Salads and Dressings

Perfect Party Salad

May 3, 2015

Pear Salad

My friends and I love throwing dinner parties. Sometimes it feels like there’s a party once a week. It can get chaotic and stressful. Normally, when we have dinner parties, everyone brings a dish. However, upon asking what to bring (gotta brainstorm sometimes and don’t want to double up) I get the dreaded response; “Just bring a salad.” For me a cringe worthy sentence. I seemed to lack a creativity gene when it comes to greens and have salad envy. I mean we all have that one friend who always brings a beautiful bright salad with uniformly chopped veggies that were tossed in a bold home-made dressing! My go-to salad is simply iceberg lettuce, low-fat dressing and a handful of Craisins, all of this was thrown into my fanciest little salad bowl. (my mini attempt of flaring up my pathetic little salad). Now there is nothing wrong with plain salads, trust me I could eat plenty, but I really wanted to find a recipe that stepped my salad game up and hopefully “WOW” my friends!

I dusted off my new, and by new, I mean I purchased it over a year ago and never touched it cookbook, Without Reservations, by Celebrity Chef Joey Altman. I flipped through the pages searching for the best looking salad recipe. I wanted something simple, yet satisfying, but also something unique that made me look more creative than just ice-berg Craisin salad girl. After a few minutes I had exactly what I was looking for, a Mixed Green, Blue Cheese and Spiced Pecan Salad, with a twist, Roasted Pears!

The recipe was easy enough to follow. I began with prewashed organic mixed greens, it costs a little more, but was well worth the price for the convenience it provided. Next were the organic pears, unfortunately I was in the rush at the store and grabbed smaller, not very ripe pears. I baked them slightly longer than the recipe called for and when they came out of the oven they smelled amazing! In fact, I had to keep a watchful eye out to make sure no sneaky little fingers were gonna snag away my pears before going upon the salad. I wish I had measured the ingredients for the Spiced Pecans a little more accurately. I could’ve use a tad bit less water and a pinch more of the spices. Oh well, the fun of cooking does come from learning. Mistakes are okay in my book, use them to learn and better hone your skills for the next cooking venture. Anyway, I was a little intimidated with making the dressing, I tried in the past to concoct my own and usually end with too much oil or too much vinegar or not enough flavor. This time I was determined to get it right! I followed the directions exactly and then continued to add more seasoning here and vinegar there to taste. Eventually, I managed to find that perfect balance I was looking for.  To finish, I topped the salad off with double the normal blue cheese, only because my friends and I like our blue cheese.

Rating: Overall, easy to follow recipe, not too time consuming, flavor was outstanding. Will make again.

Mixed Greens with Roasted Pears, Blue Cheese and Spiced Pecans

2-4 pears, peeled and quartered

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

3-4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Salt and Pepper

1-2 tablespoons of brown sugar

1cup whole pecans

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 medium shallot

4-6 oz mixed greens

4 oz blue cheese

Preheat oven 350 F. Remove center core of pears and quarter. Toss with 1 tablespoon oil and one tablespoon balsamic. Bake until soft, 25 min. Cool and cut into slices.

Toss pecans in 1-2 tablespoons of water, the chili powder, cayenne and brown sugar. Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet 8-10 min.

Mix 2-3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar with shallots and wish in remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper

Toss. Enjoy.

 

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Mixed Greens with Roasted Pears, Blue Cheese and Spiced Pecans
Author: 
Recipe type: Appetizer
 
Ingredients
  • 2-4 pears, peeled and quartered
  • ½ cup + 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 3-4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1-2 tablespoons of brown sugar
  • 1cup whole pecans
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 medium shallot
  • 4-6 oz mixed greens
  • 4 oz blue cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven 350 F. Remove center core of pears and quarter. Toss with 1 tablespoon oil and one tablespoon balsamic. Bake until soft, 25 min. Cool and cut into slices.
  2. Toss pecans in 1-2 tablespoons of water, the chili powder, cayenne and brown sugar. Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet 8-10 min.
  3. Mix 2-3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar with shallots and wish in remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper
  4. Toss. Enjoy.

