Wish Upon A Chef

Since my quest to move toward real food, I've surprised myself with a) how many recipes I've tried with ingredients I'm not used to, and b) how many of those recipes I've actually enjoyed.  This recipe for Apple & Fennel Salad with Bleu Cheese from Eating Well magazine has appeared in my dinner rotation two times in as many weeks.  I thought it was so delish I even ate the leftovers for breakfast the next morning!  Fennel is loaded with Vitamin C, fiber and potassium and the only way I had ever eaten it before was roasted  - it pairs well with pork.  The anise/licorice is more pronounced when raw, but not overpowering. 

As my food magazine subscriptions start to run out, I'll be more selective as to which ones I renew but Eating Well will definitely be one that I'll keep.  It's loaded with alot of simple and real recipes that don't require alot of exotic ingredients.

Give this salad a try - the sweet butter lettuce with the salty, tangy bleu cheese and crisp apples and fennel tossed in vinaigrette is the perfect combination.

Apple & Fennel Salad with Bleu Cheese
Eating Well, September/October 2012

Printable Recipe

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 large crisp, sweet apple, such as Honeycrisp or Ambrosia, thinly sliced
1 medium fennel bulb, quartered and thinly sliced, fronds reserved
6 cups torn butterhead lettuce
1/3 cup crumbled bleu cheese

Whisk oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add apple and fennel and toss to coat.  Chop 1/4 cup of the fennel fronds and add to the bowl along with lettuce and bleu cheese; gently toss.

This year, I planted a vegetable garden for the first time in many years. A few years of living in a condo with no space for a garden coupled with spending several years married to someone who stroked out at the mere thought of someone walking on his precious grass, let alone striking a shovel into the ground pretty much put my green thumb on the back burner.
But now I have my own yard and I can stomp on the grass if I want or I can dig up a corner of the back yard and plant a garden if I damn well please. And that is exactly what I did. My dear friend Chris spent an afternoon helping me till up the rock-hard ground and putting together a 4x4 raised garden bed that I bought from Home Depot ~ well, actually he did all the work and I watched because he had just
given me a lecture some friendly advice about needing to appear more vulnerable and alot less stubborn and independent. When all was said and done, I acted so pitiful and helpless that he ended up using some scrap lumber and maxing out my garden space. Is he awesome or what??

When I bought my plants back in the spring, I'll admit to being overly excited because it had been so long since I'd planned a garden. In hindsight, I'm thinking 5 eggplant plants were about 4 too many and now that I'm afraid that I'll be strangled in the middle of the night by one of my rogue yellow squash plants, I'll scale back to only one plant next year. I have serious thoughts of tossing squash into the car windows of passers-by just to get rid of them! Some of the veggies did exceptionally well while some weren't as plentiful as I had hoped and I grew broccoli for the first time ever. I'm looking so forward to researching things for a winter garden as I've never done that either. In the meantime, enjoy some quick and easy recipes that show off your garden bounty, starting with Panzanella. Panzanella is also an excellent way to use up leftover bread that may be lingering on your kitchen counter or taking up precious space in your freezer!


Panzanella Bread Salad Recipe
from Simplyrecipes.com

As you cut the tomatoes, remove some of the seeds and liquid. Your panzanella will be juicy enough. Leave the crusts on the bread chunks; they will stay chewier and give the panzanella more substance.

Ingredients:
4 cups tomatoes, cut into large chunks
4 cups day old (somewhat dry and hard) crusty bread (Italian or French loaf), cut into chunks the same size as the tomatoes*
1 cucumber, skinned and seeded, cut into large chunks
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 bunch fresh basil, torn into little pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup good olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
* If you don't have hard old bread sitting around, you can take fresh crusty bread, cut it into big cubes, lay the cubes out on a baking sheet, and put in a 300°F oven for 5-10 minutes, until the outer edges have dried out a bit (not toasted, just dried). If you use fresh bread without doing this, the bread may disintegrate into mush in the salad.

