I know. I am always posting salad dressing recipes, but what can I say, I get bored easily. And I am always seeking lovely salad dressing recipes that are easy to build. And seriously, salad dressing prep can’t get much easier than this emulsion based on a Robert Irvine recipe. And oh my, is this dressing delicious. Perfect with just a simple selection of greens, like romaine, spinach, and arugula.
So, if you too are a salad lover but don’t want to spend very much time preparing the perfect salad dressing, give this beauty a try.
Peace and love to all.
5 tsp. red wine vinegar
1 sm. garlic clove, roughly chopped
¼ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 T. finely grated Parmesan
¼ c. extra virgin olive oil
Whirl all the ingredients together. (When making this dressing, I use my Waring Commercial Pro Prep Chopper-Grinder by Cuisinart. See a picture and read all about this fantastic appliance under Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing.) (And no, this is not a paid political announcement.)
There are just so many great salad dressing recipes out there, and so many lovely greens to dress with these marvelous dressings, that I am almost hesitant to provide you with yet another way to serve up a damn delicious dinner salad. But I’m going to do it anyway! Because I made this dressing the other evening and it was really, really good. Then I used it on another salad a couple of days later and it was even better. So, I had to share it with you. Just chop up some greens, slather on a bit of this dressing, and prepare to love the heck out of your salad. Enough said!
As always, peace and love to all.
6 T. extra virgin olive oil
¼ c. mayonnaise
2 T. sour cream
2 T. white wine vinegar
½ tsp. granulated garlic
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. celery salt
¼ tsp. granulated onion
freshly ground black pepper
pinch granulated sugar
pinch dried thyme
1 T. chopped fresh parsley
2 T. finely grated Parmigiana Reggiano cheese
2 T. finely grated pecorino Romano cheese
Whisk or shake all the ingredients together. Taste and add kosher salt if desired. Store in refrigerator.
You know I am always looking for new salad dressing recipes to bring an ever-changing flavor sensation to our otherwise tedious adherence to salads that begin by adding romaine and arugula to a salad bowl. But don’t get me wrong. We love green salads. But, whereas many refrigerators contain several flavors of bottled salad dressing from which to choose, our refrigerator only contains the remnants, if any, of the last salad dressing I prepared. So, the dressings I make had better be pretty darn delicious.
So, the other day I went looking for a salad dressing recipe that possibly contained a new, and perhaps completely unheard of salad dressing ingredient. I didn’t find one. But what I did find was this fabulous recipe straight from Jenn Segal’s blog onceuponachef.com. There were no new and exciting ingredients to be found in the recipe. Not a single ingredient that I had never used before in a salad dressing. But, for whatever reason, I was drawn to the recipe. Not only because it was easy to prepare, but because the ratios looked a little off to me. I know that sounds strange. But a full cup of fresh parsley? That seemed like too much to me. But I trust Jenn. I have messed with enough of her recipes to feel comfortable that she and I think a lot alike when it comes to food. So, I made the vinaigrette exactly as written. And I am here to tell you, this recipe makes for one absolutely delicious salad dressing. So, thank you Jenn for another wonderful recipe.
Well, that’s it for today. Sorry for no picture, but a picture of salad dressing in a bottle is not my idea of something that would pique your interest.
We’re staying home today because we had snow again last night, and the roads are a bit dicey. Not to mention our steep driveway. Mr. C. just finished shoveling it, but I’m not going to sit in a car, going backwards down a steep and not terribly wide bit of concrete. And should we not be able to stop the car at the bottom of our driveway, after crossing the road we would find ourselves backed into a fairly deep ravine. So, I’m not going anywhere! I’m staying in the safety of our warm and cozy home. And do a bit of recipe research. (As if I don’t do that every day anyway!) But forced confinement makes it all that much easier to justify spending hours on my computer.
Peace and love to all.
1 c. loosely packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 c. loosely packed fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic, peeled
¼ tsp. dried oregano
¼ c. red wine vinegar
¾ c. extra virgin olive oi
1½ tsp. honey
¾ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
Whirl everything in a food processor. Store in the fridge.
I love salad. And when salads like this one contain grain (quinoa is technically a seed though usually classified as a whole grain), I feel super proud of myself when the dish turns out not only delicious but very, very healthy. If you aren’t already familiar with quinoa, be advised that it is a good source of plant protein and fiber. One cup of cooked quinoa provides about 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. Quinoa is also naturally gluten-free and can be eaten safely if one has gluten intolerance such as celiac disease.
