You are here: Home / Archives for Recipes (P-W) / Salad Recipes

The Best Potato Salad Recipe in the World… Period!

December 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

A Barefoot Contessa Recipe That'll Make You Forget Every Other Potato Salad You Ever Knew

Barefoot Contessa Recipe for Potato Salad

This Barefoot Contessa Potato Salad recipe calls for a Buttermilk and Dill Dressing (above) that’s so amazing I could eat it with bread… or without bread…

I watch the Food Network and The Cooking Channel for many reasons.

  1. Alton Brown is television magic – I’d rather watch a Good Eats I’ve seen a million times than anything new on network television.  And I do.
  2. Rachael Ray, Guy Fieri, and Paula Deen are also TV magic.  Watching them feels like home.
  3. I’ve never watched a single episode without taking something away – either a recipe that goes on to become a family favorite, a tip I use again and again, or inspiration for something fresh and different.

I have recipes from the masterminds above that I use so often I almost forget where the recipe first came from.  I also have several Emeril (I miss Emeril Live to this day!) recipes that are staples.

Talk about TV magic, they should give Alton or Guy a “Live” type format for prime time. I’d never miss a second.

Due to the times of day I’m able to turn on FN or TCC, I’ve never actually seen an entire episode of The Barefoot Contessa.  I’ve used (and have been blown away by) some of her recipes off of the Food Network‘s website, but I only recently caught a full episode.  And this coming from a self-confessed Food Network addict!

I loved what I saw so much that I’m going to record Ina Garten’s episodes and follow her regularly.  The woman knows her recipes!  In fact, in the episode I watched, she made a potato salad that I instantly knew I’d be making – as in the very next day.  It called for Buttermilk, and if you look at the title of my cooking website (Buttermilk Press), you’ll get an idea of how I feel about buttermilk!

Ina Garten’s Potato Salad recipe (below) is easily the most beautiful and delicious potato salad I’ve ever made or tasted.  It’s simply out of this world fantastic and will make you forget every other potato salad you ever knew.

In my version, I used Yukon Gold potatoes – not because I was being cute or trying to one-up an expert (far from it). My little grocery store simply didn’t have any small white potatoes.  The Yukon Golds worked beautifully though.  Everything else I did just as the Contessa suggested.

The recipe came from an episode titled Pooch Party (anyone who loves dogs is cool in my book).  I highly recommend clicking through and making the birthday sheet cake. The cake and icing looked uncommonly Heavenly. They’re on my “to make” list.  I plan on making the cake for New Year’s Eve.

As for the Potato Salad recipe (below the picture of my potato salad) – you MUST make this soon.  It would be amazing for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day (or any other day of the year). It’d be excellent served with leftover ham sandwiches.  Trust me, this recipe will blow your mind and your family will talk about it for weeks.

Best Potato Salad Ever

Barefoot Contessa’s Potato Salad Recipe


3 pounds small white potatoes
Kosher salt
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red onion

Place the potatoes and 2 tablespoons of salt in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes in a colander, then place the colander with the potatoes over the empty pot and cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Allow the potatoes to steam for 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, dill, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Set aside.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in quarters or in half, depending on their size. Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl. While the potatoes are still warm, pour enough dressing over them to moisten. Add the celery and red onion, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Toss well, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Barefoot Contessa, aka Ina Garten,  I love you muchly for this recipe.

Barefoot Contessa Cookbooks (I’ll take one of each, thank you very much!):

Filed Under: Barefoot Contessa, Buttermilk, Food Blog, Salad Recipes, Summertime Favorites Tagged With: , ,

Mandarin Orange Salad Recipe

October 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Perfect Side Dish for Holidays as Well as Everydays!

Orange Salad

The Mandarin Orange Salad shown above is everything you could ask for in a side dish:

  • Easy to make
  • Inexpensive ingredients
  • Delicious
  • Perfect for holidays AND everyday

I love to embrace whatever season we happen to be in the middle of with colors and flavors. I always have seasonally-appropriate napkins, decorations, candles, etc.  Sort of a “don’t just live in the moment, embrace the moment” type thing. I also like for my food and drinks to reflect the colors and scheme of things.

