Warm Grilled Eggplant Salad

Week 10 - Herbs (basil, chives), peaches, white plums, assorted cherry tomatoes, yellow tomato,  (none of that is part of our CSA), 4 tomatoes!, red potatoes, salad greens, Rosa Bianca eggplant, Asian eggplant, green peppers, hot peppers, yellow squash, zucchini, cucumbers, dandelion greens, corn, Swiss chard.

I lost my week 9 photo.  But it was good stuff.  Similar to week 10.  We are there.  The peak of summer produce.  The pinnacle of all that is good.  We are FEASTING!!!

Can you believe this?  Four of these babies came with our CSA.  I bought the rest.  I did an ok job controlling myself.  We had another 5 or 6 from our garden that we ate this week.  Plus several handfuls of cherry tomatoes to supplement.  I thought I might save some of our tomatoes for winter in some form, but I am not at a point yet where I feel overwhelmed by tomatoes.  I feel happy about tomatoes.  I want more!  

This salad was so delicious.  It is very simple.  Some grilled veggies, tossed with some salad greens and a lemon, herb vinaigrette.  I wanted to pair it with something with a bright flavor, acidic flavor, but I also thought something cheesy would be good.  I made some stuffed tomatoes.  Mine where just stuffed with goat cheese, a little panko bread crumbs, parm, basil, and chives.  I cut a very small hole in the top of each tomato (and then ate the hole), then stuffed the cheese filling in.  I baked for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees.  Might be better to just throw them on the grill to avoid the oven.  It has been cold and rainy here so it wasn't a big deal for us.  

We are equally obsessed with eggplant as we are with tomatoes.  Our eggplants in our garden are doing well.  We will probably have at least ten.  We have been getting three or so in our CSA each week.  So good.  These Rosa Bianca globe shaped eggplants are amazing.  Maybe I will make some Baba Ganoush to freeze for Birk once he is ready to explore non-milk calories.  I very much appreciate the milk-only diet.  Meal prep is pretty easy.  Wish we could ride out that phase a little longer.  

Warm Grilled Eggplant Salad
by foodforscot

1 eggplant (I used Rosa Bianca)
1 summer squash
1 green pepper
1 big bag of salad greens
quarter of a medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 handful of basil, rolled and thinly sliced
10 chives, minced
½ tsp of Dijon mustard
1 lemon, juice
1 tsp of red wine vinegar
olive oil
salt
pepper

Slice the eggplant to make 1/4th of an inch thick rounds. Place in a colander (or lay out on a kitchen towel) and sprinkle generously with salt. Mix (or turn) to evenly coat the eggplant with the salt. Let sit for at least 30 minute (up to an hour or so) to release the water out of the eggplant.

Prepare the dressing: In a medium bowl, combine basil, chives, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, red wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. While whisking, slowly add in olive oil. Add more salt, pepper, and oil, to taste. Set aside.

Preheat grill to medium high.

Slice the summer squash and quarter (and core and seed) the green pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Once eggplant is done, pat dry with a kitchen towel. Season with pepper. Drizzle olive oil over everything.

Right before grilling, turn off the flame, brush the grill with olive oil. Turn the flame back on. Grill eggplant, squash, and green peppers until soft with nice grill marks. Remove from grill and chop into bite sized pieces.

In a large bowl, toss together salad greens, red onions, grilled veggies, and lemon/herb dressing. Salad is best served warm and immediately.

(Servings: 3, Prep time: 30 min., Cook time: 30 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  8/10
Scot (taste):  8/10
Effort:  2/5
Dishwashing Effort:  2/5

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Pineapple Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

The salad is the most interesting combo in the universe.  When I read Joy's post about this salad she came up with, I couldn't wait to try it.  It is shaved (raw) Brussels sprouts with chunks of fresh pineapple, avocado, roasted macadamia nuts and French lentils and a pineapple poppy seed vinaigrette.  Fascinating.  Genius.  

Let me just give a little of my experience with the different components.  

Raw Brussels sprouts are good.  The closer you get to the core, the more bitter they taste.  But the bitterness is nice with the other parts of the salad.  Also, 8 cups?  Yikes, that is like a million.  I just got a regular amount.  

Pineapple.  It was actually on sale for me at my Whole Foods.  Even though I claim to be the best produce-picker-outer (including pineapples), the one I picked was pretty horrible.  However, it tasted great in the salad and still made a delicious dressing.  Who knew?