Quinoa is also a good choice for diabetics. Foods high on the glycemic index are associated with causing blood sugar spikes. So, people with diabetes should choose foods rated at medium to low on the glycemic index. A glycemic index of 55 or below is considered low. Quinoa has a glycemic index of around 53, meaning it won’t cause as dramatic a spike in blood sugar because it contains fiber and protein, both of which slow the digestion process.
Now, what I haven’t mentioned so far, is that quinoa is like a sponge. It absorbs the flavors of whatever dressing or sauce you are using. In this case, the simple olive oil and lemon dressing seems to just melt into the quinoa. So, along with all the other lovely ingredients, this makes for one tasty salad. And a perfect side dish for almost any fairly simple meat preparation.
I served this salad last evening with Baked Rack of Lamb with a Savory Topping. (Recipe to follow in the next couple of days.) And since the salad contained both a grain and lots of veggies, a third dish was not required. Which I always appreciate, because you know how lazy I’m getting in my golden years. And of course, it didn’t hurt that the salad had been very easy to prepare.
So, I hope you make this salad soon. It truly is yummy. (And super healthy!)
As always, have a grand time in your kitchen. Play with your food. And endeavor to make mealtime as pleasant as possible. And remember, good food doesn’t have to be fancy. And this salad proves that point perfectly. It’s not a bit fancy. Perfect for the likes of Mr. C. and me!
Peace and love to all.
½ c. uncooked quinoa (I used Bob’s Red Mill Tri-Color Quinoa for this salad)
1 c. water
2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp. dried oregano
1 T. chopped fresh parsley
tiny pinch crushed red pepper flakes (like 5-6 flakes)
1 c. chopped baby spinach
1 tomato, chopped and seeded
¾ c. chopped English cucumber
⅓ c. diced red or white onion
½ c. sliced kalamata olives
½ c. crumbled feta cheese
Rinse and drain the quinoa even though the package might state that the quinoa has been pre-rinsed. (Pre-rinsed could mean it was given a very light spray of water insufficient to remove all the saponins.)
Place rinsed quinoa and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Remove from heat., remove lid, fluff with a fork, and let cool for at least 20 minutes.
Meanwhile whisk or shake the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes together.
In a medium bowl, stir the chopped spinach, tomato, cucumber, onion, and kalamata olives together.
When the cooked quinoa is cool, add to the bowl, and gently stir in the dressing and crumbled feta.
Serve immediately or let the salad chill in the fridge a couple hours before serving.
Made this dressing last evening. Simple to prepare, and because I was feeling lazy, the only thing I had to mess with was the fresh lemon juice. No chopping onion or fresh garlic, etc. etc. And while I was juicing the lemon, I remembered that I hadn’t shared my new “trick” with you. So, today before I started writing up this post, I took a few pictures.
Now you know I don’t usually take an abundance of pictures. Because to my thinking, there is nothing worse than going to a blog and seeing at a minimum, 9 pictures of the same thing. I don’t have that kind of time. I just want a few choice words, then give me the darn recipe thank you, and let me be on my way! (And yes, I’m getting cranky in my old age!)
So, if you aren’t interested in getting more juice from your lemons, then don’t go all the way to the bottom of this post. But if you are intrigued by the shear idea of more juice per lemon, I’ll forgive you if you stop reading at this point and jump right to the juicy part of this post.
I assume you’re back now, so I’ll tell you how much we enjoyed this dressing on a simple salad of romaine, arugula, baby spinach, grape tomatoes, and sunflower seeds. We were practically fighting over the last little bits. (OK, not really, but every little bit of the salad was enthusiastically eaten.)
So, even if you have been making your own salad dressing since God was child, I think you will find this delicious dressing (compliments of Christina at thewholecook.com website with a couple minor changes by me) to be a great addition to your salad dressing recipe collection.
As always, have fun in your kitchen. And eat salads like they are going out of style. Veggies are good for us. And although green salads will never be my favorite dish to prepare, salads are still one of my favorite dishes to eat. So, you do the math!
Peace and love to all.
¾ c. extra virgin olive oil
¼ c. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
¾ tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste
½ tsp. granulated onion
freshly ground black pepper
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Place all ingredients in a covered jar. Then shake like crazy. Store in fridge.
How to get more juice from a lemon. (At least this method works for me!)
Cut the nub end off half a lemon.Then cut off the rind. Be careful to cut off only the yellow part. Place the cut end down in your lemon squeezer gismo. (At least, I believe that’s the technical name for this helpful tool.) What’s left after you extract the juice.
