Salads

SRC: Garlic Parmesan Sauce & Caesar Dressing

~ lk529 ~ 18 Comments

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It’s Secret Recipe Club Reveal Day! In the Secret Recipe Club, each participating blogger is assigned a blog from another participating blogger and secretly searches their site for something to recreate. The accompanying blog post then goes live on reveal day! So while I was immersed in my assigned blog, someone else was picking through mine! I’m so excited to be part of this group, to see what on my blog peaks other’s interests and to stumble upon new blogs and new recipes.

With the new year I have switched groups and will now be posting with Group C on the 3rd Monday of the month instead of the 4th. (I did this so I can continue participating with #MuffinMonday!)

My first assigned blog in Group C is Kirstin of Loving Life! Kirstin and I have quite a lot in common: having both lived in FL and OH; her father was in the military and my husband is currently serving; and browsing the internet and window shopping are skills we both share, too.

I enjoyed searching through Kirstin’s blog and ended up making not one, but two of her recipes! I was this close (imagine me holding up my thumb and pointer finger really close together) to finally braving a cauliflower pizza crust but then I saw her Copy Cat recipe for Buffalo Wild Wings Garlic Parmesan Sauce. I had just tried B-Dub’s Caesar Salad which is topped with garlic Parmesan coated chicken and couldn’t stop dreaming about it. (Until I can go back to my Spicy Garlic wings post breastfeeding this Caesar salad will be my new B-Dub staple.) Conveniently Kirstin also had a Caesar dressing in her recipe index, too.

Instead of wings, I used chicken thighs to top our salads because that’s what I had in my freezer. I will definitely be making this dish again. The wing sauce was an exact match to the one you get at the restaurant. I know because the following week I found myself back at BWW ordering that salad. I might have a problem… Thank you Kirstin for fueling this new addiction.

Copy Cat: BWW Garlic Parmesan Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 C mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tbsp corn syrup
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp thyme
  • 1/4 tsp oregano
  • 1/4 tsp basil

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place garlic cloves on a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil, fold up and place on a baking sheet. Roast garlic 25 minutes, or until tender. Set aside to cool.
  2. Whisk the remaining ingredients until smooth.
  3. Mash the cooled garlic and add to the sauce. Refrigerate.
  4. To use: toss cooked wings in sauce or baste roasted chicken in the last 10 minutes of cook time.

*This recipe is adapted from Kirstin at http://troyerslovinglife.blogspot.com/2015/02/mock-buffalo-wild-wings-wing-night.html*

Caesar Dressing

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 3/4 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 3/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 C mayonnaise
  • 1/2 C olive oil
  • 1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

  1. Whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, mustard, Worcestershire, and pepper. Add the mayo and whisk until combined. Add the olive oil while continuously whisking until smooth. Stir in the cheese. Season to taste with salt.
  2. Keep refrigerated up to 2 weeks.

*This recipe is adapted from Kirstin at http://troyerslovinglife.blogspot.com/2009/01/recipes-top-ramen-salad-yummy-quiche.html*

bww salad

To see the other bloggers who participated in the Secret Recipe Club this month click here:

Tomato and Bean Salad

~ lk529 ~ Leave a comment

Late spring and summer this year have been fairly wet. All of the rain yielded quite the tomato crop over in my neighbor’s yard. Which means just about every week I’m being given fresh homegrown tomatoes! (Black cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, and roma tomatoes) I’ve even been handed two quarts of homemade tomato sauce.

This pregnancy I’ve found that I adore tomatoes. BLTs have been shamelessly scarfed down for lunch at least once a week, and those cherry tomatoes turned into my favorite salad (tomatoes, thinly sliced onion, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, S+P).

I took a play on that aforementioned salad and added beans and basil to make a heartier potluck contribution at a church function.

