Southwest Wedge Salad with Cilantro Ranch Dressing

Here's a southwestern version of the
popular wedge salad. Very colorful!

Spoon on cilantro ranch dressing and

Cilantro Ranch Dressing

scatter with black beans, corn, onions,
chopped tomatoes, and avocado chunks
sprinkled with Mexican blend cheese.
Sprinkle the top with fresh cilantro.

A good salad for a crowd. I cut the usual sized

wedges in half for the buffet that included

roast pork loin with mango salsa and herb

roast chicken with black beans and rice. 

A pot luck with friends.

I even decided to forgo my usual South Florida
footwear for my cowboy boots.

Southwest Wedge Salad

iceberg lettuce

chopped tomatoes

chopped avocado

chopped green (or red)  onion

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can Fiesta corn, drained

1 bag shredded Mexican cheese

chopped fresh cilantro

Cut head lettuce into wedges. Spoon on

Cilantro Ranch Dressing. Scatter on top:
beans, corn, tomatoes, avocado, onions,
shredded cheese and sprinkle top with
 cilantro. Serve extra dressing at the table.

Cilantro Ranch Dressing

1 C mayonnaise

1/2 C sour cream

1/2 C buttermilk

2 T lime juice

1 t garlic powder

1 t salt
1 t sugar

1/2 t pepper

1/2 t chili powder

1/2 t Worcestershire sauce

1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro

Whisk together. Store in a jar.

tip: For a great Chopped Salad, just chop the
 lettuce and add the remaining ingredients.
 Add chopped hard boiled eggs, chicken,
or shrimp for a filling entree. Spoon on
dressing and toss. Sprinkle with cheese.

Links: Between Naps On The Porch,
Designs By Gollum

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BLT Wedge Salad

A good salad to serve with grilled steaks. 

I prep all the ingredients beforehand

 so it takes just minutes to assemble.

If you don't have buttermilk, 

just add a little extra sour cream.
I've given measurements for the seasonings
to give an idea, but you can just eyeball it.
No need to measure seasonings

This will make 1 C of dressing and you

can easily double the recipe.

I mix it up in a jar so any extra can easily be stored 

in the refrigerator and I can make a quick 

wedge salad for lunch. Sometimes I top it with
a chopped hard boiled egg.

For a buffet, make mini wedge salads.
Just cut each wedge diagonally in half
 again and put on a platter and then dress.
Crisp and fresh!

                         Wedge Salad

Iceberg lettuce

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 tomato diced

1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese

Cut lettuce in half, then cut each half into 2 wedges. Slice out the core.

Put wedges on a large platter for serving or on individual plates. Spoon a little dressing over each wedge. Sprinkle with chopped tomato, crumbled bacon and shredded cheese.

Serve remaining dressing at the table. Serves 4

Buttermilk Dressing

1/2 C mayonnaise

1/4 C buttermilk

1/4 C sour cream

1/2 t garlic powder

1/2 t vinegar

1/2 t salt

1/4 t Worcestershire sauce-a dash

1/4 t pepper

pinch cayenne

Combine all ingredients in a jar.

*For a classic wedge salad with blue cheese 

dressing add 1/3 C crumbled blue cheese 

and omit the tomato, bacon, and cheddar. 

Enjoy!

Links: Between Naps On The Porch,
Rattlebridge Farm,

My Romantic Home,

The Charm Of Home,

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Marshall Field's Special Sandwich

The Walnut Room, Marshall Field's Special 

Sandwich. Memories of a truly amazing 

department store on Chicago's State Street.

It was always a wonderful place to go for 

lunch. Sadly, Fields is no longer, but you can

 still make their signature sandwich

The 'sandwich' is in fact a mountainous, delightful 

salad. It's no longer served at the new 'Macy's, 

so here's a step-by-step way to assemble them. 

This is a great use for after-Thanksgiving turkey 

or whenever you have leftover turkey breast.

 Butter one slice of good fresh rye bread. 

(I used 2 smaller pieces.)

 Lay on Swiss cheese.

Add a few turkey slices then 

top with some iceberg lettuce slices.

 Top with a large outer leaf to create a dome.

 Top with a few more turkey slices.

 Spoon on good, preferably homemade 1000 Island

Dressing. Top with crisp bacon slices, hardboiled 

egg slices and tomato slices. Add a  sprig of

 parsley or basil to the top.  

 Layers of deliciousness! 

A little bite of everything on my fork. 

