This is a great time of year to fix your favorite salads as side dinner salads or larger salads like Cobb Salad, Chef Salad, and Chicken Salads.  In the summer when the temperature rises and it is so hot, we will fix a specialty entree salad and have it for dinner.  I tried for several years to find a Ranch Dressing recipe that we liked.  I would try a recipe, add spices, remove spices and it still did not taste right.  I finally made this one and I love the Ranch Dressing and the Blue Cheese Dressing.  I have not bought salad dressing for years.  Salad dressing is easy to make and it does not have that weird after taste of preservatives that you taste with store bought dressing.

Salads taste different to me whether you tear the greens and chunk the vegetables, chop the salad and vegetables, or serve lettuce wedges.  Change the way you fix you salads and add different things to the salad so it is not boring.

Salad Wedge

Ingredients
1 head of lettuce
1 tomato thinly diced
2-3 slices of bacon
Nuts (optional) sunflower seeds or toasted pecans

Preparation

Fry 2-3 slices of bacon until crisp in a skillet.  Remove the bacon from the skillet.  When cool crumble the bacon into small pieces. Set aside.

Cut a ripe tomato into thin pieces.  Set aside.

Wash the head of lettuce and remove the outer leaves.  Discard the outer leaves.

Remove the core of the lettuce by cutting around the core and pulling it out.  Discard the core.

Drain the head of lettuce on a paper towel.

Cut the lettuce into large wedges and place on individual salad plates.

Top with the Ranch Dressing or Blue Cheese Dressing.

Add a few pieces of bacon, tomato, and nuts over the top of the dressing.

Ranch Dressing

Ingredients
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, chives, parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.

When blended, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.  The longer it is in the refrigerator the better it tastes.

It will stay in the refrigerator for about one week.

Blue Cheese Salad Dressing

Use the recipe from above.  Stir in a couple of tablespoons of crumbled blue cheese.

When blended, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.  The longer it is in the refrigerator the better it tastes.

It will stay in the refrigerator for about one week.

Tip:
You may want to make the Ranch Dressing and put half in one container.  Stir some of the Blue Cheese into the remaining dressing and put it in another container.
This works really well if you have children (or adults) that do not like Blue Cheese.

Enjoy!

Sausage and cabbage soup is a very economical soup that can be cooked in the slow cooker or on top of the stove. It is a very tasty soup and one that we really like in the winter when the colds and flues are going around. The cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin C, fiber, and amino acids.  Cabbage is a good food to include in your diet if you are trying to lose weight because it is low in calories.

When you buy cabbage, look for heads of cabbage that feel heavy and have leaves tightly packed. The cabbage will store in your refrigerator crisper for a couple of weeks. Do not wash cabbage before you store it in the crisper. The extra moisture allows the cabbage to deteriorate faster.  You do need to wash the cabbage before you cook with it.

Ingredients

1 to 1 1/2 pounds Italian, Hot Italian, or Polish sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
5 carrots, peeled and diced into small bite-size pieces
7 potatoes, peeled and diced into small bite-size pieces
1 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 medium cabbage, cut into wedges
3  (14 oz) cans chicken stock
2 cups water
1 tsp caraway seed
Salt to taste, if needed
oil (if needed)

Preparation

Add chicken stock and water to slow cooker or stockpot.
Cut the sausage into cut ½- inch bite-size pieces and place in skillet. Add a small amount of oil to the skillet, if needed, while it is frying. Fry until brown and add to the slow cooker. If you are cooking the soup on top of the stove add the sausage to a 6-quart stockpot.

Add the vegetable to the slow cooker like a Hamilton Beach 33967 Set ‘n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker or stockpot in the order listed. Then add the rest of the ingredients.

Turn the slow cooker to high until it is bubbling. Turn the soup down to low for 6-8 hours or until the vegetables are done.

On the stovetop, cover and bring the mixture to a boil. Simmer for 4-5 hours or until the vegetables are done.

Tip
I have omitted the browning of the sausage when I was in a hurry. I prefer the taste of the sausage browned. I have also cooked the sausage on medium heat on the barbecue until browned and then cut it into pieces.

