

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 lb lean ground beef (or turkey)

1 Tbs taco seasoning

olive oil

1 large head romaine lettuce

tomato

avocado

1 can kidney beans--drained and rinsed

cilantro

cucumber

black olives (the kind in a can)

shredded cheddar or "mexican blend" cheese

girard's champagne dressing

or

combination of equal parts sour cream and salsa mixed into a dressing

tortilla chips

(i have an aunt that uses nacho cheese doritos and swears by it--i like tortilla strips)

Heat olive oil in a saute pan.  Cook onions until they are translucent and start to brown around the edges.  Toss in the ground beef and cook through, breaking up into pieces.  Scatter in the taco seasoning along with 3 Tbs water.  Stir to coat, let cool.  

Meanwhile, chop lettuce and toss in all ingredients into a large salad bowl...including chips.  Once the meat is cooled, toss into salad and add dressing. Serve immediately.

EAT UP!

Tuesday Night Supper Club--Coconut Shrimp

a couple of weeks ago we were in san francisco

for my mom's birthday

and we ate at the most amazing restaurant

called The Slanted Door

the food is fresh and delicious

and i have found myself craving it daily

one of my favorite dishes they serve

is a cabbage and jicama salad

i had it for the first time a couple of years ago

and i talked about it so much

that a friend of mine tracked down the recipe 

and left it on my doorstep

tonight

i share the recipe with you

with my little twist

coconut shrimp

now pardon me

while i lick my plate

Cabbage and Jicama Salad
(printable recipe)

adapted from The Slanted Door Restaurant

1/2 red cabbage--shredded

1/2 medium jicama--cut into matchstick size julienne

1 medium carrot--cut into matchstick size julienne

1 grapefruit--supreme

1/2 cup fresh mint--chiffonade

1/4 cup candied walnuts or pecans

Dressing

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 Tbs seasoned rice vinegar

1 Tbs cider vinegar

1 Tbs agave syrup (the recipe calls for sugar, i substituted the agave)

1 tsp minced garlic

1 thai chili minced (or 1/2 tsp chinese chili paste)

1 tsp fresh lime juice

2 tsp oil

salt and pepper

cover the shredded cabbage with salted water and let sit 30 minutes or so.  Drain and fully dry. Add to all other salad ingredients, with exception of the nuts. Stir together all ingredients for dressing and mix into the salad.  Toss in nuts and serve.  

Tonight I am serving our salad with coconut shrimp which is really simple

Coconut Shrimp
(printable recipe)

peeled and deveined shrimp

2 eggs--lightly beaten

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 cup shredded coconut

oil for frying

mix the cornstarch and coconut together in a shallow bowl.  dip each shrimp into the egg and then into the coconut mixture.  Drop in oil heated to 350.  Cook until the coconut is nicely browned.

EAT UP!

cheese glorious cheese

The lovely people and when I say people, I mean I was contacted by one person and got a note from another...so technically its people, at Sartori Foods sent me a package of cheese. A variety of ten to be exact.

They are wondering what I think

and I told them I would taste and play and let them know

so here I am

but first

a complete and total disclaimer

because it isn't like someone at Sartori Foods was cruising the internet and happened upon this blog and thought...I like her....let me send some cheese.

I have a connection

several actually

My MIL and her husband both retired from Sartori, my husband worked there when he was in high school, I have been at social events with the Sartori family. Okay FTC? You happy...full and total disclaimer.

that being said

Sartori Foods did not ask me to review, comment, discuss, endorse, in any shape or form, on my blog. I am doing it of my own accord

But they did give me free cheese.

and now we can get back to what this is all about.

I went to the farmer's market the other day and picked up a bunch of beets. I heart beets. I heart beets even though some stupid blood sugar or blood type diet tells me I shouldn't eat them.  Who am I to turn down loads of vitamin C and the earthy delights of such a beautiful orb?

Today for lunch, I shaved a beet

...hmmm that doesn't sound right.

I made beet ribbons with a vegetable peeler and made a nice little salad using Sartori Gorgonzola for a nice creamy and briny component.

The salad was perfect for a nice light meal, and I think would be delicious perched atop a pan roasted chicken paillard, or even a thinly sliced, medium-rare, cooked over an open flame---flank steak.

Oh yum!

Or

add poached pears and some watercress to the salad making it a bit more rounded

and composed.

Beet Ribbons with Gorgonzola
(printable recipe)

1 large raw beet--scrubbed clean

4-5 walnut halves--sliced into delicate bits

red wine vinegar

olive oil

black pepper

2 or 3 chives--chopped

gorgonzola cheese

Using a vegetable peeler, make fine ribbons from the beet.  Add just a bit of vinegar and let sit while you finely slice the walnuts (the reason I do this is so they match the delicate-ness of the beet ribbons.  If you prefer a nice big crunch from the walnut, leave them as is...it isn't critical to the recipe). Toss together the beets, the chives and then a bit of olive oil, just to make it glisten.  Add black pepper to taste and then pile the beet onto the serving plate or platter.  Top with walnuts and a generous slice of gorgonzola cheese. I do not add salt to this recipe as the gorgonzola is quite salty and carries enough brininess for the salad.

So What About The Cheese?

The gorgonzola is salty...but not offensively so.  As a matter of taste, I prefer my cheese to have impact on my palate.  It is also quite creamy, and I love that when I sliced a wedge for my salad it stayed intact. While it is my first instinct to not let food items stand alone...i immediately look for pairing opportunities...this gorgonzola can stand quite nicely by itself. As well, it would be scrumptious with a nice fig jam, some apple slices or a nice glass of port.