Method:
Mix everything together and let marinate, covered, at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, up to 12 hours. Do not refrigerate or you will destroy the texture of the tomatoes.

Serve at room temperature.

Yield: Serves 6-8.

We may still be speeding toward a few record high temperatures here in the South, but summer is now officially visible in the rear view mirror. It's over, people. Move along. There's nothing left to see here.

I struggle during the time it takes my appetite to make the transition from one season to the next, running the gamut between noshing on fruits and vegetables and gorging myself on stick-to-your-ribs hearty, heavy meals. I'm well aware that typical summer fruits and vegetable are available year round thanks to the modern means of transportation, but there's just something unnatural about eating a watermelon when the air is just as chilled as the melon.

I make no secret of liking my watermelon straight up with a pinch of salt and nothing else. No frills, no fluff, no stuff. There's no sense in messing up a naturally good thing so I'm not sure why I felt compelled to combine my most favorite summertime treat with the savoriness of Gorgonzola cheese and red onion in the Watermelon Salad featured in the August 2008 issue of Bon Appetit magazine. A reader had written in to request the recipe that she had tried at The Beach House Restaurant in Kauai, Hawaii. According to their menu, the restaurant's version of the salad includes carrots whereas BA's rendition does not. It also appears that it is such a requested recipe that it has been added to their website, probably since the BA article was published. No matter which version you try, I think you'll enjoy the combination of sweet, savory, and fresh.

Farewell Summer 2010!

Watermelon Salad
Bon Appetit, August 2008
Serves 6-8

Raspberry Vinaigrette
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
1/4 cup cranberry juice cocktail
2 tbls. balsamic vinegar
2 tbls. white balsamic vinegar
6 tbls. vegetable oil

Caramelized Macadamia Nuts
1 tbls. butter
2 tbls. packed brown sugar
3/4 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts

Salad
2-1/2 to 3 lbs. watermelon, cut into 1/2" thick triangles, rind removed
5 to 6 ounces bag or container mixed baby greens or arugula
3/4 cup Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1/2 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

For dressing, puree first 4 ingredients in blender until smooth. With machine running, gradually add oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

For nuts, melt butter in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add sugar and stir to blend. Add nuts and stir to coat. Transfer to plate and cool. Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

For salad, arrange watermelon slices around edges of plates and toss greens in large bowl with dressing to coat. Divide salad among plates. Sprinkle with cheese, red onion, and caramelized nuts over.

Goat cheese and sweet cherries.

Combine them both in a leafy green salad dressed with a simple homemade vinaigrette and it's heaven on a plate!

With temperatures in the high 90's and even reaching 100 a few times, it's been too blazing hot here in the Carolinas to cook, let alone eat, so my meals have consisted mainly of salads or light snacks. Many thanks to a back issue of Bon Appetit magazine for giving me the idea to pair two of my most favorite things!

Enjoy and stay cool...oh, and even though the recipe says you can prepare the goat cheese ahead of time, don't. It only takes a few minutes and it's best when baked just before topping the salad. I do think the dressing tasted better prepared the day before.

Mesclun and Cherry Salad with Goat Cheese
June 2008 Bon Appetit
Serves 6

•2 tablespoons roasted almond oil or olive oil (I used toasted hazelnut oil)
•2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
•2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
•1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
•3/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
•3/4 cup sliced almonds (about 3 ounces)
•1 large egg
•1 tablespoon water
•1 11-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese, cut crosswise into 6 rounds
•6 cups (packed) mixed baby greens or baby spinach
•1 cup halved pitted fresh Bing cherries or other dark sweet cherries (about 7 ounces whole unpitted cherries)
•1/2 cup 2x1/4-inch strips fresh fennel bulb


•Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk first 5 in small bowl. Season dressing generously with salt and pepper.
•Spread almonds on plate. Whisk egg and 1 tablespoon water in small bowl; sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Turn goat cheese rounds in egg mixture, then coat with sliced almonds, covering all sides. Place on rimmed baking sheet. DO AHEAD Dressing and goat cheese rounds can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover separately and chill. Bring dressing to room temperature and whisk before using.
•Bake goat cheese rounds until cheese is warm but not melted, about 10 minutes.
•Combine greens, cherries, and fennel in large bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat. Divide salad among 6 plates. Place 1 cheese round on each plate and serve.

