Balsamic Vinaigrette

Here's something with which to dress a salad...

This salad dressing is easy to make and tastes great. It adds a flavorful zing to a bowl of leafy greens.

The recipe calls for a half-teaspoon mixture of spices, allowing you to use the spices you like best. I've used dill weed, coriander, thyme, onion powder, and basil. Whatever you choose to include, the mixture should amount to about 1/2 teaspoon.

To mix and store the dressing, I use a well-washed bottle that originally contained enchilada sauce.

Balsamic Vinaigrette
Estimated preparation time: 10 minutes
Makes enough for about 6 side salads or 4 entree salads 

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt (or plain salt)
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
• Dash of black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon total combination of dry spices like dill weed, ground coriander seed, thyme, basil, and onion powder (choose according to your taste)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 

Instructions:

1.  Measure ingredients into sealable jar or bottle. Seal securely.
2.  Shake well to combine ingredients.
3.  Add to salads and enjoy!
4.  Refrigerate unused portion. *Ingredients will separate; shake before each use.


Enjoy!

Salad #3

Strawberries have been on sale lately...

...so I stocked up and used some of them in a dinnertime salad last week. Their sweet flavor balances the acidity of baby spinach quite nicely. I worried that combining Roma tomatoes and strawberries would be a culinary faux pas--similar crisp-juicy textures, all red--but I found that they went very well together with their varying sweet and tart flavors. Dried cranberries lend a chewy texture that breaks up the near-monotony of the vegetable and berry combination. Chopped cilantro adds a burst of freshness along with the lemon juice.

Feta cheese frequently finds its way into salads at my house: its flavor is unmatched, and using just a small amount will both brighten up a salad and enhance its palatability--it's hard to resist that savory stuff, and with moderation, it's okay not to.

Of course, we must not forget the black pepper--freshly ground over the top of the salad--and a slight sprinkling of coarse salt.

Ah, another salad. So tasty! Such a mosaic of textures and colors! And it's good for you!
Enjoy it as a side dish or the main course.

Salad #3
Estimated preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
(Note: Amounts will vary, based on the number of persons to be served. Use what looks good to you, the chef. Approximations for serving 2-4 people are listed in parentheses below.)

• Baby spinach (3 large handfuls)
• Roma tomatoes (3)
• Strawberries (8)
• Fresh cilantro (2 tablespoons)
• Dried cranberries (1-2 tablespoons)
• Juice from half a lemon
• Feta cheese, crumbled (1 tablespoon)
• Coarse salt (1/2 teaspoon or less)
• Freshly-ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Place the spinach into a serving bowl.
2. Wash, dry, and halve then slice the Roma tomatoes. Toss them on top of the spinach.
3. Wash, dry, de-stem, and quarter the strawberries. Put them on top of the tomatoes.
4. Rinse and pat dry the cilantro. Chop it into small pieces, and sprinkle it over the salad.
5. Measure the dried cranberries and add them to the salad. 

6. Juice a lemon and sprinkle the desired amount of juice over the salad ingredients.
7. Measure the feta cheese and toss it over the salad.
8. Add a sprinkling of coarse salt and a generous amount (to taste, of course) of freshly-ground black pepper.

Enjoy!

Tomato Cucumber Salad

A slightly-sweet simple salad (that tastes seriously scrumptious)...

Sliced cucumbers and grape tomatoes are delicious on their own as a snack or a mini salad with a small sprinkling of salt and a generous seasoning of pepper. But...
Adding some vinegar, a bit of sugar, and other seasonings to a bowlful of cucumber and tomato slices takes these vegetables to another level. The taste is unbelievable.

The tomatoes are tart but sweet, the cucumber is succulent with mellow hints of acidity, the sugar adds sweetness while the salt adds savoriness, and the vinegar tempers it all with its sour edge. The herbs contribute their own tanginess and you have a wonderful combination for a spring and summer side dish.

A great make-ahead side dish: The key is to let the entire mixture chill for several hours before serving it. This added time allows the vegetables to really soak up the flavor from the vinegar and seasonings. You can of course eat it immediately, without any chill-time, but it's just not as good.

A note about the herbs: In this recipe, I use dry dill and dry parsley. If you have fresh herbs, use them--I bet it tastes even better. Just be sure to adjust the amounts a bit (use more of the herb if it's fresh).

And cucumbers: When I first made this recipe, I used small English cucumbers. They're nice because their seeds are smaller than typical cucumbers, so they taste less bitter. But I don't think the type of cucumber matters much with this salad--the seasonings shake it up enough to mask undesirable bitterness. Besides, the "bitterness" is seen by many as just part of the flavor of a cucumber. Feel free to remove the seeds from the cucumber when you slice it--this just adds time to the process, though, so I don't bother with it. 

