Garden Fresh Salad

•  1 bunch leaf lettuce, torn
•  2 cups packed torn spinach
•  1 cup cubed part-skim mozzarella cheese
•  ½ cup sliced celery
•  6 medium fresh mushrooms, sliced
•  5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
•  1 medium tomato, sliced
•  Dressing:
•  1 cup canola oil
•  ¾ cup sugar
•  ¼ cup cider vinegar
•  ¼ cup finely chopped onion
•  1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
•  1 tablespoon ketchup
•  ¼ teaspoon salt

1.  In a large salad bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Chill.
2.  Combine dressing ingredients; just before serving, drizzle over salad and toss to coat.

Yield: 6-8 servings.

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Shrimp Salad

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup mayonnaise (I used light mayo)
• ½ cup minced onion
• ¼ cup minced celery
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 teaspoons horseradish
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper (I used a little less)
• 1½ pounds medium shrimp, cooked, peeled and deveined
• 1 (16-ounce) box macaroni noodles, cooked and drained

1. In a large bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, onion, celery, ketchup, lemon juice, horseradish, salt and pepper.
2. Stir in the shrimp and macaroni noodles.
3. Cover, and chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

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Spinach-Strawberry with Feta Salad

Salad:

• 1 bag baby spinach
• 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• ½ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts

Dressing:

• 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• Salt & pepper to taste

1. Whisk vinegar and olive oil in small bowl.
2. Add basil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Gently toss with salad.
4. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

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Spinach-Strawberry Salad

Looking for a vegetable and fruit salad recipe? Then check out this spinach-strawberry side dish that’s ready in just 20 minutes.

Honey-Dijon Dressing

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar or white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon poppy seed, if desired
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Salad

• 1 small jicama
• 2 kiwifruit
• 1 pint (2 cups) fresh strawberries
• ½ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
• ½ cup toasted pecan slivers
• 8 cups ready-to-eat spinach (from 9- or 10-ounce bag)

1. In a tightly covered jar or container, shake all the dressing ingredients.
2. Peel the jicama, removing the brown skin and a thin layer of the flesh just under the skin. The skin can sometimes be slightly tough. Cut about half of the jicama into about 1¼-inch sticks to measure about ¾ cup. Wrap remaining jicama and refrigerate for another use.
3. Peel the kiwifruit. Cut lengthwise in half, then cut into slices. Rinse the strawberries with cool water and pat dry. Remove the leaves and cut the berries lengthwise into slices.
4. Remove and discard the stems from the spinach leaves. Rinse the leaves in cool water. Shake off excess water and blot to dry with paper towels. Tear any large leaves into bite-size pieces.
5. In a large salad bowl, place the spinach, strawberries, jicama sticks, kiwifruit slices, feta cheese and toasted pecans. Shake the dressing again to mix ingredients. Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients, and toss with 2 large spoons or salad tongs. To keep salad crisp, serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

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Frizzled Egg Spinach Salad

Bacon and eggs nestle into a dinner salad filled with green beans, mushrooms, and crispy potato wedges. A warm raspberry dressing adds a tangy-sweet finish.

• 2 large round red potatoes, scrubbed
• 6 ounces fresh green beans (2 cups)
• 8 slices bacon
• 8 ounces crimini or button mushrooms, halved (3 cups)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
• 4 eggs
• 1 5- to 6-ounce bag baby spinach

1. Cut each potato into 8 wedges. Place in 12-inch skillet. Add water to cover; bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Add green beans; return to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes more. Drain; rinse in cold water.
2. Wipe out skillet to dry. Add bacon to skillet and cook until crisp. Drain on paper towels; reserve 2 Tablespoons drippings in skillet. (Reserve additional drippings to use as needed for cooking potatoes and eggs.)
3. Add mushrooms and garlic to skillet; cook over medium-high heat for 4 minutes. Remove from skillet. Cover to keep warm.
4. Add potato wedges to skillet. Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, turning to brown on both sides and adding reserved drippings as needed. Remove from skillet.
5. To frizzle, break eggs into skillet; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low; cook eggs for 4 to 5 minutes or until whites are completely set and yolks start to thicken. For more doneness on top, cover during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
6. Line plates with spinach. Top with beans, bacon, mushrooms, potatoes, and one egg. Add Raspberry Dressing to skillet to warm. Drizzle salads with some dressing; pass remaining.

Makes 4 servings.

Raspberry Dressing: In bowl whisk together ⅓ cup canola oil, ⅓ cup raspberry vinegar, 2 Tablespoons honey, 2 teaspoons bottled chipotle pepper sauce, 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard, and ¼ teaspoon each, cinnamon, and cumin.