Labor Day marks the last official holiday of summer and it's amazing how quickly some people put the sun and fun behind them and start focusing on decorating for fall. Not me. I hang on tightly to those warm summer days and the bounty of summer fruits and vegetables . I'm just not ready to give it up and it takes me quite some time to assimilate to the fall and winter food offerings.

My lovely caterer friend Linda Omura from Cherry Tree Catering in Lansing, MI shared this quick and easy recipe with me and it's perfect for dragging out those almost gone summer days. It's also perfect served as part of the menu for a ladies luncheon or perhaps a bridal/baby shower.

Crisp and delicious, this Apple Snickers Salad combines two of my favorite foods...tangy Granny Smith apples and Snickers candy bars. I actually bought a package of snack size candy bars but ate them before I got the salad made and had to go back for more! This salad is easily adapted to serve as many people as you need and easy to pull together at the last minute, so no advanced preparation is needed. Also, it's best when dressed just before serving.

Let's not be so quick to wish Summer 2009 away as we'll never be here again and for those of you in the Lansing, MI area, please be sure to check out Linda's lovely food creations for all your entertaining needs and tell her that I sent you!


Apple Snickers Salad
by Linda Omura of Cherry Tree Catering

Granny Smith apples (I used 2 large apples)
Snickers candy bar (I used about 4 of the snack size)
dried cranberries (a generous handful)
chopped walnuts or pecans (a generous handful)
8 ounces plain or vanilla yogurt
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon honey
lemon juice for dipping apples

Core and dice apples into bite-sized pieces. Toss with lemon juice to prevent browning. Slice candy bars into bite-sized pieces as well and add to apples along with cranberries and nuts.

In a small bowl, combine yogurt, orange juice and honey. Drizzle over salad ingredients just before serving and toss well.

The Charlotte Symphony Pops In The Park series concluded July 3 after a resounding success both in performance and fund raising. The financially strapped orchestra raised nearly $150,000 this season from patrons eager to pay the small suggested donation. In addition to doing my part monetarily, I also contributed to my favorite summertime activity by introducing "newbies" to four of the symphony concerts. I hope they, in turn, will continue to populate the lawn each summer with friends and more friends.

Not only did I show up with new people in tow, each week also brought new and exciting picnic fare. Simplicity was the key for each of the concerts so that I could enjoy the day doing other things and not be stuck in the kitchen prepping and cleaning. Rosemary Flatbread with Bleu Cheese, Grapes and Honey from Food and Wine magazine was a delicious combination of sweet and savory and considering that I'm not a huge fan of bleu cheese, that's a pretty bold statement. I'm fully aware that all of these components compliment each other but it would never have occured to me to combine them in this manner. While this was quick and easy to put together, it does require a bit of planning in order to make the dough and let it rise.

If you're in the mood for something a little more substantial, then no doubt this overstuffed
muffuletta sandwich will fill the void. Another simple and delicious snack to pull together but again, forethought is required. The olive tapenade needs to be made at least a day in advance so the flavors can meld and the longer the assembled sandwich sits, the better it tastes ~ perfect for a picnic because it won't get soggy. Tangy and spicy, this hearty sandwich is not for the faint of heart!

Insalata Caprese is probably one of the most elegant things you can prepare for a picnic. Thick sliced heirloom tomatoes layered with fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil all drizzled with first cold pressed extra virgin olive oil. Amore mio! Of course, I do have to admit that I don't keep the dish true to its Neapolitan roots because I also add a dash of balsamic vinegar and some coarsely ground sea salt. It is imperative to use the best of fresh, home grown tomatoes and basil ~ do not refrigerate either of them prior to making the salad or even after assembly or else the flavors will diminish ~ and make sure you choose a very good fresh mozzarella and not the rubbery stuff that is so common in the grocery stores. Mozzarella di Bufala is ideal but sometimes hard to find so a good fresh cow's milk cheese will work just as well. Each and every item in this salad is showcased so it is important to use quality, fresh, and expensive.

