Watermelon and Feta Salad

Old mother Hubbard went to the cupboard to give her poor dog a bone, but when she got there, the cupboard was bare, and the poor little dog had none.
In my case though, this mother's fridge is bare. It's the day before grocery shopping. I go every other week as it's a 45 minute ride to the store and gas is quickly approaching $4 dollars a gallon again. I also think it saves money as I am forced to plan meals for two weeks. However, the Wednesday before I am usually trying to find something for lunch. The kids are easy as they are perfectly happy with some mac and cheese or even a pbj, myself however, I'm am not so easily satisfied. Here is what my fridge looked liked when I opened it just an hour ago to make some lunch.

I do have various things in my pantry, but even my fruit bowl was pretty empty. I did have this small yellow watermelon left from my CSA basket last week and a bit of cantaloupe, but I fear that will be gone at snack time once the kids get to it. The only other thing in there was some various greens. Oh and a cucumber!

So what's a starving girl to do? Make a salad of course!

What You Need:

a handful or two of mixed greens
1/2 c cubed watermelon
2 tbs crumbled feta cheese
5 slices cucumber
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

What To Do:


Drizzle the greens with a bit of olive oil and vinegar for your "dressing." It's simple and classic and tasty with out a ton of fat and preservatives. I'm a huge fan of F. Oliver's oils and vinegars. Today I used their blood orange olive oil and they're dark chocolate balsamic vinegar. Top your greens with the cucumber and watermelon and then sprinkle the feta on top. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper and enjoy. It's probably one of my last ode's to summer time as the weather is getting cooler fast. While I will miss all the wonderful produce I've been getting, especially the incredible tomatoes, I look forward to the wondrous flavors that fall has to offer.

Cobb Salad

Yes I realize it's the middle of winter and yes, I even realize that while you can get okay produce in most parts of the country this time of year, that salad are generally a "summer" food. However, there comes a point in winter time (our are usually long, often having frost well into May), that a girl needs a reminder of summer time and the plentiful bounty it brings with it. Cobb salads are composed, meaning they are not all tossed together, but carefully arranged. I like the look of straight lines but you could always make piles. Blue cheese dressing is traditional but the dressing is really up to you. I keep the choices simple but you would normally find diced hard boiled eggs and sometimes even avocado grace this terrific reminder of summer.

One Year Ago: Apple Cider Cake
Two Years Ago: Mushroom Pies with Pear Salad

What You Need:

1-2 chicken breast, roasted, cooled and diced
6 cup mixed greens
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 cucumber, sliced (peel if desired or use 1/2 an English cuke)
1 c diced blue cheese
4 pieces of bacon, cooked crisp and then chopped
croutons

What To Do:

Place the greens on the bottom of a large serving platter or shallow bowl. Start with the diced chicken in the middle. Place it in a straight line down the center of the salad. Repeat with the rest of your ingreidents, in any order you like. Serve with dressing, makes enough for 4 supper sized salads.

Orange and Fennel Salad

Lately, I've been taking cooking classes, not because I don't know how to cook, obviously, but because they're fun. I do learn new things (like how to make a good Paella) and this yummy, refreshing salad. You might be thinking that this is more of a summer time dish but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Oranges and other citrus fruits are actually in seasons right now. It's strange to think that fruits people typically associate with sunny, warm Florida or California weather would be best to eat during the cold winter months but it's true. This also means that fennel is in season right now too. Fennel is usually best from Autumn to early spring. When you think about ingredients that would taste good when combined just remember this: "If it grows together, it goes together". You'll be pleasantly surprised how refreshing this salad is especially during a season where heavy meals are predominate.

One Year Ago: Sesame Chicken
Two Years Ago: Bacon Wrapped Scallops

What You Need:

6 navel oranges
1 large or 2 small heads of fennel
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Salad Greens

What To Do:

Using a very sharp knife, remove the peel and pith from the oranges. Slice into segmants by very carefully taking a paring knife and cutting down at an angle on either side of the membrane that holds the segments together. Do this over a bowl so that you catch any juices.
Remove the tops from the fennel, reserving some of the fronds for garnish. Remove the cores and then thinly slice the fennel.
Toss the fennel and orange segments together. Squeeze the juice from the lemon into any of the juice collected from the oranges. Whisk the citrus juices together with extra virgin olive oil, some salt and pepper and toss it with the salad. Top with a few of the fronds. Serve over salad greens or arugula.