Tomato and Bean Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 can (15 oz) white beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 very large heirloom tomato, chopped
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil (I used Gourmet Garden lightly dried basil)
  • 1 heaping tbsp minced red onion
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp agave
  • 1/2 tsp minced garlic

Steps:

  1. In a large bowl, gently toss together beans, tomatoes, basil, and onion.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegars, oil, agave, and garlic. Season to taste with S+P.
  3. Dress salad and keep in refrigerator until ready to serve (at least 30 minutes).

*This recipe is adapted from Rebekah at http://rebekahrose.blogspot.ca/2015/07/bloggerclue-white-bean-tomato-and-basil.html*

tomato bean salad | sew you think you can cook

#SundaySupper: Asian Cuisine

~ lk529 ~ 16 Comments

Last week my mom was in town to help out with the little man so I could have a less stressful doctor’s appointment during which I had the absolute pleasure of drinking a 10 oz bottle full of sugar for my glucose test. (I passed! Which is good, because there has been a lot of baking happening in my kitchen this month.)

I know my mom likes to keep a lighter diet than I typically cook so it’s always welcome to have my hand forced into healthier options. We had the chipotle lime shrimp and strawberry salsa for Mexican Monday and this CPK remake for a salad night, which we topped with rotisserie chicken (not pictured).

For those who might not know, CPK = California Pizza Kitchen. One of my favorite restaurants that I must return to when I go home to visit. While I am keen to have their spinach and artichoke dip as my entree I have to share the appetizer with the rest of the table, so I order a half size of one of their {quite large} amazing salads. Their Thai Crunch is one of my favorites so I was very happy to have found this Copy Cat recipe. Now all I need is to figure out their recipe for “spin dip!”

This Copy Cat salad fits in beautifully with today’s Sunday Supper theme of Asian Cuisine. (Although, I’m sure it’s far from authentic Thai.) For an impressive variety of Asian eats scroll past my recipe. A big thank you to Amy of kimchi MOM for hosting today’s cultural menu.

Copy Cat: CPK’s Thai Salad

Ingredients for the salad:

  • 1 romaine heart, thinly sliced
  • approximately 2 C shredded red cabbage
  • 3 carrots, shredded
  • 1/2 C frozen shelled edamame, thawed
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
  • 3-4 scallions, sliced
  • handful fresh cilantro, chopped
  • other optional salad mix-ins: avocado, peanuts, cucumber, cooked chicken

Ingredients for the dressing:

  • 4 tbsp peanut butter
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp real maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp dried ginger (I used Gourmet Garden lightly dried ginger)
  • 4 tbsp canola oil
  • 3-4 tbsp water

Steps:

  1. Toss all salad ingredients in a large bowl.
  2. Put peanut butter, vinegar, lime juice, soy sauce, syrup, and ginger in a blender. Blend until combined. Add in the oil and blend until combined. Add 3 tbsp water and blend until combined. Add the last tbsp water if a thinner consistency is desired.
  3. Divide salad onto serving plates and individually dress each salad as desired.

*This recipe is adapted from Kelley at http://www.mountainmamacooks.com/2015/06/thai-crunch-salad/*

Copy Cat CPK Asian Salad for #SundaySupper from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Small Bites

Soupy Goodness

Big Plates

On the Lighter Side

Cheers!

Oodles of Noodles

8387592742_f6164fd5a8_oJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Honey Orange Vinaigrette

~ lk529 ~ Leave a comment

I’m not sure I’ve mentioned this yet – but I have really loved spring and summer here in Ohio. (Despite Monday’s post complaining about the rain.) The weather barely gets above 90 degrees and the sun doesn’t set until 9! This extra sunlight has really taken a lot of pressure off me when it comes to preparing meals for the blog. And no snow on the ground means I can take my photos outside again!

IMG_3575This particular salad I made at the end of May when my little man was almost 11 months old. At this point he was an expert crawler and good at pulling himself up. His mobility skills allow me to bring him outside with me while I photograph food, which means I’m not putting it on the floor by the window and playing defense. It also means I don’t have to wait until nap time or for my husband to come home first!

