February 2nd, 2012

Sweetheart Salad with Strawberry Basil Vinagrette

I’m so pleased to be a part of the Southern California Lady Bloggers Romantic Progressive Dinner. This collection of recipes hosted on different blogs is designed to inspire a little romance in everyone for this Valentine’s Day. Welcome! Please enjoy the salad course.

Sweetheart Salad is a simple little salad with which I decided to take sweethearts a little literally. The dressing is a slightly sweet blend of strawberries and vinegar (with no oil or added sugar) and just a hint of basil. Add some fresh blueberries, pecans and goat cheese and then top it all off with some simple, yet adorable, heart shaped croutons.

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Sweetheart Salad
Serves 2 (or more, just increase the salad toppings and greens as needed)
1 batch strawberry basil vinaigrette (well, probably a half batch for if making it for two) recipe below
1/4 cup blueberries
about 12 candied pecans
2 tablespoons goat cheese, crumbled
2 cups romaine lettuce or mixed greens (spinach would be great, too!)
half recipe heart shaped croutons recipe below

1. For this salad, I like to toss the greens with the blueberries and pecans and then plate the base salad mixture and then add the goat cheese and croutons on top after it is plated.
2. Please keep in mind that the salad as photographed is very lightly dressed because it photographed better. Your leaves will be distinctly more red.

Strawberry Basil Vinaigrette
1 cup chopped strawberries (fresh or unsweetened frozen)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons loosely torn fresh basil
dash salt
water

1. In measuring cup or small bowl, combine strawberries and vinegar.
2. Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. (Or skip the measuring cup in step one and do it all in a blender)
3. Add the basil leaves one tablespoon at a time, pureeing until smooth.
4. Add salt and puree. If dressing is to thick, add water one teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
5. Keep chilled until ready for use.

Heart Shaped Croutons
Serves 4 (on a salad)
4 slices sandwich bread (or french or whatever you have laying around)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Heart shaped cookie cutters, pastry brush, cookie sheet

1. Using cookie cutters, cut heart shapes out of bread and place on cookie sheet
2. Let sit for an hour, then preheat oven to 350 degrees
3. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix oil, salt and pepper
4. Using a pastry brush or a spoon, brush heart shapes with oil mixture. Flip and brush other side.
5. Place in oven and cook for 8 minutes. Turn shapes over and continue baking for an additional 8 minutes until shapes are golden brown
6. Let cool on cookie sheet and enjoy!
7. Croutons are best enjoyed on the same day, but will keep for a few day in an airtight container at room temperature.

Now head over to The Gonzo Gourmet for Steakhouse Steaks for Two to continue on to the main course portion of the Southern California Lady Bloggers Romantic Progressive Dinner.

January 30th, 2012

Heart Shaped Croutons

Heart shaped croutons are a super easy and fun way to make a salad festive for Valentine’s Day. It is such a simple way to add an extra little touch. Nothing says romance like toasted bread. Fact.

And, to be quite honest, any shape would do. I plan on making bunnies for Easter and you could even make footballs for the super bowl. All game days need a salad. It balances out the good stuff. I went with a simple salt and pepper combination with these, but feel free to spice them up with a little garlic powder, dried basil or oregano or red pepper flakes.

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Heart Shaped Croutons
Serves 4(on a salad)
4 slices sandwich bread (or french or whatever you have laying around)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper. fresh ground
Heart shaped cookie cutters, pastry brush, cookie sheet

1. Using cookie cutters, cut heart shapes out of bread and place on cookie sheet
2. Let sit for an hour, then preheat oven to 350 degrees
3. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix oil, salt and pepper
4. Using a pastry brush or a spoon, brush heart shapes with oil mixture. Flip and brush other side.
5. Place in oven and cook for 8 minutes. Turn shapes over and continue baking for an additional 8 minutes until shapes are golden brown
6. Let cool on cookie sheet and enjoy!
7. Croutons are best enjoyed on the same day, but will keep for a few day in an airtight container at room temperature.

I had a little helper today. This is a great cooking project to do with kids. Spencer is only 2.5 and could cut the bread, remove the shapes, and brush them with oil. I did a little evening out when he was done, but for the most part he was able to do it. (It does depend a little bit on your desire for neatness and precision. Some of the hearts ended up a little rustic and he ended up a little… oily.)           Pin It

January 20th, 2012

Secret Weapon Berry Sauce

This sauce is so easy it isn’t even a recipe. I hesitate to post it, but every time I serve it (which is pretty much every time we have guests) it gets rave reviews and when I explain it, people are always surprised. This simple sauce packs a punch on ice cream, chocolate cake, angel food cake, pancakes, waffles, you name it. My current favorite rendition is as a topping to tart frozen yogurt. LOVE IT.

I call it my secret weapon because it is so easy and yet elevates almost any type of dessert to fancy status, even just a frozen pound cake. (Actually, I like to toast pound cake and dip it.)

Forgive the crappy picture. This pregnant lady had to eat it right away. No time for fancy camera business.

Secret Weapon Berry Sauce

1 pound bag mixed frozen berries unsweetend (I like the trader joe’s mix the best, but any combination of blueberries, strawberries, blackberries or raspberries will do. Just make sure it is unsweetened)
2 tablespoons of sugar

(or to just make a bit, use a 1/2 bag and cut the sugar in half)

That’s it.

Step 1: Cut a hole in the box. Wait. Wrong thing.

1. Throw berries (still frozen) in a small saucepan.
2. Add sugar.
3. Let sit for 30 minutes or so. (This makes it better, but feel free to skip this step)
4. Turn heat to low and simmer until berries thaw and begin to form a syrup. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
5. To make the sauce super fancy, puree with an immersion blender, blender or food processor and strain through a mesh strainer.
6. Serve warm.
7. It keeps in the fridge for a few days, but gets pretty thick. To reheat, add a splash of water and heat in the microwave or stove on low.

November 25th, 2011

Leftover Turkey

Are you drowning in leftover turkey? I’m not. We didn’t even have turkey. But. If you are, here is a handy dandy list of recipes from last year’s turkey week on Soup or Salad Blog. Yum. They are all fantastic.

Turkey Bacon Salad

Turkey Stock

Turkey Chili Verde

Turkey Salad Stuffed Tomatoes

Turkey Bacon Salad

Turkey Jambalaya

Leftovers Soup

Turkey Orzo Soup

Turkey Chili Verde