Crunchy Noodle Salad

photo: Food Network

Ingredients

1 pound thin spaghetti
1 pound sugar snap peas
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
3 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds, divided
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded, and thinly sliced
4 scallions (with and green parts), sliced diagonally
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves


Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring another large pot of salted water to a boil, add the sugar snap peas, return to a boil, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until crisp tender. Lift the sugar snap peas from the water with a slotted spoon and immerse them in a bowl of ice water. Drain.

For the dressing, whisk together the vegetable oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic, ginger, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds and peanut butter in a medium bowl.

Combine the spaghetti, sugar snap peas, peppers and scallions in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the spaghetti mixture. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds and the parsley and toss together.

Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten

Paulette's Potato Salad

I make the best damn potato salad you'll ever eat. Period. Here's the recipe...


2.5 to 3 pounds potatoes*
12 eggs
4 green onions
1 stalk celery
1 c. frozen green peas
3/4 c. mayonnaise
3/4 c. plain greek yogurt
2 T. apple cider vinegar
1/2 c. loosely packed chopped fresh dill or 1 T. refrigerated dill paste or 1 T. dried dillweed
1.5 t each salt and pepper or 1 T. Nature's Seasons

Boil or steam the potatoes until fork tender. Remove from pan and cool to room temp.

Hard boil the eggs, then peel. Cool to room temp.

Dice the potatoes and place in a large bowl. Slice the eggs in half and remove the yolks to a plate. Chop the egg whites and add to the potatoes.

Trim the green onions and mince them, both green and white parts.

Clean and mince the celery. Nobody wants a huge chunk of tough, stringy, overpowering aromatic getting in the way of salad enjoyment. Stop being lazy and mince that stuff. Add to the potato bowl, along with the frozen peas (don't bother to cook the peas or even thaw them). Toss the contents of the bowl.

Finely mash the egg yolks with a fork. Add the mayo and yogurt, the vinegar, dill, and salt and pepper and stir well. Add the yolk mixture to the potato bowl and toss gently until potatoes are coated evenly.

Chill thoroughly. Sprinkle lightly with paprika if you want to make your salad look like Nana's. 

*Potatoes - Buy Yukon Gold or red-skinned potatoes. They don't have to be peeled, but you can if you want. Just scrub them well and cut out any suspicious spots. You can use the large brown russet potatoes if you want, but they need to be peeled and they result in a softer, mealier potato cube.

Gherkin Salut (Creamy Cucumber Salad)

Our current can't-get-enough side dish!

Source: chow.com

3 English cucumbers
1 T. kosher salt
1 small onion
2 T. cider vinegar
4 oz sour cream
1 t. sugar or substitute (optional)
1 t. pepper
2 T. fresh dill (I'm a fan of Gourmet Garden) or use an equivalent of dried

Wash the cukes, peel if desired, then slice very thinly. Toss in a colander with salt; allow to drain for 30 minutes. Shake out the excess juice and pat dry with paper towels, place in large bowl. Peel the onion and slice very thinly; add to bowl. Whisk together vinegar, sour cream, sugar, pepper, and dill; toss with cukes and onion. For best flavor, refrigerate overnight.

The balance of sweet / sour will need adjustment to personal taste (I'm usually pretty heavy handed with the vinegar!).

Tomato Salad with Red Onion, Feta, and Dill

Source: thekitchn.com

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
2 large tomatoes, about 1#
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 English cuke, thinly sliced
1 cup black olives
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped (optional)
1 cup feta, crumbled

Put the sliced onion in a bowl, cover with cold water, and let soak 10 to 15 minutes. 

Place the garlic, a pinch of salt, and the vinegar into a large mixing bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking. Add the red pepper, cucumber, olives, and herbs and let marinate for 10 minutes.

Cut the tomatoes into bite-sized chunks. Drain the onion and pat dry.

Add the tomatoes, onion, and feta, and toss gently to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Creamy Balsamic Dressing

1 quart sour cream
1 T. minced garlic
1 T. dijon mustard
1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
2 T. worcestershire sauce
1 T. salt
1 T. pepper

Blend well. Thin with milk as desired and adjust seasonings to taste. Store tightly covered in the fridge for up to 10 days. Makes about a quart.

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

3 pounds fresh cranberries
3 1/2 c sugar or Splenda or equivalent
2 lemons, zested and juiced
2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
3 1/2 c water
1 t salt

Wash the berries and pick out the ones that are wrinkled or soft. Combine all ingredients in a pot, stir well, and bring to a boil. Simmer until the berries have popped and the sauce has begun to thicken, about 15 minutes. Cool covered at room temp, then refrigerate.

Makes 2+ quarts.

The jalapenos don't add much heat, but they add a wonderful jap flavor.

Pink Stuff

"Pink Stuff"??

I don't know what else to call it. It's not a salad or a dessert. It's something else entirely, and since I think the best tasting version uses strawberry flavored Jello, "Pink Stuff" it is.