Yes, as a matter of fact, I do think too much, how could you tell?

The Mandarin Orange Salad recipe here is a favorite for several times of year.  I love it in Autumn because of the gorgeous orange color (you could even add a few drops of orange food coloring to make it even more orange for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Syracuse football games…). It’s also great in Summer because it’s obviously quick and easy to make and cool and refreshing to eat.

Around Christmas, you can replace the mandarin oranges with a drained jar of cherries and replace the orange jello with cherry.  Gorgeous.

Print
Mandarin Orange Salad
Recipe type: Salad, Dessert
 

This beautiful salad is as delicious as it looks!
Ingredients
  • 16 oz small curd Cottage Cheese
  • 1 small box orange jello
  • 9 oz. Whipped Topping, thawed
  • 1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
  • 1 can Mandarin oranges, drained

Instructions
  1. Simply mix the ingredients together and chill.

 

Filed Under: Fall Favorites, Food Blog, Fruit Recipes, Quick and Easy Recipes, Salad Recipes, Summertime Favorites Tagged With: , , , ,

Heart Healthy Recipe: Red Beans and Tuna Fish Salad

May 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Trust Me, You'll Love Every Single Bite

Red Beans and Tuna Fish Salad

A Heart-Healthy Recipe: Red Beans and Tuna Fish Salad

There’s really nothing quite like a beloved family member having to undergo open heart surgery to make you think (long and hard) about heart health, heart healthy foods and drinks, heart healthy activities, and heart healthy recipes.

I’ve been researching the most heart healthy foods lately.  I found a great list of the 25 Top Heart Healthy Foods on WebMd.  Some of the foods listed are:

  • Tuna
  • Brown Rice
  • Blueberries
  • Spinach
  • Salmon
  • Broccoli
  • Tomatoes
  • Cantaloupe
  • Dark Chocolate
  • Tea

I hope you’ll click the link above and see the rest. Even more importantly, I hope you’ll write the list down and add the recommended foods and drinks to your daily diet.  Even if you just add a few to your everyday routine, the benefits will improve your heart’s health.  Don’t wait until you’re sitting in front of a grim-faced doctor before you do something about your heart’s health!

I’m kicking off a new category here on the food blog dedicated entirely to heart health.  I’ll have heart-healthy recipes, foods, heart healthy food reviews, foods to buy and foods to never buy, etc. I’m kicking things off today with a recipe I whipped up for lunch.  I have my uncle (the beloved family member in need of open heart surgery) very much on my mind this week.  I’m also thinking about the rest of my beloved family members – and thinking of ways we can, hopefully, protect ourselves from heart disease.

Naturally, I’m beginning to experiment wildly with heart-healthy foods.  I want to add a lot of recipes to the food blog that are heart-healthy, simple, economical to make, fast and easy, and (as often as possible) made with ingredients you probably already have on hand.

The first recipe up is one I actually just made and enjoyed. Naturally, feel free to add more garlic, or less if you’re so inclined. In fact, add more or less of any of the ingredients – custom fit it to your own tastes. Made as I did, here, the tuna fish flavor is delightfully front and center. Just be sure to leave in the lime – it adds a beautiful little kick.

Red Beans and Tuna Fish Salad

15.5 oz can Red Beans
5 oz. can Chunk Light Tuna in water
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 chopped green onion (white and green parts)
A couple of cloves of garlic, minced OR 1/4 tsp Garlic Gold Sea Salt Nuggets
Juice from 1/2 a lime

Combine all of the ingredients and eat to your heart’s content. Literally. I used 1/4 tsp Garlic Gold Sea Salt Nuggets (review of Garlic Gold products and recipes coming tomorrow) in my recipe, but you could substitute minced garlic.

If you’d like a little crunch, add whole wheat croutons.