My coveted picnic backpack is neatly store away until next summer but in the meantime, I hope you enoy these recipes and enjoy the summer!

Muffuletta Sandwiches

1 cup pimento-stuffed green olives, crushed
1/2 cup drained kalamata olives, crushed
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons drained capers
1 tablespoon chopped celery
1 tablespoon chopped carrot
1/2 cup pepperoncini, drained
1/4 cup marinated cocktail onions
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup canola oil
2 (1 pound) loaves Italian bread
8 ounces thinly sliced Genoa salami
8 ounces thinly sliced cooked ham
8 ounces sliced mozzarella cheese
8 ounces sliced Provolone cheese

To Make Olive Salad: In a medium bowl, combine the green olives, kalamata olives, garlic, capers, celery, carrot, pepperoncini, cocktail onions, celery seed, oregano, basil, black pepper, vinegar, olive oil and canola oil. Mix together and transfer mixture into a glass jar (or other nonreactive container). If needed, pour in more oil to cover. Cover jar or container and refrigerate at least overnight.

To Make Sandwiches: Cut loaves of bread in half horizontally; hollow out some of the excess bread to make room for filling. Spread each piece of bread with equal amounts olive salad, including oil. Layer bottom of each loaf with 1/2 of the salami, ham, mozzarella and Provolone. Replace top on each loaf and cut sandwich into quarters.

Serve immediately, or wrap tightly and refrigerate for a few hours; this will allow for the flavors to mingle and the olive salad to soak into the bread.

Source:
Adapted from allrecipes.com

NOTES : Marinates overnight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rosemary Flatbread with Bleu Cheese, Grapes, and Honey

Ingredients
1 envelope active dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups bread flour, plus more for rolling
3/4 cup warm water
2 teaspoons chopped rosemary
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 pound red grapes (1 1/2 cups)
Coarse sea salt
3 ounces bleu cheese, crumbled (1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon snipped chives

Directions
In a large bowl, whisk the yeast and sugar with 1/4 cup of the flour. Stir in 1/4 cup of the warm water and let stand until slightly foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the rosemary, fine salt, pepper and the remaining 1 3/4 cups of flour and 1/2 cup of water; stir until a dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a draft-free spot until billowy and doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450°. Place a pizza stone in the bottom of the oven, and preheat for at least 30 minutes.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Press and stretch the dough into a 13-inch round, then transfer to a lightly floured pizza peel. Press the grapes into the dough and sprinkle with sea salt.
Slide the flatbread onto the hot stone and bake for about 12 minutes, until the crust is golden and the grapes have begun to release some of their juices. Sprinkle the bleu cheese on top and bake for about 2 minutes longer, until the cheese melts. Slide the flatbread onto a work surface and drizzle with the honey and sprinkle with the chives. Cut into wedges and serve.

I've been to alot of parties in my life.

I've planned parties right down to the last minute detail, cooked at parties, served at parties, and cleaned up at parties. Oh, wait...I don't think that counts as actually being AT the party, does it? No. Absolutely not. It's been a long, long time since I've hosted a party myself or actually been a guest at a party. I've been in the mood to party. And what a girl wants to do, a girl does.

I wanted to get my new house completely in order before I started entertaining, but are we ever completely settled? There's always something that needs to be done so I decided to get the invitations in the mail and commit to a date. Forget the fact that my window sills need to be cleaned and my closets need organizing...a party is supposed to be about good food and good friends!

The whole time I was getting ready for the big day - planning the menu, making lists, shopping, prepping, cleaning - I kept thinking that I could NEVER do this for a living again!

There were no real surprises on the menu. Since it was MY party, I wanted all of my favorites. The recipes that my catering business was initially built around and made the business a success. I've blogged about most of them before, so I've linked back to the posts and also included the ones that I've never shared with you below. I wanted things that I was comfortable with so I could enjoy my own party and not worry about how a new recipe was going to fly. There will be plenty of time to play with new recipes and have them ready for the next big event.