Entertaining

Favorite Las Vegas Find: Vom Foss

May 1, 2015

CVomFossLiqour?ouple weeks ago, Bill surprised me with a last minute trip to Las Vegas, Nevada. When I say last minute, I mean, he bought the tickets Thursday night and we left Friday night. I had a bad week and this was a much needed getaway. I love Las Vegas, and used to travel 2-3 times a year, but my last trip was over two years ago. I needed to do some quick research on the plane to see what new food and drinks I must try!

Sunday night, after eating at my favorite restaurant in Vegas, Tao (which is on my list to blog), we spotted small oak barrels in a shop right outside the door. Bill, quickly identified Vom Foss as “from tap”. We could not believe our luck.  Half the store was barrel aged alcohol and the other half was vinegar and oil. Perfect for the both of us. Overwhelmed, I let the clerk help me navigate the vast selection. His first recommendation was Styrian Pumpkin Seed Oil. Yes, I needed that. I immediately started thinking of ways to use this in a salad dressing, it had an amazing nutty flavor. Next recommendation was Star Plum Balsamic Vinegar, a rich fruit, again I needed that. Fairly confident this guy thinks I’m a sucker and I will buy whatever he says, I turn down the next one (yes it was amazing, but it was my feeble attempt and controlling the situation). I then spotted a Fig Chili Vinegar. I love figs and I love a kick, so I bought this as well!

Now I’m home, and need to find a salad dressing to make with this pumpkin seed oil.  If you have seen my previous posts on salad dressing, you know this will be a challenge. I turn to the Vom Foss for a recommendation. Below is the descriptions of each of the vinegars and oils I picked up while at Vom Foss.

VomFossStarPlumOilVomFossFigChiliVomFossPumpkinSeedOil

Appetizers

Ciabatta Fig Brie Appetizer

May 1, 2015

CibettaFinishedI love bringing appetizers to dinner parties. For me the best part of the evening is when the guests start arriving, everyone gathers in the kitchen, grabs a glass of wine while catching up on what’s happened since the last time we saw each other. I feel that appetizers bring people together, and when an appetizer is amazing, it sets the tone for the rest of the night.

Tonight, I used my Without Reservations cookbook (again) as a guide.  I love Joey Altman’s approachable food it fits my food style completely. I used Chibatta bread and sliced it lengthwise, placed on a cookie sheet and brushed olive oil on the cut sides.  My lessons, were to use a spreadable Brie, press the ingredients into the bread harder so they stay secure after cooking and not to forget the arugula!

This is also a great make ahead dish, assemble, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 hours. Can easily be baked upon arrival and served hot.

CibatteaStep2?

Ciabatta Fig and Brie Appetizer

Ciabatta Bread

Olive Oil

1 medium red onion

Balsamic Vinegar

12 ounces Brie Cheese

thinly sliced prosciutto 8-12 slices

1 pint of fresh figs thinly sliced

handful or arugula washed and dried

Heat Olive Oil in a medium skillet and add onions, cook 5-10 min until cartelized. Add Balsamic Vinegar and continue cooki until almost dry, add thyme. Remove from heat and set aside.

Slice Ciabatta bread lengthwise, like a sandwich. Place cut side up on a baking sheet and spread half the cheese on slice. Top with onions, figs then prosciutto. Press down on toppings to secure to bread.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven 8-10 minutes until cheese starts to bubble.

remove from oven, let sit 1 minute top with arugula. Slice into 1-2 inch pieces.

serve warm.

