This is one of those salads you just go by feel. How much blue cheese to add? Your choice. What kind of greens to use? Again, your choice. Same with all the other items that make up this salad. Some people like a lot of dressing on their salads. Others go gently into that good night. Me, I like my greens to be moderately drizzled with vinaigrette. And especially with this vinaigrette because its flavor could only be described as BOLD! And with blue cheese; there is never too much for me. But others might not throw caution to the wind like I do when assembling this salad. Same with the pecans. They are just so darn tasty while providing that wonderful crunch that is always appreciated. But again, ere on the side of caution. You can always add more.

So, basically, this is not a salad for wimps. This is full on, reasonably heathy, flavor extravaganza for your mouth. Plus, it’s pretty!

So, I’m not going to take up any more of your time today. Because if you are as busy as I am getting ready for Christmas, you don’t need me taking up any more of your precious time!

But before I go, I just read two books by Stewart O’Nan – Henry, Himself and Emily, Alone. I really enjoyed Henry, Himself. But I really didn’t care for the characters in Emily, Alone. The whole book only served as a reminder of how lucky I was to have the parents I was blessed with, and the wonderful children I was lucky enough to raise. But after the first 5-6 pages of Wish You Were Here (which I should have read before Emily, Alone), I gave up on this dysfunctional family. I didn’t care to read one more page of how things turned out or how they led their life.

I also included a couple of pictures at the end of this post. You might find them interesting.  

And as always, peace and love to all.

For the Sweet and Spicy Glazed Pecans:  

½ c. powdered sugar

¾ tsp. kosher salt

scant ½ tsp. cayenne pepper

4 tsp. water

2 c. pecans halves

In a medium sized bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, and water together.  

Add the pecans and stir until the nuts are evenly coated.

Transfer the pecans to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and arrange in a single layer. Make sure the nuts are evenly spread out. (If they are clumped together, they won’t cook evenly). Scrape out any remaining glaze from the bowl and drizzle over the nuts.

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 14-18 minutes, or until the pecans are caramelized and the caramel on the baking sheet is a rich brown color.

Remove from the oven and immediately slide the parchment paper off of the hot baking sheet. (This stops the nuts from continuing to bake.)

Allow the pecans to cool completely. Once cool, remove the pecans from the parchment paper, breaking apart any clusters if necessary, and store them in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Note: If the nuts are sticky after cooling, that means the glaze coating is not fully cooked. Pop them back in the oven for a few minutes and let cool again.

For the Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette:  

¼ c. balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. honey, or more to taste  

1 sm. garlic clove, finely minced

1 tsp. Dijon mustard, or more to taste

½ tsp. fine sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

6 T. extra-virgin olive oil

In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, honey, garlic, mustard, salt, and black pepper together.

Add the olive oil and whisk until the dressing is emulsified. Alternatively, combine everything in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to combine. Taste and adjust ingredients as desired. Store in refrigerator until about 30-60 minutes before using. Put whatever vinaigrette is left back in the fridge. This vinaigrette should not be left at room temperature forever.

For the Salad:

mixed greens (romaine, Spring mix, baby spinach, red leaf lettuce, arugula)

Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe above)

ripe pear(s) or apple(s), halved, then quartered and very finely sliced

crumbled blue cheese or Gorgonzola

Sweet and Spicy Glazed Pecans (recipe above)

Place salad greens on individual plates or on a large platter. Drizzle a bit of vinaigrette over the greens. Then tuck in pear slices here and there. Sprinkle with cheese crumbles and add a few nuts as garnish. Serve immediately.  

People ask me why I spend so much time in the kitchen. This is my view from the sink. (Port Susan Bay and the Cascade Mountains.)

And why I post so many recipes? This is my view from my computer chair. (That’s Mt. Baker BTW.)

