The salad that I did for the church luncheon on Saturday was full of fall flavor. I used a bed of baby lettuces and arranged maple caramelized pear slices on one side and two wedges of white New York sharp cheddar on the other. It balanced the plates visually but also the tastes balanced out. The pears were very sweet, the cheddar very tangy. I finished the salad with dried cranberries, toasted pecans and a cranberry vinaigrette that was not only pretty it was delicious. I think I like this better than the Raspberry Lime vinaigrette I did last summer…I am not sure.

If you are looking for a starter course for Thanksgiving dinner I think this would be awesome. You can easily arrange it ahead of time and have it on the table.

Caramelized Pear-Cheddar Salad

for each salad you will need:

• 1/2 cup lettuce or baby spinach leaves – I had both in a mixture. I like the lettuce because some of it was a nice burgundy red and so complimented the fall theme nicely.
• 1/2 caramelized pear, sliced into a fan – just slice up through the pear lengthwise but not all the way to the top
• 2 tbs dried cranberries
• 2 tbs toasted pecans
• 1 1/4 inch thick slice Sharp Cheddar cut in wedges

Just place the salad on a plate and arrange the pear and Cheddar on the side. sprinkle with the cranberries and nuts.

Cranberry Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup cranberries
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup vegetable oil (try walnut oil for this)
• 2 tbs sugar
• 1 tbs maple syrup
• 2 tbs red onion, chopped
• 1 orange grated, juice added to vinaigrette
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Blend all ingredients except the grated orange zest to a blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Add the orange peel and let stand for 30 minutes for flavors to blend.

Caramelized Pears

• 1 pear for every 2 servings
• 3 tbs sugar
• 2 tbs maple syrup
• 2 tbs butter

1. Preheat your oven to 375F
2. Glaze pears with maple, sprinkle with sugar
3. Melt the butter over medium heat
4. Place pears in butter cut side down
5. Cook about 3 minutes or until the cut side is beginning to brown.
6. Add to greased pan and bake 30 minutes

image:Marye Audet

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I was happy with the menu:

• Grapes
• Chicken Breast with Maple Chipotle Glaze and Savory Cranberry sauce
• Chili Lime Corn
• Dinner Rolls
• Blue Corn Muffins
• Double Apple Cake

I am going to be posting each of the recipes individually this week but I have a backlog of images to deal with (again!) and I wanted to have a reference point. So….here is what you can look forward to this week. Ladies and Gentleman, Get Your Ovens Ready!

Caramelized Pear Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

I loved this salad and so did everyone else.  I poached the pears in a light maple syrup mixture and laid them on a bed of baby greens.  Nuts, dried cranberries and homemade cranberry vinaigrette were great but I needed something to balance the flavors. When I saw the white, sharp New York Cheddar I knew I had found the balance. I liked the balance of flavors and textures in this…and it was pretty!

Dorie’s Double Apple Cake

I am not sure I got any great images of this. Dorie’s Double Apple Cake from her My Home to Yours Cookbook was the perfect finish for the dinner. I had originally wanted chocolate but as the menu unfolded I decided to maintain the pattern of harvest foods. I changed the cake up, as I will show you when I blog it, but it was amazingly rich, moist, and flavorful. Served it with a Granny Smith Apple to cut the sweetness and a smear of dulce de leche.

Blueberry Lime Muffins

I have made blueberry lemon, blueberry orange, and blueberry white chocolate muffins before. I had some limes left and wanted to see how this worked. I loved the play of flavor between the blueberries and the tangy lime. It was a nice balance of flavors.

And finally:

Beer Batter Onion Rings

Let me just say, completely unbiased and all, I make the best onion rings in the entire known universe. Once I post these recipe along with my hints for amazing onion rings you will make the best onion rings in the universe, too. Pinkie swear.

So…go ahead and do what you need to do while I get my images together and I will see you back here…ohhhh….tomorrow?

images: marye audet

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Summer is hot here. We don’t use air conditioning, haven’t for the several years we have lived in this house. Frankly, it is too expensive, but I also like the idea of flowing with the seasons..experiencing them rather than manipulating them. I know..I am so weird.

Nothing is worse than cooking a hot meal in a hot kitchen and serving it in a hot dining room. That is why God made salad.

Check it out.

Who isn’t going to eat that? Colorful, cool, with a variety of flavors and textures, Chopped Salad is an awesome meal to set on the table when it is too hot to cook. I always make the tortilla chips homemade, you can by them and crumble them if you like, but if it doesn’t taste as good don’t blame me.

The only secret is trying to get most of the ingredients chopped to the same size so the flavor/texture stays balanced.

Serve this with some ice cold melon or mango, or a fresh fruit sorbet and you are good to  go.