It was a wonderful Sunday brunch, thanks entirely to my wonderful girlfriends! We laughed, drank, gossiped, ate, and then did it all again. Everything turned out perfectly and we had so much fun!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Candied Pecans (these little jewels made my salads famous!)

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 each egg white
2 tablespoons cold water
2 cups pecan halves
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Beat egg white and water until frothy. Stir nuts into mixture to coat, then drain slightly in a colander, 3-4 mins. Mix sugar and spices in a plastic bag. Add nuts and shake to coat. Spread wet nut mixture in a single layer on a microwave safe plate; microwave on high for 1-1/2 minutes, or until mixture is bubbly. Stir. Microwave another 1-1/2 minutes. Remove; stir to separate. Cool. Store in a sealed container.


Raspberry Vanilla Vinaigrette
Recipe By :Jackie Alejo (Cooking For You!)

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/3 cup raspberry jam
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Shake all ingredients together in a jar, until well blended. You may want to increase vanilla according to taste.


Coconut Dream Bars (one of the most requested desserts from my catering business!)

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
18 1/4 ounces yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs
8 ounces cream cheese
1 pound powdered sugar
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecan

Beat 1 egg and butter. Add cake mix. Pat into 8x12 inch pan. Mix cream cheese, 2 eggs, and stir in sugar. Add coconut and pecans. Spread over cake. Garnish with slivered almonds. Bake at 325 for 45 mins. Cut when cool.

Chocolate Chess Tartlets

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 Dash salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
5 (2.1-oz.) packages frozen mini phyllo pastry shells, thawed
thawed frozen whipped topping -- for garnish

Preparation
1. Stir together first 7 ingredients until blended. Add eggs, stirring well. Spoon about 1 heaping tsp. chocolate mixture into each pastry shell, and place on 2 large ungreased baking sheets.
2. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or just until set. Remove to wire racks, and let cool completely. Garnish, if desired.

Store tartlets in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Yield:
"72 "

To miss something is to also miss what is supposed to be the same.

Deep thinking for a Thursday afternoon, no?

It's the appreciation of the little things that make your life your life and said life wouldn't be the same without these things. I appreciate so much about my new {again} life here in Charlotte...the constant but faint rumble of the airplanes as they pass overhead, the view of the Uptown skyline, people trying to get to some fabulous restaurant or hip club in the congested 485 traffic. Things too numerous to mention. Things that make it home. Things I missed desperately for the six years that I was away.

That's not to say that I don't miss things about my life in Arkansas. But you'd think that after being there for that many years I'd be able to list numerous things that I miss. Sadly, no. I can count the things on one hand and they can be lumped into two categories: food and pets.

I miss my sweet Savory girl and Brown Dog. I hope that they're getting treats and lots of loving every day from someone who cares. I miss the pizza from Rocky's Corner. My favorite was "The Champ" and it was the perfect pizza in my opinion. Thin crust, not too much sauce or cheese but loaded with pepperoncinis, green olives, pepperoni, ham, onions. Goodness, I'm salivating just thinking about it! I have yet to replicate that pizza in my kitchen or find a close substitute here in my new surroundings.

And finally, I miss the shrimp salad from Diane's Gourmet in Little Rock. It was nothing complicated, but the perfect blend of shrimp and mayo and very tasty indeed. I used to pick up a pint while I was in LR and munch on it while running errands for my catering business. And what a compliment! One caterer buying food from a competing caterer for the sheer pleasure and not because I was trying to steal secret recipes. Of course we sold shrimp salad but it was very different from this.

I stumbled across this recipe in Sheila Lukins' cookbook Celebrate! and have deemed it very close to the shrimp salad as I remember it from Diane's. My beloved Harris Teeter had 3 lb. bags of shrimp on sale this past week {buy 1 bag, get 2 free!!} so I have an overload in my freezer even after making this for my lunch this week. The recipe calls for leaving the shrimp whole, which I do if I plan to serve it over mesculan greens because it makes an awesome presentation, but this time I roughly chopped them so I could enjoy it on these cute little sunflower shaped crackers.