I followed Renee’s suggestion and served this vinaigrette over a spinach salad with apples, shallots, and feta cheese.

Honey Orange Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 C fresh orange juice
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tsp minced shallot
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp minced garlic
  • 2/3 C extra virgin olive oil

Steps:

  1. Place orange juice, honey, vinegar, shallot, mustard, and garlic in a small blender. Pulse until combined.
  2. While the blender is running slowly add the olive oil. Season to taste with S+P.
  3. Store in the fridge until ready to serve. Separation is normal, shake before using.

*This recipe is adapted from Renee at http://magnoliadays.com/2015/spinach-salad-honey-tangerine-dressing*

Honey Orange Vinaigrette | Sew You Think You Can Cook

Brussels Sprout Salad with Caramelized Onions

~ lk529 ~ 1 Comment

Over Memorial Weekend we went to D.C. to go visit Tara (of Tara’s Multicultural Table) and her family. There will be more on that trip tomorrow, so stay tuned! On Sunday, we went to a Farmer’s Market. We were so happy to have decided to drive so we could actually buy produce to take home with us the next day!

Dale City Farmer's Market

We took home two cartons of big, beautiful Brussels sprouts, a bunch of red beets, cinnamon peanut butter from Sprelly, sweet potato pasta from Gypsy Hill, and some local honey.

I’ve used the peanut butter in a popcorn recipe that you’ll see in July. I’ve used one beet to make some sweet potato beet baby food and another for a beet potato salad, I’m not sure yet when I’ll share that latter recipe with you. The honey is about to be opened (I just emptied what we had already) and I’m still deciding what to do to highlight the fresh pasta. The Brussels sprouts are showcased in today’s recipe.

I had planned on making this Brussels sprout salad a few days after we got back from our trip but a night of feeling ill postponed the dinner plans for when our family was here for the little man’s baptism. With 5 extra people who also enjoy Brussels sprouts I had to expand my supply with a bag from the grocery store. Separating the leaves of the sprouts to create the “lettuce” for the salad is tedious work, the large Brussels sprouts from the Farmer’s Market were very much appreciated! As was the help I recruited from the moms.

This salad does take some time to make, but it can easily be done in stages. And it is absolutely worth it! We’ve never had Brussels sprouts raw before and tossed in a salad with warm caramelized onions and tart dried cherries is a fresh way to enjoy this vegetable in the spring and summer.

This salad makes 8 servings. I paired it with grilled pork chops and mashed potatoes.

Brussels Sprouts Salad with Caramelized Onions

Ingredients:

  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 2/3 C plus 4 tbsp olive oil, divided use
  • 4 Vidalia onions, sliced
  • 4 tsp brown sugar, divided use
  • 2 lb Brussels sprouts, leaves removed
  • 2 tbsp dried cherries (or more, to taste)
  • 1/2 C apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp agave
  • 4 tsp Dijon mustard

Steps:

  1. In a large skillet over medium heat melt butter and 4 tbsp olive oil. Add sliced onions and caramelize for 1 hr. In last few minutes stir in 2 tsp brown sugar and a little bit of salt. (You could also do this in the slow cooker.) Set aside.
  2. Make dressing: Whisk together vinegar, 2 tsp brown sugar, agave, mustard, and 2/3 C olive oil. Season to taste with S+P.
  3. Place Brussels sprout leaves in a microwave safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave about 1 minute. Note: This will not cook the sprouts but will warm them slightly. 
  4. Toss warmed Brussels sprouts with dried cherries, caramelized onions, and dressing.

*This recipe is modified from Susan at http://thewimpyvegetarian.com/2014/11/warm-brussels-sprouts-salad-with-caramelized-onions/*

Brussels Sprout Salad | Sew You Think You Can Cook

Caesar Tart

~ lk529 ~ Leave a comment

Sometimes salads can be boring. Even your favorite salad can end up leaving you wanting more. I challenge you to “fancify” your next salad by placing it atop a tart!