French Lentils.  Fancy lentils.  They are a pretty color.  But they taste the same to me.  Maybe they taste more muddy.  But in a good way.  Hard to explain.

Macadamia nuts.  Are AMAZING!  

As you can see, I did more of a lentil salad with shaved Brussels sprouts, pineapple, avocado and macadamia nuts on top.  This is mostly because I couldn't afford 8 cups of shaved Brussels sprouts.  But I liked the proportions.  Joy's proportions also look delicious.  Also, this dressing is a real winner.  And I am not usually a fan of sweet dressings.  

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Pineapple Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

by Joy the Baker

8 cups raw Brussels sprouts ribbons (lay sprouts on their sides and sliced thin, creating green ribbons)

1/2 cup scallions, sliced from the white to the green

1/4 cup parsley, coarsely chopped

2 cups fresh pineapple chunks, sliced bite size

1 cup French Lentils, cooked

1 cup raw macadamia nuts, roasted in olive oil, salt, and pepper

1 cup avocado chunks

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Toss raw macadamia nuts in 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt and pepper and roast for 12 to 14 minutes, until golden brown and fragrant. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

Simmer one cup of French lentils in 3 cups of water. Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, until just cooked through. Drain completely, drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper and set aside to cool completely.

Slice pineapple into bite size chunks.

Prepare salad dressing.

Slice avocado.

Just before serving the salad, toss together Brussels sprouts, scallions, parsley, pineapple, lentils, macadamia nuts and avocado chunks. Drizzle in dressing and toss well. Serve immediately.

(Servings: 6, Prep time: 1 hr., Difficulty: Easy)

Pineapple Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

1 1/2 to 2 cups fresh pineapple chunks

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoons chopped scallions (the white portion)

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoon canola oil

2 teaspoons poppy seeds

salt and pepper to taste

Place fresh pineapple chunks in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Blend pineapple into a mostly smooth, frothy pulp. Place a fine mesh strainer over a medium bowl and press the pineapple puree through the strainer into the bowl. Scrape the bottom of the fine mesh strainer to get all the good bits. There will be just a bit of pineapple pulp in the fine mesh strainer when you’re done. You’ll have about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of juice/pulp.

In the the bowl of the food processor, combine juice/pump, honey, rice wine vinegar, scallions, garlic, and mustard. Pulse 5 times to incorporate. With the food processor on, slowly stream in the canola oil. Stop the food processor once the dressing is emulsified. Pour the dressing into a medium bowl and stir in poppy seeds, salt and pepper.

Salad dressing should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

(Makes 2 cups)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  8/10

Scot (taste):  9/10

Effort:  3/5

Dishwashing Effort:  3/5

Paysanne Salad

While I was in LA (actually, in Long Beach), I met up with of my long-lost friends.  It was amazing.  And we ate at this little cafe, La Creperie, where I got this 'paysanne' salad.  It isn't clear to me if that is really a good name for this salad, but I just went with it.  

The salad is romaine lettuce, crispy potatoes, and bacon tossed in a Dijon vinaigrette and topped with a poached egg and toasted goat cheese.  

I first had fried potatoes in a salad while I was working on a school project in Mali, Africa.  My team and I worked in a village during the day and some of the younger women in the village would bring us lunch each day.  It was always some sort of meat in a sauce with rice.  But there was sometimes vegetables or something different.  My favorite variation to the norm was the lettuce with fried potatoes tossed in some sort of vinaigrette.  Unfortunately, we were strongly advised not to eat uncooked foods like lettuce so that we didn't get sick from the water it was washed with.  I live on the edge, so I would nibble on it.  I figured they might not even wash it in the village.  Anyways, I just love the idea of fried potatoes in salad.  

Paysanne Salad

For potatoes:

2 medium sized russet potatoes

3 tbsp of vegetable oil

1 tbsp butter

salt and pepper

For dressing:

1.5 tsp of Dijon mustard

1 tbsp of white wine vinegar

2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

3-6 tbsp of olive oil

For poached eggs:

4 eggs

1 tsp of white wine vinegar

For salad:

4 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped

2 heads of romaine lettuce, chopped

5 ounces of goat cheese

Start potatoes: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the potato cubes and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Saute stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Turn the heat up to high, add the water, stir, and cover the pan with a lid. Steam the potatoes until the water evaporates, about 3 or 4 more minutes. (Every 1 to 2 minutes, open the lid long enough to stir the potatoes so they don't stick.) Lower the heat to medium, and saute another 1 to 2 minutes until all traces of water are gone. Toss in the butter and stir to coat the potatoes. Spread the potatoes out on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven until the potatoes are crisp and browned to your liking, about 15 to 25 minutes depending on how dark you want them.

