Salad #2

Ok, so call it pregnancy hormones...I'm a cheater this week...I have switched to a new salad and it has my taste buds wanting more!!!

Again, it's not a secret recipe. The flavours are perfectly paired with the sun that is shining and the small signs that spring isn't as far off as we think!!!

We were invited over to dinner to our good friends and I asked if I could bring something. I was told a salad, so I started to think about which yummy one I could bring!  Most of my yummy salads come from this household, I needed something different!!

So I came up with a Mandarin Almond Salad with a Poppy Seed Dressing.

Pinterest

It had been a busy day and I basically had enough time to put the salad together and just grab the 'Kraft' Poppyseed Dressing out of the refrigerator!  I just wasn't satisfied with that...so 10 minutes before we left, I hit the internet and found this recipe and whipped it up.  I even made Hubby stop at the grocery store on the way to dinner to get the poppy seeds!

Mandarin Almond Salad with a Poppy Seed Dressing

*Your favourite greens (I used red leaf lettuce and baby spinach)
*Toasted, sliced almonds (watch them carefully when you toast them, they turn quickly and can burn! You just want them slightly golden)
*Sliced green onions (1-2 onions depending on how much you like - green tops too)
*Chopped celery (1-2 sticks)
*Can of mandarin oranges (drained)


Dressing  4 servings
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp vegetable oil (I used grapeseed oil)
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp sugar (I used maple syrup and probably a bit more
Salt & Pepper to taste

***I did find the olive oil a little heavy in flavour, so the next time I will probably do 2-3 tbsp of the olive oil and the rest being the grapeseed, as long as it adds up to the 5 tbsp of oil***

***I toasted the almonds on a cookie sheet in the oven at 350 for probably less than 10 mins...start watching them closely around 5-6 minutes***

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl and pour over salad a few minutes before serving (making sure dijon mustard is completely mixed in with other ingredients)

I took the salad and it was a hit!  I did also take the 'Kraft' dressing, just in case someone preferred it instead of the homemade (one being Hubby). That's ok, more for me!!!  :)

I wasn't sure how this salad would go over, so I didn't even think about taking a picture of it!!
Sorry!  I will do better next time!

Enjoy!!

More Please!!

My Mom came for a visit this past weekend and whipped up a homemade salad dressing for dinner one night...it was SO YUMMY!!  We ate it 3 nights in a row!  Call it pregnancy hormones if you want, but I licked my bowl clean couldn't get enough of it!!

On the 3rd night, I finally smartened up and had her show me how she made it...we adjusted as we went along, 'cause she usually just throws things together. She is one of those cooks that just makes it up as she goes or goes by 'it looks right' and tastes fantastic!!

So, it's no magic recipe, it's actually my Mom's, girlfriends caesar dressing, with our own 'changes'.  But for me it had so much flavour compared to my plain, old ranch. Plus it didn't have the raw egg that most homemade recipes do, which is fantastic for this pregnant Mama. It's not a hot one either...I remember my high school boyfriend's family recipe (super yummy as well), they LOVE garlic and it was a 'hot' one they always made...and I enjoyed it every time they made it...but this rendition is a little on the, maybe, sweeter side?? You'll have to try it yourself!!

 Like I said, call it pregnancy hormones, but I can see it being thrown together a couple times a week in this house!!

Home made Caesar Salad dressing

Here is what we did, you can adjust and add as your pallet tells you to!



Homemade Caesar Dressing
3/4 Mayonaise (we used Hellmans)

2 med. fresh crushed garlic
6 shots of Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp cider vinegar
2 tsp pure Maple Syrup (no Aunt Jemima in this recipe!)
4 shakes seasoned salt (we used Lawry's brand)
1 tbsp milk
1/3 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese (we used the small hole on the grater and also used Asiago and liked it better, that nuttier flavour in the cheese)
Croutons (I like the 'lightly buttered' kind instead of adding pretend garlic or herbed ones)
Your favourite greens

Just add all the ingredients in a small bowl or mug even and mix up...we waited until it tasted right and then added the cheese.  Toss the dressing with your greens, enough to cover your lettuce as you like and then add your croutons accordingly. You can sprinkle some extra cheese on top of each bowl if desired!

Enjoy!

Too early for summer salads?

I first had this salad at a friend's, daughter's birthday party.  I was hooked after the first bite! I usually make this salad in the summer because I can get local produce at the farmers market. My mouth is watering just thinking of all the flavours!!

With signs of spring popping up here and there along with a few days of warm weather...my taste buds are ready for something exciting again!!

This 'Panzanella' salad has been made by many, I have adapted mine from Barefoot Contessa's, her's can be found here....

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, I have been using Grapeseed oil
• 1 small French bread, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large, ripe tomatoes cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 english cucumber, unpeeled, and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, cleaned and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cleaned and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 red onion, cut in 1/2 and thinly sliced
• 20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped

 Vinaigrette:

• 1 tsp finely minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp vinegar - I have been using white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil - I have been using Grapeseed oil instead
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently,until browned, about 10 minutes. Add more oil as needed.

Vinegrette, whisk all the ingredients together.

In a large bowl, mix all the veggies, add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavours to blend.

Well...my first post...a yummy salad...let me know what you think after you make it!