1 small pkg Jello (strawberry is awesome!)
1/2 c boiling water
1 1/2 c cottage cheese
1 1/2 c heavy cream

Stir Jello into hot water until dissolved, then set aside to cool. Whip the cream to stiff peaks. Stir the cooled Jello into the cottage cheese until thoroughly combined, then fold in the whipped cream. Chill thoroughly.

Thai Salad Dressing

• 2 Tbsp creamy peanut or sunflower butter
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp sugar or substitute
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• juice from 1 small lime

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

red pepper flakes to taste

Blend first 7 ingredients until smooth. Add cilantro and red pepper. 

Serve on a bed of leafy greens with sliced, cooked chicken; diced red pepper and carrot; chopped cucumber; and lots of sliced scallions. Top with chopped peanuts.

Farmstand Salad

Farmstand Salad served with grilled pork tenderloin and chimichurri

4 ears corn, kernels removed
1 1/2 pounds asparagus, tough ends removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 cup basil, cut into ribbons
3 tablespoons minced red onion
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Steam the corn and asparagus separately in the microwave by placing the cut veggies in a glass bowl and tightly covering with plastic wrap. Cook until tender-crisp. (I use Zip n' Steam bags by Ziplock for this step - they're awesome for cooking fresh veggies - just throw them away when you're done - and they cost only about 30 cents each). Cool the veggies quickly by straining in a fine sieve and running cold water over them. Place in a large bowl; add tomatoes and basil.

In a small bowl, combine red onion, lemon juice, olive oil and a pinch of salt. Pour over corn mixture, season generously with salt and pepper, toss, and serve.

Greek Blackeyed Pea Salad

Greek Blackeyed Pea Salad served with grilled Italian sausage

1 bunch spinach, washed (1/2 to 3/4 pound)
2 cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 package of feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 can black olives, halved
2 green onions, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Tear spinach into smaller pieces, removing large stems as you go. Toss with peas, cheese, tomatoes, olives, onions, and garlic. Whisk together the oil, salt, pepper, and lemon. Dress the salad just before serving.

Moroccan Chickpea and Barley Salad

1 1/2 cups barley
1 1/2 cups chicken or veggie broth
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
Olive oil
1 15-ounce can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and strained
1 cup shelled pistachio nuts
1 cup diced dried apricots
2-3 chopped green onions or scallions
1 cup chopped parsley
Zest and juice of a lemon
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Salt to taste

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot on medium high heat. Add the barley and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Add the broth, water, and a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a simmer and simmer until the barley is tender, about 45 minutes. Strain the cooked barley through a sieve and run cold water over it to cool quickly. Drain thoroughly. Toss with the olive oil and spread on a cookie sheet to cool completely.

In a large bowl, add the chickpeas, pistachios, apricots, green onions and parsley and mix well. Add the zest and juice of the lemon and mix again. Add the barley and mix. Whisk together the remaining spices and sprinkle over the barley. Mix well. Taste, and add salt if needed. Allow to stand at room temp for an hour or two before serving. 

Tip! Dates can be substituted for apricots, walnuts for pistachios, and for a little sweet crunch, add a peeled and diced apple.

Brussels, Walnut, and Ricotta Salad

1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced

1/2 cup toasted walnuts

2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 1/2 ounces ricotta salata *

Toss the Brussels sprouts, walnuts, olive oil, and lemon juice together in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Shave or crumble the ricotta salata over top; toss and serve.

* if you can't find ricotta salata, substitute low-fat feta or queso fresco

Mexican Caviar

Ingredients

1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste

Bring to a boil, then set aside to cool.

1 green pepper, diced

1 red pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
Cilantro to taste (start at 1/4 cup, loosely packed)

Toss together in a large bowl.

1 large can black beans
1 large can lentils
1 small can corn niblets

Drain, rinse, add to veggie bowl. Toss with the dressing, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

Tip! Use any combination of colored peppers for visual appeal. Add a poblano or jalapeno for heat, if desired. If you can't find lentils, use small navy beans instead.

Chicken and Mushroom Spinach Salad

2 chicken breasts
1/2 c bottled Asian sesame dressing
1 pkg baby Portobello mushrooms, quartered
1 small onion, diced
2/3 c grape tomatoes, halved
1 bag baby spinach

Pound the chicken to about an inch thick. Marinate in the dressing at least an hour in the fridge. Saute or grill the mushrooms and onions until softened ... Char if possible. Grill or broil the chicken just until done, retaining the juices if you can, then slice into bitesized pieces. Toss the veggies, the chicken and juices, and the spinach. Serve with more dressing.

Tomato & Mozzerella Potato Salad with Lemon-Buttermilk Dressing

3 pounds petite red or Yellow Yukon potatoes, unpeeled and quartered
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup olive oil
2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice, from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon honey, warmed
8 ounces tiny mozzarella balls
12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
2 ounces basil, roughly chopped

Heat a large pot of water to boiling and salt it generously with at least 1 tablespoon salt. When the water is boiling, add the potatoes and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until they are very tender but not yet falling apart. Drain cooked potatoes and return them to the pot.