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Zucchini Salad with Shaved Parmesan

Drizzle grilled zucchini with a tangy lemon vinaigrette and it becomes an easy vegetable salad. Want a little heat? Add minced fresh jalapeño.

• 1 medium lemon
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 pounds small zucchini, cut into lengthwise slices about ½ inch thick
• ½ cup sliced almonds, toasted (see Tips)
• ⅓ cup thinly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (see Tips)

1. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove the peel from lemon with a vegetable peeler, making sure not to include any white pith. (Reserve the lemon.) Cut the peel into thin slivers. Add to the boiling water and cook until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. Squeeze the juice from the lemon into a small bowl. Add oil, pepper and salt and whisk to combine. Set aside.
3. Preheat grill to medium-high or place a grill pan over medium-high heat until hot.
4. Oil the grill rack (see Tips) or the grill pan. Grill zucchini slices, turning once, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
5. Arrange the zucchini on a platter and drizzle with the reserved lemon dressing. Serve sprinkled with almonds, cheese and the lemon peel.

Makes 6 servings

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 4, cover and refrigerate the zucchini, lemon peel and dressing for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Tips: To toast sliced or chopped nuts, place in a small dry skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

Use a vegetable peeler to shave thin curls or slivers off a block of hard cheese like Parmigiano-Reggiano.

To oil a grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.)

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Quick-Pickled Green Beans with Peppers

Green beans are marinated in cider vinegar-dill dressing and tossed with red pepper, snow peas, and asparagus.

• 2 lb. thin green beans
• 4 to 8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small red sweet pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 teaspoon finely shredded lime peel
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice

1. In large Dutch oven bring salted water to boiling. Add beans. Return to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 6 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking; drain again (Beans may be covered and refrigerated up to 24 hours.)
2. In a 12-inch skillet (with ventilation fan on)* cook ½ of the garlic and ½ of the crushed red pepper in 1 Tablespoon hot olive oil over medium-high heat for 15 seconds. Add half the green beans and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through. Season with salt. Remove from skillet; repeat. Place all beans in serving dish. Add pepper strips to hot skillet and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Toss beans with lime peel and juice. Top with pepper strips.

*When heated, the crushed red pepper flakes release vapors that may burn the nose. For that reason, turn on the ventilation fan.

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Warm Pecan Vinaigrette

• 2 finely chopped shallots
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ½  cup chopped toasted pecans
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ¼  teaspoon salt
• ¼  teaspoon pepper

1. Sauté chopped shallots in hot olive oil over medium heat 3 minutes.
2. Stir in pecans, vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper.
3. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring constantly, until warm.

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Spinach, Grapes and Bacon

Top baby spinach with grapes, bacon, dilled Havarti cheese, and pecans, then drizzle with warm bacon-raspberry vinaigrette.

• 8 slices bacon
• 4 cups grapes
• ¼ cup raspberry vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon packed brown sugar
• Dash each salt and ground black pepper
• 6 cups baby spinach
• 4 ounces dilled havarti cheese, shaved
• Pecan halves (optional)

1. In a 12-inch skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels reserving 3 tablespoons drippings in skillet.
2. Meanwhile, halve 2 cups of the grapes.
3. Add vinegar, brown sugar, salt and pepper to skillet. Heat 30 seconds just until warm.
4. In a large bowl combine spinach, and halved grapes; add warm drippings mixture. Toss to coat. Divide among 4 plates. Top with cheese and bacon. Serve with remaining grapes and pecans.

Makes 4 servings.

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Shrimp Bruschetta Salad

French bread is toasted and topped with shrimp, cherry tomatoes, Italian parsley, and Asian sweet red chili sauce.

• 1 lb. large peeled fresh or frozen (thawed) cooked shrimp
• 1 pint yellow and/or red cherry tomatoes, quartered
• ¼ cup snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
• ¼ cup Asian sweet chili sauce
• 1 small baguette or small loaf of French bread
• 3 Tablespoons mayonnaise
• Bottled hot pepper sauce (optional)

1. Preheat broiler. Remove tails from shrimp, if present. Combine shrimp, tomatoes, parsley, and sweet chili sauce in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Halve loaf of bread lengthwise and crosswise. Brush cut surfaces with mayonnaise and toast, place on a baking sheet. Broil bread 4 to 5 inches from heat 2 minutes or until golden brown.
3. Top toasted bread pieces with shrimp mixture. Pass bottled hot pepper sauce.

Makes 4 servings.

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