Filed Under: Heart Healthy Foods and Recipes, Quick and Easy Recipes, Salad Recipes Tagged With: , , ,

Roasted Peach and Nectarine Salad

March 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Beautiful, Healthy, and Flavorful Summer Salad

Roasted Peach and Nectarine Salad Recipe

I’m not sure there’s a bigger fan of fruit anywhere than me.  I simply can’t get enough of this particular food group. My family actually has to keep an eye on me, otherwise I’ll throw fruit into everything from oatmeal and cereal to salads and pasta.

When I saw this recipe for Roasted Peach and Nectarine Salad, my eyes nearly popped out of my head. Peaches are a personal favorite, so this recipe had me at “hello.”  In all seriousness, everyone should eat more fruit. Fruit is insanely healthy and, let’s face it, if we’re eating fruit, we aren’t eating fatty, fried, sugary alternatives.  Getting more fruit into your daily diet is a cinch. Simply have bowls of your favorite fruit handy for snacks. Grapes, cantaloupe, peaches, berries, apples, oranges – they all make delicious snacks.

Also, throw your favorite fruit into vanilla yogurt, smoothies, cereal, oatmeal, and even salads. Oranges, peaches, strawberries, and nectarines are excellent in tossed salads. Give the recipe below a try asap and you’ll see what I mean.

Roasted Peach and Nectarine Salad Recipe

Prep: 20 min. | Bake: 20 min. | Makes 6 servings

 

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
2 Tbsp. honey
3 peaches, peeled, halved, pitted
3 nectarines, peeled, halved, pitted
1/2 (6-oz.) package fresh mozzarella,(cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
2 cups arugula
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
6 prosciutto slices

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine butter, lemon juice, and honey in a small bowl. Microwave on HIGH 90 seconds or until butter is melted. Place peaches and nectarines in a baking dish; pour over butter mixture, tossing to coat. Arrange, cut sides down, in a single layer.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15minutes, brushing with juices after 10 minutes. (If the juices begin to burn, add a little water and cover the pan loosely with foil.) Remove from oven, and turn peaches cut sides up. Place a cube of mozzarella cheese in center of each peach and nectarine half. Return to oven, and bake 5 more minutes or until cheese begins to melt. Reserve juices.

Toss arugula with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange arugula on a serving platter, and top with prosciutto; top with peaches and nectarines. Drizzle peaches and nectarines with 1 to 2 tablespoons reserved pan juices.

Nutrients per serving:

258 calories, 16 gms fat, 144 calories from fat, 7 gms saturated fat, 42 mg cholesterol, 572 mg sodium, 3 gms dietary fiber, 9 gms protein

Credit: Recipe and Photo Courtesy of the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association

Filed Under: Fruit Recipes, Salad Recipes Tagged With: , , ,

Sour Cream Cucumber Salad

August 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

From Eating Well on a Budget

Cucumber FreshSplash

The following recipe is from The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Well on a Budget by Lucy Beale and Jessica Partridge, one of the cookbooks I’ve been recommending the most lately. What’s so wildly wonderful about this cookbook?

  • It’s filled with recipes you’ll actually make.
  • All of the recipes call for ingredients that are readily available AND inexpensive.
  • The recipes are healthy!
  • The cookbook, itself, is inexpensive.  Appropriate, given the subject matter, right?
  • Did I mention that they’re all recipes you’ll actually make?! As in again and again.

I’m wearing my copy of this cookbook out!

The recipe below is from page 177  (in chapter 12: Salads).  We’re having a good crop of cucumbers in our garden, so I’m always looking for different ways to use them.  We love cucumber and onions in vinegar, we love them in tossed salads and on cucumber sandwiches (Thinly sliced cucumbers on  bread that has been de-crusted and spread with cream cheese and sprinkled with either mint or chives), and my oldest daughter and I love sliced cucumbers in water. Fresh and delicious!

I’m making the following tonight to go with grilled chicken, broccoli & cheese, fried okra & squash, and three bean salad.

Sour Cream Cucumber Salad

1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 TBS dried dill
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 cucumbers, sliced
1/2 cup sliced white or sweet onions, optional

In a large bowl, combine sour cream, dill, salt, and pepper. Stir well.

