Favorite Salads

[christinew]

Please tell me about your favorite salads! Simple or Extravegant.

I have mine: Romaine with red peppers and cucumbers and gorgonzola and a homemade caeser dressing.

It is time for me to try some new ideas.

Happy Fall,
Christine

[valeriek]

My favorite salad is romaine lettuce, red pepper, cherry or grape tomatoes, red onion, alfalfa sprouts, and feta cheese. My favorite dressing is a peppercorn parmesean. Yummy! I usually eat it with pita bread (sometimes I make a vegetarian sandwich with those ingredients, serving them on the pita bread!).

[Norma]

Valerie, is the parmesan peppercorn dressing home made or store bought. If it's home made, could you post the recipe? Thanks much. Ilove this dressing too.

[lindrusso]

This topic has come up in the past with some tasty results! Check out this thread - maybe you'll find something to your liking...
http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Arch...-1-000049.html

[valeriek]

Norma,

The Peppercorn Parmesean dressing is store bought. I have actually never made my own salad dressing. It would be interesting to try though! My favorite brand is Ken's. They make a great Peppercorn Parmesean dressing.

[RunnerKim]

Hi Christine,

Like you, I sometimes get in a salad rut. I grew up thinking salad only meant iceberg, carrots, green peppers, tomatoes and croutons. Slowly I'm overcoming this!

Here's couple that have become standards for me:
Bruschetta Salad
Romaine
Sourdough bread cubes (day old)
Tomatoes
Mozzarella
Basil
Red Onion
Red Wine Vinaigrette dressing

Spring Salad with Asparagus and Radishes
Cooking Light May 2000, p. 180
1 cup 1 inch diagonally sliced asparagus (about 6 oz), steamed
3 cups gourmet salad greens
3 thinly sliced radishes
1 ½ tbl fat-free red wine vinaigrette
½ tsp country-style Dijon mustard
1 ½ tbl finely crumbled feta cheese (1/2 oz)

Kim



[This message has been edited by RunnerKim (edited 10-10-2000).]

[KimberlyE]

I love making salads. The one that I make about 2-3 times a week is spinach salad with homemade balsamic vinagrette. The dressing is really easy and I get requests for it all the time in fact my husband drizzles it on everything.

I have a favorite that I get at restaurants if they have it...Pears, blue cheese and walnuts on mixed greens with a vinaigrette. I would like to try to make this at home but need to find a recipe for the dressing.

[Gail]

Originally posted by KimberlyE:
... homemade balsamic vinagrette. The dressing is really easy and I get requests for it all the time...

Okay. You talked me into it. I would love to have your balsamic vinaigrette recipe, drool, drool...

[buddie]

i love my

roasted tomato pasta salad

spicy sesame noodle salad

caeser salad with homemade caesar dressing (the best i have every had)

[lanie]

Buddie - your roasted tomatoe pasta salad and your caesar dressing are the BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!! EVER!!!!!!!!!!

[This message has been edited by lanie (edited 10-11-2000).]

[KimberlyE]

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Stir together 1 tsp of grainy dijon mustard and 1 tsp of honey
Add 3 tsp of Balsamic
Whisk in 2-3 Tbs of olive oil
add Sea Salt and ground pepper to taste.

This makes enough for approximately 2 people. You can adjust the amount of each ingredient to your liking. Enjoy.

[lanie]

That sounds great Kimberley and so do Buddies! Thanks!

[Marg]

Buddie could you please when you have a moment let me have your recipes - they sound wonderful - thank you so much.

[buddie]

Roasted Tomato Pasta Salad

2lbs tomatoes (i used roma but get whatever has the best tomatos)
1 bunch italian parsley
10 garlic cloves
2/3 cup fresh grated parmesan plus some for garnishing
3/4 cup olive oil (NOTE! you may not use all of this oil)
10 oz fusilli pasta (you could use bow tie or spiral too)
1 bunch of fresh basil

1) core the tomatos and cut in half through the diameter (cut tips off too)

2) using a food processor chop the parsley and garlic. add the parmesan cheese, some oil (this is some of that 3/4 cup you just want enough to make a thick paste) and salt and pepper to form a loose paste

3) spread the paste over the cut side of the tomatoes. bake in a low oven 225 degrees for 2.5 hours

4) bring a large pot of water to boil. add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water until cool to the touch. shake off as much excess water as possible. lay out some paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and spread the pasta out on it to make sure it is really dry. (they make special towels also to do this that don't leave lint or fibers. i use paper towels)

5) slice the basil into a chiffanade (put many leaves together and roll up then thinly slice at an angle).

6) toss the pasta with the cooked tomatoes and basil (what i do is leave about 10 nice looking tomatoes and put the rest in with the pasta. then take yours hands and mix pasta and tomatos. this way you can lightly squish in the tomotoes. add some more parmensan and season with salt and pepper to taste. garnish with the left over tomatoas

this feeds 8 people!

