Salads – Page 7 – Rosemary and the Goat

Heirloom Tomato Salad

Happy 4th of July everyone!

I love browsing farmer’s markets and while in Austin or Chicago we always visit their local markets. I have a hard time finding one around me that I feel is a real farmer’s market where they bring in their own foods.

Don’t you just love picking up fresh tomatoes at a farmer’s market or road side stand and smelling them. I do, and there’s nothing better than a tomato you pick from your own vines.

It’s hard to believe there are so many varieties of tomatoes and the colors are almost rainbow like. My favorite tomato would have to be a fried green tomato with a crunchy cornmeal coating. Remember when cherry tomatoes were first around and they were so cute to put in things. Then came the grape tomato that is so sweet you feel like you are eating candy; and now you can find all shapes and colors.

I happened to pick up these little heirloom tomatoes one day at the store and loved being able to eat the green ones along with the other colors and what a pretty salad they made.

This would make a great salad/side dish for any summer get together and I just bet you used some kind of tomato in your 4th side dishes.

July 4, 2014 By Sherry

Food Stories/ Salads

Sweet Corn Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

And the corn is raw.

I subscribe to a lot of blogs and occasionally come across a recipe that I can’t wait to try but this recipe had to wait until those sweet ears of corn made their appearance at the summer farmer’s markets. Then I would know they were fresh picked.

When we were traveling by car to Chicago last summer we saw fields of corn along the way. Seeing row after row of corn always bring back memories of living in Iowa and the corn festivals where you knew you were going to get the best, sweetest, corn on earth. These road trips to Chicago, seeing masses of yellow ears always makes me want to jump out and grab a few, but, of course, I never do. I can’t run that fast.

As we are already several weeks into summer and looking for those great side dishes to go with your grilled meats, lets don’t forget about all that sweet fresh corn that is starting to show up in our produce sections. Corn dishes make a great side dish with any summer meal whether it is served hot, cold or room temperature.

It’s funny how recipe evolve into newer, healthier versions of what we use to prepare or just a version of something you imagined in your head. I have always wanted to try a raw corn salad so what better recipe to use to try it out on. Food52 suggest passing the dressing but I opted to stir some of the dressing into the salad. You can see the picture below with the buttermilk dressing perched on top. I don’t think it blends as well with the salad and besides then you have to stir it once it’s on your plate. We did pass extra dressing incase someone wanted more.

June 14, 2014 By Sherry

Salads

Easter Egg Radish Salad

The bunny came through early and left this salad recipe.

Easter is fast approaching and so is the birth of my 5th grandson in Austin. I can’t wait to meet the little guy. I’ve been trying to get some recipes made ahead so while I’m there helping out with “their” cooking I can still post recipes to the blog.

I love radishes and the spiciness they add to salads. Do you remember the French Breakfast Radishes I cooked last year and I also used them to make a very simple little baguette appetizer where I spread softened butter on a fresh baguette and topped with sliced French breakfast radishes and then a sprinkle of sea salt. Makes my water water just thinking about it.

Now that my favorite grocery, Hubble and Hudson, is out of business I will have to look to Whole Foods or Central Market to find my unusual vegetables. I’m hoping to find the Easter Egg Radishes before Easter so I can make this salad again.

Do you have favorite Easter dishes that you make each Spring? If so, please leave a comment below sharing your favorites.

April 15, 2014 By Sherry

Salads

Marinated Bean Salad

New twist on an old favorite.

This time of the year I start thinking what can I cook that does not have all the high fat and calories that holiday foods have in them. I have to admit nothing was better than the Beef Wellington my son Paul prepared for the holidays and the garlic mashed potatoes tasted like a gift made especially for you and what can I say about the sauce that he cooked for 4 hours reducing it down until we had the richest, thickest gravy to pour over the slices of beef wellington.

I love vinegary crunchy salads and this is an old recipe that I added a few new ingredients to. And you can probably come up with your own additions. Water chestnuts would add a great crunch and I love the crunch edamame adds to the salad. This salad would be good with beef, fish, pork or just about any kind of entree.

When I first made this salad back in the 70’s we actually used canned La Seur peas and canned green beans. I can’t believe any recipe calls for canned vegetables. This would be a great addition to any springtime dinner.

BLAST FROM THE PAST: Cauliflower Mash with Kale is a really good substitute for potatoes and the kale added makes it even more healthy.

March 21, 2014 By Sherry

Salads

Mediterranean Grain Salad

Maybe there’s a grain here you haven’t tried.

We are losing one of my favorite specialty stores here in The Woodlands. As of March, Hubble and Hudson will be no more. That has always been my go to place to find unusual ingredients and browse their produce section that has/had amazing fresh products. We are getting a Whole Foods here so I can’t wait to see what I can find there.

Just because I obsess over finding new products to try doesn’t mean you have to. This recipe started off to be just a red quinoa salad and while shopping at Trader Joe’s I came upon this Harvest Grains Blend and thought the salad would be more interesting with a blend of different grains. This Harvest Grains Blend is a savory blend of Israeli style couscous, orzo, baby garbanzo beans and red quinoa. So if you can’t find this blend of grains then pick a couple or even just one to make this Mediterranean Salad.