Asian Chicken Salad

Salads are one of favorite things to eat. No, I’m not a rabbit, but I love crunchy veggies on top of lettuce. Oh and not just any lettuce, but usually mixed greens. I’m not an iceberg kind of girl. Besides not having a taste, it doesn’t have any nutrition either. This salad is topped with shredded carrots, grilled chicken and almond with a yummy ginger soy dressing. Try it soon, before the fall season is here to stay and fresh veggies are hard to come by.

What You Need

8 cups mixed greens
2 chicken breasts, cooked (approx. 1 lb)
1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 medium cucumber, sliced into half moons
1 c shredded carrots
½ c sliced almonds
Dressing:
¼ c olive oil
2 tbs rice wine vinegar
1 tbs soy
1 tbs honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp freshly grated ginger

What To Do:

Whisk all the ingredients for the dressing together and set aside. Arrange two cups of the mixed greens onto 4 plates. Divide the rest of the ingredients among the plates and drizzle with the dressing.  This would also be good with mandarin oranges and those crunchy Chinese noodles.

Celery, Blue Cheese and Walnut Salad

This quick and easy salad has it all. It’s perfect for something different during the summer months when mac and potato salads reign. It’s tangy, crunchy, creamy and just delicious. Toasting the walnuts in a dry skillet before adding into the salad, gives them such a depth of flavor. It brings out the oils within the nut so that the walnut flavor explodes in your mouth. When they combine with the crisp crunch of the celery and the creamy, tanginess of the blue cheese it’s just wonderful. This salad should be made shortly before serving. The bit of vinegar in the dressing will start to wilt and break down the celery. I guess you could always make it ahead but don’t toss it with the dressing until just before serving. Makes enough for 4 side salads.

What You Need:

a small head of celery (about 8-10 stalks)
1 c walnut halves
1/2 c blue cheese, crumbled or cut into small chuncks
2 tbs red wine or apple cider vinegar
2 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper

What To Do:

In a small skillet toast the walnuts by heating them gently over medium heat. Stir them often, making sure to watch them. They will go from perfect to burnt very quickly. Once they are hot, and you start to smell them, they’re done. Turn off the heat and remove them from the pan. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, remove the bottoms and leaves from the celery and wipe clean. Slice the stalks on a diagonal and place into a large bowl along with the crumbled blue cheese. In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar and olive oil with a bit of salt and pepper. Once the nuts are cool, add them into the bowl with the celery and blue cheese. Pour the dressing over the top, toss it all together well and serve.

Tomato, Cucumber and Onion Salad

Summer time is my favorite time of year. Super fresh, ripe and yummy veggies fill the supermarket and farm stands. There is always an over abundance of tomatoes floating around and since I love a red juicy tomato, this salad is perfect for me. Very few ingredients, and very simple to make, make it a go to recipe when you need a quick dish to serve with your burgers or grilled chicken.


What You Need:

2 medium to large vine ripened tomatoes
1/2 English cucumber (the ones that come wrapped in plastic)
1 small yellow onion, very thinly sliced
1/2 c apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper
a few sprigs of fresh oregano (optional)


What To Do:

Place the onion slices in a bowl and cover with the apple cider vinegar. Let sit for 1o minutes. This take the bite out of the onion and almost pickles it. Cut your cucumber in half long ways, then in half again long ways. Then cut into 1/2 inch to 1 inch chunks. Cut your tomatoes into quarters. Cut each quarter in half again to make 8ths and then cut in half the other way to make chunks. If using the oregano, remove the leaves from the stems. If they’re small, toss them in whole, if not tear them into smaller pieces. Toss everything together in a bowl and season with some salt and pepper. Let sit for roughly 10 minutes or so to let the flavors meld.

Mexican Quinoa Salad

Yep, I’m on a Mexican kick again! Seems like once a month I get the urge some yummy, full of flavor Mexican food. This recipe however, is more Mexican American then truly Mexican. Quinoa is cooked with Mexican flavors, cooled and then combined with cilantro, cherry tomatoes and a delicious lime vinaigrette. The taste is wonderful and vibrant, perfect for when you don’t want Spanish rice!
What You Need:
1 1/2 c quinoa, uncooked
2 2/3 c water
1 pint cherry tomatoes (I used a mixed color variety)
1/4 c chopped cilantro
1 1/2 c frozen corn, thawed or use fresh corn
zest of 1 lime
juice of 3 limes
2 tbs olive oil
2 large clove garlic
1 tsp oregano, divided
1 jalapeño, minced
1 tsp ground cumin, divided
salt and pepper
What To Do:
In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add in the quinoa, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp oregano, minced jalapeno, 2 garlic cloves that have been pushed through a garlic press or finely minced and a bit of salt. Bring it back to a boil, then turn the heat to low and let simmer, covered, for 12-15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile in a large bowl, whisk together the remaining cumin and oregano with the lime zest, lime juice and olive oil. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and toss in the bowl with the vinaigrette to combine. Place in the fridge to cool completely. Once cooled, stir in the tomatoes, corn and cilantro.