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Ciabatta Fig Brie Appetizer
Author: 
Recipe type: Appetizer
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: Serves 6-8
 
Great easy appetizer. Love that it can be made ahead of time and baked later!
Ingredients
  • Ciabatta bread
  • olive oil
  • 1 medium red onion
  • Balsamic Vinegar
  • 12 ounces Brie Cheese
  • thinly sliced prosciutto 8-12 slices
  • 1 pint of fresh figs thinly sliced
  • handful or arugula washed and dried
Instructions
  1. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet and add onions, cook 5-10 min until carmelized. Add balsamic vinegar and continue cook until almost dry, add thyme. Remove from heat and set aside.
  2. Slice ciabatta bread lengthwise, like a sandwich. Place cut side up on a baking sheet and spread half the cheese on slice. Top with onions, figs then prosciutto. Press down on toppings to secure to bread.
  3. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven 8-10 minutes until cheese starts to bubble.
  4. Remove from oven, let sit 1 minute top with arugula. Slice into 1-2 inch pieces.
  5. Serve warm.

 

 

 

Main Dishes

Spicy Garlic Shrimp

April 30, 2015

SpicyGarlicShrimp

The past few weeks, I’ve been frantically searching for some quick, easy, and most of all healthy recipes to get me through the weeknight dinners. No longer would I accept another day of coming home and throwing a frozen pizza in the oven. I thumbed through my enormous recipe collection until I came upon a Spicy Garlic Shrimp recipe in an old Men’s Health magazine. The recipe required very few ingredients, most of which were common, so no last minute trip the grocery store. The preparation time and cooking time very quick which allotted more time to sit down and relax with the family!

The recipe required a 1/4 cup of olive oil, however since the family and I are attempting to eat healthier, I chose to reduce the oil to 1/8 cup. I also decided that 4 cloves of garlic may or may not be going overboard (depends on how much you like garlic) I went for 3 cloves, but honestly anywhere from 2-4 cloves should be plenty. It all comes down to personal preferences, that’s the beauty of cooking, you can always change up a recipe to accommodate the people enjoying the food. Partway through cooking I came upon a realization; I had no side dish. The shrimp cooks fast and had to throw together a quick side. I grabbed a package of Al Dente Fettuccine (common pantry item in our household), butter infused olive oil, and a handful of fresh chopped parsley. The fettuccine was a great match to go with the Spicy Garlic Shrimp and turned the meal into an excellent, easy and fun pasta dish!

My husband and I are big time wine drinkers and absolutely love figuring out great food and wine pairings! For this meal we decided to go with a Spring Mountain Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc – A white wine with a medium level of acidity. The crisp and a light flavor of this Sauvignon Blanc goes hand and hand with the bold flavor of the garlic. The wine was refreshing and really rounded out the entire meal.

Rating: Excellent! Was easy to make, required very little time, and served a family of 4 perfectly.

 

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes

Spicy Garlic Shrimp

1/8 cup of olive oil (original 1/4 cup)

1tablespoon red pepper flakes

2-3 cloves garlic (original 4). Thinly sliced.

1lb of shrimp, peeled

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Salt and Pepper

Heat oil in a sauté pan just below smoking temp. Add garlic and pepper flakes. As the garlic begins to brown add the shrimp. (I was distracted and over cooked the garlic slightly). Season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 1 minute add parsley and sauté another min. Remove from heat.

Parsley Fettuccine

1/2 package of Al Dente Rainbow Fettuccine (cook as directed)

1-2 tablespoons of Butter Infused Olive Oil

Handful of chopped parsley

Cook pasta as directed. Drain and put back in pot. Add olive oil and parsley, heat.

Serve shrimp on top of pasta.

 

Save Print
Spicy Garlic Shrimp
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • ⅛ cup of olive oil (original ¼ cup)
  • 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
  • 2-3 cloves garlic (original 4). Thinly sliced.
  • 1lb of shrimp, peeled
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • Salt and Pepper
  • ½ package of Al Dente Rainbow Fettuccine
  • 1-2 tablespoons of Butter Infused Olive Oil
  • Handful of chopped parsley
Instructions
  1. Heat oil in a sauté pan just below smoking temp. Add garlic and pepper flakes. As the garlic begins to brown add the shrimp. (I was distracted and over cooked the garlic slightly). Season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 1 minute add parsley and sauté another min. Remove from heat.Cook pasta as directed. Drain and put back in pot. Add olive oil and parsley, heat.
  2. Serve shrimp on top of pasta.