Marshall Field's Special Sandwich

Ingredients:

Iceberg lettuce
Turkey, thinly sliced
1000 Island Dressing, my easy homemade recipe HERE
Swiss cheese
Fresh good rye bread
Butter, softened
Bacon, 2 sliced cooked
Slice if hardboiled egg
Slice of tomato

How To Assemble:

1. Butter the rye bread and place on large plate.
2. Cover bread with Swiss cheese slice.
3. Next add 1 or 2 thin slices of turkey to cover.
4. Remove the large outer leaves from the lettuce
    and set aside.
5. Slice the some of the remaining lettuce into a
    few large sections and arrange a section on top
    of the turkey and Swiss cheese.
6. Cover the open-face 'sandwich' with the big
     outer lettuce leaf.
7. Top that leaf with several slices of turkey,
8. Spoon an ample amount of 1000 dressing over
     the top, allowing it to drizzle down the sides.
9. Add the bacon slices, criss-cross on top.
10. Add tomato slice and egg slice, top mound
      with a parsley sprig.

Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

I've created a board on Pinterest for
Marshall Field's

Links: Between Naps On The Porch,
The Charm Of Home, Rattlebridge Farm,

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Honey Boo Boo Chicken

You're in for a treat with this easy and very

 yummy chicken recipe.

I gave it it's funny name because of the friends 

that shared their favorite recipe. Cathy, and her

sister Liz  had just confessed their guilty pleasure

of watching Honey Boo Boo while we were 

chatting. Liz was busy making her special 

honey chicken for their dinner.

 Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel

It doesn't hurt to have a white wine spritzer

(in the background) while you cook.

 Heat the oil and lots of garlic powder in a large 

skillet on medium high. Be generous with the 

garlic. Add the chicken. This recipe works well 

whether you're cooking for one or six. Just use 

1 chicken breast per person and be

generous with the garlic, salt, pepper and honey.

No need to measure. I gave measurements just 

to give you an idea of amounts. More is best!

Season with more garlic powder and salt and 

pepper to taste.

When almost cooked, drizzle in lots of honey, 

about 1T per breast.

 Stir frequently until it begins to caramelize.

It will turn a lovely medium brown.

Prepare a salad of romaine hearts and 

sliced or chopped cucumber. Toss with

my Garlic and Dill Dressing from

the previous post. Pile the salad on dinner

 plates and top with the

Honey Boo Boo Chicken! 

The contrast of the garlicky crisp salad

 topped with the sweet crispy chicken is 

delicious!

Honey Boo Boo Chicken

 2 boneless chicken breasts,

 cut into bite size pieces

2T olive oil

 1t garlic powder

3T honey

1/2t salt & 1/2t pepper

Add enough oil to cover the bottom 

of a large skillet. On Medium high, heat the oil 

and garlic powder; add the chicken pieces

 and saute until almost cooked through.

While cooking add more garlic powder, salt

and pepper to taste. Add about 1 generous

tablespoon of honey per breast and stir 

frequently until chicken has caramelized 

to a lovely medium brown.

Serve over a bed of chopped romaine hearts

and diced English cucumber that has been

tossed with garlic-dill dressing.

serves 2

(multiple recipe as needed)

Enjoy!

Links: Between Naps On The Porch,
Designs By Gollum, Common Ground,
The Charm Of Home

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Garlic and Dill Dressing

Here's a favorite creamy dressing that's 

quick and easy to make.

 Just combine a few staples.
The garlic powder amount is not a typo.
Yes, use 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons.

Put everything in a jar and
shake, shake, shake.

It's great on a salad of 

romaine hearts and cut up cucumber.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

It's the salad I use as a base when I make

stir fri Honey Boo Boo Chicken, 

...which I'll post next. 

Garlic and Dill Dressing

1C olive oil mayonnaise (or plain)

1/3 C olive oil

1/3 C water

1-1/2 T garlic powder

1/2 t dill

Put all ingredients in a jar and

shale, shake, shake until well mixed.

Chill for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!
Rita

Links: Dwellings,
The Tablescaper,
Between Naps On The Porch

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Lemon-Poppy Seed Dressing

In time for Easter.

 This is a nice, lemony, slightly sweet dressing that

 is perfect for a Spring salad.

 Make a simple salad with chopped romaine lettuce.

 It's nice topped with croutons 

(homemade would be best)

and thinly sliced red onions if you wish.

 Assembled ingredients.