Chopped Salad

• 1 package organic baby herb salad
• 1 red onion chopped
• 1 can garbanzo beans
• 1 can dark red kidney beans
• 1 can black olives, chopped
• 1 large bell pepper, chopped
• 2 jalapenos chopped
• 2 ripe tomatoes chopped (I did not have any the day I made it for this image)
• 1 avocado, chopped (optional)
• 1 bunch of cilantro chopped
• 2 hard boiled eggs chopped
• 1/2 lb diced Monterey Jack cheese cubed (pepper Jack is awesome)
• 2 cups tortilla chips, tortillas cut into squares before frying
• Recipe Chipotle Vinaigrette

Mix all ingredients together and serve immediately. It looks better if you plate each salad individually and add the chips last but you can serve it family style in a big bowl.  Yes it is that easy! Serves 8

Chipotle Vinaigrette

• 4 tbs balsamic vinegar
• 4 tbs lime juice
• 1 tbs dijon mustard
• 1-2 tablespoons strong honey (this is always best raw and local!)
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 2 tsp chopped chipotle in adobo sauce (canned, you can find it in the ethnic section of your market)
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 2 tbs fresh cilantro, minced
• kosher salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together, check seasonings and allow to stand for 30 minutes before using. Makes about 3/4 cup.

image:marye audet (c) 2009

Post from: Baking Delights

Back in the day, when I forst got married everyone made taco salad the same way. Doritos, canned kidney beans, cheddar cheese, hamburger, sour cream, iceburg lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and catalina dressing.  There might be a little variation on that but not much.

Well, taco salads have evolved into much more than that. They are still easy and budget friendly, but fresher and more delicous I think. If you have an electric fryer I highly recommend making your own fresh tortilla chips. They don’t take long at all and the difference is amazing. It is one of those small things that takes food from average to incredible.

I like to cut the corn tortillas in long strips. It is different and I like the way it looks. Then I add any number of ingredients based on what is available.

I guess maybe this is a pretty lame blog post. Everyone knows how to make taco salad, and I think I have even shared my basic recipe before.

But it is worth sharing again.

One of the best tips for a great taco salad is to use mixed baby greens rather than the standard iceburg. It not only adds a beautiful color but it adds flavor and texture as well.

It takes a little longer to make an individual salad on each plate but it is worth it. It is more appealing that way. You can also just make the salad bases and allow everyone to add what they like at the table by putting ingredients out in dishes.

Brown lean ground beef or pork (or a combination) in a pan with a little oil. Add taco seasoning, your own homemade or some from the store. McCormick still makes it in an envelope, it has no msg (most of the others I have seen do have msg) and it is about 75 cents. It is funny though, when I first started buying it it was 33 cents. LOL! Drain the meat and set it aside.

I liek to use Vidalias or Texas sweet onions because they give a lot of flavor but they are mild. Now add the following as you like:

• Kidney beans
• Black beans
• Pinto beans
• Chopped bell peppers
• Jalapenos
• Corn kernels
• Tomatoes
• Cheese
• Salsa
• Sour cream
• Celery
• Avocado
• Chicken
• Tortilla chips
• Fried potatoes (trust me)
• Roasted pumpkin seeds
• Sunflower seed

Just layer them on top of your salad, top with a scoop of salsa and then a scoop of sour cream.  Add chopped cilantro, grated cheese and you have an entire meal in under 30 minutes. If you feel like you need dessert add vanilla ice cream with chopped mango spooned over it. Seriously. Does it get better than that?

Image:MaryeAudet

Post from: Baking Delights

I like combining colors and texture and flavors. Iceburg lettuce rarely comes into our home because it is just bland and tasteless. My favorite salad base is either the Organic Baby Herbs or the Organic Baby Spinach. I don’t mind the other mixes either, it is just those are my favorites.

Once I have the base I like to add whatever is interesting, on sale or smells wonderful in the produce aisle. I just start picking up things. The other day I picked up this combination:

The base is the baby herb salad. I added strawberries, blackberries, Tuscan melon, cubed Fontina cheese, and a raspberry key lime dressing that is amazing.

Serve this with baguette or black olive bread. A light, crunchy dessert like  lemon-snaps will compliment this perfectly adding both crunch and repeating the flavor of the citrus.

Tuscan melon is very sweet, similar to a cantaloupe. You can use any combination of fruit in this dish, whatever is ripe and looks the best.

Raspberry Key Lime Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup Raspberry jam (seedless is best)
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons Key lime juice (you can buy the juice in the juice aisle, or use Key limes when they are in season.)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Pulp from 1/4 inch of vanilla  bean
• 2 Tbs walnut oil
• Pinch of salt

1. Make this one day ahead if possible so the vanilla will have time to infuse the dressing.
2. Warm jam in the microwave until it is a liquid. Add the rest of the ingredients and shake well.
3. Store in refrigerator

Yield: about one cup

image:Marye Audet

Post from: Baking Delights

One of the best tastes of summer to me was always my mom;s tomatoes vinaigrette.  They were an awesome side dish but I loved them the best spooned on a thick hunk of sourdough as a sandwich.

Incredibly easy, this only works with fresh, ripe, never-been refrigerated tomatoes. Nothing else will do.  For best flavor make it the day before and allow it to mellow out in the fridge. Serve it icy cold with ANYTHING and you have a meal.