Does it have to include sugar? Yes. Sorry, but to get the nifty flavor from this recipe, you need the sugar. It's not a lot of sugar, and you can of course alter the amount you use to suit your taste. But if you'd rather skip the sugar altogether, the vinegar and herbs on their own lend a very nice flavor to the cucumbers and tomatoes.

Tomato Cucumber Salad
Estimated preparation time: 10 minutes
Chilling time: 3 hours +
Serves: 2 as a side dish

Ingredients

• 1 medium or large cucumber
• 1-1/2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
• 2 teaspoons dried dill weed
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon fine-ground salt
• Freshly-ground black pepper (optional)

Instructions

1. Wash and dry the cucumber and tomatoes. 
2. Slice the cucumber into small wedges.
3. Halve the grape or cherry tomatoes.
4. Place both vegetables in a bowl. 
5. Add the minced garlic, parsley flakes, dill weed, sugar, and salt.
6. Add freshly-ground black pepper if desired.
7. Stir all ingredients thoroughly, being careful not to squish the tomatoes.
8. Cover and chill for 3 hours or overnight.
9. Serve as a side dish, as a light lunch, or on a bed of baby spinach leaves for a more significant meal.

[Note: Photo does not depict entire salad.]

Enjoy!

Salad #2

It's time for another salad...

This is a flavorful salad that is simple to prepare.

Spinach is such a nice green for salads. It's tasty, crunchy, and it's ready-to-go straight from the store (it's often pre-washed and already bite-sized!) Dried apricots add a chewy texture and a lightly sweet flavor to this salad, along with the sweet tang from ripe strawberries and grape tomatoes. That's right, only 4 ingredients in this dish that can be portioned for a main course (a tasty lunch) or for a side. The juices from the strawberries and tomatoes could warrant eating this salad without any salad dressing. However, I do like adding a bit of a nice fruit-flavored dressing on top.

Salad #2
Estimated preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
(Note: Amounts will vary, based on the number of persons to be served. Use what looks good to you, the chef. Approximations for serving 2 people are listed below.)

• Baby spinach (two salad-bowlfuls)
• Strawberries (about 8)
• Small grape tomatoes (20-25)
• Dried apricots (about 5)
• Recommended salad dressing: Raspberry and walnut vinaigrette (or a similar fruity vinaigrette). 
• Optional seasoning: Freshly-ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Fill individual bowls with baby spinach. 
2. Wash, dry, and slice strawberries into quarters. Divide evenly and scatter slices on top of spinach.
3. Wash and dry grape tomatoes. Divide evenly and scatter on top of spinach with the strawberry slices.
4. Chop dried apricots into sixths. Sprinkle on top of strawberries and tomatoes.
5. Season with freshly-ground black pepper and vinaigrette, if desired by individuals.

Enjoy!

Salad #1

And now for a salad . . .

Salads are healthy. They're also tasty. The usual suspects include lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers . . . you know. Lest salads become boring, I like to toss in something different every now and then.

This particular ingredient mix includes yellow raisins and crumbled feta cheese. The raisins add a sweet flavoring and soft texture to the otherwise mostly-crunchy ingredients. Feta cheese gives the salad a bit of saltiness. Use the feta cheese sparingly--just a little will flavor things nicely--and sprinkle some freshly-ground black pepper on top.

As the title suggests, I'll be posting recipes for other varieties of salads in the future.

Salad #1
Estimated preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
(Amounts will vary, based on the number of persons to be served. Use what looks good to you.)

• Baby spinach
• Romaine lettuce 
• Grape tomatoes 
• Sweet onion 
• Cucumber 
• Yellow raisins
• Feta cheese
• Freshly-ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Wash the romaine lettuce and pat it dry. Slice the lettuce into bite-size pieces. 
2. Toss the spinach and the romaine together in a salad bowl.
3. Wash and dry the grape tomatoes. Halve them, then add them to the salad bowl.
4. Slice the onion as desired. Add the onion to the salad bowl.
5. Wash, dry, and slice the cucumber into bite-sized pieces. Add the cucumber to the bowl.
6. Measure out a small amount of yellow raisins (about 1/4 cup for a medium-sized salad). Spread raisins on top of the salad.
7. Sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese (about 2 teaspoons for a medium salad) on top.
8. Grind some black pepper on top of the entire salad, or add it on top of individual portions.

Enjoy!