Meanwhile, prepare the dressing: Whisk together the mustard, vinegars, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. While whisking, slowly add in the olive oil, to taste.

Poach the eggs: In a large, deep skillet or sauce pan, fill with water and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer. Add vinegar. Poach one egg at a time for 4-5 minutes. Place in cool water bath while cooking the others.

To assemble salad: Toss half the lettuce, half the potatoes, and half the bacon with some vinaigrette. Put on plate. Top with two poached eggs and half the goat cheese (formed into a round ball). Optional: toast the goat cheese with a torch. Repeat for second salad.

(Servings: 2, Prep time: 10 min., Cook tie: 1 hour, Difficulty: Intermediate)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  7/10

Scot (taste):  7/10

Effort:  3/5

Dishwashing Effort:  3/5

Seared Steak and Mushrooms on Mixed Greens with Asian Ginger Dressing

We really enjoyed this salad.  We got great quality (expensive) ribeye steaks from Whole Foods.  They were amazing.  And I used Alton Brown's method for cooking them.  They came out perfect.  

This asian ginger dressing is also delicious.  It is very strong, so dress the salads lightly.  And I like having the mushrooms on the salad (as long as they are cooked!)  

Sorry vegetarians for showing red meat in all its glory.  (If you are going to cheat, go for the steak!  :)

Seared Steak and Mushrooms on Mixed Greens with Asian Ginger Dressing

adapted from Bon Appétit and Alton Brown

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

2 teaspoons vegetable oil, plus extra for steak and mushrooms

1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger

1 garlic clove, grated

Sriracha, to taste

1/8 teaspoon sesame oil

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

8 ounces crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced

2 12-ounce rib-eye steaks

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

8 cups mixed greens

salt and pepper

*Rib-eye steak is also known as Delmonico steak, Spencer steak, or New York strip. It's sometimes called a boneless rib eye, because the steak is a sliced prime rib with the bone removed.

Place 10 to 12-inch cast iron skillet in oven and heat oven to 500 degrees. Bring steak(s) to room temperature.

Mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, vegetable oil, grated ginger, grated garlic, Sriracha, and sesame oil in small bowl. Add cilantro and stir to blend. Set dressing aside. Heat vegetable oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until browned, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer sautéed mushrooms to plate.

When oven reaches temperature, remove pan and place on range over medium heat. Coat steak lightly with oil and season both sides with a generous pinch of salt. Grind on black pepper to taste.

Immediately place steaks in the middle of hot, dry pan. Cook 30 seconds without moving. Turn with tongs and cook another 30 seconds, then put the pan straight into the oven for 2 minutes. Flip steak and cook for another 2 minutes. (This time

is for medium rare steaks. If you prefer medium, add a minute to both of the oven turns.) Remove steak from pan, cover loosely with foil, and rest for 3-5 minutes.

Transfer steaks to cutting board. Slice steaks. Toss mixed greens with dressing in large bowl; divide greens among plates. Top with steak slices and mushrooms and serve.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 30 min., Cook time: 30 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  7/10

Scot (taste):  7/10

Effort:  2/10

Dishwashing Effort:  2/5

Skirt Steak Salad with Arugula and Blue Cheese

There is a food blogger competition going on right now called Project Food Blog by Foodbuzz.  I am not competing because of lots of reasons (excuses).  They could all be simplified to me just being too big of a baby.  

I am scared of competition.  I pretty much have never done well in any sort of competition.  Which is weird, because I am kind of competitive.  I mean, I am definitely not not competitive.  All the more reason to stop trying, right?  