Try it and enjoy the comforts of home, where ever you are!


* Exported from MasterCook *

Sherried Shrimp Salad

Recipe By :Sheila Lukins
Serving Size : 24
Categories : Salads/Salad Dressings Seafood

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
For the shrimp:
3 cups dry white wine
1 bunch celery -- with leaves, coarsley chopped
8 sprigs fresh parsley
8 whole peppercorns
6 pounds large shrimp -- peeled and deveined
For the salad:
2 cups diced celery
4 1/2 cups mayonnaise
6 tablespoons dry sherry
salt and pepper -- to taste
1/2 cup fresh dill -- (if using dried, use about 1/4 cup)

Fill a large pot half full with water. Add the wine, celery, parsley, and peppercorns and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low. Add the shrimp, in batches, and simmer until just done, 1 to 2 minutes per batch.

Using a skimmer, remove each batch from the pot to a colander. Drain, then run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain again and pat dry. Set aside in a large bowl, adding each batch as it is cooked and cooled. When all the shrimp are cooked, discard the cooking stock.

Add the diced celery to the shrimp.

Combine the mayo, dill and the sherry in a bowl and fold this into the shrimp mixture. Season with salt and pepper.



Source:
"Celebrate!"

It's been extremely hot and humid here in the Natural State these last few days and today finally brought some much needed rain. Heat and humidity act as an appetite suppressor for me (and who wouldn't complain about losing a few pounds from lack of eating?!) so my meals have mainly consisted of salads, fruit, cheese and fresh veggies. I'm just as happy munching on a fruit and cheese platter or making a meal out of salad caprese and a glass of wine.

Finding a half used bag of dried figs in the pantry and a partial log of goat cheese in the fridge, I had the makings for this delicious salad dressing that was part of a Diane Mott Davidson novel called "Sticks and Scones" that I read some time ago. Davidson's novels revolve around a character named Goldie who owns a catering business in Colorado and winds up finding herself mixed up in murders, mysteries, and drama. If you enjoy light suspenseful reading, you should check her out.

This recipe calls for fresh figs and I've certainly used fresh ones in the recipe but this time I used the dried figs and only used about 2 ounces. Dried figs weigh less than fresh ones and if you use the full 4 ounces of dried, it becomes too heavy with figs. I quartered the dried ones and let them soak in the port for just a bit to reconstitute (add just a bit more port if your figs soak up any of it) and then proceeded with the recipe. I will admit, too, that I strain the figs out of the dressing because figs fall into my consistency issue problem.

Enjoy and stay cool!!

* Exported from MasterCook *

Figgy Salad

Recipe By :Diane Mott Davidson
Serving Size : 6
Categories : Salads/Salad Dressings

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 ounces figs
1/2 cup ruby port
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons hazelnuts
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 large shallot -- minced
2 ounces chevre cheese -- softened & sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper -- to taste
8 cups field greens

Cut the stems off the figs, rinse and pat dry. Place them in a small saucepan with the port and sugar and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover the pan, lower the heat to the lowest setting and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, or until the figs are soft. Drain the figs, reserving the cooking liquid. Allow the figs to cool, then slice them into quarters and set aside.

Using a wide frying pan, toast the hazelnuts over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they emit a nutty smell, about 5-10 mins. Remove from the heat, and when they are cool, coarsely chop them.

Reheat the cooking liquid over low heat and stir in the vinegar, shallot, chevre, oil, and seasonings. Add the figs and raise the heat to medium low. Stir the dressing until the cheese is completely melted.

Toss with field greens and sprinkle nuts on top.

Source:
"Sticks & Scones"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

{drum roll, please} Chicken Waldorf Salad.

Why is it that even though I've found what I consider THE perfect recipe for something, I'm still compelled to try others? Maybe I just need to be reassured that it is, in fact, THE perfect recipe. Maybe I think I'll find a MORE PERFECT recipe. Is there such a thing? I think not. Case in point....