Oh, how I wish I could take credit for this recipe, but my parents taught me not to tell lies. And believe it or not, I actually paid attention to some of their dictums. Mind you, not all their wise “suggestions” stuck. But telling untruths, unless they are little white lies meant to spare someone a hurtful truth, are something I have tried very hard to keep in my “how to be a good person” bucket. So, in full disclosure, I found this recipe on whatsgabycooking.com. And this vinaigrette is FREAKING AMAZING. Absolutely the best basil vinaigrette I have ever tasted. Perhaps even the best salad dressing of any kind I have ever tasted! (It really is that good!)

It all started because I was making Peposo (an Italian braised beef and black pepper dish) for dinner. (Very rich.) (Recipe to be posted later.) So, I needed a simple salad to go with my entrée. And I had a bunch of fresh basil that needed to be used. Well, as they say – the rest is history! I went online. Gaby’s recipe looked perfect. I actually almost followed the recipe to the letter. (I used less crushed red pepper flakes than Gaby suggested.) And now I am sharing this marvelous recipe with you. And believe me when I say – THIS IS YOUR LICKY DAY! And Gaby, thank you so much for sharing your culinary talent with all of us. We are all in your debt.

Well, that’s it for today. I’ve been busy. Making traveling plans. Attending musical events. Seeing friends. Reading good books. All the fun things that make my life so wonderful. May you too have joy in your life. We only go around once, so make every single solitary day count.

And as always, peace and love to all.  

2 T. roughly chopped shallot 

2 c. tightly packed fresh basil leaves, stems removed  

2 lg. garlic cloves, roughly chopped

pinch crushed red pepper flakes, opt.  

½ c. extra virgin olive oil

2 T. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste

freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a small food processor or blender. Whirl for at least 1 minute or until very smooth. Taste and add salt as needed.

Serve over any of your favorite greens. Or my favorite (so far) – chopped romaine and sliced tomatoes.

And try not to eat all the dressing while you are taste testing it. Good luck with that!   

      

You know how some recipes work out better than others, well for dinner last night I tried 3 new dishes. Two of the recipes (oven fried chicken) and (baked sweet potato chunks) were from food sites I trust. But both recipes were not up to par. And why I tried yet again to expect oven fried chicken to work, I will never know. You would think after at least 147 tries, I would have figured out by now that you simply cannot get crispy “fried” chicken out of an oven. IT IS FLAT OUT IMPOSSIBLE! And that any food blogger who says any different is either crazy or smoking something they shouldn’t be smoking!

Anyway, the left-over chicken is going to be used for enchiladas tonight. And the sweet potato chunks were quickly introduced to our yard waste barrel right after dinner. But what saved the entire meal was this salad.

There are several fine restaurants that we frequent that serve a variation of this delightful salad. So, I decided that I would try my hand at producing a salad that came close. And I do believe I far exceeded even my own expectation.

So, if you too love a good spinach salad with some very tasty additions that just scream “gourmet”, then give this salad a try.

Well, that’s it for today. After yesterday’s dinner fiasco, I’m a little hesitant to try more new recipes today. But then, what the heck, we must eat! If the enchilada and pinto bean recipes work, you will be the first to know. (Well, after Mr. C. and me that is!)

And as a reminder to all of us – don’t give up in the kitchen. Not every dish we prepare is going to be a winner. Because some days, our kitchen witch is not paying as much attention as she should be.

According to Wikipedia, “A kitchen witch, sometimes called a cottage witch is a homemade poppet or doll resembling a stereotypical witch or crone displayed in residential kitchens as a good luck charm and to ward off bad spirits.

There is some debate over where the kitchen witch originated, some claiming Scandanavia and others Germany. But consensus points to older Northern European customs, as it seems to have been more widespread earlier.

The poppet is supposed to depict a “good” witch who inspires productivity and safety in a kitchen, but also counteracts any ill-will directed to the home. It is considered good luck to give a kitchen witch to a friend or family member. So that those unfamiliar with the kitchen witch can understand its meaning, sometimes a note will be hung around the witch’s neck stating something similar to: The Legendary Secret of Goof-Proof Cooking: The Famous Kitchen Witch.”