Ha, I am making no sense.  I actually would have really liked to give it a go.  In fact, I have a new favorite saying:

"do something that scares you"

But, I just didn't take the time, this time, to work it all out.  I am excited to watch the competition unfold and see how all the challenges go.  The first challenge was to "define yourself as a food blogger" or "explain why you could be the next food blog star".  Scary!   What does that even mean?  Ok, I am glad I didn't try because I would surely be ousted first round for my totally lame answers to those questions.  If you are interested in voting, go to the above link.  :)  

Anyways, this salad has absolutely nothing to do with the Foodbuzz competition.  It is a nice, quick meal.  I mean who doesn't love a steak and blue cheese salad?  I love it with the arugula and the cherry tomatoes.  And the dressing is a nice change from my usual balsamic vinaigrette.  Look, here is a pile of meat!

Skirt Steak Salad with Arugula and Blue Cheese

from smitten kitchen

1 pound skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat if necessary, halved crosswise, at room temperature

1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pint (2 cups) cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup (about 4 ounces) crumbled blue cheese

1/2 pound baby arugula

Vinaigrette (below)

3 tablespoons minced chives, 2 thinly sliced scallions or 3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion, for garnish

Pat steak dry and season on both sides with 1/2 teaspoon salt and many grinds of black pepper.

In a cast-iron skillet: Heat skillet on medium-high to high and add olive oil. When oil begins to shimmer, place steak in skillet and do not move it for 5 minutes. Turn it once, and cook for another 3 minutes for medium-rare. You may need to cook your steak halves separately, depending on the size of your pan.

On a grill: Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over hot charcoal or high heat for gas. Oil grill rack, then grill steak, covered only if using a gas grill, turning once, 4 to 6 minutes total for medium-rare.

Transfer steak to a cutting board and let rest, loosely covered with foil, for five minutes. Arrange arugula on a large platter. Thinly slice steak on the diagonal, across the grain. Arrange over arugula, then toss halved cherry tomatoes and blue cheese over platter. Add vinaigrette to taste, then sprinkle with chives, scallions or red onion. Serve with additional vinaigrette on the side.

Steakhouse Mustard Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon coarse Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon honey 1/3 cup olive oil

Whisk ingredients. Season with salt and pepper and adjust ingredients to taste.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 30 min., Cook time: 10 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings

Shanon (taste):  7/10
Scot (taste):  7/10
Effort:  1/5
Dishwashing Effort:  1/5

Poppy Seed Dressing

I have been wanting to post this recipe for a while now.  This is a sweet poppy seed dressing.  A dressing that I never pick.  But a dressing that has always caught my eye because I do love poppy seeds.  It is a sweet/tangy dressing.  Perfect for any fruity nut type salad.  Some big chunks of cheese like a swiss or cheddar.  

We had it with a pretty hearty, chunky salad.  Grapefruit segments, whole almonds, grapes, tomatoes and (randomly) blue cheese.  Scot loves blue cheese.  Like loooooooooves it.  Capital L.  I think it would have been better with a cubed mild cheese.  But you can't really go wrong.  I love grapefruit.  

BTW, maybe you already noticed, but I don't buy pre-made salad dressing.  Several reasons:

1.   Kinda hate them.

2.  Really hate having millions of random bottles of dressing in the fridge.  I like to keep our fridge pretty empty.  

3.  Don't like to commit to a dressing.  If you make it yourself, you can have a different kind each night. 

4.  It is SO easy.  This recipe uses a blender (which definitely helps emulsify and keep it together long term).  However, if you are strong and have a good whisk, you can do a pretty decent job by hand.  And it doesn't even matter if you use it all right away, which is what I do 80% of the time.  

5.  I can chef it up.  Throw in a little apple cider vinegar.  Maybe I want some honey.  Pretend I am more amazing than I am. 

Poppy Seed Dressing

from FoodPeopleWant

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoons mustard (I use Coleman’s)

1 teaspoon table salt or 2 teaspoons Kosher

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup canola or grapeseed oil

1/3 cup apple cider or white wine vinegar

1/4 cup finely grated red onion

1 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds

Pour the olive and canola oil into a measuring cup and set aside.

Add the sugar, mustard, red onion and salt to the jar of a blender. Pour in the vinegar and blend on high until the sugar has thoroughly dissolved.

With the motor still running, remove the lid from the blender and pour in the combined oils in a steady stream until emulsified.

Pour the dressing into a jar, add the poppy seeds and shake or stir the dressing to combine. Seal the jar tightly and refrigerate until use.

(Servings: about 2 cups, Prep time: 20 minutes, Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

Greek Orzo Salad with Mustard-Dill Vinaigrette

I am always looking for new sides to bring to pot lucks or to make for grill outs.  Ya know...the ol' room temperature side.  

