Holly's Apple Fennel Salad

Holly's Apple Fennel Salad
Apples
Fennel
Celery
Celery Root

Any combination of the above ingredients.  I use a mandolin and slice some and shred some, just depending on the day. You could slice it by hand, the only ingredient that I think is best really thin is the fennel.

Lemon Dressing
1/4 C champagne vinegar
2 lemons (zested and juiced)
1 T sugar
1 1/2 C oil (I use closer to 1 C)
salt and pepper to taste (I usually use 1/2 t salt and 1/4 t pepper)

Whisk all ingredients together and toss with salad.  Salad can be tossed ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator.   Stays crunchy and bright for a couple hours.

*Josie requested this for her 8th birthday dinner.
*My favorite is to use honeycrisp apples, but great with granny smiths too.
*This has been passed to me by my amazing sis in law Holly....the real chef in the family.

Grilled Yam Salad

Grilled Yam Salad

3 yams
2 red bell peppers (or orange or yellow)
1 sweet onion
olive oil
1 avocado, diced
1 C cherry tomatoes (or more)
3 T cilantro, minced
1 lime juiced
salt

Peel yams and slice length wise, place in large bowl. Slice pepper in 3 big pieces, remove seeds, place in bowl with yams.  Drizzle with olive oil and toss in the bowl with tongs until olive oil covers peppers and yams well.  Slice onion into 1/2 inch thick slices, leave slices together.   Preheat grill on high for a few minutes, then turn heat to low and place yams and peppers on the grill.  Oil onions and place on grill also.  Shut grill to help yams cook well. Watch carefully.  You want a little char, but not too much. When cooked through, remove from grill, dice into desired size pieces and put in a bowl. Add diced avocado, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice and toss to coat.  Salt to taste.

*I'm in love with this salad right now and have made it the last 3 weekends to accompany whatever we are grilling! I even switched up the flavors last weekend and did fresh basil and balsamic vinegar instead of cilantro and lime juice.  Hans liked that even more.  If I'm making a big batch, I store it in the fridge without the avocado and just add the avocado when I serve it.  I prefer it room temp or a little warm, when it's cold, the flavors aren't as lovely.

Lemon Asparagus Salad

Lemon Asparagus Salad

1/4 C pine nuts toasted (350 for 5-8 minutes)
1 lb asparagus, rinsed (a bit bigger than I normally buy)
1 lemon
olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
1-2 oz parmesan

On a cutting board, lay a single stalk on its side, and while holding the tough/big end, use a vegetable peeler to shave off thin ribbons from stalk to tip. Peeling away from the tough end in your hand.  Discard the tough ends, and gently pile your ribbons on the serving platter or bowl.  Squeeze some lemon juice over the asparagus, drizzle it with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Toss gently and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts. Eat immediately.

**Recipe from Smitten Kitchen.
**A lovely fresh salad that is different and delicious!
**I used a normal peeler and it worked, but a Y-shaped peeler was suggested. And I personally think large shaved pieces of parmesan would be a lot prettier!

Arugula, Fennel, Avocado and Orange Salad

 

Arugula, Fennel, Avocado and Orange Salad

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

6 C arugula

2 orange, peeled and segmented

1 bulb fennel bulb, thinly sliced

1 avocado

Whisk together the honey, lemon juice, salt, and pepper; slowly add the olive oil while continuing to whisk.  Place 1 C arugula on a salad plate; toss the orange segments, fennel slices, and avocados with dressing and place  over the arugula. Or toss all ingredients in a large bowl with dressing. Serve immediately.

** Yummy fresh salad! The dressing is very versatile, and can be used on a lot of salads!

Spiced Nuts

Spiced Nuts

1 lg egg white
1 T water
1 t salt
1 lb unsalted raw nuts
1/2 C sugar
2 t cinnamon
1 t ginger
1 t coriander

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.  Whisk together egg white, water and salt in a large bowl.  Add nuts and toss to coat.  Let nuts drain thoroughly in colander, 4-5 minutes.  Mix sugar, cinnamon, ginger and coriander in large bowl.  Add drained nuts and toss to coat with sugar and spice mixture.  Spread nuts evenly onto prepared baking sheet and bake until dry and crisp, 40 - 45 minutes, rotating sheet halfway though.  Cool nuts completely then break apart and serve.

**We were given these awesome nuts as a Christmas gift years ago, from our friends the Whites.   I've been making them ever since.  Recently I found that this recipe is from America's Test Kitchen...I seriously think that would be my dream job!
**It makes a huge batch. So if I'm organized, I do one sheet of whole pecans, and one sheet of chopped pecans for salads.  If you chop them after, the sugar flakes off. They keep perfectly in zip locks in the fridge.
**Amazing in Lisa's Holiday Salad.