Last summer I posted my all-time favorite recipe for chicken salad but when I saw this recipe in the December 2007 Bon Appetit, I just had to try it. Could it be better than mine, I wondered? There was only one way to find out and so it rolled around on my marathon menu plan for this week.

Wednesday's menu was supposed to be Chicken Waldorf Salad and a dessert called Floating Islands with Lemon-Scented Custard Sauce and Raspberries (sounds absolutely DIVINE, doesn't it?). Notice I say supposed to be. See that lovely drink in the background? It's called a "Blue Lagoon Martini" but we can just call it the "After Two (okay, three) of These, There Ain't No Way I Can Make Dessert" martini. Let's just say that I had a really bad day yesterday, and a drink (times three) was well deserved.

I was quite pleased with the outcome, but only after the flavors had a chance to meld (I seem to be a huge fan of day old food, eh?). You should plan to make this early in the day - or even the day before you plan to eat it. I was a little leery of the red onion so I only used about half of what was called for but was pleasantly surprised by the little burst of savory it added to the sweetness of the fruit. I still think my chicken salad is better, but this ranks right up there as a close second. Maybe it will become your numero uno chicken salad recipe. And just in case that it turns out that you've had a really bad day, go ahead and have yourself one of these little blue beauties with it....

Chicken Waldorf Salad by Bon Appetit

Dressing:
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup apple juice
1/4 cup mayo
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoons turmeric
1/2 cup olive oil
Salad:
4 cups cooked chicken, cubed (I used a rotisserie chicken from the deli)
1-1/2 cup diced Granny Smith apple
1-1/2 cup halved red seedless grapes
1 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup very thinly sliced red onion (I only used about 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
spring lettuce mix

Boil apple juice and pineapple juice until reduced to 2/3 cup (about 10 minutes). Cool completely.

Whisk mayo, honey, mustard, and turmeric in bowl. Gradually whisk in juice, then oil. Season with salt and pepper.

For salad, mix first 5 ingredients in large bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat. Serve salad over spring greens and garnish with walnuts.

Blue Lagoon Martini

1/2 ounce Blue Curacao
1-1/2 ounce vodka
1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 ounce simple syrup

Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain into a martini glass. Kick back and enjoy!

It's not very often that I participate in a blog event - mostly because my schedule is so erratic and I can never seem to get the dish made, photographed, and blogged about before at least a month has passed since the event. But when Lisa of La Mia Cucina and Kelly of Sass and Veracity put the call out for a Salad 'Stravanganza in an effort to trim down for bikini season, I made it my personal mission to participate. And here I am skidding in on two wheels just in time for the deadline.

Lisa and Kelly were looking for any kind of salad recipe and not just lettuce type salads. Macaroni, Seafood, Chicken, Dessert, Pasta, Veggie, Fruit - all kinds. In addition, they were looking for homemade dressing recipes. I have a plethora of both salad and dressing recipes in my collection, but as soon as Lisa posted about the event, I knew without a doubt what I would submit. My most favorite chicken salad ever. I found a recipe called "Sunshine Chicken Salad" several years ago on the internet while gathering and researching recipes for my personal chef service. I had one client who requested this salad every single week and she literally begged me for the recipe when I told her that I was moving out of state and had to discontinue her service. My current catering clients love it too. Alot of them ask what we put in the salad to make it taste so good, and my standard answer is that it's loaded with chicken and fruit with a honey and mayo based dressing with "our secret ingredients" added. You'll see below that our "secret ingredient" is in fact a packet Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix. The original recipe called for almonds to be mixed into the recipe, but I usually omit those because after the salad sits for a day or so, the nuts become bloated and mushy. I do, however, like to garnish with slivered toasted almonds when I'm serving for a catering function. I usually pick up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store when I make this recipe at home.

I'm pretty sure this salad doesn't fall into the "low fat, low calorie" category considering all the mayo, honey, and sugars from the fruit and even though Lisa said "portion control is key," when it comes to salads of this nature I bet she, Kelly, and even you won't be able to stop yourself from sneaking another bite! Enjoy!!