This recipe is for an orzo salad that I have made a few times before.  It is Greek-like because of the feta and dill dressing.  I love orzo.  And orzo salads are a nice change from your typical pasta salad (and there isn't anything wrong with a typical pasta salad...you might as well call me Mrs. PastaSaladPants).  

I actually prefer pasta salad served cold.  Fully chilled.  However, it tastes just fine room temperature if that is what you need.  

We had this orzo salad with some Boulder Sausage brats and cantaloupe.  Grill out and chill out.  

Greek Orzo Salad with Mustard-Dill Vinaigrette

by Bobby Flay via Food Network

3/4 pound orzo, cooked al dente

1 large cucumber, seeded, quartered lengthwise, and diced

3 green onions, thinly sliced

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, plus extra for garnish

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/2 cup olive oil, plus additional for brushing shrimp

Salt and freshly ground pepper

3/4 pound feta cheese, crumbled

Combine orzo, cucumber, green onions, and tomatoes in a large bowl. Place dill, vinegar, and mustard in a blender and blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil and blend until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour the vinaigrette over the orzo mixture and stir well to combine. Gently fold in the feta cheese.

(Servings: 6-8, Prep time: 30 min., Cook time: 10 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

Coconut Chicken Salad

I am going to get right to the point.  This is my favorite salad (and possibly, favorite meal) ever.  This salad is on the menu at Jam's in Omaha, NE.  I thought it was my little secret.  My favorite salad ever.  However, apparently, this salad has a cult following.  People who will start riots if Jam's ever takes it off their otherwise seasonal menu.  Dangit!  My secret it is out!

But it is fine because I have now recreated this at home.  And let me tell you, this recipe was everything I wanted and more.  Perfect.  Spot on.  Exactly like the Jam's version.

What I love about this salad, is that it doesn't mess around.  You know how salads always have one kind of luxury item?  You know:  the artichoke hearts, the avacado, the fried chicken, the croutons, the cheese, the creamy dressing...well, this one has it all!  And you might be thinking...ew?  Well, you are wrong!   It is one of those things that doesn't seem like it should work, but oh, it works.  

It is surprisingly not heavy.  All the crazy ingredients work so well together.  And the coconut chicken?  To die for.  The raspberry sauce?  Don't leave it out.  In fact, don't leave anything out.  Usually I am all for substitutions.  But, this salad is perfection.  You don't want to mess with it.  If you do, the Coconut Chicken Salad cult will find out, and probably shun you.  And you don't want that.  

Coconut Chicken Salad

idea stolen from Jam’s restaurant, Omaha, NE

For croutons:

2 cups bread (stale is fine), cut into 1/2-1 inch cubes

olive oil

salt

For dressing:

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

2 tbsp of chopped herbs (I used chives, dill, and parsley)

1 tbsp of Dijon mustard

splash of red wine vinegar

salt and pepper

For raspberry sauce:

1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

splash of balsamic vinegar

For chicken:

2-4 cups of vegetable oil (or any light frying oil)

1 lb chicken breasts (or tenders)

1 cup flour

2 eggs

splash of milk

1 cup coconut flakes

1 cup Panko bread crumbs

salt and pepper

For salad:

5 ounces of Spring lettuce mix

1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1/4 cup of thinly sliced red onions

1 tomato, diced

1 can of quartered artichoke hearts (not marinated), drained

1 handful of shaved almonds

1 avocado, diced and tossed in lemon juice

For croutons: Preheat oven to 375° F. On a baking sheet, toss bread cubes with olive oil and salt. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden and crispy. Shake pan and toss croutons every five minutes while baking for even browning.

For dressing: Whisk all dressing ingredients together.

For raspberry sauce: In small sauce pan, cook down jam and vinegar until smooth. Cool slightly. Pour in zip-top bag.

For chicken: Using a medium sauce pan, pour in vegetable oil. You need about 3 inches of oil in the bottom of the pan. Heat oil to 340° F.

Prepare assembly line for coating the chicken. In one bowl, put flour. In another bowl, put eggs and a splash of milk. Whisk until smooth. On a plate or shallow dish, combine coconut flakes and Panko bread crumbs. Season all three stations with salt and pepper.