Quinoa (keen-wah) is one of the grains in this mix you may not have tried yet. It is a grain-like (more of a seed) from the goosefoot plant. This little “seed” has a long history and if you want to more more about it to to wikpedia and read about it. It has been grown for around 5000 years in the Andes mountains.

There also seems to be a controversy over quinoa because the prices have tripled for the farmer’s selling their crops and they choose to feed their families now on wheat and rice instead of the quinoa that has been part of their diets for hundreds/thousands of years.

If you are looking for a different salad to take to a gathering, try this. I loved the different grains and the look and texture it gave the salad.

February 5, 2014 By Sherry

Salads

Jicama Apple Salad

Hik-ka-ma and apples were made for each other.

Sometimes I think I have so many recipes I couldn’t possibly have room to add one more to my collection and then along comes a crisp, fresh salad that has so much crunch and flavors I could not resist asking for the recipe along with everyone else at our bunco get together a few weeks ago. I would almost call this a slaw because there is no lettuce involved and the fact that things are all cut into thin julienned pieces it kind of looks like a slaw. Salad/slaw, whatever you call it it’s wonderful.

Our bunco group is going into it’s fourth year and we always share lots of food, wine and laughs for the night. One of our new members, Susan, brought this salad and it was a huge hit with everyone. This would be a great salad with just about anything; it could be served alone, along with some grilled meat/poultry/fish, or with brunch dishes. Like I said, it would be good with anything.

I made this for grandson, Milo’s 5th birthday party (brunch) a few weekends ago. Last year for his brother’s first birthday party, his dad did a pig roast (baby piglet) and I’m thinking how many one year olds have a pig roast for their first birthday. Well, he did and it was so much fun. Even the older kids loved looking at the pig roasting away while I’m thinking — “that poor little thing”. But in the end, it was delicious. So for Milo’s birthday, it was brunch and we had quiche, this jicama apple salad, Coconut Banana Puffs and of course sausage balls.

I’ve used jicama for years although I have to admit before moving to Texas I don’t think I had ever heard of it yet alone knew how it was pronounced (HEE-ka-ma or HIK-ka-ma). It’s hard to peel a jicama and is best if you cut top and bottom of jicama and then start with your knife and cut off the sides until you have all the skin removed. Jicama is low in carbs, calories and fat and when you add in the apple, peanuts, onions, how much healthier could you get.

January 26, 2014 By Sherry

Salads

Brussels Sprout Salad

Delicious recipe from East Side King in Austin.

This is the salad I was telling you about that I had at East Side Kings place in the Hole in the Wall in Austin. I had been reading about food trucks on this particular visit to Austin and wanted to visit one of Paul Qui’s places. Everyone raved about his salad. I liked the salad but mine was drenched in dressing.

So, when I set about trying to find a similar recipe I came across his recipe printed in People magazine. The recipe there did not list the cabbage but on the restaurant menu it does. I took liberties with the recipe because I wanted some “greens” in it; instead of slaw type ingredients. So I used savory cabbage because I like how ruffled it looks when you cut it. Originally I added a handful of arugula but found that with the bitterness of the Brussels sprouts the arugula was too much.

One big change I made was to the Brussels sprouts which he pan sautéed. After making the Fried Brussels Sprout Leaves and learning how frying them brought out the sweetness, I decided the second time of making the salad to fry the leaves and toss with the salad at the last minute.

One other thing is the jalapeño which he added to his salad. It was sliced very thinly but the dressing has 4 Thai chili peppers in it which made for a pretty “hot” salad. I omitted the jalapeño all together on the second try and the heat from the chili dressing was perfect. One of Paul’s recipes called for alfalfa sprouts; which I decided to replace with pea shoots. To me alfalfa sprouts just disappear into the salad and I love the “cute” factor of the pea shoots.

Second time out I also added a handful of fresh bean sprouts and a few sesame seeds and I added 1 teaspoon of balsamic to the dressing which I think really improved it.

Who am I to change a recipe of a Top Chef winner — well I did and I liked the results. As you can tell from my changes, you can try just about anything. The stars of the salad I think are the fried Brussels sprout leaves, fried shallots and the dressing.

January 14, 2014 By Sherry

Appetizers/ ColdApp/ Salads/ Side dish

Peanut Noodle Salad

The party’s over but I will make this salad again.

Last weekend we hosted a going away party for friends who are moving to China for three years. It was a fun party to prepare for because I decided “East Meets West” would be the theme of the party; some Texas style foods on one side of the table and Chinese (Asian style) foods on the other and they met in the middle with my husband’s pulled pork on mini rolls with an Asian slaw topping.

Hope you enjoy the pictures below as much as I had preparing for the party. I found a cool piece of purple brocade with butterflies at Jo Ann Fabrics that was marked 50% off so I got three yards for $15. I didn’t bother even hemming it since I just bunched it up on the table around the platters. I had these Asian lanterns left from my daughter’s wedding and they worked perfect for the table top and I bought these large paper parasols to put out front along the walkway.