An interesting article I read on naturallymodernlife.com, “You might be a Kitchen Witch if:

• You personalize your space with great intention and care; curating a sense of home
• You instantly know if a space resonates with you or not
• You love to cook with whole, organic foods as often as possible
• You love to grow your own food or visit local markets often
• You believe food is medicine
• You often cook for others to express affection
• You are always cooking or baking up a new recipe
• You clean with natural ingredients (and probably make them too)
• You enchant ingredients before adding them to a dish
• A cup of tea is never just tea -it’s a ritual, it’s a brew, it’s been magically prepared for some reason”

Well, I may not believe in witchcraft, but I certainly fall into many of the categories above. However, I have never enchanted an ingredient, and I don’t even like tea. As far as being a witch, you will have to decide that for yourself.

As always, peace and love to all.

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp. white or regular balsamic vinegar, or more to taste

1½ tsp. Dijon mustard

1½ tsp. honey

pinch kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

3 c. chopped fresh spinach (or part spinach and arugula)

1 roasted beet, diced (see easy way to bake beets below)

⅓ c. crumbled feta cheese

⅓ c. halved toasted hazelnuts

Whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl.

Dress the spinach with the dressing and place on two salad plates. Then heap on the roasted beet, feta cheese, and toasted hazelnuts. Serve immediately.

EASY BAKED BEETS

1 lg. or 2 sm. beets

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

kosher salt

Scrub the beet(s) very well, dry with a paper towel, then cut off both ends. Cut in slices a scant ¾-inch thick. (No need to peel.) (Trust me!)

Then cut into roughly ¾-inch pieces or triangles.

Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Pour on the olive oil and add a bit of kosher salt. Not too much, not too little.

Mix all together with your hands. (Best tool in the kitchen.)

Bake in a pre-heated 375-degree oven for 45-60 minutes. They are tender when you can stick a fork in them.

Remove from oven and try not to eat all the beet pieces before you use them on this salad. Actually, you can eat a few pieces, because one large beet is too much for the salad. So, lucky you!   

I am often asked to bring coleslaw to a gathering. And I just realized why that is. Because I make coleslaw that has flavor.

I can’t tell you how many times when I am dining in a restaurant, I order a meal that comes with coleslaw. And either there is no dressing to speak of on the cabbage, or the dressing is so flavorless that it can’t even be detected. And I always wonder to myself, “what in the heck is so hard about making a tasty coleslaw”? The basic ingredients for coleslaw are simple and the dressing is easy to make. So, what’s the problem?

Now granted, not everyone likes coleslaw. My husband included. But he will usually take a bite or two and not complain. But given the choice, he would probably never let coleslaw cross his lips. But I don’t give him any choice because I happen to love coleslaw. So, I make it every so often. And if he doesn’t want to leave the table unsatiated, he has figured out that he might as well put some of this salad filled with cruciferous veggies on his plate. (It’s called – grin and bear it!)

But for me, it’s pure pleasure when the coleslaw is good.

Now the dressing for this coleslaw is not sweet. It has a teaspoon of honey in the dressing, more for the flavor than for the sweetness it provides. But I have other coleslaw recipes on this site that include sugar, if that is the type of coleslaw you prefer. Me, I like them all. Not every day. But often enough to keep Mr. C. a little nervous! (If only he could learn to love cabbage. But at his ripe old age, that just isn’t going to happen. Just like asking me to eat a parsnip or rutabaga. Haven’t let one pass my lips since I was a child and intend to keep it that way. Thank you very much!)

So, all I ask is that you give homemade coleslaw a try. It’s inexpensive to make. It’s crunchy. (And who doesn’t appreciate crunchy food.) And relatively healthy. And it can be made ahead. (Bonus points for that!)

Well, the sun is shining here in northwestern Washington. There is a bit of a cloud cover over the Cascade Mountains, so not all the snowy peaks are in view. But that’s OK. All of them will eventually grace us with their beauty when they are darn good and ready to do so!