If you using chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch strips. Dredge in flour, dip in egg mixture and coat with coconut/bread crumb mixture. Set all of the coated chicken strips aside until ready to fry.

Fry in batches of 3 or 4. Continue to check the temperature of the oil and try to keep it at 340° F. They will take about 3-4 minutes. As soon as they are brown, they should be done. Let cool on a plate covered with paper towels.

Assemble salad: Toss lettuce, cheese, red onion, tomato, artichoke hearts, almonds, croutons, and dressing together. Add avocado and lightly toss. Place salad on a large salad plate (it is easiest to toss the salad one serving at a time…this recipe will make approximately four servings). Top with 3 chicken strips. Drizzle with raspberry sauce (either with a spoon or snip the corner off the zip-top bag) and a little more dressing.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 45 min., Cook time: 25 min, Difficulty: Intermediate)

Printable Version

Napa Cabbage Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

I really loved this salad.  We had it a few weeks back with the burgers and I never posted the recipe.  It is so delicious.  

I am almost never drawn to buttermilk dressing.  And this buttermilk dressing was amazing.  With all my dressings, even creamy ones, I like them to be fairly runny.  And this recipe has the perfect consistency for me.  

Also, I try and try to eat raw whole radishes.  My dad always does.  And it seems like something cool people do.  But I always fail.  At being cool.  And at eating whole raw radishes.  Maybe someday I will acquire the taste.  However, cut up in this salad, they are so amazing.  It is such a good combo of the radish, cabbage, celery and the sweet buttermilk dressing.  

And check out my new pages!  I added some info about me and about this blog.  I also added a recipe index.  

Napa Cabbage Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

adapted from Gourmet, November 2007 via smitten kitchen

1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons minced shallot

1 tablespoon sugar

3 tablespoons finely chopped chives

1 pound Napa cabbage, cored and thinly sliced crosswise (4 cups)

6 radishes, diced

2 celery ribs, thinly sliced diagonally

Whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, vinegar, shallot, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl until sugar has dissolved, then whisk in chives.

Toss cabbage, radishes, and celery with dressing.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 15 min., Cook time: 0 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

Grilled Fish Tacos

Just added another favorite, to "my favorites".  These tacos are SERIOUSLY good.  I mean, I really love fish tacos so I am not surprised.  

I am into tacos that have no cheese.  The Korean tacos that I made a while back, also didn't have cheese.  It makes them so fresh.  YUM!

I picked this recipe to try for the marinade.  It is actually a really simple vinaigrette.  It is mainly lime, garlic and cilantro.  And it is really delicious.  I am excited to use it for salads.  In fact, I tossed the cabbage in some of the vinaigrette for these tacos (in addition to using it to marinate the fish in).  

As always with tacos, it takes some time to prepare all the different toppings, but 100% worth it.  

Grilled Fish Tacos

1/2 lb any white fish (I like tilapia because it is cheap)

8 small corn tortillas

1 mango, diced

2 avocadoes

1 quarter of a red onion, finely minced

3 roma tomatoes, diced

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

2 limes

salt

1 quarter of a small cabbage (I like red)

1 batch of Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Cut fish fillets into 1-1.5 inch long strips (1/2 an inch wide). Place in small dish and pour over enough of the cilantro-lime vinaigrette to cover (saving at least 1/4 of a cup). Marinate for 20 minutes.

Prepare mango-tomato pico de gallo. Mix together mango, 1 tomato, 1/2 the red onion, some cilantro and the juice of 1/2 - 1 lime. Season with salt to taste. Prepare guacamole. Mash avocadoes with salt and juice of one lime. Add two tomatoes, 1/2 the red onion, and a nice big handful of cilantro. Mix, taste and adjust seasonings.

Prepare cabbage. Thinly slice cabbage and toss in enough of the cilantro-lime vinaigrette to coat.

Prepare corn tortillas. In a small skillet, add a drizzle of olive oil and preheat over medium high heat. Fry corn tortilla in pan, 1-2 minutes per side. Cooking some of the raw-ness out of corn tortillas is KEY.

Cook fish. Remove fish from marinade and sauté fish pieces in batches in a hot non-stick skillet. They will only need 1-2 minutes per side.

Assemble tacos and eat! Can use leftover vinaigrette as more sauce for tacos.