Wash the head of cabbage under running water. Cut the head of cabbage in half and remove the solid white core and discard the core. If I am feeding extra that night, I add more cabbage, more potatoes, and more liquid.

Enjoy!

Christmas is my favorite holiday. It is fun fixing all of your traditional favorites that everybody looks forward to during the holidays. I like to try new recipes to add to our traditional favorites to make dinner a little different and exciting.

We eat a lot of salads and I am always trying new salads that combine the foods and flavors that we enjoy. Serving a green salad with red highlights is an elegant additional for your Christmas dinner table or buffet. Another advantage of having a salad is that you can make most of it ahead of time.

Be sure and read the tips on how to remove the seeds from the pomegranate because the seeds will stain. It is not hard to remove the seeds, and by using the tips it will not be as messy.

Greens and Pomegranate Salad

Ingredients
1 (10 ounce) bag baby spinach leaves or spring mix, rinsed and drained
1/4 red onion, sliced very thin
1/2 cup pecan pieces, toasted
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 pomegranate, peeled and seeds separated

Preparation
Place salad greens in a salad bowl. Separate the onion rings. On the top of the salad greens, add onions, toasted pecan pieces, and feta cheese. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds over the top and drizzle with the balsamic vinaigrette.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1-2 tablespoons of honey (to taste)
salt (if needed)
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation
In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, garlic, mustard powder, honey, salt and pepper using an Oxo Good Grips 11-Inch Balloon Whisk. Add one tablespoon of honey and taste it, add more if you like the dressing sweeter.

Tips:
How to Toast Pecans
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Roughly chop pecans and place the pecans on a non-stick cookie sheet. Bake 5-10 minutes, turning once with a spatula. When the pecans are just beginning to turn a little darker. Look at the pecans every minute or so after you turn them so they do not get too dark. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and slide the pecans off of the cookie sheet to cool.

If you do not have a non-stick cookie sheet, line the cookie sheet with parchment paper or very lightly spray with oil.

Removing Pomegranate Seeds
Pomegranates are sweet, tasty, and bursting with flavor. Be very careful when you are seeding the pomegranate because the pomegranate will stain your clothing, counter tops, and floors.

The easiest way to remove the pomegranate seeds is to remove them underwater. Fill a large bowl or pan or pan with water.  Cut the pomegranate in half from the top to halfway to the bottom. With your thumbs pull the pomegranate into two pieces. Repeat the cut on the two halves. Take your fingers are remove the membrane from the fruit. The seeds will sink to the bottom. When all of the membranes have been separated from the seeds, place the pomegranate seeds in a bowl or bag.

Pomegranates freeze well. Dry the seeds and place them on a single layer on a wax paper lined baking sheet.  Put in freezer for two hours. When frozen, remove the pomegranate seeds and put them into freezer bags.  Label the freezer bags and return them to the freezer.

Some grocery chains now offer the fruit in a ready-to-eat state. Purchasing pomegranates this way costs more, but the convenience is well worth the extra money.

There are many versions of minestrone soup. This is the one that I use for the leftover braised chuck roast and broth. The number of ingredients looks very long, but it is really simple since you are mainly just adding vegetables. This recipe makes a large recipe that you can serve for dinner, lunches for school or work, and afternoon snacks. The soup freezes well and you can keep it in the freezer for a few months. The secret to this recipe is the grated cheese and dried sweet basil leaves. Use as much, or as little of the cheese, as you prefer. Take the dried basil and pour a little of it onto your fingertips and crush it with your fingers before you sprinkle it over the soup.