In the meantime, flowering shrubs and other plants in our yard are perfuming the air and showing off their colorful blossoms. And a wide variety of birds seem to be happy spending time in our neighborhood. First, they visit Mark and Vicki’s back deck for a bit of sustenance. Then they come to our front yard for a peck or two of suet cake. Then it’s off they fly to one of our fountains for a quick bath and some liquid refreshment. Then it’s time to start over in Mark and Vicki’s yard. (Not a bad life when you think about it!)

May you too enjoy all the wonders our incredible planet has to offer.

Peace and love to all.

4-5 c. finely shredded cabbage (I use a combination of red and green cabbage)

1 lg. carrot, grated

1 stalk celery, finely diced (include the leaves)

½ c. mayonnaise

1 T. apple cider vinegar

1 T. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. honey, opt.

½ tsp celery seeds

½ tsp. kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper  

Place the shredded cabbage, carrot, and celery in a large bowl and toss to mix.

In a separate bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, honey, celery seeds, salt, and pepper together.   

Pour some of the dressing over the veggies and mix together. If the coleslaw seems dry, add a little more of the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning.  

   

OK, this has to be one of the easiest salads I have ever made. While at the same time, one of the best salads I have ever eaten. First of all, we love arugula. Arugula’s flavor is peppery, spicy, and a bit nutty, which makes sense considering it’s in the same family as mustard greens. And as for nutrition, arugula has been recognized to be full of antioxidants which protect against or reverse damage to our cells. These natural substances give arugula its slightly peppery taste and may also protect against certain cancers, including breast, prostate, lung, and colin cancers. Arugula may also fight inflammation. It also contains vitamin K, which is good for your bones and may help prevent osteoporosis. So, bottom line, what’s not to like?

Now, until recently, I have only used arugula as one of a mixture of greens for my salads. But a couple months ago we were having dinner at our good friends Jim and Margo’s home, and they served arugula salad. It was so good that right there and then I decided to embrace the fact that not only is arugula delicious all by itself, but it also comes pre-washed in a nice plastic container. (That I already knew and treasured, being the indolent gal I have become of late!)

But I had never thought to serve it as the only green in a salad. And OK, this salad has a bit of fresh parsley in it, so technically arugula is not the only green ingredient that is terribly healthy for us in this recipe. But for all practical purposes, this is still an arugula salad.

And for this recipe we all have Erin Clarke of wellplated.com to thank. And I must say, this simple salad dressing is one of the best balsamic vinegar recipes I have ever made. And by far, the easiest! And it would also be perfect on a spinach salad or drizzled over sliced heirloom tomatoes. Or basically whenever a balsamic vinegar dressing would be appropriate.

Well, that’s it for today. Except to remind you that if you plan to make this wonderful dressing, please use good balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh lemon juice. And I know. Good balsamic vinegar is expensive. And juicing a fresh lemon can be a drag. But even using the best ingredients you can afford to make homemade salad dressings is cheaper than buying bottled salad dressing at the store. And ever so much tastier and without those annoying preservatives that no one can pronounce anyway.

Although I’ve been thinking lately that maybe the reason my face is now covered with so many wrinkles is that I have always prepared most of the food we consume from scratch. Maybe I should embrace prepared foods that contain masses of preservatives. Perhaps my shelf life might actually be lengthened if I did so. I must give this idea some consideration.

In the meantime, peace, and love to all. And do make this salad. It is simply amazing!  

Balsamic Lemon Dressing:

2 T. fresh lemon juice

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 T. good balsamic vinegar

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Shake together in a lidded jar. Store in your refrigerator.

Salad:

2-3 c. baby arugula, roughly chopped

2 T. sunflower seeds

1 T. chopped fresh parsley

¼ c. shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano

Place arugula in a salad bowl. Toss with some of the dressing. Then top with sunflower seeds and fresh parsley. Drizzle the rest of the dressing overall or save in the fridge for another time. Garnish with shaved Parm.  

Other additives that you might enjoy in this salad include apple or pear slices or chopped walnuts or almonds instead of sunflower seeds.

And again, thank you Erin for this wonderful recipe.