 Juice from 1/2 lemon for 2T and 1t grated zest. 

 Add mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper.

 Whisk it until creamy and add the poppy seeds.

I used 1 romaine heart, chopped to make about 4C.

Wash and spin chopped romaine to make

sure it's dry so the dressing will cling.

Toss the romaine with the dressing

until well coated. Taste to see if it needs

more salt and pepper.

Add croutons and thinly sliced red onion.

Lemon-Poppy Seed Dressing

 – serves 2

Whisk:

1 T sugar

2 T  fresh lemon juice

2 T  mayonnaise

1 t    minced lemon zest

 1 t   Dijon mustard

½ t  poppy seeds

Salt and pepper to taste

Toss:

I heart chopped romaine lettuce

Croutons

Thinly sliced red onion – not much

Enjoy!

Links: Stone Gable,
Between Naps On The Porch
Designs By Gollum

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Bacon, Avocado,Tomato Pasta

What's for lunch?

Sometimes I just look in the refrigerator to see 

what I can pull together for lunch.

 Today I found 1/2 of a tomato, 1/2 of an avocado, 

a few pieces of bacon, and a little leftover grated cheese. 

 All I needed to do was cook a little pasta, and

 Chop those few ingredients.

The rest of the ingredients I usually have on hand

 are: fresh basil from my garden, garlic, lemon juice, 

olive oil and s&p. Toss it all together.

Lunch is being served on the patio!

You don't need to follow the recipe exactly. 

It's just a guide. Use what you have. 

Just add your ingredients and toss.

B-A-T Pasta

2 C uncooked pasta, bow ties

4 slices bacon, cooked crisp

1/2 avocado, cubed

1/2 tomato, cubed

1/2 C shredded Italian cheese,

(Parmesan, Romano, Asiago or a combo)

1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4-1/2 C fresh basil leaves, chopped

2 T lemon juice

Generous amount of salt and pepper to taste

Cook and drain the pasta. Rinse under cold water.

Put into a medium bowl, add other ingredients.

Toss to combine. Two large servings.

Enjoy!

"Ask not what you can do for your country. 
Ask what's for lunch." ... Orson Welles

This is similar to my Spinach Pasta Salad with Asiago Cheese
Links: Designs By Gollum

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Marinated Shrimp

Instead of making the usual shrimp cocktail, try this!

It's a great appetizer.

Serve chilled.

 First, boil the shrimp using my easy no-fail recipe.

 Cover the shrimp with at least 2 inches of water. 

Add vinegar and Old Bay seasoning and salt. 

You can add more spices if you like.

 Place on high heat and stir occasionally. 

When 1 or 2 shrimp float to the top they are done. 

The water may not come to a boil.

 Immediately pour into a colander to drain
 and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.

 Ingredients for the marinade.

 Mince the garlic. I used cilantro here, 

but you can also use fresh flat leaf parsley, or both.

 Combine the marinade/dressing ingredients in a jar.

 Shake to blend.

 To the shrimp add: sliced celery, chopped green
onions and chopped fresh cilantro or parsley.

 Pour the marinade over all and toss well. 

Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

 Sprinkle with additional green onions and parsley. 

Set out with toothpicks at a party or serve in small

glass dishes as a dinner appetizer.

Or do what we did tonight and share with a 

glass of wine and good warm crusty bread.

Easy No-Fail Shrimp Boil

1 lb large or extra large shrimp

1 T Old bay seasoning

2 T cider vinegar

1 t salt

Add shrimp to pot and add water to cover

the shrimp by 2 inches. Add the Old Bay,

Salt and vinegar. Start cooking on high,

stirring until 1-2 shrimp float to the surface.

(water may not come to a boil)

Drain immediately in a colander and 

rinse with cold water to stop the cooking, 

Peel and chill.

This method works any amount of shrimp.

Marinade

1/2 t salt

1/2 t paprika

1/4 t sugar

1 T Dijon mustard

1-2 T horseradish

3 T tarragon or basil vinegar

1/3 C olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake.

Enough for 1 lb of shrimp.

Marinated Shrimp

1 lb cooked shrimp

Green onions, chopped, about half a bunch

Celery, thinly sliced or minced, 2-3 stalks

Fresh Parsley or Cilantro, or both chopped 

to taste about 1/2 C

Place cooked shrimp in a bowl and add the

celery, green onions and parsley, as much as you 

like. Pour over the marinade and toss.

Cover and let marinade at least 4 hours or

overnight in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

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