* Exported from MasterCook *

Sunshine Chicken Salad

Serving Size : 8

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 package Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup honey
2 pounds cooked chicken -- small dice
2 cups sliced celery
16 ounces pineapple tidbits in juice, drained well (it is really important to drain them well or your salad will be wet and drippy. Just pour them into a strainer and let them sit for a few minutes while you go about the rest of the recipe)
3 cups seedless red grapes -- cut in half
1 cup toasted slivered almonds, for garnish

Combine dressing mix, mayonnaise, and honey thoroughly in a small bowl; chill for 30 minutes. Place remaining ingredients except almonds in a large bowl; toss with chilled dressing. Spoon mixture onto a bed of torn salad greens and sprinkle almonds on top to serve.

*To toast almonds, place in a shallow baking pan. Bake at 350*F for 15 to 20 minutes or until almonds are lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Cool. Or, place in skillet over medium heat and toast almonds, stirring constantly, until golden in color. Be careful not to burn nuts.

Easter is right around the corner and every year about this time, I start getting homesick. Of course, I'm homesick almost all of the time but it usually becomes a bit more intensified this time of year. Easter always reminds me of my maternal great-grandmother, known to us as Granny. Easter was her holiday and no matter how old you were, it was always your sworn family duty to gather in the kitchen on Good Friday and color eggs with Granny. She did it with my mother and her siblings when they were young and the tradition carried over into my generation. Since I'm the only female of my generation, my male cousins and I would congregate in the kitchen and wait for our instructions. The boys' attention span would soon waiver and they would spend most of the afternoon outside in the yard and leave us girls to the work at hand. We would boil the eggs - about 10 dozen or so - and wait patiently for them to cool. In the meantime, we'd gather all the coffee cups in the cupboard and start mixing the colors. We always bought several boxes of the PAAS tablets and we'd put more than one of the same color tablet in the cup to make the color more intense. To this day, the smell of vinegar still evokes memories of coloring eggs and of course, my Granny. We'd carefully dip the eggs in the colors and let them drain and dry on kitchen towels. Now, gather 'round little readers because I'm going to share my Granny's secret to shiny Easter eggs.....she'd get a little dab of Crisco shortening and rub over the eggs with a paper towel and those eggs would perk up and shine like the sunlight!

On Easter Sunday, the whole family would gather at my grandmother's house for dinner and an Easter egg hunt. In addition to being the Master Easter Egg Colorer, my Granny was the Queen of Potato Salad. She would make it for every family gathering and we would always make such a big deal about how delicious it was. We wouldn't do it just to make her feel good, and we wouldn't do it just because you're always supposed to brag on other people's food. No sir! We'd do it because it was truly the best potato salad. EVER. I suspect in the later years of her life, my grandmother was actually the one who made it, but we never let on like we knew.

A few weeks ago I was craving a burger on the grill. What goes better with a burger than potato salad, I ask you?? If you do a search on Google for "mustard potato salad", you'll get about 17,000 results. I can tell you now not to waste your time because there's only one...my Granny's potato salad! This salad is better if made the day before you need it, but in my humble opinion it's really the best the second day after it's made. It makes quite a bowl full and usually after I've eaten something once or twice, I lose interest and out it goes with the week's trash. Not this. NEVER, EVER would I dream of throwing away the best potato salad. EVER. So eat it all, I did, enjoy it all, I did, and think of my Granny and those Easter eggs, I did!



Granny's Potato Salad

6 potatoes, peeled
4 eggs
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup dill pickles, chopped
pickle juice, as needed
1/3 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons prepared mustard
salt and pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, but still firm, about 15 minutes; drain and chop.

Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat and let eggs stand in hot water for 10-12 minutes. Remove from hot water; peel and chop.

In a large bowl, combine potatoes, eggs, celery, pickles, mustard, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Gently mix together. Use pickle juice to reach the desired consistency. Chill before serving.