Zesty Honey-Lemon Dressing

This is a very simple and quick dressing to throw together. I liked it because the honey makes it sweet. Toby didn’t like it because the honey makes it sweet. And the Dijon gives it a little kick.

rating: 8

Zesty Honey-Lemon Dressing
(Southern Living, April 2009)

Yield: Makes about 3/4 cup (serving size: 1 tbsp.)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon lemon zest
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
Directions:

1. Whisk together chopped fresh parsley and next 7 ingredients in a small bowl. Add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until smooth. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 5 days. If chilled, let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Whisk before serving.

 

Ruth’s Salad Dressing

My mom sent me this recipe a few years ago, and she said that she’s had this taped on the inside of a kitchen cupboard for years, so it must be good. And it is! It’s a little like Thousand-Island Dressing, but it’s got a little kick (from the onions). Toby really liked this (I think because it has a little kick!). This recipe makes a TON of dressing, so be prepared to have lots left over. Salads for everybody!

rating: 8.7

Ruth’s Salad Dressing

1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup vegetable/canola oil
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine onion, sour cream and mayonnaise & mix till thoroughly blended. Add oil, ketchup, vinegar, salt, sugar, paprika, celery salt and pepper. Mix well and put in a quart jar. Refrigerate for several hours to blend flavors. Refrigerate leftovers.

 

No-Guilt Caesar Salad

And no taste, either. Well, it does have a little bit of taste because it’s really spicy! I had to double-check the recipe and see if I added the right amount of Dijon! It was so spicy that I had to add a little more tofu to despicify it. Did you see what I did right there? This was bland and boring, and nothing like a caesar dressing should be.

rating: 3

No-Guilt Caesar Salad
(Alton Brown)

time needed: 10 min.
makes 1 cup
Ingredients:

2 ounces cubed Parmesan
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
11/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
11/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (I used a veggie version)
Pinch kosher salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 cup silken soft tofu
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Directions:

Starting on the lowest speed, chop the cheese cubes in the blender jar until it settles into the bottom of the jar, gradually increasing the speed. Add the garlic down the chute and chop until minced.

Next, add the mustard, white wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, and tofu to the blender and blend until smooth. While the blender is running, drizzle olive oil down the middle of the vortex that has formed. Add more or less of the olive oil and blend until it reaches salad dressing consistency.

 

Brass Door Dressing

My mom sent me this recipe several years ago, and I just got around to making it last night. I am not sure what the Brass Door is, maybe a famous restaurant? In any case, this dressing is good! It’s basically a honey-mustard, and it’s so much better than something you buy in the store. I totally forgot to buy green onions, so those were omitted, but the rest is really easy. I made it yesterday afternoon and let it sit in the fridge for several hours. The curry powder is optional, but I used it. Toby is very picky about his salad dressings, but he asked if he could use some of the leftover dressing to take to work for his salad. Good stuff!

rating: 9.4

Brass Door Dressing

makes 2 3/4 cups
1-1/4 cups light mayonnaise
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup prepared mustard
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 tsp celery seeds
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp curry powder (optional)

Thoroughly combine all in an air-tight container. Shake well, then chill.

 

“Chicken” Salad

I made some “chicken” salad the other night, and I had to improvise a little. I had bought 1 bag of Morningstar Farms Chik’n Strips to use, and once I had cooked it and shredded it, there just wasn’t enough of it. It was enough for Toby, but that was it. So I popped by the grocery store closest to our home for another bag, and they didn’t have any. They DID have Morningstar Farms Chik Patties, which are breaded. I decided to see how they would be. So I made this recipe using the first bag of Strips, then I baked the Patties and cut them in half, then threw them in my Cuisinart. Into that mixture I added the same mayo, mustard, lemon juice and parsley, but then I threw in some chopped pecans. So I had two different “chicken” salads. I liked them both. Toby said he prefered the Strip version. I served this salad on toasted bread, but you could also eat it on crackers (like I did the next day for lunch), or serve it in scooped out tomatoes or avocados.

rating: 9

Chicken Salad

total time needed: 15

serves 2-4

Ingredients:

1 bag Morningstar Farms Chik’n Strips
4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon or fresh dill
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 cup prepared or homemade mayonnaise
2 teaspoons strained freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Brown the Chik’n Strips in a frying pan with some cooking spray, then let cool. After it has cooled, pull apart with your hands (into smaller pieces). In a mixing bowl, toss together the chicken, scallions and herbs. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper to taste. Add to the chicken and mix gently until combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

Potato, Mushroom, and Leek Croquettes

I was kind of dreading making this recipe. It calls for a potato ricer, and I don’t have one, so I knew the potatoes would end up chunky. I priced potato ricers at the grocery store last week, and the two that they had were expensive. So I start making this recipe yesterday, and I look up at the pot rack we have hanging above our counter, and I spy something. What I thought all along was a garlic press was actually a potato ricer! I’ve had one this whole time and didn’t know it! The only reason I recognized it is because the employee at the grocery store showed me the two that they had. YAY! So, I read reviews of this recipe online, and people complained that the patties were hard to manage and fell apart. One woman said that she made her patties ahead of time and then put them in the fridge for awhile, so that’s what I did. I didn’t have any problem with the patties falling apart. They were still delicate, but no problems. These actually turned out really well! Toby loved this dish, and said it was the best thing I’d cooked all week! I thought the patties might be a little dry, so I made a little sour cream sauce for them just in case, but we didn’t need it. They weren’t dry, and went with the salad really well.

rating: 9.5

Potato, Mushroom, and Leek Croquettes
(Cooking Light, March 2012)

serves 4
time needed: about 30 min.