Add cucumbers and onions. Toss gently to coat. Chill 1 hour before serving. The cucumbers and onions will wilt and become softer the longer you let them marinate in the dressing.

Recipe Credit: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Well on a Budget by Lucy Beale and Jessica Partridge.

Image Credit:
Cucumber FreshSplash Photographic Print from Allposters.com

Filed Under: Eating on a Shoestring, Quick and Easy Recipes, Salad Recipes, Vegetables Tagged With: , , ,

Quinoa is More Than Just a Pretty Face

August 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Most Fascinating Food You've Never Eaten

Edamame Corn and Quinoa Salad

I recently saw a recipe for an Edamame, Corn, Quinoa Salad that I simply HAD to try.  It looked so delicious, colorful, healthful and adventurous – how could I resist?!  The recipe is here and the picture of my creation is pictured at the top of the post.  The night before, I’d had Bruschetta Chicken – heavy on the basil, so I left the basil out of my version of the Edamame Corn, Quinoa Salad. However, earlier today, I traipsed out to my herb garden, grabbed a little basil (the beautiful aroma catches me off guard every single time).  I added some to the leftover salad that had been chilling in the fridge and it’s a delicious addition.

I honestly can’t say if I prefer it with or without basil.  This salad is especially scrumptious after the flavors have gotten acquainted overnight.  SO GOOD!  Trust me, you’ll want to click the link above and try a copy of this recipe asap.

If you’re new to Quinoa, like I was, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. I’d seen the boxes in the health section of my favorite grocery store (Kroger) before, but since I had no unearthly idea what to do with them, I left them and turned my attention to more familiar territory: Coconut Milk, Soy Milk, Greek Yogurt, and Organic Eggs from UNCAGED chickens (all caps because it matters to me).

Ancient Harvest Quinoa

Lacey, the Sweet Pea Chef (and creator of the Edamame, Corn, and Quinoa Salad) points out that Quinoa is pronounced “keen-wa.”  I won’t even tell you how far off base I was on that.  Between my Kentucky accent and the highly unique spelling of the name, it was an embarrassing attempt.  Thanks be to God that I never said my 3 syllable version aloud.  Quinoa is 100 percent whole grain (I just realized that I’m still, mentally pronouncing it the same old way? Hard head.).  This grain has an impressive history. It dated back to the Inca culture.  They referred to it as the Mother Grain.

Here are a few really interesting facts about Quinoa:

  •  Quinoa contains more high quality protein than any other grain.  The National Academy of Sciences calls Quinoa “One of the best sources of protein in the vegetable kingdom.”  High praise, much?
  • Quinoa contains NO gluten. If you follow a wheat-free/gluten free diet, Quinoa could become your new best friend.
  • Quinoa is light, tasty, and easy to digest.
  • It has a delicious nutty flavor.
  • Quinoa is quick and very easy to prepare.  It can be served as a side dish, in soups, in salads, as a nutritious warm breakfast cereal, and as a pilaf.

Below is a recipe from the back of my box of Quinoa, Ancient Harvest Quinoa.  Voila, they even spell out the pronunciation on the front of the box.  KEEN-WA.

Quinoa Pilaf Recipe

1/2 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup green onion, diced
1/4 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup green pepper, diced
1/4 cup red pepper, diced
6 cups Quinoa, cooked according to basic directions on box
1/4 cup butter or olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup almonds, sliced
1/4 tsp oregano
salt to taste

Saute vegetables in butter or olive oil until crisp; stir in oregano.  Add sauteed vegetables to cooked quinoa, mix well. Salt to taste.  Add almonds.

Yield: 6 Servings

No matter how you pronounce it… the way it SHOULD be pronounced or the way it comes out of my mouth… Quinoa is pretty amazing.  It’s healthy, delicious, and a lot of fun.  We get the most out of cooking (and our families get the most out of eating) when we keep things fresh, fun, and fantastic. Try new foods and get creative with old favorites.  There’s nothing at all wrong with having favorite standbys – they’re called comfort foods for a reason, after all.  But never get stuck in a rut and never, ever half-ass it!