Ingredients

11/2 lbs. leftover braised chuck roast, cut into medium pieces or 1½ lbs cooked shin beef with bone.
1 cup dried great white northern beans
5 quarts water
2 tablespoons salt
½ tsp. pepper
2 cups chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1½ cups diced celery
4 cups finely shredded cabbage
6 peeled and diced carrots
6-8 medium potato, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
1/2 lb. ground hamburger
1 quart frozen loose-pack green beans or 2 cans drained
1 can corn drained
1 can peas drained
1 can garbanzo beans, drained (optional)
1 1/2 cups broken-up uncooked spaghetti about one-inch long
Grated Parmesan cheese
Dried basil leaves
Seasoning salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

This recipe will require a very large pan or a stockpot like Farberware Classic Series 12-Quart Stainless-Steel Stockpot with Lid because this will make a lot of soup.

Preparation

Cut up or shred the leftover braised meat and add the meat and broth from the braised meat recipe to the pot. Add great white northern beans, onion, garlic, celery, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, and parsley to the pot.  Add the water to the mixture.

Brown the ground hamburger in a skillet and add to mixture. Cover soup and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes until the great white northern beans and vegetables are tender. Add the rest of the vegetables and the spaghetti. Simmer until spaghetti is cooked, about 10 to 15 minutes. Taste for seasonings; you may wish to add additional salt. You can let the soup simmer until you are ready to serve it.

Serve the soup with a sprinkle of cheese and a pinch of the dried basil leaves. Makes about 7 quarts.

Tip

If your family does not like one of the vegetables, change it to something else, or add more of one that is already in the soup. You may want to use zucchini, yellow squash, turnips, or rutabagas.

If you have any soup left, you may want to freeze some for a later time. After you fill the freezer bags, lay them flat on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer until frozen. The soup will then stack easier in the freezer. Date and label the freezer bags so you will know what is in the bag.

For school or work lunches send a baggie, or other small container, with the cheese and dried basil leaves to top it off.

Alternative Method

If you are going to skip the braised beef roast and use the shin beef with the bone, you will need to place the shin beef, great white northern beans, water, and pepper in a large pan. Cover and simmer for 3 hours on the stove top or put it in the slow cooker for 8 hours. In the slow cooker bring the mixture to a boil and turn it down to low.  You can do this the day before.

Remove the meat from the mixture and cut off the meat from the bones. Add the meat back into the mixture. Add onion, garlic, celery cabbage carrots, potato, and parsley. Brown the ground hamburger and add to mixture. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender about 30 minutes. Add the rest of the vegetables and the spaghetti. Simmer until spaghetti is cooked, about 10 to 15 minutes. Taste for seasonings; you may wish to add additional salt.

Enjoy!

My daughters, (and the Human Body Detectives), Merrin and Pearl have discovered the Caesar salad. They love it and whatever entices them to eat more veggies, I am all for it.

However, store bought ceasar dressing is not so healthy, so I figured we would try and make it by scratch. We poured through recipes and tested some out, although we soon discovered that most caesar salad dressing ingredients are not so kid friendly – like worcheshire sauce (too spicy for most!).  We decided to take what we like from the recipes and create our own. Since we are going into the festive season, we added walnuts and cranberries. They add an extra crunch and a touch of sweetness!

(PS the kids liked the idea of a coddled egg, so we decided to add that in!)

Merrin & Pearls Kid Friendly and Festive Caesar Salad

Ingredients

• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 11/2 tsp anchovy paste
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tsp of red wine vinegar
• 1 coddled egg*
• 1/2 cup of a medium sized lemon – squeezed
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup of chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup of dried cranberries
• ½ cup of croutons or toasted bread sticks
• 5 heads of baby romaine lettuce

1. Wash the baby romaine lettuce and set aside to dry.
2. Mix 2 crushed garlic cloves, anchovy paste and olive oil. Blend well.
3. Crack in the coddled egg, add 2 tsp of red wine vinegar and lemon juice.
4. Whisk all together until the dressing is light and creamy.
5. Toss with the baby romaine lettuce.
6. Mix in the parmesan cheese, walnuts and cranberries.
7. Garnish with breadsticks or croutons.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

* Bring a pot of water to boil. Add an egg (still in shell) and let stand for 1 minute. Remove the egg and let cool.