I don’t know if I actually get that much more juice cutting off the rind. But I sure know my arthritic hands appreciate not having to squeeze the juicer as hard.
First an apology. I haven’t been posting as many new recipes these last few weeks because, well, I’ve been busy being Mrs. Santa. I’m sure most of you will fully understand. The rest of you, well, it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to get permission. (Words to live by, BTW. Especially when it includes serving a cruciferous veggie at the Carr table!) But I digress….
The other evening both of us had just about eaten all the rich food we could stand. So, I suggested a simple salad. Mr. C. thought that was a good idea. And since Mr. C. is very fond of tuna, I thought a nice crunchy tuna salad would hit the spot. But Mr. C. is also enamored with a creamy salad dressing. So, I decided to mix up a ranch style dressing to slather on the greens. And boy was the salad good. Just what was needed.
So, if you too are a bit tired of rich food, give this salad a try. I promise it will be a nice change from leftover turkey or ham.
As always peace and love to all. And a special thank you to all of you who are fully vaccinated. Getting a covid shot is such an easy way to help stop the spread of this horrid disease. And for any of you who resent wearing a mask while grocery shopping or entering a restaurant, imagine that you were in the service industry and had to wear one every single moment you were at work.
It should be an honor to help stop the spread of this deadly pandemic. And a simple gesture like wearing a mask should not be construed as an attack on an individual’s freedom. But rather as a kindness shown to others to help keep everyone healthy.
HAPPY NEW YEAR
For the tuna salad:
⅓ c. light mayonnaise
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp. seasoned salt
freshly ground black pepper
pinch granulated garlic
2 T. minced dill pickles or dill pickle relish
1 T. finely minced onion
½ c. finely chopped celery
1 can (5-oz.) water packed albacore tuna, drained
Mix all together.
For the dressing:(and yes, you need a bit of dressing for the greens, etc.)
½ c. sour cream (I use Mexican style)
⅓ c. buttermilk (I use Bulgarian style)
1 T. mayonnaise (I use Best Foods light)
1 garlic clove, finely minced
½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dried dill weed
1 tsp. dried parsley
¼ tsp. seasoned salt, or more to taste
freshly ground black pepper
Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate until needed.
For the salad part:
romaine lettuce (or lettuce of choice)
any combination of the following: (or anything else that sound good)
cucumber slices, tomatoes, black olives, hard-boiled egg slices, grated carrot, pepperoncini slices, frozen peas (thawed and uncooked), sunflower seeds
To serve the salad, lay down a bed of greens and other assorted yummies on a dinner plate. Dollop on a big old scoop of the tuna salad, then drizzle on as much or as little of the dressing as you like. That’s it! Tuna salad salad.
And yes, the recipe makes more than the little bit you see at the bottom. Once again, I failed to take a picture until after I had made 2 (count them 2) salads already.
So, while in Brookings, Oregon for my son Sven’s wedding, a few of us had dinner the first night at the Black Trumpet Bistro. Daughter Paula ordered the Cobb salad. And after the first bite, she proclaimed the dressing to be the best balsamic dressing she had ever tasted. She offered me a bite, which of course I gladly accepted. And by golly, she was right. The dressing was amazing. So, the next thing out of her mouth was, “mom, would you please work up a recipe for this dressing”? Well, she’s my daughter, so, how could I refuse! (Plus, of course, I wanted more of that dressing in my life too!) So, what I came up with was my spin on Katy’s recipe from her aforkstale.com. site. Basically, the same ingredients but the proportions a bit different. Plus, I used granulated garlic rather than a clove of garlic because I wanted a softer garlic presence. And kosher salt rather than just “salt”. And extra virgin olive oil, because, well, I always use extra virgin olive oil! I don’t even bother with any other kind. But back to this dressing.
All you really need to know is that 1) The dressing is Paula approved. 2) The dressing is Mr. C. approved. 3) The dressing obviously has my seal of approval, or it wouldn’t be on this site to begin with! 4) The dressing is terribly easy to prepare. 5) The dressing will last several days in your refrigerator. 6) If you can name a better tasting purchased balsamic dressing that doesn’t contain any preservatives, too much salt, or unpronounceable ingredients, I will send you a crisp dollar bill! The ball’s in your court!