The hardest thing about this is waiting for it to be done…for me the other hardest thing was figuring out the measurements.  I have never measured, just poured and stirred.   It is largely a matter of taste on the vinaigrette, by the way. DOn;t be afraid to add more or less sugar or pepper.

6 very ripe tomatoes, cut in chunks

3 onions sliced

1 c cider vineger

3/4 c white sugar

1 tbs cracked black pepper

pinch of salt

Mix together, taste for seasoning and cover. Place in refrigerator for 24 hours.

Image:Morguefile 

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This salad is great but do not substitute or remove the fresh cilantro. It’s fresh, earthy, warmth is necessary to the success of these flavors. Don’t be focused in on exact amounts…This is a handful of this and a handful of that type of meal.

1 can pinto beans

1 can black beans

1 head lettuce torn into bite size pieces OR equivalent in salad greens

1 bunch cilantro, cleaned and chopped

1 onion sliced into rings.

1 can black olives sliced

2 c corn

2 c shredded cheese of choice (colby, jack or cheddar)

2 tomatoes cut into chunks

5 white corn tortillas sliced into strips and fried until crispy

Lay salad mixed with cilantro on plate. top randomly with the rest of the ingredients. Top with the following: sour cream, avocado, picante, salsa verde as desired

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Do you know I wrote my entire post, published it and found out, with 6 minutes left on the timer that it is lost in cyberspace??? GRR!

This is great…try it ..I dont have time to say more.

1 bag baby spinach

1 pint blueberries

1 pint strawberries, quartered

1 c pecans

1/2 c chopped red onion

1 c dried cranberries (optional)

1/4 c bleu cheese (my friend likes feta)

Arrange spinach on 4 plates. Top evenly with the rest of the ingredients.  Drizzle with:

Mango dressing

1 mango, peeled and diced

2 tbs honey

1/3 c lime juice

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

Blend until smooth. Check for sweetness and balance.

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  The recipe calls for Quinoa but you can substitute brown rice, barley, corn, or just about anything you like…

Quinoa is a mild grain…high in protien. I believe it is related to wheat but many people who cannot eat wheat can eat quinoa.  Really a nice way to introduce this grain to the family.

2/3 c quinoa

2 c water

2 tsp olive oil

2 Tbs fresh lime juice

1/4 c chopped cilantro

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp coriander

1/4 c minced red onion

3 c cooked black beans

4 c diced fresh tomatoes

2 c diced bell pepper (nice to do a color medley here, there are so many colors to choose!)

1 Tbs minced chiles (more to taste)

salt and pepper to taste

lime wedges to garnich

Rinse the quinoa in a sieve under cool, running water. In a saucepan bring the water to a boil , add the quinoa, cover and simmer on low heat until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.

  Allow to cool.

In a large bowl combine the rest of the ingredients except lime wedges, add teh cooled quinoa and combine thoroughly. Refrigerate several hours. Garnish with lime wedges

  O.k..I will admit..I like this with strips of corn tortillas…FRIED until crispy.

  Serves 8 as a side dish

197 colories…8.9 g protien..2.8 g fat…..35.1 g carbs.

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  (I hate writing from the library. Didn’t it used to be a quiet place??????)

Anyway.  Marinate these for 24 hours prior to grilling. You can even put them in a marinade in a freezer bag  and freeze them in the marinade and then take out at a later time, thaw and grill. Don’t you love versatility?

  Serves 8

  8 pork loin chops

1/4 c hoisin sauce

1/4 c soy sauce

1/4 c honey

2 tbs rice vinegar

4 cloves garlic minced

2 Tbs chopped fresh ginger

   Combine ingredients except pork in a casserole dish or ziploc type bag. Mix well. Add prok and marinate for 4 to 24 hours. Make sure all surfaces of  meat are exposed to the marinade by turning meat at least once.

  Drain pork and discard marinade. Grill on a hot grill, 4-5 inches from heat source for  5-6 minutes per side, until juices run clear  or until desired internal temperature is reached. You can stop at this point and refridgerate if you would like the pork for salad or sandwiches.

  I like to top with chopped scallions as a nice finish and serve with an orange, red onion and lettuce salad, some crusty bread, maybe a nice  fruity red wine, and Aisa’s apple tart for dessert woul be perfect!

  The orange and onion salad is quite simple. You just tear mixed leaf lettuce, or lettuce of choice into bite sized pieces,  add sliced red onions.  Now, cut the peel and skin from an orange, clementines or blood oranges are great for this salad. Add gently to the salad.

  Use about 1/4 c fresh orange juice, 2 tbs honey, 2 tbs vinegar (your choice in this, balsamic is nice, rice is nice..whatever you have) or to taste, and about 2 tbs olive oil. Shake in a pint jar until well mixed and add salt, pepper and freshly grated orange peel to taste. Do be sure to check seasoning and adjust to personal taste.

  This is a fabulous summer meal to share with family and friends.  And really, that is what makes summer special doesn’t it?

  Be blessed this weekend!

Post from: Baking Delights