Dr. Heather Manley, who in 2001 received her medical degree from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon, is a practicing physician whose primary interest is preventative healthcare for families. She is the author of Human Body Detectives, her educational series of story-telling audiobooks and accompanying activity workbooks. She also promotes wellness and naturopathic healthcare on her website. She lives on the Big Island of Hawaii with her husband and two daughters, and is currently at work on the next Human Body Detectives adventure.

When it is so hot outside, I am always looking for something to fix that is quick, easy, and refreshing.  It is even better if it is a no-cook recipe like this one.  Any food that does not turn on the stove to heat up the house is on the top of list this time of year.

This salad is easy to make for a crowd or for a backyard barbecue.  This is a great recipe for Super Bowl parties, buffets, and potlucks since it can be made ahead of time.  The salad goes well with most entrees and is also light and refreshing.

Ingredients

2 medium tomatoes, sliced and quartered or cherry tomatoes
1 large cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 red onion thinly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon parsley
1/3 cup red or white wine vinegar
1/2 cup water

Preparation

Wash the tomatoes and cucumber.  Peel and thinly slice the cucumber set aside in a bowl.  Slice and quarter the tomatoes and add to cucumbers.  Peel and thinly slice the red onion and add to the bowl.  In a small bowl, combine the sugar, salt and pepper. Slowly add the vinegar and water while you are whisking the dressing.  Pour over vegetables and gently coat the vegetables.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Serve with a slotted spoon.  Serves 6

Variation

If you are in a real hurry, cut up the vegetables and set aside.  Mix up an envelope of Italian salad dressing and pour over the vegetables.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or more.

You can add more of one vegetable and less of another.  Just try to keep the quantity about the same or you will have to adjust the dressing.

Chinese food is very popular at our house.   It is so good and it is very economical.  You do not have to go out for Chinese food; you can make some fabulous Chinese food at home.

When you start cooking Chinese food, you will find that everything cooks very quickly.  Cut up the meat and veggies and measure out each ingredient separately. If you do this before you start cooking, it is much easier.

There is a wide variety in Chinese soups.  Some Chinese soups are light and cook quickly while others are more robust and take longer to prepare.   This Chinese Egg Drop Soup is a light soup and is very easy to make.  Just remember it does not take long to cook and each step is very quick.

Egg Drop Soup

2 eggs
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons of water
6 cups of chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
1/4 cup frozen green peas
6-8 water chestnuts, finely sliced
2 green onions, stalk only.
Finely chop the green stalk  (optional)

Place the eggs in a small bowl and beat them with a fork or a small whisk until blended.  Add in the water.  Set aside.

Put the cornstarch and water in a small bowl or cup and blend with a fork until it has no lumps.

Put the stock in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the sugar, salt, and soy sauce.

Take the cornstarch mixture, stir it with a fork a couple times so it has no lumps and add to the stock.  Stir the soup while the soup thickens.  When it is thick enough for your taste add the green peas and water chestnuts.  Reduce heat to low.

Stirring the soup constantly, slowly add the eggs.  Stir the soup until the eggs until they separate into shreds, then turn off the heat.  Do not over stir the eggs or the shreds of egg become very small.

Serve and garnish the egg drop soup with the green onion stalks.
Serves 4

These pickles make a super fast side dish or condiment to all sorts of dishes, but go particularly well with Asian foods. I like to flavor these with a little fresh ginger and a couple of drops of toasted sesame oil, but they are just as good plain. Toss a handful across some noodles or fried rice or have a pile alongside your next sandwich. No matter what you choose to use these for, they’ll add a refreshingly tangy crunch to your meal.

Quick Cucumber Pickles

Ingredients:
2 English cucumbers
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp minced ginger (optional)
1/8 tsp toasted sesame oil (optional)
pinch of red chili flakes (optional)

Directions:
Slice the cucumbers into 1/8 inch thick rounds (a mandoline is perfect for this if you have one). Combine the sugar and salt in a large bowl and toss the cucumber slices with your hands to coat with the sugar/salt mixture. Add any additional spices or flavoring you wish to use and toss to incorporate. Allow cucumbers to sit for at least 20 minutes and taste for seasoning. If they are too strong you can rinse them a bit, if they aren’t strong enough you can add more salt or sugar.