I’ve been hoarding about 150 little Chinese takeout cartons for several months trying to come up with a way to use them. For my daughter’s wedding a couple of years ago we had them with Truffled Parmesan French Fries and they made such a cute container for foods to snack on I decided to order some for myself. So, this Peanut Noodle Salad was taking up residence in these cartons with some beautiful chopsticks I ordered with some forks on the side for those not adventurous enough to use the chopsticks.

This salad was a perfect appetizer because I made it in advance and was just one thing that didn’t get fiddled with at the last minute. I decided to only fill the cartons half full since we had so many other things on the menu.

BLAST FROM THE PAST: This was the very first recipe I posted back in June of 2009. Mandarin Orange Napoleon and it was so good. I must make that again sometime for a party.

January 9, 2014 By Sherry

Salads

Cauliflower Broccoli Salad with Apricots

Different fruit for an old salad.

I think we have all made some type of broccoli salad over the years. I know I use to make one that had peanuts and raisins but I decided to change my broccoli salad up a little.

If there’s a veggie tray out at a party, that bushy green stuff will still be sitting there when I’m done with it. I have to say broccoli is one of my least favorite raw vegetables. I always use to love a broccoli casserole recipe a friend gave me back in the 70’s, but that was one of those casseroles loaded with soup and garlic cheese roll (can’t find that any more). I guess it’s ok if it is drenched in cheese sauce but then how good is that for you.

So, I’m left with this big bag of broccoli that I had bought at Sam’s Club for some unknown reason. One would think I was ready to be invaded with hordes of people for a weekend of fun and sun around the pool. As It turned out I made this salad twice over Labor Day weekend.

November 30, 2013 By Sherry

Salads

Red Quinoa Salad in Cucumber Cup

Beautiful healthy salad.

What is it about anything formed with a ring mold looks so much more appealing on a plate. I bought these ring molds in France and this is the first time I have used them. I actually got the idea to put this salad in a cucumber cup from a movie I was watching the day I made the salad. The movie was Pressure Cooker and about intercity kids in a culinary arts program in their school.

The last salad I made with quinoa was the Mediterranean harvest Grain Salad. I really wanted more red quinoa to show up in the salad but it didn’t so here I am again trying to get a pretty reddish salad made with a healthy grain. I left out the jicama that Guy added and put in some avocado.

It’s fun playing around with food and trying to come up with new vessels to make something more interesting. I play with food more now than I did when I was a kid, pushing things around my plate to look like I had eaten things I didn’t like.

Hope you will give this a try whether it’s this quinoa salad or even a simple potato salad would look great in this and you don’t have to have the ring molds, just use a tuna can.

You can use red or white quinoa for this salad.

October 14, 2013 By Sherry

Salads

Crunchy Peanut Slaw

Another slaw recipe you say!

I can hear you now — “oh, no, she’s giving us another slaw recipe”. There’s just something about the cold crunchy salad (slaw) that I love with hot spicy food especially bar-b-q. For one thing you can get a lot more slaw on your plate it seems like than a salad and I always want my salad in a bowl or separate plate anyway.

After a hard day on the golf course, hub agreed to put some St. Louis style ribs on our Kamoto Joe smoker. They are the best ribs you have ever tasted. Maybe we should buy a food truck and hit the road. Now wouldn’t that be fun. Still on my list of things to do in Austin is hit up a bunch of food trucks one day and sample things until I can’t hold another bite.

I’ve been loving Kalyn’s Kitchen site. She has so many South Beach diet recipes that one would never get tired of eating the same thing. Don’t worry, I’m not turning this site into a South Beach Diet recipe blog. I love taking someone else’s recipe and adding a few things to it and come up with something new. Maybe you have something you would like to add to this slaw also to put your own spin on it.

September 29, 2013 By Sherry

Entree/ Poultry/ Salads

Hot Tuscan Chicken Salad

Not your ordinarily Church Lady hot chicken salad.

Not that there is ANYTHING wrong with church lady chicken salad. Everyone loves it and will continue to eat and enjoy it.

When I think of “church lady” I always think of Dana Carvey when he played Church Lady on SNL. He was histerical. There are so many recipes out there that I have labeled “church lady” or “church potluck” and they are wonderful and are always the recipes that people want to know who brought it and how can they get the recipe.

Can we every have too many salad recipes? I love salads whether the are leafy green salads, marinated vegetable salads, egg salad, tuna salad, layered salad and I don’t think you could go wrong with about any salad you would set before me.

I’m sure everyone has had their share of hot chicken salad and who doesn’t love the crushed potato chip topping.

I really wanted to try a different version of the favorite recipe that’s been around for years and while searching I came upon recipe after recipe that had the cream of chicken or mushroom soup added to the dish and either topped with the potato chip topping or crushed corn flakes.

August 10, 2013 By Sherry

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