My favorite salad is Caesar and the tart it’s been placed upon is roasted garlic. When I found this recipe 8 months ago I’d been searching for the perfect time to make it. For a side dish it seemed like quite a lot of work. So when we were invited to our neighbor’s home for dinner I was provided my opportunity! Without the added responsibility of creating an entree I could spend my time on this fancy salad.

Turns out you can make this side dish in stages! My excuse for not having made it sooner was simply made invalid. You can make the dressing in advance. You can make the tart shell in advance. You can even shave or shred your Parmesan ahead of time. I waited to dress the salad until we were ready to eat, gently placed it on top of the tart shell, and topped it with Parmesan. Note: there aren’t any croutons in this salad – the tart shell acts as your croutons, but if you simply can’t live without them, feel free to add them to your salad too.

If you want to make this more of a main dish feel free to top your tart with some grilled chicken or salmon.

Caesar Tart

Ingredients for the Roasted Garlic Tart:

  • 1 head of garlic
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 stick butter, at room temperature
  • 1/4 C grated Paremsan cheese
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/4 C flour

Ingredients for the Caesar Dressing:

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 anchovies
  • 4 tsp red wine vinegar
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp sugar

Ingredients for the salad:

  • 3 hearts of romaine, chopped
  • 1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Cut off the top of the head of garlic, so the bulbs are exposed but still in tact. Pour the olive oil overtop the garlic. Wrap in aluminum foil. Bake 40 minutes. Allow to cool.
  3. When garlic is cool, squeeze the cloves into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the butter, Parmesan, and salt. Beat the mixture until combined. Add in the flour and mix until crumbly.
  4. Press the dough into a greased tart pan (I don’t have one and used a foil lined pie dish). Bake 20-25 minutes, or until golden. Allow tart to cool.
  5. Make the dressing: Place all of the ingredients in a small food processor or blender. Pulse until combined. Taste to check for additional salt or sugar (will depend on how juicy the lemon is).
  6. In a large bowl toss the lettuce and Parmesan with as much dressing as desired. Top the tart with the dressed salad.

*This recipe is adapted from Mary at http://homemadecravings.com/caesar-salad-sweet-garlic-butter-crust/*

Casear Tart | Sew You Think You Can Cook

Salmon Cake Salad

~ lk529 ~ Leave a comment

Remember that Not Ketchup I used in my Maize & Blue Chicken Salad for #10DaysofTailgate?

And remember how I said one of the things I had planned for my bottle of Blueberry White Pepper Not Ketchup was a salad dressing?

Well I did just that!

But I didn’t use it to top just any boring old salad. I used it to top Salmon Cakes (that were placed lovingly onto a salad bed)!

I apologize for the horrendous photograph – I’m still struggling with taking food photography in the new house at night.

Salmon Cake Salad

Ingredients for Salmon Cakes:

  • 3 8 oz salmon fillets
  • 1 lemon, quartered
  • 1 tbsp sea salt
  • 1 tbsp peppercorns
  • 1 1/4 C panko, divided use
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 C red onion, diced
  • 1 tsp dried dill
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp dried parsley

Ingredients for Salad Dressing:

Steps for Salmon Cakes:

  1. Place salmon in a large skillet with high sides. Cover with water and add the lemon, sea salt, and peppercorns. Bring the water to a simmer and poach salmon 10 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
  3. In a large bowl, flake the salmon fillets, discarding any skin and bones. Gently mix the salmon with the beaten eggs, 1/4 C panko, onion, dill, paprika, S+P. If the mixture is too wet add a little more panko. If the mixture is too dry add another egg.
  4. Mix together 1 C panko with the parsley in a shallow dish.
  5. Form salmon mixture into 8 equal sized patties. Coat in the panko and parsley and place on prepared baking sheet.
  6. Bake 15-20 minutes.
  7. Serve on top of your favorite salad mix.