Ingredients:

8 oz. coarsely chopped peeled Yukon gold potatoes
4 oz. sliced cremini mushrooms
4 oz. sliced button mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped leeks
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme (I used dried)
Cooking spray
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg yolk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg white
2 tsp water
1/2 cup panko
1 tsp olive oil

Directions:
1. Place potato in a pan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 8 minutes or until tender. Drain. Press potato through a ricer or food mill into a bowl.
2. Place mushrooms, leek, and thyme in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add mushroom mixture; cook 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add mixture to potato. Add Gruyère, 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt, pepper, and egg yolk; stir until blended. Shape mixture into 8 (2-inch) round patties.
3. Place flour in a shallow dish. Combine egg white and 2 teaspoons water in a shallow dish, stirring with a whisk. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-­Reggiano and panko in a shallow dish. Dredge patties in flour. Dip in egg mixture; dredge in panko mixture. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add patties; cook 4 minutes on each side or until golden.

per serving (2 patties): 266 calories
For the Greens and Shallot Vinaigrette:

Combine 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp sherry vinegar, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/8 tsp salt in a medium bowl. Add 6 cups gourmet salad greens and 1 sliced shallot to bowl: tooss gently.

serves 4

 

Corn & Zucchini Orzo Salad

This recipe makes a TON. It says it serves 6, but it serves more like 16. I had so much zucchini chopped up, and I had to leave about two zucchini out because I didn’t have a bowl big enough to mix it all in. See, I told you it makes a lot. I would say that you should at least halve all the ingredients, and maybe even cut them into fourths! This tasted ok, but it didn’t knock me over with its goodness. I probably won’t make it again. But I am finding out that I really like orzo! Something about the texture.

rating: 6

Corn & Zucchini Orzo Salad
(Everyday Food)

time needed: 35 min.

Ingredients:

6 medium zucchini, diced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound orzo
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 cups corn kernels (from 6 ears corn)
1 small red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced (I omitted)
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 3 lemons)
1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
4 ounces feta, crumbled (2 cups

Directions:

Place zucchini in a colander and toss with salt. Place colander in sink and let sit 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook orzo according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking; transfer to a large bowl.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium. Add corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 4 minutes. Add to pasta along with zucchini, 3 tablespoons oil, onion, jalapeno, and lemon zest and juice; season with salt and pepper. Stir in basil and feta. Transfer 4 cups salad to an airtight container; refrigerate for up to 2 days.

calories per serving: 330

 

Lo Mein Salad with Peanut Sauce

A couple of nights ago, I made two recipes from Wegmans Menu magazine: this one, and a BBQ tofu one. The tofu one did NOT turn out. It called for Wegmans tofu, which comes frozen, and I decided to pan-fry it instead of cooking it on the grill, like it calls for. I don’t know what was in that tofu, but it started puffing up, and it would just never get brown, like I wanted it to. So this recipe was served alongside the puffy tofu. You are basically just mixing ingredients together, like a slaw. Speaking of slaw, the Asian slaw mix that this calls for contains celery. I had to (of course) pick all that out. This had potential, I think, but next time I will leave the slaw out. I just didn’t like it. And the peanut sauce was a little too spicy. Toby liked it, though!

rating:7

Lo Mein Salad with Peanut Sauce
(Wegmans Menu magazine)

serves 4
active time: 10 min.

1 pkg (16 oz) Asian Classics Lo Mein (Frozen Foods)
1/2 pkg Food You Feel Good About Mukimame Shelled Soybeans (Frozen Foods), thawed
1 pkg (12 oz) Food You Feel Good About Asian Slaw
1 bunch green onions, trimmed, sliced diagonally
1 Tbsp black sesame seeds (International Foods)
3/4 cup Wegmans Thai Peanut Sauce (International Foods)

Directions:

1. Place noodles in microwave-safe bowl; cover. Cook in microwave on HIGH 3-3 1/2 min. Cool slightly.

2 Add soybeans, slaw, onions, sesame seeds, and sauce to noodles in bowl. Toss gently to combine.
Chef Tip(s):
Salad can be served room temperature or chilled.

each serving (2 1/4 cups) has 360 calories

 

Tomato Panzanella with Ricotta

I like tomatoes, but I don’t love them, you know? Even though this salad is mostly tomatoes, it was still really good! After I made it, I kept munching on it, and I had to stop myself, because this was our dinner! This is a nice variation on a Panzanella. Really good.

rating: 9.1

Tomato Panzanella with Ricotta
(Everyday Food)

time needed: 25 min. + marinating

Ingredients:

1/2 pound day-old crusty bread, cut or torn into 1-inch pieces (5 cups)
2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn if large
1 container (15 ounces) ricotta

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, spread bread in a single layer and bake until dry and light golden brown, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, vinegar, and oil and season with salt and pepper. Add toasted bread and basil and toss to combine. Let sit 20 to 30 minutes to allow bread to soak up liquid. Divide salad evenly among four bowls and top each with some ricotta, a drizzle of oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

serves 4
calories per serving: 572

 

Light Ranch

I recently bought some powdered buttermilk. You keep it in the cabinet, and whenever you need buttermilk, you just add the amount of water noted, and voila! No more buying huge jugs of it for one recipe and then the rest of it goes bad in the fridge. This dressing tasted really good. My only complaint is that it’s very watery, but other than that, it was great. The one thing that made this dressing? The fresh dill.

rating: 9

Light Ranch
(Food Network magazine, May 2011)

Ingredients:

2/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (I used vegetarian Worcestershire)
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried onion flakes
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Whisk the buttermilk, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, onion flakes, garlic powder, chives, dill and parsley in a bowl; add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Per serving (2 tablespoons): Calories 64; Fat 6 g (Saturated 1 g); Cholesterol 4 mg; Sodium 199 mg; Carbohydrate 2 g; Fiber 0 g; Protein 1