Notes:
-These should keep for a few days in the fridge, but you will want to check from time to time to make sure they aren’t getting too strong for your taste, assuming they last that long.
-You can scale this up as you so desire, just use a mix of 1 part salt to three parts sugar. If the brine is too concentrated you can dilute it with some water or rinse the pickles to take off some of the excess salt.
-Fresh or dried dill, tarragon and mustard seeds are also good flavorings to try.

This method of cooking kale is my new favorite. Kale chips made by baking the leaves with a little olive oil and salt results in an almost potato-chip like treat that is genuinely good for you. You can season them with whatever spices you like or keep them simple and plain. There is no easier way to eat green leafy vegetables, or at least no way more genuinely enjoyable (and that’s coming from a true salad lover). Make a batch of these today and you’ll probably make three more before the end of the weekend. Even my dog begs for these chips, and I’m pretty sure I could convince my dad to try one too. These more than make up for the minimal effort involved in making them.
A note on the type of kale–I’ve been having a hard time finding the best variety of kale for these–flat, or lacinato kale. The batch I made for the picture is from a bunch of curly kale. I think the result is a more evenly crunchy one when you can find the flat kale, but the chewiness of the center rib and thicker middle of the leaf in curly kale is actually kind of appealing, though you’ll need to watch it closely to make sure you don’t burn the frilly edges. Whatever kind you’ve got, wash it thoroughly and dry it very well and you’ll do just fine.

Baked Kale Chips

Ingredients:
1 bunch kale
1 Tablespoon olive oil
salt and/or other spices to taste

Directions:
Wash the kale and spin it dry in a salad spinner if you have one, otherwise drain well and finish with paper towels. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If useing curly kale, break off the bottom third or so of the stem where there isn’t much actual leaf. Rip the leaves into large pieces. Toss gently in a large bowl with the olive oil to coat lightly with the olive oil, using your hands to make sure you get all the leaves. Line a cookie sheet with parchment and scatter the leaves in a single layer. Sprinkle lightly with salt and whatever other spice you choose and bake for 10-15 minutes until the leaves are crisp but not brown, keeping a close eye on the pan so that the leaves don’t burn. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before tearing into the chips.

This spinach salad is perfect for entertaining or as a light meal. The mushrooms marinate in the dressing to create wonderful flavor and texture. Most of the ingredients to this salad are in the dressing, which can be easily made ahead of time and keeps for several days, making this salad a real time saver.

Spinach Salad Ingredients

• Baby Spinach, washed and dried
• Swiss Cheese, shredded
• Bacon bits

Wash the baby spinach leaves and dry them using a salad spinner or paper towels. If you are using regular spinach leaves in this salad you will want to pull off the thick stems to create a better texture and flavor. Shred the swiss cheese and set aside.

A lot of bagged spinach says that it has been pre-washed. I’d still wash it anyway. A quick wash can get rid of any bacteria or other contaminants that have gotten onto the spinach from any point during the processing and packaging.

Cut bacon up into 1/2 inch pieces and saute in a frying pan until it is crispy. Be sure and cook the bacon long enough that it can stand up to the salad dressing without getting mushy.You can use artificial bacon bits in this – but seriously, why would you. Bacon cooks really quickly if you cut it up first but if you prefer to cook it whole and then crumble it that works just as well.

Spinach Salad Dressing

• Sliced mushrooms (I like baby portobello but button mushrooms work fine)
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 t salt
• 1 T poppy seeds

Slice mushrooms and mix together all of the ingredients for the spinach salad dressing.

Let the dressing sit for at least a few hours before serving.

This dressing tastes just as good, if not better the next day. If you don’t mix it together with all of the spinach leaves on the first day you can easily put together another salad in minutes the next day that is just as fresh as the first one.

Assembling the Spinach Salad

Toss the spinach leaves with the salad dressing about 10 minutes before serving. Top the salad with swiss cheese and bacon.

Variation – To create a more mild onion flavor, the red onion can be chopped and cooked with the bacon.