As is the truth with most things in life, we get OUT of it what we put INTO it.   Always give it your all, fellow foodie friends.

Filed Under: Health and Fitness, Health Food Reviews, Salad Recipes Tagged With: , , , , ,

My Favorite Salad: Salsa Salad

May 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

No Dressing Required!

Salsa Salad

One of my favorite salad recipes, Salsa Salad,  is chock full of flavor. So much SO that adding dressing of any kind isn’t just unnecessary, it’s downright criminal.

INGREDIENTS

1 head iceberg lettuce
1 large can chopped green chilies (very well drained)
1 container grape tomatoes, chopped (or two large tomatoes)
1 bunch green onions chopped – the entire onion, except for the tips
cilantro, as much or as little as you want (I use a great deal)

Optional: Diced jalapeno (I usually use only a little)

I use my beloved ceramic chef’s knife and my beloved herb scissors to get all of the salad’s components nice and small.  (When you’ve finished reading this post, you can come back and click the links I just threw your way to read my reviews of two of my favorite new kitchen tools. I honestly don’t know how I ever got along without either one.) When making Salsa Salad, you can cut the vegetables as thick or as small as you like – that’s part of the beauty, there are so many alternatives!

One of the reasons I cut the vegetables for this salad so small is that we often use it in tacos, in tortilla shell bowls, and even on burgers.  When served on a Morningstar Farms Black Bean Burger, it’s so good you forget your own name.

If you like bologna sandwiches, you have to try a little of this salad on your next sandwich.  It doesn’t matter if the bologna comes to the party fresh from the refrigerator or if he comes “fried,” just put him on the guest list. It may sound kind of strange-ish, but this is honestly OUTSTANDING.  You could, of course, also invite a great slice of cheese to accompany the bologna to the meal.  Your call.

This is an amazingly beautiful and delicious salad and if you’re trying to cut calories, this is the salad for you.  It absolutely needs zero dressing. IF (and that’s a mammoth IF) you simply want a little dressing of some sort, a little freshly squeezed lime juice is divine.  (Did I just say divine?….. who says divine?)

As I said earlier, this salad is very versatile. Depending upon what you do with it, the salad can serve as a side salad or as a topping for sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, etc.  I have used Salsa Salad as a main meal before.  Since I knew it’d be used as the main course, I chopped the vegetables a little thicker and added a can of well-drained black beans, a can of well-drained red beans, some diced grilled chicken, and a mixed cheese blend. Served with rolled up, warmed tortilla shells, it made an excellent and healthy meal.

Other Ingredients I’ve Used in Salsa Salad:

  • Baby corn
  • Diced celery
  • Vidalia Onion, or other sweet onion
  • Avocado (chopped and sprinkled with lemon or lime juice)
  • Hominy
  • Chick Peas
  • Diced Green Pepper
  • Diced Red Pepper
  • Spinach
  • Cucumbers
  • Strips of Steak
  • Shrimp

 

Filed Under: Calorie Counters, Salad Recipes, South Of the Border, Summertime Favorites, Vegetables, Vegetarian Dishes Tagged With: , , ,

Knock-Off Recipe: Bang Bang Shrimp

May 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A Bonefish Grill Tradition

Knock Off Recipe for Bonefish Grill's Bang Bang Shrimp

One of the most popular items on Bonefish Grill’s menu is their Bang Bang Shrimp.  As is the case with great restaurant dishes, knock-off recipes by the hundreds are easily found.

I’ve used a couple of different techniques over the past year and have hit upon a combination that we’re MAD about.

I serve this Heavenly shrimp on a bed of leaf lettuce, Romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, sliced cucumber, chopped green onions, and celery in a tortilla bowl (look in the refrigerated aisle of your favorite grocery store – the tortillas come with little foldable paper stands that you drape the tortillas over before baking. They are SO amazing and versatile – you can serve them with taco salad, grilled chicken salad, Chef salad, pasta salad, tossed salad, etc.).