Steps for Salad Dressing:

  1. Whisk together salad dressing ingredients.

*The salmon cake recipe is adapted from Cheryl at http://www.cherylstyle.com/simple-food-recipes/dinner-recipes/panko-breaded-baked-salmon-cakes-recipe/ *

photo (11)

Disclaimer: I was provided a bottle of Blueberry White Pepper Not Ketchup through the #10DaysofTailgate event, however all opinions and statements are my own.

#10DaysofTailgate: Mason Jar Fruit Salad

~ lk529 ~ 10 Comments

Tailgate LogoWelcome to day two of #10DaysofTailgate hosted by Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla. Today I have a perfect recipe for those early morning tailgating sessions.

While night games have a great atmosphere, my favorite games to tailgate for are the early afternoon ones.

I love having breakfast themed tailgates, going off to the stadium, and then returning to the tailgate site to have dinner. Win or lose, it’s fun to end the evening on campus – enjoying some drinks, more food, and tossing a football.

The breakfast tailgating spread includes coffee, bagels, muffins, and fruit. The only problem with having fresh fruit is that it attracts flies. By putting fruit salad in individual mason jars, the fruit can stay cold in the cooler and the flies will stay away. They can also be prepared in advance.

You can use whatever fruits you like, whatever is in season, or whatever fits with your team’s colors! With a lime dressing, I picked fruits that would be brightened up by the citrus flavor.

Mason Jar Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 C vanilla yogurt
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • zest and juice of 1 lime
  • 1 C cubed pineapple
  • 1 honey crisp apple, cubed
  • 2 oranges, cubed
  • 1 C seedless red grapes

Steps:

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, honey, and lime. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, gently toss together fruit. Add dressing and toss until all of the fruit is coated with the dressing.
  3. Spoon into individual mason jars. Keep cold until ready to serve.

*This recipe is adapted from http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Fruit-Salad-with-Honey-Lime-Dressing-106941 *

Mason Jar Fruit Salads

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway and be sure to check out the other bloggers who posted more tailgating recipes today:

Dips
Avocado and Corn Salsa by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Deviled Egg Dip by From Gate to Plate

Sips
 Charred Bloody Mary and Smoky Sliders by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Mains
Sticky Fingers by Debbi Does Dinner Healthy

Not Ketchup Cherry Chipotle Sloppy Joes and Cheese Fries by Making Miracles


Spinach Salad with Spicy Pineapple Dressing

~ lk529 ~ Leave a comment

Steak isn’t the only way for me to add iron into my diet – another option is spinach. Spinach is also the more heart friendly way to do it too. 😉 So with more red meat recipes, there’s also a chance for more salad nights!

I found this particular recipe when I was going through my very first Secret Recipe Club assignment. And now that this is the second recipe I’ve made from Lynsey’s blog – I am willing to bet my other pinned recipes from her will also be a big hit.

This salad recipe called out to me not only because of the iron rich spinach, but because of the pineapple dressing!

Spinach Salad with Spicy Pineapple Dressing

Ingredients:

  • 2 large chicken breasts, cut in half length-wise so they’re thin
  • 1 tsp ancho chili powder
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 jalapeno, seeded
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 1/4 C cubed fresh pineapple, divided use
  • 2 tbsp orange juice
  • 4 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
  • 8 C fresh baby spinach
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
  • 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

Steps:

  1. Season chicken with chili powder, salt, and pepper. Grill 4 minutes on each side, or until chicken is cooked through. Set aside.
  2. In a blender combine cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, half of the pineapple, orange juice, and vinegar. Pulse until smooth. With the blender running, stream in the olive oil. Adjust seasonings to taste.
  3. In a large bowl toss the spinach with the bell pepper, onion, and remaining pineapple.
  4. To serve: distribute salad, top with chicken, and dress with pineapple dressing.

*This recipe is adapted from Lynsey at http://www.lynseylous.com/2012/05/grilled-chicken-and-spinach-salad-with.html?m=1*

 Pineapple Salad

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