Tracy's Two Bean Salad

Tracy's Two Bean Salad

2 Cans Great Northern Beans
5 C fresh green beans
3 green onions, sliced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 C fresh oregano, chopped
1/4 C feta cheese, crumbled
1 lemon, juice and zest
1/4 C olive oil
(salt and pepper to taste)

Boil green beans until soft but sitll crisp.  When done, strain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.  Chop.  Drain the Great Northern Beans and rinse. Place both beans, bell pepper and green onion in a large bowl.  Mix dressing by combining lemon zets and juice with oregano and olive oil.  Toss salad with dressing.  Add feta and toss. Salt and pepper to taste.

** My friend Tracy Wolsey made this salad and I loved it! I added the tomatoes for fun and they ended up being one of my favorite parts.  The flavors are so yummy and Greek! Awesome to have a salad in the line up that is healthy and different!

BBQ Chopped Chicken Salad

BBQ Chopped Chicken Salad

grilled chicken chopped in 1 inch or smaller pieces (marinate in lowry’s mesquite lime and grill)
1-2 C shredded cabbage
1 head romaine lettuce chopped
1-2 tomatoes chopped
4 green onions chopped
1 C thawed frozen sweet corn
1 C black beans drained and rinsed
1 C jicama diced or julienned
1 C red pepper diced
1 C shredded jack cheese
1 C avocado diced
1 C coarse crushed corn chips

Mix ½ C BBQ sauce with ¼ ranch dressing (lighthouse peppercorn ranch or homemade ranch). Toss together all ingredients and mix in dressing to taste.  Serve with extra chips and fresh lime juice.

** This recipe was created 10 plus years ago after my first trip to California Pizza Kitchen and having this salad.  I studied it, had my friend Shannon order it the next week and list off the ingredients to me over the phone, and I made it.  Now we have CPK here, but funny thing is...I like my salad better!

** I find that this salad is best served at a party with the cheese, avacado, chips and dressing on the side.  Then if the salad isn't eaten in one sitting, it stays fresh. Great for a big group and so yummy at a BBQ!

*PS Thanks Kate for the photo!

Every Night Salad

Every Night Salad

This is the salad we have all the time, we've been making it for years (17 to be exact) and I have never written it down.  So here goes....

8 C greens (we prefer spinach and spring mix)
2 oranges peeled and sectioned
2 avocados, peeled and diced

Place in a salad bowl.  Mix dressing ingredients below in a separate bowl and just before serving, toss.

4 T olive oil
4 T balsamic vinegar or seasoned rice vinegar
1 t dijon or honey mustard
salt to taste
pinch of pepper
1/2 t salad supreme seasonings (McCormick)

**Adjust any of the salad ingredients to taste, as well as the dressing.

Breanna's Coleslaw

Breanna's Coleslaw

2 1/2 lb green cabbage, cored and cut into 3-inch chunks, then finely shredded

1 medium sweet onion finely chopped

1 large yellow, orange or red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 large carrot, coarsely grated

OR

A bag of coleslaw mix

A bag of matchstick carrots

1 medium sweet onion finely chopped

1 large yellow, orange or red bell pepper, finely chopped

Dressing:

1 1/4 C mayonnaise

1/3 C cider vinegar

2 t sugar

1 t salt 

1 t pepper

Whisk together mayo, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Toss with slaw mixture.  Chill, covered, stirring often, for at least 1 hour. (One day ahead works great too.)

Serve on BBQ Pork Sandwiches.

Broccoli Salad

Broccoli Salad

3 C broccoli florets
1/4 C red onion
1/3 C raisins
1/2 C shredded cheese

Dressing :
1/2 C mayo
2 T sugar
2 t lemon juice
Mix dressing and toss with broccoli a couple hours before serving.  Just before serving add:

8 slices of bacon cooked and crumbled.

Lisa’s Holiday Salad

Lisa’s Holiday Salad

Dressing:
1 egg or 1/3 C egg beaters
¼ C cider vinegar
¼ C sugar       
¼ t cinnamon
¼ t cloves       
¾ C canola oil
salt to taste ( 1/2 tsp?)

Blend all ingredients except for oil.  When well blended, gradually add oil while blender is running.
Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Salad:
Mixed greens       
craisins
Apples           
mushrooms
Sugared pecans
(Lisa's sugared pecans- 1 C pecans, ¼ C brown sugar, 2 T cream Bake 350 for 20 min)

**Really good with Spiced Nuts recipe

Raspberry Pretzel Jello

Raspberry Pretzel Jello

Crust
2 Cups broken pretzels
1/2 Cup melted butter
3 T sugar
Mix and bake on cookie sheet for 5 minutes at 400 degrees.
Cool and place in 9x13 pan.

1st Layer
8oz cream cheese
1 Cup sugar
2 small cans crushed pineapple - drained
8oz cool whip ( I prefer 1 cup heavy cream, whipped)
Mix cream cheese, sugar and pineapple.  Fold in cool whip
and spread over pretzel crust.

2nd Layer
1 large raspberry jello
2 Cups boiling water
2 Cups frozen raspberries
Mix jello and water.  Add raspberries and wait until cool.  Pour
over cream cheese layer and chill until set.

I've used less butter, fat free cream cheese, fat free cool whip and
it still tastes great. But as usual, it tastes best with all the fat!