One of my daughters added Italian Dressing to her salad and I believe another added Ranch dressing.  If I’m not mistaken, I think my husband added a  little Catalina dressing to his – but, as for me and my shrimp, we went bare, as in dressing-free. If you have a little extra Thai Sweet Chili Sauce, you could splash a little of that on top of your salad.  Frankly, I could drink it right out of the jar…. it’s that freaking good.

You really HAVE to try this as soon as possible – it’s extraordinary.

Knock-Off Recipe for Bonefish Grill’s Bang Bang Shrimp

1 lb shrimp
1/2 cup mayonnaise
pinch of salt
1/4 cup Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
3 drops hot chili sauce (like Sriracha)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup Zatarain’s Fish Coating

Vegetable oil for frying.

  1. Mix the mayo together with the chili sauces. Add a small pinch of salt.
  2. Combine the cornstarch and Zatarain’s fish coating. Bread the shrimp (shelled and deveined) in the mixture.
  3. Heat enough of the oil to deep fry the shrimp in a deep pan.
  4. Deep fry the shrimp for 3-4 minutes.
  5. Drain the shrimp well on paper towels.
  6. Place the shrimp in a bowl and coat with the delicious chili sauce and mayo mixture.

Knock Off Recipe for Bonefish Grill's Bang Bang Shrimp

I put my shrimp into a disposable aluminum pan to play in the chili sauce mixture (above).  I love these disposable pans because I can just toss them out along with the rest of the trash. Convenience is a close friend of mine.  As you can see, the shrimp are as beautiful as they are delicious.  You could honestly serve them as appetizers completely by themselves.  Smaller shrimp would be really cute served with little appetizer picks or even toothpicks.

This shrimp is truly something you’ll want to try asap, it’s perfectly excellent.  As a matter of fact, I have trouble leaving them alone long enough to get them to the table! I”m something of a shrimp fanatic, anyway, but when they’re all decked out in this remarkable chili sauce mixture, forget about it.  It’s a shrimp party waiting to happen and, frankly, I don’t want to invite anyone else to the party.

Inspiration: Bonefish Grill and their excellent, excellent food!

Filed Under: Close Enough, Salad Recipes, Seafood Tagged With: , , ,

Asian Slaw Recipe

February 7, 2011 By 4 Comments

You're Going to Love this Slaw

Asian Slaw

My husband and daughters know that anytime they have a particular food request, all they have to do is ask.  With our daughters, the requests are generally dessert-related..

  • Hmmm… when’s the last time we had chocolate chip cookies?
  • You know what sounds good? Brownies!
  • I could sure go for some peanut butter fudge about now…

Or, they take the approach my youngest, Stephany, did a few weeks ago, “How would you like to make a chocolate cake this week?“  Direct. Specific.  It was delicious.

My husband is in an Asian sort of mind lately.  I’m making Asian Guacamole tonight, at his request, and we had Asian Slaw for our Super Bowl party last night. I served it with breaded & fried Bang Bang Shrimp (Click the link for the recipe – it’s outstanding, and really easy to make.  You can find the ingredients in the Asian section of your supermarket.)  I also had Crab Rangoon with sweet & sour sauce, cupcakes with Green Bay Packers icing, Rooster Eggs (Again click. Again delicious. Again easy.) and a chicken, rice, and shrimp concoction that my Wok had in mind.

The food was even better than the game.  Below is the recipe I used for Asian Slaw.  I simply built upon the great recipe for Asian Slaw from McCormick’s.

Here’s McCormick’s Crunchy Asian Slaw Recipe. I’ll tell you what I added below.

