Cranberry, Walnut, & Feta Salad

This recipe was initially combined with my Tomato-Basil Soup recipe (January 2008), but I decided to give it its own entry.

We tried this salad at a holiday party and I fell in love. I've never been a fan of fruit in my salad, but you really have to try this - it's out of this world!



Ingredients :
Salad -

• 2 cups mixed salad greens (I used baby spinach and romaine)
• 1 cup dried sweetened cranberries (Craisins work, too)
  
• 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese (plain or flavored)
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces (toasted if desired; I did not toast them)

Dressing -

•  2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

1. Combine greens, cranberries, feta, and walnuts in large bowl.
2. Mix vinegar, honey, mustard, and pepper with wire whisk until well blended.
3. Gradually add oil, whisking constantly until well blended.
4. Pour over salad; toss to coat.
5. Serve immediately.

Balsamic-Dijon Salad Dressing

This dressing goes well with Cranberry, Walnut, & Feta salad.


Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions

1. Mix vinegar, honey, mustard, and pepper with wire whisk until well blended.
2. Gradually add oil, whisking constantly until well blended.

Garlic Croutons

I got made fun of a bit for this one....I mean, isn't salad supposed to be simple? :-)

I've had trouble finding non-processed croutons...I did find an organic, whole wheat variety, but honestly, they sucked. So I decided to make them myself. They're very easy! And I mean, what else are you going to do with that stale bread??

Garlic Croutons


Ingredients

• Stale bread (I used 3 hoagie rolls that had been in my fridge for a couple weeks. The staler, the better....just make sure it hasn't gone moldy!)
• 4 tablespoons butter (I use organic butter. For my 3 rolls, I actually needed a full stick of butter)
• 1 clove minced garlic (I used garlic powder instead)
• Herbs of choice (I used parsley and Italian seasonings)

Directions

1. Cut bread into small cubes
   
   
   
   
2. Melt butter in large skillet; add garlic + herbs
3. Add bread cubes to skillet and toss until well coated; cook on medium for about 1 minute (I had to do 2 batches, each with 4 tbsp butter).
4. Spread bread onto baking sheet (lined with foil so you don't have to clean the pan!).
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes - turning croutons frequently to avoid burning and to ensure even baking.
   
   
   
   

Put unused croutons in an airtight container or bag and store in pantry. I plan to keep adding to my supply every time I have some bread to use up, so that I always have some on hand for a quick salad.

Ranch Dressing (or Dip)

As much as I love ranch dressing from a restaurant, I haven't come across any that I like in the grocery store. I've tried all the name brands, the generics, the store brands, and even the lesser known (and more expensive) all-natural and organic varieties. But nothing quite tastes right to me. I thought about trying to make my own, and because I try to avoid preservatives and unnatural ingredients, I didn't want to make it from a packet.
So I found a well-rated recipe on allrecipes.com ("Ranch Dressing II") and found it to be both incredibly easy and very yummy! I've adapted it to my taste (I now use sour cream in place of mayo).


Ranch Dressing

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sour cream
  
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt (I used seasoning salt instead)
  
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a large bowl, add all ingredients.
   
2. Whisk till well mixed and smooth.
   
   
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
   
   

Aunt Pearl's Taco Salad

So I was at the store and saw ground chicken in the meat department. I was very intrigued. I had no idea what in the world to do with ground chicken, but for some reason I had to have it.

I decided to try it out in a taco salad. It was pretty good! Nothing can beat good ol' fashioned ground beef (we use ground turkey for everything, so it's a rare treat to have ground beef), but this was pretty darn good. Ground chicken has a different texture than beef - much softer. But it didn't taste all that different after seasoned up.

Taco salad has been a favorite of mine since I was a little girl. I remember my Aunt Pearl making taco salad every summer for the party we had after my piano recital! When I got a little older, my mom would make the salad for all of our post-cheerleading-competition sleep overs!! It was always a hit at a party -- I might go so far as calling it the Buffalo Chicken Dip of the 90s!

It's very simple to make - and even though I made a few alterations tonight based on what was in the pantry, I'll post Aunt Pearl's "original".



Aunt Pearl's Taco Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 head iceberg lettuce
• shredded carrots
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup shredded cheddar (or a Mexican blend)
• 1 cup slightly crushed Doritos (per the original - any nacho or tostito chip will do)
• 1 lb ground beef, browned (or ground chicken or turkey!)
  
• 1 packet Old El Paso taco seasoning (or homemade taco seasoning - see recipe below)
• 4 oz Catalina dressing (I use fat-free)
• 4 oz mild or medium taco sauce (smooth, not chunky)

Directions:

1. Brown ground beef well; drain.
2. Add taco seasoning and 2/3 cup water; simmer on medium for 3-5 minutes.
3. In a small canister or jar, mix the Catalina dressing with the taco sauce. Shake or stir until well blended (mixture should be half and half). Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, toss lettuce, carrots, cheese, and tomato. **I only mix the carrots and lettuce - I keep everything else in separate bowls for serving**
5. Mix in cooked/seasoned meat, if desired (I usually leave it in a separate bowl because the warm meat makes the lettuce wilty if left together too long).
6. Serve with dressing mix and top with crushed chips.

Homemade Taco Seasoning
("Taco Seasoning I" on allrecipes.com)

Mix together the following and store in an airtight container. Two heaping scoops of this stuff is probably equal to one pre-made packet.

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Homemade Tomato Basil Soup

I've always loved the classic grilled cheese & tomato soup comfort meal - so I made it with a little more sophisticated twist.

This sounds like a lot of food - but you lose a lot after straining. This recipe should make 4-5 large bowls. Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 8 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
• 1/3 of a large white onion
• 4 whole cloves garlic
  
• 4 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 teaspoons white sugar, or to taste (to cut the acidity of tomatoes)
• 2 teaspoons black pepper (or to taste)
• 4 leaves fresh basil, cut
  

Directions:

1. In a stockpot, over medium heat, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and broth. Bring to a boil, and gently boil for about 20 minutes to blend all of the flavors. Remove from heat and use a hand blender to make the soup smooth. Pour through a sieve into another pot or a large mixing bowl - discard pulp.
2. In another stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour, black pepper, and dried basil to make a roux, cooking until the roux is a medium brown. Gradually whisk in a bit of the tomato mixture, so that no lumps form, then stir in the rest. Season with sugar and salt, and adjust to taste. Add fresh basil and simmer 10-15 minutes.

I served this with grilled cheese sandwiches, using fresh French bread from my Breadman bread machine! Delicious! Comfort food, all grown up :)

Soup, pre-blending:


Soup, post-blending (and straining):


Soup and Sammiches: