If you are looking for an easy dinner for a warm, summer night, this is your ticket. It’s so tasty, delicious, and low calorie as well. Although don’t tell anybody that – they won’t know the difference. When we were on our recent trip to Colorado, Sue served this our last night there. It was a warm night – so warm that we ate inside with air conditioning. And it was so refreshing.

As soon as we got home and I needed a simple dinner for our friends Bud & Cherrie, I remembered Sue’s salad. The base recipe comes from Colorado Collage, the well-known Denver Junior League cookbook. A cookbook I already owned, but definitely hadn’t tried this recipe! Cherrie wanted the recipe – they both enjoyed it very much. Cherrie also owns MasterCook, the recipe software program we both use. Which is why I am now going to include – a MasterCook downloadable file (an MX2 file) at the bottom of every post (next to the PDF file). This is the first time I’ve done this, so if any of you use MC, would you please email me and let me know if it worked? Did the photo download (I’m not certain it will, but you can copy and paste it from the post)? I sent the file to Cherrie the other day and she was so surprised when she clicked on it in my email to her, MC came up and the recipe was complete. She was astounded!

The recipe is quite easy to make, although I made a few changes. I thought the buttermilk dressing would be enhanced with a bit of amp-up with some chipotle chile added in. I also added some citrus zest (I had kumquat, but you could use orange or lemon) and a small garlic clove too. There is no oil in the buttermilk drizzle that’s used over the chicken. The chicken breasts are pounded evenly, then dipped in cornmeal/flour, in egg, then again in the cornmeal/flour before sautéing in a bit of canola oil. Because they’re pounded, they don’t take long to cook – about 6-8 minutes maximum (total, not per side). Sue had used her electric skillet (brilliant idea) – because you want to serve these warm. She cooked them an hour or so ahead (so did I when I made them), then turned the electric frypan temp down to “warm.” An hour later they were still perfectly done and hadn’t dried out at all. That’s a win-win in my book. I put the lid on, but slightly ajar – you don’t want the crispy chicken coating to get soggy.

As for the salad – the recipe has you serve the chicken on top of a mixed tender green salad with some slivers of red bell pepper. I tossed the salad in a very light canola oil and sherry vinegar dressing – just enough to give it a tiny bit of flavor. I also added a bunch of fresh herbs from my garden (use your own mix of herbs to suit your taste) to the salad, and some cherry tomatoes and avocado too. I saved a few of the herbs to sprinkle on top of the chicken also. The photo at top is Sue’s (original) version, which is just fine, as is. But if you want to zip it up some, use some of my additions. Thanks, Sue, for preparing this for us – this will become part of my regular summer rotation!

What I liked: the ease of it all – and the make ahead part. The dressing with no oil – so it’s the low calorie and fat aspect, but you’d never know that. Liked the crispy coating – but it’s not thick at all – that I liked a lot.

What I didn’t like: nothing at all. A great dish, particular for summer.

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Two years ago: Tomato, Blue Cheese and Saffron Vinaigrette
Four years ago: Asian Slaw (one of my favorites – great for a summer barbecue)

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If I could just reach into that picture, I suppose I’d reach for the toast first. Oh, was it ever delish. Well, the salmon was too, but the toast was memorable! With oodles of butter, garlic and herbs. Could I just have that for lunch, please?

What you do with leftover salmon, I don’t know, but I’m always at a loss for how to use up a serving or two of salmon, other than just reheating it in the microwave. One of my favorite company meals is a Grilled Salmon with Watercress Salad. Invariably I have just a little bit left over and the salad part isn’t edible the next day. So I end up with a chunk of salmon with nothing else to go with it. Now I have a solution with this recipe. Phillis Carey always has such great ideas for making use of leftovers, this being a perfect one. It will become part of my regular repertoire.

The recipe below assumes you need to cook the salmon from scratch, but if you have leftovers, you’ll know where to pick up in this recipe. The big flakes are marinated in a dressing for a couple of hours, then it’s mounded on the baby Romaine (Trader Joe’s carries that) or use some other kind of tender lettuces, like butter lettuce. As you toss the salmon (gently, gently) you’ll find that the bigger chunks will break apart some – that’s fine – but that’s why you start with bigger flakes to begin with.

Meanwhile, do make the toasted bread. It is just so good. Undoubtedly loaded with too many fat grams, but hey, you’re eating omega-3 fatty acids in the salmon, so it balances out, right?

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printer-friendly PDF for just the ciabatta herb toasts

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A week or so ago I attended a cooking class all about summer salads. And oh, was this one fantastic. On hot summer nights (we haven’t had any of those yet) this would make a great dinner. The only thing you have to cook are the shrimp (it can be grilled if you want) and the Andouille (a little harder to grill, but it could be done) so you don’t have to have any heat in the kitchen.

As usual, Phillis Carey had a very, VERY long title to the recipe: Cajun Chopped Salad with Andouille Sausage, Shrimp, Red Beans, Three Peppers, Toasted Pecans and Creole Mustard Dressing. I shortened up the title, but there you have it in her original form. Phillis wants to make sure she lures you into the recipe by including almost all the ingredients in the name!

The dressing – to me – was what made this salad. It was a little bit tart (vinegar) and a little bit sweet (honey) and piquant (Creole mustard and Cajun seasoning). Mixed all together, it’s wonderful! She did tell us that the dressing doesn’t keep – not that it spoils – but it loses its zip after about 6 hours, so don’t make a huge batch of this, thinking you can keep it around for awhile. Phillis did explain a bit about Creole mustard – it’s a vinegar-based mustard. Regular Dijon mustard (which you can use in this, but it won’t taste the same) is a wine based mustard, so the flavors are very different. It just so happened that the cooking store where this class was held had a new bottled Creole mustard that Phillis and others were raving about. Of course I had to buy it. It’s by Dulcet Cuisine, and this one is simply Creole Mustard. The mustard is available at Whole Foods if you have one near you. It’s also exported to Canada and Britain.

Do soak the red onions for a few minutes in water and vinegar. The shrimp is marinated briefly in a bit of the dressing, and you do have to cook up the Andouille a bit. But everything else is just some chopping and mixing. Hopefully you already have some toasted pecans – if you don’t and it’s too hot in the kitchen – just use them right out of the package. You’ll get all kinds of flavors jumping in your mouth as you eat this – the sweet and tart from the dressing – the flavor of the shrimp, and the little chopped bits of Andouille too. It’s got lots of veggies in it, so you’ll get your protein and veggies all in one plate. And carbs too since there are some beans included. A complete meal.

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Two years ago: Lamb Eggplant Shepherd’s Pie
Three years ago: Curried Chicken Sandwiches
Four years ago: Roasted Apricot Almond Cake

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The other day I was reading a pasta recipe at someone else’s blog, and it got me to craving a salad, so I decided to create my own salad, but using a riff on panzanella. You know, panzanella is Italian for bread salad. I didn’t exactly want a true panzanella that’s mostly bread with veggies in it. I do have a fantastic Grilled Panzanella Salad on my blog in case you’re really wanting that. This time, though, I wanted something totally different. But sort of similar. So here’s my salad. It contains cooked chicken, some pennette pasta (or you can use whatever pasta shape you’d prefer), tomatoes, fresh baby spinach, lemon juice, some home made pesto (we have lots of basil in our garden at the moment) mixed into some cream as the dressing. And, the delicious toasted bread croutons. It took no time at all to make – except for baking the croutons and cooking the pasta. While those two things cooked, I chopped up the chicken, cut the tomatoes, squeezed lemon juice and made the dressing. I’d made the pesto earlier in the day, but you can use bottled pesto. I merely made my own since I had the pine nuts and basil on hand.

Here’s what I did. First I put the water on to boil, since that takes 10-15 minutes. I only used about 2 ounces of pasta, but if you’d like more pasta, by all means, use more as that will stretch the salad to serve more people (just use more dressing). I cut up the ciabatta loaf I had from the day before that was already starting to get stale. I tossed those cubes with some oil (I used grapeseed, but EVOO is just fine too) then sprinkled the cubes with a jarred seasoned garlic salt. Because the bread was damp from the oil, the salt stuck well to the bread. The croutons were baked in a 425° oven for about 5-7 minutes, just until they were golden brown. You want to do those in a hot oven because you want the exterior to brown, but the inside to still have some softness to it. If you baked the bread cubes at 350°, it would take 15 minutes, perhaps, to get them brown, AND they’d be as hard as bricks. That’s not what you want in a panzanella.

There’s the pesto at left, and the golden hued croutons just out of the oven. The leftover chicken I had on hand needed to be cubed up, which I did, the tomatoes halved. Once the pasta was cooked through and drained, I put that in the big salad bowl and squeezed fresh lemon juice over it. Then I began adding all the other ingredients – the spinach, tomatoes, chicken and the asparagus. The croutons were added in on top and I poured the dressing (not all, but most of it) onto the bread and tossed it well, then mixed the entire salad. I wanted the pesto cream to coat the bread first, then the excess would also coat the salad and pasta as well. Add more dressing if it needs it, but I caution you to not use too much. I had fresh baby spinach on hand, but you could use any other kind of sturdy lettuce.

If you’d like you could also shred some good Parmesan on top of the salad. I didn’t think it needed it because the pesto had some. The salad is very malleable – use what ingredients you have on hand. Green beans? Add them. Peas? Good addition too. No asparagus? No worries. No spinach? Add Romaine or even green leaf. Or arugula would be great with this.

The next day I got out what was left over of this salad. It was still delicious. The spinach hadn’t wilted, the bread cubes were only slightly soggy, but full of that good pesto flavor. The pasta had absorbed some of the pesto cream, which was good. It might have benefitted from a little squirt of lemon juice over all of it, but it tasted just fine so I didn’t bother. This salad is full of flavor; it would even be good enough for a warm summer night dinner with guests. Worth making; easy too.

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A year ago: Thai Tea
Two years ago: Couscous Chicken Salad
Three years ago: Sarah’s Ginger Scones
Four years ago: Hot as Haiti (a drink)

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Have you learned yet, that when I tell you you need to make something (like this salad) you believe me? I don’t say it all that often – you  HAVE to make this cuz it’s just so gosh-darned good. I’ve been making it for years – probably about 30 years – from the Silver Palate Cookbook when the original book came out. I bought it and this was the very first recipe I made from the book. And I’ve been making it ever since!

Here’s a photo of the dressing after I poured it over the salad – it hasn’t been mixed in yet – but that’s what the dressing looks like. And it’s the dressing that “makes” the salad. And it’s really nothing all that unusual – it’s the Silver Palate’s own “Our Favorite Vinaigrette,” from the same book. It’s olive oil, red wine vinegar, some herbs, Dijon mustard, and a tiny bit of sugar. The rice – because it’s a carb – soaks up oodles of the dressing. And THAT’S what makes this salad great.

With summer coming on, this makes a great salad to take to a picnic or somebody else’s home for a barbecue. It isn’t just for an outdoor occasion, or for summer weather, though. Any time of year is fine – but I’d say it’s better in the summer. You can make everything up ahead of time and toss it together with the dressing just before serving it. Or, you can mix it up about an hour before serving. It’s not all that great after a day – whatever happens, it loses its great flavors – but it’s still good. So, if you don’t think you’re going to eat it all in the first sitting, set the dry rice mixture aside and add the dressing later – even the next day.

So, make this, okay?

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A year ago: Blood Orange Polenta Upside Down Cake
Two year ago: Pickled Grapes (an appetizer)

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We’re revisiting a recipe I posted long ago on this blog (during the first couple of months I was posting recipes here). As I’m working on this indexing project I’m encountering more than a few recipes from back then without my own photographs. Or, the photos are so gosh-awful I feel obligated to make them again so I can update the photos. I now have a list (much too long, actually), so in coming weeks I may revisit those recipes here since I don’t suppose many of you actually have read clear back to July of 2007. I’ve updated that old posting with these same pictures you see here.

So, today it’s about Brussels Sprouts. Read the original story if you’d like. Otherwise I’ll just tell you that having grown up disliking plain, steamed Brussels sprouts, I tried this marinated salad sometime in my early 30’s and discovered that I really did like Brussels. The sprouts are simmered until barely done, halved, then mixed with red bell pepper, some green onions and a simple white wine vinegar and vegetable oil dressing. Then it’s left to sit for awhile – to marinate. I prefer these at room temp, after they’ve sat in the refrigerator for several hours, or even overnight. You might find you like Brussels sprouts better than you think you did. The recipe itself is re-printed below. I love these spouts done this way – they have a gentle but very flavorful taste, and for me, the bacon is what makes it. The original recipe called for 6 slices. I use 2 thick slices instead. Otherwise the recipe is exactly how I’ve been making it all these years.
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Three years ago: BLT Smashed Potatoes

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Actually, that’s spinach in the picture, not arugula. This salad can be made with either. At the Phillis Carey cooking class she used arugula. At the dinner my friend Cherrie and I had, Cherrie used baby spinach.

What makes this salad a little bit different is the dressing, with a bit of apricot jam in it. But it gives the salad a really nice sweet edge. The other thing is halved grapes. I know, I know. Who wants to halve grapes for a salad? Well, it’s only a cup of them and it will take you about 2 minutes max. What you don’t want is you or your guests chasing whole grapes all over your plate or watching one zoom across the room. So do cut them, okay? That’s why you halve them!

The dressing quantity is more than you’ll need – but you’ll be glad to use the leftovers on another salad another evening. You could even save just a few of the toasted pecans, grapes and fennel just for that purpose. They will surely keep one day and night. The salad is lovely from beginning to end. The apricot jam just kind of makes the greens sing. Believe me?

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A year ago: Greek Spinach and Rice
Two years ago: Food Trends for 2009
Three years ago: Spinach and Berries Salad (one of my top favs and the photo you see at the top of my blog)

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At the dinner party we did recently I wanted to serve something other than a green salad. Even though they’re good and generally reliable, I wanted to do something different. This certainly fits that requirement.

The recipe comes from an old Gourmet issue (from 2006). It’s available online if you want to go there. I bought the multi-colored Belgian endives (at Trader Joe’s), 2 greens and 1 red in each package of 3. Navel oranges are in season at the moment, and they’re so juicy and sweet. And then there’s the vinaigrette. The headnotes to this recipe said:

It’s impossible to overstate just how well the ingredients come together in this beautiful salad. The textural contrast of juicy ripe orange and crisp endives is enhanced by a surprisingly complex vinaigrette containing sweet, spicy and smoky flavors.

It was that information that made me clip out the recipe 5 years ago. I’d just never gotten around to making it. And it definitely is the dressing that makes this salad. The sweet comes from the orange juice and maple syrup, the spicy and smoky both from the chipotle chile in adobo. You won’t use all the dressing (at least I didn’t – I have about a third leftover). The dressing does have a few other additions (sherry vinegar, red onion, lemon juice) and it’s just full of flavor.  I served this with a pork roast, so the fruit addition to the salad blended well with the meat. I think pork marries well with fruity sides. We had leftovers, and unfortunately this salad doesn’t keep very well – the Belgian endive leaves begin to wilt. So make just as much as you think you’ll eat. I served it on a large, flat platter – so you could see all the fruit and colorful endive.

I’ve talked about chipotle chiles in adobo sauce before on my blog. They’re jalapeno chiles that have been smoked and cooked in a sauce. I hope you can find it at your market – they’re usually in small, 8-ounce cans (see photo above of one of the many brands available). One of the cooking classes I went to years ago provided a really helpful hint about this stuff – once you open the can, mash up the ingredients in a bowl. Do be extra careful touching it – it’s spicy hot – don’t get it in a cut or abrasion – ouch! Spread it out flat (about 1/8 inch thick or so) on a piece of aluminum foil (see photo  – that is the frozen goop resting on a piece of aluminum foil), cover with plastic wrap and seal in foil, then freeze in a Ziploc plastic bag. When you need some of it, pull it out and chop off a little chunk of it – use a sharp, heavy knife to cut it. Then return the rest to the freezer for another time. The chunk I have in my freezer has been there for nearly a year and it’s just fine. If you’ve never had chipotle chile, you’re in for a treat. Just beware – use it in moderation until you know what your heat-comfort level is. Generally I reduce the amount of chipotle in things until I know how hot it’s going to be. You can always add more, right?

One of the best parts of this recipe is that I made up everything ahead of time – the separated endive leaves in a bag, the orange slices in another, and the dressing in another. Took but a minute to put the finished salad on the platter and dress it.

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A year ago: Broccoli Casserole
Two years ago: Slow-Cooker Tamale Pie
Three years ago: Warm Bean Brie Dip

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Cole slaw is such an American salad. It’s so 4th of July or picnic or backyard barbecue. But it’s also good with some kinds of winter dinners too. I served this with the Easy Cassoulet I made last weekend. It was a perfect foil to the pork, kielbasa and chicken bean dish that night.

It’s a recipe I’ve had in my to-try file since last summer when Kalyn posted it on her blog, Kalyn’s Kitchen. The recipe came from her sister, Val. It was scrumptious. I just loved this salad – I have cut down just a bit on the sugar (I used Splenda). If you want a really sweet dressing, by all means add more, but I thought it was fine with just a bit less. And the amount of parsley is correct – it uses a lot, and is a wonderful flavor enhancer. Along with the green onions. It’s so simple to make – I chopped up everything ahead of time (don’t mix the red and green cabbage together, though, as the red cabbage will bleed into the green), and I mixed up the dressing. It took about 45 seconds to toss it together. It would be a great take-along for a potluck dinner. A keeper of a recipe, no question. Thanks to Kalyn and her sister, Val!

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A year ago: Filet of Sole with Almond Sauce (a Julia Child recipe)
Two years ago: About Penzey’s, the herb and spice store
Three years ago: Crunchy Shrimp with Couscous and Spicy Sauce (a salad, and a big favorite)

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Ages ago I went to a cooking class where this recipe was presented. I’d have never thought to combine melon with prosciutto. It was delicious! You do want to combine two different colors of melon, and you do need fresh mint. Then you add in slivers of prosciutto (from a small, 4-ounce package), crack fresh pepper all over it, sprinkle mint on top, and you’re done.

Diane Phillips said you can make up everything ahead – just keep all items separate, then combine them just before serving. Cinchy easy, really. Very refreshing. The salt in the prosciutto adds a nice counterpoint to the fresh melon.

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A  year ago: GF Pear Crisp
Two years ago: Shrimp and Shellfish Chowder

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