(Servings: 2-3, Prep time: 1 hour, Cook time: 20 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

by Our Best Bites

1/4 c. fresh lime juice (about 2-3 juicy limes)

1/4 c. white wine vinegar or rice vinegar

4-5 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp. Kosher or sea salt

2 tsp. sugar

1 c. canola oil

1/2 c. roughly chopped cilantro, stems removed

In the jar of your blender, combine lime juice, vinegar, garlic, salt, and sugar. Blend until ingredients are completely combined. With the blender running, add the oil in a steady stream. Add cilantro and blend until the cilantro has broken

down but still maintains some of its texture. Serve with greens, on any type of Mexican salad, or use as a marinade.

Green Salad with Craisins, Almonds and Goat Cheese with a Balsamic Vinaigrette

This was a request by the bride-to-be. A greeny salad with fruit, nuts, cheese and a balsamic vinaigrette. One of my favorite combos. I usually do a blue cheese/walnut combo. I love the goat cheese/almond combo. Maybe more. I just am so obsessed with goat cheese.

Green Salad with Craisins, Almonds and Goat Cheese with a Balsamic Vinaigrette

Green leaf lettuce or spinach, 8 handfuls

Craisins, a handful

Shaved or slivered almonds, a handful

Goat cheese, broken into pieces, a handful

Balsamic vinaigrette, recipes follows

Combine lettuce, craisons, almonds and goat cheese. Toss with dressing just before serving

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 tsp Dijon mustard

a splash of soy sauce

2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

In the bottom of a big bowl, whisk together mustard, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Continue to whisk, and as slowly as possible, stream in olive oil. By doing so slowly, this will emulsify the oil and vinegar (and then it won’t separate).

(Servings: 4-6, Prep time: 10 min., Cook time: 0 , Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

Here you can see it still separates a little, but not bad. I could have gone slower. Whisked harder.

Chef Salad and My Fav Ranch Recipe

Well, maybe you noticed a change in my blog recently? Maybe not? Maybe my mom is the only one who reads this? That's fine.

Bottom line, I have been traveling over the past week. So, I have been posting old stuff and not been posting the weekly food plan. Even though I do have a plan for this week, I ain't posting it because it is a short week. And you know, I don't feel like it.

I spent the last week at a conference in Portland, OR. I had a GREAT time. I got to spend some time with my aunt, met some of her friends, took an amazing dance class with her, and saw a little bit of Portland. I also enjoyed the conference and got a lot of good feedback on my research. This past weekend I was in Northern WI (where it was surprisingly warm), to see Scot win the Birkie (and all the other fam). And he pretty much did! So proud. We also got to spend some time with his family and my best friends ever. Maybe I will do a post later with some of the highlights.

Anyways, whenever I travel, I can't wait to get home to start eating home cooked meals. And I always tend to crave light food and vegetables. Tonight, we had a chef salad. Nothing fancy. Just romaine lettuce with a bunch of chopped veggies (I used carrots, celery, tomatoes, cucumbers, red peppers) with cheese (cheddar) and deli meat (turkey).

I like Ranch dressing with my chef salad. I cannot stand bottled Ranch. Makes me want to vomit. I have tried every brand that has ever existed and something about bottled Ranch does not do it for me. I did some research once on how restaurants make Ranch, because I almost always love restaurant Ranch. What I found was that many restaurants use Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning and make according to the package dressing. They come in little packets and you just mix 1 cup of mayo with 1 cup of milk and 1 packet of the HVR seasoning packet. And let me tell you, it tastes JUST like the restaurant Ranch. And it tastes nothing like the thick, clumpy HVR you can buy in a bottle. I prefer Hellman's Mayo (not light). I suppose you could use whatever you want, but the real mayo is the trick. It takes about 30 minutes to thicken in the fridge, but I like it thin, so I don't mind using it right away.

Lastly, good news, my ankle is pretty much better. I went back to basketball tonight and it went well. Although, I think I made about 2% of my shots. Must have been the ankle.

Really what I wanted to tell you, is that Scot came to watch. Someone left early, and we were down a man (/woman, since it is an all women's league). Guess who played with all girls? Scot! Haha. It is kind of a general trend in Scot's life. No one knows why. He did alright, kept up with us ok. Actually, it is kind of irritating how basketball really isn't his thing and he is still really good at it. Someday I will beat him at something...someday.

Stay tuned this week for eggplant pizza with corn and chickpea salad, turkey strombolis and split pea soup with homemade croutons!