As always, keep building your own salad dressings. And I know, it’s just so darned easy to buy salad dressing. But think of the money you’ll save by concocting your own. And how much more room you’ll have in your refrigerator by not filling the shelves with 8 to 10 almost empty bottles of dressing that are never going to get eaten. (I’ve tried not to look when I’m in other people’s kitchens and they open their fridge door. But I’m human, and invariably what catches my eye are the salad dressing bottles with a half-inch of dressing glued to the bottom.) (BTW, I’m not proud of this particular brand of voyeurism, but never-the-less I am cursed with this affliction, and I don’t count on any miraculous recovery happening anytime in the near future!) Of course, I welcome any prayers for my rehabilitation. But frankly, I don’t think your lovely thoughts would make a flying fig bit of difference. I’m pretty set in my ways by now. But if you still feel compelled to offer up prayers, I think the poor Afghanistan citizens and Americans trying to leave Afghanistan could use your help.
Peace and love to all.
6 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 T. balsamic glaze or vinegar (I use Ponti Glassa Gastronomica)
2 T. mayonnaise
1 T. honey
1½ tsp. Dijon mustard
¼ tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste
freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp. granulated garlic
In a covered jar, shake all the ingredients together . Store in refrigerate. Shake well before serving.
Perfect tossed with a combination of greens such as romaine, arugula, and baby spinach. For garnishes, any one or combination of the following would be delicious: crumbled bacon, Honey Roasted Walnuts (see recipe below), crumbled bleu or feta cheese, thin slices of apple or pear, dried cranberries, roasted beets, thin slices of red onion. (To name a few. )
Honey Roasted Walnuts
4 c. walnut halves
2 T. granulated sugar
1½ tsp. kosher salt
1½ tsp. brown sugar, packed
1½ tsp. water
1 T. honey
1 T. canola oil
Preheat the oven to 375-degrees. Spread the walnuts out on a rimmed baking pan. Toast in the oven for about 8 minutes or until they begin to smell toasted.
Meanwhile, stir the sugar and salt together in a large bowl; set aside.
When the nuts are toasted, remove them from the oven and make the glaze.
In a large frying pan over high heat, combine the brown sugar, water, honey, and oil. Stir until the mixture is boiling. Reduce heat and immediately stir in the warm, toasted nuts and cook, stirring just until the glaze is stuck to the nuts and the pan is almost dry, about 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and toss the hot, glazed nuts in the sugar and salt mixture. Gently stir the nuts until every single one is evenly coated. Return them to the baking sheet and spread them out in a single layer. Pop them back in the oven for one minute to set the glaze and the sugar coating.
Remove from oven and allow the nuts to cool completely on the pan before you move them around. (Tossing or packaging them before they are completely cool could cause the coating to come off.) When the nuts are completely cooled, store in an airtight container.
So, the other day Mr. C. comes home from the grocery store with a tub of baby arugula. We had been talking about how much we liked arugula, but I hadn’t included it on my shopping list. Never-the-less I was delighted with the purchase. So, that evening I made this salad. The recipe from saltpepperskillet.com didn’t call for romaine, but I felt that using a combination of the two different kinds of lettuce would be delicious. The arugula providing the spicy, peppery, slightly bitter component, while the romaine offered a nice crunch. And then, when tossed with this lemon dressing, well, to put it succinctly, we were blown away! This made for an absolutely delicious, simple to prepare salad. One that we will be enjoying over and over. A salad that will go very well with any kind of simply prepared meat or seafood I choose to serve. Yum, I can’t wait.
We are avid lemon lovers to begin with. But when you add the other ingredients to the firm lemon base in this dressing, magic happens. And of course, you could add other ingredients besides lettuce to this salad. But honestly, why bother! This is perfect as is. So, thank you Justin for this marvelous recipe.
As always, eat your vegetables! They are good for you and when they taste as good as they do in this salad, there is no excuse for not gulping them down!
Peace and love to all.
¼ tsp. lemon zest
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. minced shallot
1 T. honey
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
baby arugula
romaine lettuce, chopped
coarsely grated Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano cheese
Whisk or shake the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, shallot, honey, salt, and pepper together.
Place the arugula and romaine lettuce in a salad bowl. (I use equal amounts of each.) Toss with enough of the dressing to coat the lettuce leaves without drowning them. Serve immediately. Pass the Parmesan.
OK, this has to be the easiest salad dressing/dip I have ever made. Absolutely no chopping of anything involved. But after working up this recipe for the other evening’s salad, I must admit I was a bit disappointed. It tasted OK, but it had that kind of raw taste. I wasn’t too surprised because of all the dried veggie action. And having a bit of experience in the kitchen, I should have remembered that it might take a day or two for the dried veggies to re-hydrate and mellow. But I was in a hurry and wanted to get dinner on the table. (You know how that goes.) So, we ate our salad, and I put the rest in the fridge. Jump forward 3 days.