While the potatoes are cooking, whisk together the buttermilk, olive oil, lemon juice, honey, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour this dressing over the warm potatoes and toss to coat.

Toss with the mozzarella balls, halved cherry tomatoes, and basil. Season generously with salt and fresh pepper (the salad will need more salt than you expect). Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve at room temperature.

Note: I garnished this salad with a tiny sprig of dill when I served it, but I didn't include any dill in the salad itself. It would be quite good, though, as a substitute or complement to the basil. The more herbs the merrier!

Herb Garden Potato Salad with Spinach and Lemon

2 pounds extra-small Yukon Gold potatoes
1 lemon, juiced and zested
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
5 ounces fresh baby spinach, well-washed
2/3 cup flat-leaf parsley, leaves only and loosely packed
2/3 cup fresh dill, fronds only and loosely packed
3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
Flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat a large pot of water to boiling and salt the water generously. Add the potatoes and cook for 15 to 18 minutes, or until they are quite tender and creamy. Slit each potato in half and return them to the pot.

In a measuring cup whisk together the lemon juice, zest, olive oil, and sugar. Whisk until well-combined — it will be thick and opaque yellow. Pour over the hot potatoes and stir gently until the potatoes are coated with dressing.

Slice the spinach leaves into thin ribbons. Mince the parsley leaves (discarding the stems) and the dill fronds as well. Add the spinach, parsley, dill, and shallots to the potatoes, and toss gently. The spinach and herbs will wilt as they are combined with the hot potatoes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Tip! Substitute any herb you like for the parsley and dill. I've used basil and cilantro with great success.

Fattoush (Lebanese Crumbled Bread Salad)

Salad Ingredients:
2 whole wheat pita pocket breads
2 heads Romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 cup diced cucumber
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley (leaves only, no stems)

Dressing Ingredients:
2 - 4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, about 2 large lemons
1 tsp. powdered Sumac, plus more for topping1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Toast the pita breads in the oven, toaster oven, or over a grill. They should be dry, but not burned. Crumble and set aside.

Prepare the Romaine by removing any damaged outer leaves, trim the stem end, then wash and dry with paper towels. Cut Romaine into fourths lengthwise, then turn and chop crosswise into small pieces. Put chopped Romaine into salad bowl large enough toss all ingredients. Add the tomatoes, green onions, cukes, mint, and parsley to the bowl. Add about half of the dressing and toss, then add crumbled pita chips and toss again with more dressing (the salad should be quite wet). At this point the salad should sit for up to 30 minutes to let the  flavors blend and the pita chips to absorb some of the dressing. To serve, arrange salad on individual plates and sprinkle with a bit more Sumac. You can also serve it in a large bowl with the Sumac sprinkled over.

Combine the dressing ingredients and set aside.

Grilled Cheese Salad

1 T. wine vinegar
1/2 t. sugar
1 small clove garlic, chopped
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 English cucumber, peeled and diced
1 scallion, chopped
1/2 c. quinoa, rinsed well and drained
1 c. water
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon
1/4 c. chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 T. chopped mint 
3 c. salad greens
8 oz queso fresco cheese, sliced

In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, garlic, red pepper flakes, and a dash of salt and pepper. Add cucumber and scallion and toss to combine. Cover and let stand.

Place quinoa and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer over low heat. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff quinoa with a fork and spread on a baking sheet to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil and 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice. Add the cooled quinoa, parsley, mint, and lettuce to the bowl and toss to coat.

Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium heat (no oil) and grill the cheese until golden, about two minutes on each side (the cheese can also be grilled in a panini press or a Foreman grill). When done, squeeze a little lemon juice over the cheese.

Drain the cukes. Arrange the salad on two plates and top with the cheese and cucumbers.

Peanut, Carrot, and Cabbage Slaw

Dressing:

3 tablespoons peanut butter
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice

Salad:

3 cups napa cabbage, shredded (from one head of a cabbage)
4 large carrots, grated
4 green onions, sliced thinly
4 large radishes, sliced thinly
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, for topping
1/4 cup chopped peanuts, for topping

To make the dressing, combine all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk vigorously to combine.

In a large salad bowl, combine cabbage, carrot, green onions and radishes. Toss with dressing. Top with sesame seeds and peanuts. Serve immediately or chill before serving. This salad is best the day it's prepared although it's just fine the next day if covered and refrigerated.

Tip! Add a few flakes of crushed red pepper for a little heat.

Black Bean, Corn, and Red Pepper Salad

2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
3 ears fresh cooked corn, kernels cut off the cob (about 2 cups)
2 red bell peppers, diced (about 2 cups)
2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons minced shallots, from one medium shallot
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon zest and 6 tablespoons juice from 5 to 6 limes
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
2 Hass avocados, chopped

Combine all ingredients except for avocados in a large bowl and mix well. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes and up to over night. Right before serving, add avocados and fold gently, being careful not to mash avocados. Garnish with more chopped cilantro if desired. Serve at room temperature.