2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Ginger, Ground
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage
1 small red bell pepper, cut into thin 2-inch strips (1 cup)
3 ounces snow pea pods, cut into thin strips (1 cup)
1 unpeeled firm ripe pear, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon McCormick® Sesame Seed, toasted

DIRECTIONS

  1. Mix oil, orange juice, vinegar, sugar, ginger and salt in small bowl until well blended.
  2. Mix Napa cabbage, bell pepper, snow peas and pear in large bowl. Add dressing; toss to coat well. Cover.
  3. Refrigerate 1 hour or until ready to serve. Sprinkle with sesame seed before serving.

My Alterations:

First let me make it perfectly clear, the recipe above (as is) is beyond spectacular.  Feel free to make it just like it is without my additions.  I simply wanted to get a little jiggy.

I doubled the sauce (orange juice, vinegar, sugar, ginger, oil, and salt) and added the following in addition to the vegetables and fruit called for above:

  • 1 green pepper, chopped
  • 1 bok choy, thinly sliced
  • 1 small can La Choy bean sprouts, drained
  • 1/2 head of  green cabbage, shredded

I left off the sesame seeds simply because my store AND my pantry were out!  Otherwise, they would have been an outstanding addition.

My version of the recipe makes a lot – I had a lot of people to serve, plus I wanted leftovers.  Slaw – the next day – is always a wonderful thing.

By the way, if someone in your family ever comes up with a recipe suggestion, one of the best places to check for recipes (besides the food blog you’re on of course!) is McCormick’s Website.  Who else to know ALL about great, flavorful cooking than seasoning experts?!!

Filed Under: Asian Recipes, Quick and Easy Recipes, Salad Recipes, Spring Recipes, Summertime Favorites Tagged With: , ,

Steak-Spinach Salad With Sour Cream Potatoes

October 30, 2010 By 3 Comments

A Food Network Magazine Recipe

The following recipe is from the July/August 2010 issue of Food Network Magazine. If you’ve never picked up a copy on the newsstand, you’ll really want to grab the next one you see. It’s like bringing the entire Food Network team home with you.

The current issue (Pictured to the left) is the Thanksgiving/Christmas issue and it is out of this world. Grab a copy on your next visit to the store and, believe me, you’ll be hooked for life.

Click the image of the magazine to subscribe – you’ll scurry to your mailbox each month.

The wonderful salad recipe, below,  is from a section that was called “Salad Days.”  The Food Network geniuses took favorite meals and turned them into equally delicious, but healthier salads.  I made this particular recipe one day after getting the magazine and it was everything I’d hoped it’d be.  You honestly get all the flavors of a steak and baked potatoes meal at a steak house…. without all the calories and cost.  I threw in a few cherry tomatoes, because we had them at the time, but It’s just as wonderful without them.

Steak Spinach Salad with Sour Cream Potatoes

2 medium russet potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
one 3/4 pound boneless sirloin steak
1 large red onion, sliced into thick rings
6 oz baby spinach or chopped regular spinach (baby spinach looks better, but I’m picky)
2 – 3 tablespoons steak sauce

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Pierce the potatoes with a fork and brush with olive oil.  Bake directly on the oven rack until tender, about 1 hour.   Cool slightly, then cut into chunks.  Mix the sour cream, buttermilk, chives, and lemon juice in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Stir in the potatoes.
  2. Meanwhile, preheat a grill to high.  Brush the steak and onion rings with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.   Grill the steak until marked on the bottom, about 7 minutes, then turn and cook 4-5 minutes more for medium rare.  Grill the onion rings until charred, about 2 minutes per side.  Transfer the steak and onion rings to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes.
  3. Roughly chop the onion rings and toss with the spinach, steak sauce, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl.  Thinly slice the steak. Divide the salad among plates, top with the steak and serve with potatoes.

Yield: 4 servings

I actually used my MUCH beloved, cherished, adored, often sung to Enameled Cast Iron  Square Grill Pan instead of a grill for the steak and onion rings.  I had already gotten the ingredients and had my heart set on this salad when Mother Nature decided to open the flood gates.

Like everything, this amazing Iron Grill Pan came through like a champ.

Filed Under: Food Network, grilling, Salad Recipes
«Older Posts
Copyright © 2012 Get Cooking Food Blog   xml sitemap