While grating and chopping veggies for coleslaw, I remembered that I had envisioned this dressing as also a dip for crudité. And really, sacrificing my fingertips just to not waste the nub ends of celery stalks and carrots just didn’t seem like the reasonable thing to do. So, both the practical and smart answer was to nibble on whatever part of the veggie that I deemed prudent not to grate. So, I retrieved the dressing/dip from the fridge and took my first bite. OMG – all this wonderful blend of ingredients needed was just a bit of time together. And I tell you true, this is the best buttermilk dressing/dip I have ever tasted. But I can’t state this too fervently – THIS DRESSING MUST BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME. TWO DAYS AHEAD OF TIME, AT LEAST! (And no cheating.)
But it is so worth the wait. Perfect on salads. Perfect as a dip. PERFECT period! And just so darn easy to prepare, that I’m almost embarrassed to post it for all to see. But I must. Because it is just that darn good. And I like to share.
As always, have fun making food. And Happy 4th of July. And while we are celebrating with family and friends, let’s all remember why we still celebrate this day in history. Because on July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, declaring at the beginning of the second paragraph: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”
Peace and love to all.
¾ c. buttermilk (full-fat Bulgarian buttermilk is best)
½ c. mayonnaise
1 tsp. dried parsley
½ tsp. granulated onion*
½ tsp. granulated garlic*
½ tsp. celery salt
scant ¼ tsp. seasoned salt
pinch dried dill weed
freshly ground black pepper
Whisk or shake together in a lidded container. Use as a salad dressing or dip for crudité.
*You will notice that I almost always use granulated onion and garlic rather than onion and garlic powder. It’s just a preference because the difference in these forms is merely texture, powder having a flour-like consistency and granulated being coarser, like fine cornmeal. Most reputable manufacturers sell 100% pure versions of both, but occasionally you will find additives to improve flow or prevent caking, especially in the powdered variety.
But the main thing to know is that anyone who uses granulated or powdered onion or garlic is not less of a cook than those who always use the fresh variety. To my way of thinking, there is certainly a place for the fresh variety, and I use fresh garlic and onion a great deal in my cooking. But there are also times when a more delicate flavor is preferable. And I get to make that judgement. Not because I’m lazy (well sometimes because I’m lazy), but mainly because it’s my kitchen and my choice! And I always love having a choice.
And yes, I know, you love to see all my beautiful pictures of dishes I’ve created right here in my very own kitchen. But even for me, with all my sterling photographic abilities, it’s damned hard to photograph a clear dressing on lettuce leaves. So, I didn’t even bother to try. (That’s a joke folks, because we all know that I am the leading contender for the “worst food photographer in America”. For the 7th year in a row, I might add!) But seriously, if by this time in your life you don’t know what Italian dressing looks like, you need more help then I could provide anyway. The type of professional culinary help you might require is way beyond my pay grade! So, just get over wanting to see a picture of this fantastic and easy to prepare dressing. Just make some for yourself and be done with it!
And no, I’m not feeling feisty today. The reality is that I am in a joyous mood. It’s sunny and beautiful here in the Pacific NW. And I’m sitting at my desk looking out on snow covered peaks in the Cascade Mountains, and a very calm and reflective Port Susan Bay. Our trees and shrubs are budding out, and the sky is a gorgeous blue with only wispy clouds here and there over the mountains to relieve the monotony of too clear a horizon.
So, I’m not going to take up any more of your precious time. I’m just going to recommend you give this salad dressing a try. It truly is one of the best dressings I have ever tasted. And so blinkin’ easy to build. So, a big thank-you to Christina from thewholecook.com site for this marvelous recipe.
As always, treasure each day, laugh at your own mistakes, forgive yourself as easily as you forgive others, and don’t let anyone or anything detract you from being the best possible person you can be. Our country is still experiencing internal strife. I personally don’t understand how some people seem to want to embrace hate rather than love. But then, I haven’t walked in their shoes either. And I have to remember that I am lucky. That I had parents and dear friends who helped me assemble the tools I would need to maneuver through all that life has to offer. Good and bad. May you too keep your “tool belt” at the ready. And use those tools to not only help yourself, but everyone near and dear.
Peace and love to all.
¾ c. extra virgin olive oil
¼ c. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
1 tsp. dried basil
½ tsp. granulated onion
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
¾ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Add all the ingredients to a jar, place the lid on the jar, and shake it all about!
Just before adding the dressing to the other salad ingredients, give the dressing a good shake to eliminate separation.