Strawberry Walnut Salad

This was more than good, this my friends, was incredible. I feel in love the instant the combination of flavors hit my mouth. I enjoyed this dish as a simple side, but it can easily be turned into a meatless main course. First I candied some walnut haves in a bit of brown sugar and honey. Then I topped some fresh mixed green with sliced strawberries, goat cheese and the walnuts. The dressing was just a simple splash of balsamic vinegar. This salad is truly heaven on the plate.

What You Need: (Per side salad)
About 1 cup of mixed greens (I used a big handful)
3 or 4 strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/3 c candied walnuts  (click here for recipe)
1/4 c goat cheese crumbles (feta works too)
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
What To Do:
Pile the green on a plate and top with the strawberries, walnuts, and goat cheese. Drizzle the balsamic over the top and season with a bit of salt and pepper if you’d like. Serve.

Tex-Mex Chicken Salad with Cliantro Lime Dressing

It's hot here.... really hot here, and when it's hot, I don't cook. We eat a lot of salads, sammies and things that are quick, require little effort and most importantly, doesn't involve turning the oven on. Oh and to answer your question, No, I do not have air conditioning. A few days ago I started looking for salad recipes to help get through the next few weeks until my son is born. I found a lot of great idea's on the Food Network website and this one is a take on a salad that Sunny Anderson does. While the only thing my salad and hers have in common is the romaine lettuce and shredded cheese, the dressing is almost completely her recipe. I added in more garlic and a ton more cilantro to my dressing and I'm glad I did. The taste was wonderful and I think next time, I'm going to make the cornbread croutons that she used in her salad! This is easily made into a meatless dish with the removal of the chicken. Make it completely animal free by using a soy based cheese.

What You Need:
Salad:
A package of Romaine Hearts (comes 3 to a pack)
Rotisserie Chicken
1 can Garbanzo beans (chick peas)
1 tsp cumin
2 large tomatoes
1/2 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 c shredded Monterey jack cheese

Dressing:
1 big handful of Cilantro leaves
1 tbs red wine vinegar
1/4 c lime juice
1/2 c sour cream
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

What To Do:

Slice the Romaine hearts into bite sizes pieces and spread in the bottom of a salad dish.
Remove the breast from the chicken, and save the rest for another dish.
Remove the skin from the chicken and dice into bite sized chunks.
Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans and mix them together with the chicken and cumin. Spread over the lettuce.
Chop the tomatoes and add over the salad, followed by the cheeses.


To make the dressing, combine all of the ingredients, except for the olive oil into a blender. Turn the blender on and let it rip. While the blender is running, slow drizzle in the oil. The dressing I made wasn't very thick, but I didn't exactly measure the ingredient either so yours might end up thicker then mine did. Serve along side the salad.

Anti-Pasta Salad

There used to be this little pizzeria type place in the town where I worked. They made this incredible salad with salami, pepperoni, cheeses and lots of yummy stuff. When I was pregnant with my first daughter I would eat one at least twice a week. My favorite part were these little garlic toasts that they would serve with them. I'm still working on how to make those garlic toast but now that I'm pregnant again this salad has become my favorite thing to eat.

Antipasta Salad

15-16oz mixed salad greens or any type of greens you like
1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small red onion, diced
1/4 lb of ham or turkey breast (from the deli counter)
1/8 lb sliced sandwhich pepperoni or 1/4 regular pepperoni
1/8 lb sliced Genoa (hard) salami
1/4 lb provolone cheese
1/2lb shredded mozzarella cheese
1 small can of sliced black olives
4 peperochini's (pickled hot peppers, optional)
Zesty Italian or Oil/Vinegar dressing

In a large platter layer the salad greens, tomatoes and onions. Slice the deli meats and cheese into 1/4 inch strips and layer on top. Cover the whole thing with the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with the olives. Place the peperochini's on top if desired and serve with the dressing. This should be plenty to serve as a meal for 2 or 3 people or along side a meal for at least 4 people.

H A P P Y  C O O K I N G !!