[buddie]

Caesar Dressing

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp mayonnaise (i used miracle whip)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (i add a bit more)
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 garlic clove minced
2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese (really fine)

refrigerate for awhile, shaking every now and then, then pour over romaine lettuce!!

I ALWAYS DOUBLE THIS RECIPE!!!!

[This message has been edited by buddie (edited 10-11-2000).]

[This message has been edited by buddie (edited 10-11-2000).]

[Jeanne G]

Christine,
Looks like you've had some success! I tried this not long ago but didn't have too much luck. However, there was a salad posted that looked good. Check out:
http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/001399.html

As for my favorite(or ONE of them), I love to make Toasted Goat Cheese Salad, where I marinate then coat the discs of goat cheese and bake them, then put them on top of greens. It's delicious.

[CrystalB]

Jeanne-
I've got a few questions regarding your salad, what do you marinate the goat cheese in? Doesn't it crumble when you try to cut it into discs? And lastly, what kind of cheese do you usually buy?? Sorry for all the questions, I've had this salad in restaurants and love it!! I've just never been able to copy it at home!!! Thanks for your help!!!

[Gail]

What an interesting dressing, Kimberly! Thanks much. I'll be sure to give it a try.

[Jeanne G]

Crystal,
Funny you mention you've had it in restaurants! I actually got it out of a book that featured "the best of" recipes from restaurants here in Cinti. I will post the recipe either tonight or tomorrow(I'm heading to dinner now). It's so simple and it makes for an "upscaled" type of salad. And I do use a log of (plain or "regular")goat cheese, and you do have to be careful when cutting. It's a little frustrating , but I try to be patient. One thing I do - that I learned while working a catered event - is run (or dip) my knife in scalding hot water and it helps it cut through a little cleaner. That's what they do with cakes and I think it helps here.

[Ruthie]

My favorite salad:
red leaf & green leaf lettuce, hearts of palm, red onions, a little Parmesan. It's great with Lawry's San Francisco dressing. That's very high fat, so use very little.

A homemade dressing I love:
Hidden Valley Ranch mix made with buttermilk
Add low-fat mayo (just a little)
Add chunky salsa

Yum!

[debg]

One of my favorite, easiest and meal stretching salads is a taco salad! I brown the ground turkey (I like that better) and add a package of taco seasoning (mild or spicy, depending on your taste buds) following the directions for I think 1/2 cup water. I also add a can of kidney beans, petite frozen corn and sliced olives. I can throw this together in 10 minutes. I serve it with romaine & cabbage, tomatoes if I have them, tortilla chips for crunchies (if I have them) and ranch dressing or 1/2 ranch and 1/2 salsa. YUMMY!!!! Oh yeah, don't forget the cheese! Low fat, easy and delicious. I've made this a number of times for my friends who have had babies. I chop everything, put it in separate ziploc baggies and drop it off for a quick "new-mommy" meal! It's gotten rave reviews and had become a staple in at least 3 other households. We make this about 1 a week in summer!

Bon appetite!

[christinew]

Wow! Such great response. I have been traveling all over the SE this week and when I logged on there were all these great ideas! We will have salad a lot in the upcoming days.

Thanks for the input you guys are great!

[Jeanne G]

Crystal, here goes...

Toasted Goat Cheese with Salad

8 oz goat cheese, log shaped, cut into 16 slices

1 T fresh thyme, finely chopped(or 1 t dried)
1 C olive oil(I use 3/4 to 1/2)

1 egg
1 T water

1 C fresh bread crumbs(dried may be substituted)
1 t fresh tarragon finely chopped(or 1/3 t dried)
1 t fresh oregano finely chopped(or 1/3 t dried)
1/4 t salt
1/8 t freshly ground pepper

Selection of salad greens: bibb, watercress, red leaf lettuce, Belgian endive, or your choice

1. Combine olive oil & thyme leaves. Coat goat cheese slices w/ oil mixture. Marinate 8 hours.(I've done this less and more, and both are ok)

2. Combine egg & water in bowl. Beat slightly until combined. Mix bread crumbs,herbs and s & p in seperate bowl. Remove cheese from oil mixtue. Dip cheese slices into the egg mixture and then into the bread crumbs. Place on an oiled or nonstick baking sheet and refrigerate.

3. Combine vinaigrette ingredients in bowl;whisk until blended. Prepare salad greens. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake goat cheese rounds 6-10 minutes until golden. Toss greens with vinaigrette. Place on salad plates. Top each serving with two rounds of goat cheese.

Variations: I always add craisins and a few kalamata olives per salad.

Vinaigrette

oil from the cheese marinade
3 T Balsamic vinegar
s & p to taste

Hope you like it! It's one of my favorites and I've repeatedly made it.

[This message has been edited by Jeanne G (edited 10-11-2000).]

[CrystalB]

JeanneG-
Thank you so much for taking the time to post your recipe, I have tried (unsuccessfully) to make this type of salad on my own. I can't wait to try it!! Thanks again!!

Crystal