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Croutons
Yield: 3 cups
2 T margarine
2T olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
8 slices bread, cut into 3/4”
cubes (or larger)
Seasonings—Italian, basil,
rosemary, oregano,
Etc. (Optional—depending what you want!)
Salt and pepper
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the
margarine, oil, garlic and seasonings in a small saucepan. Take off the heat.
2. Place bread cubes on a cookie sheet (with
sides), then pour melted margarine mixture over the cubes, tossing well to coat.
3. Bake until bread cubes are golden brown and crisp, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper while still warm.
4. Cool completely then store in an airtight container or plastic bag. Store at room temperature.
Herbed Buttermilk Dressing
1 C Buttermilk,
well shaken
1/2 C Mayonnaise
2 T Oil
1 T Lemon Juice
2 Garlic cloves, minced
2 T Fresh chives
1 T Flat Leaf Parsley
1/4 t Salt
1/8 t pepper
- Combine all ingredients in a blender and then refrigerate.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Yield: 1 1/2 C
1 C Olive Oil
1/2C Balsamic vinegar (white
or dark)
1 1/2 t Dijon mustard
1 Large clove garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste
1.
In a medium bowl, use a wire whip and beat together the above ingredients
until thickened and creamy.
2.
Keeps refrigerated when not using.
Mediterranean Chicken Salad
3 cups diced cooked chicken
12oz corkscrew pasta, cooked
and chilled
1 C cherry tomatoes, cut in
1/2
1/2 C olives, sliced
1 1/2 to 2 t capers
1/2 C canned artichoke hearts,
quartered
1/4 C red onions, thinly sliced
1/2 C Red Bell Peppers, julienne
Balsamic Vinegar Dressing (1/2 recipe below)
1. Boil a large pot of water with a large pinch of salt in it. When water
is rapidly boiling stir in pasta. Cook stirring now and then until pasta is done…when it is al dente (“to the
tooth”- you have to taste it!). Cool hot pasta in a colander, by running
cold water on it until no longer hot. Add 1 T olive oil and toss. Refrigerate. Toss Balsamic Vinaigrette with the pasta until thoroughly coated
Fruit Ambrosia
1 can
chunky pineapple
1 can tropical fruit cocktail
1 can mandarin oranges
¼ C
Maraschino cherries, drained
on a paper towel and then quartered
2
C nonfat sour cream
1/2 bag miniature marshmallows
½ C coconut, optional
1. Drain the liquid from all the cans of fruit in a colander for about 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside some liquid in case the sour cream needs to be thinned.
2. Mix all the fruit together, making sure to not over stir and break up the fruit.
3. Fold the marshmallows into the sour cream (add the coconut now, if desired) and fold
into the fruit mixture. Refrigerate overnight so flavors will blend together. Serve cold.
Taco Salad
1 # lean ground beef
6 servings
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 clovers garlic, minced
1T oil
2 C pinto beans (and garbanzo
beans, drained—Optional)
2 t ground cumin
2 T California chile powder
Salt and pepper
½ C tomato sauce
1 head romaine lettuce, shredded
1C shredded cheddar cheese
2 medium firm tomatoes, cut
into cubes
½ red onions, sliced into thin
rings
½ C black olives, sliced
1 avocado, cubed
¼ C cilantro leaves
4 C tortilla chips
Chipotle Sour Cream Topping: Mix together in a bowl, 2 T chopped chipotle in adobo sauce, 1 C low fat sour cream
and 2-4 T milk to make a tin sauce, add salt as needed
1. Saute the onions in the oil in a small sauté pan until soft but
not brown. Add the garlic the last minute or so.
Set aside.
2. Brown the ground beef in a separate large pan and drain the fat
into a bowl using a colander.
3. Put the ground beef, onion and garlic mixture and beans back
in the large pan. Add the cumin, chile, salt, pepper and tomato sauce and adjust seasonings. Heat until the desired
temperature. Set aside.
4. Have all of the other ingredients prepared and layer the
ingredients on a platter as follows: Chips are put down first,
then the lettuce, ground beef, tomatoes, olives, avocado, red onion and cheddar cheese and cilantro leaves. Serve with chipotle topping.
ASIAN PASTA SALAD
w/Peanut Dressing
DRESSING:
One ½-inch-thick slice fresh
ginger, peeled
8 cloves garlic, peeled
½ C smooth peanut butter
1 to 2 t chili flakes
¼ C soy sauce
¼ C sugar
3 T Chinese black vinegar or
Worcestershire sauce
1 T toasted sesame oil
¼ C water
1. In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, chop ginger &garlic.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until the consistency of heavy cream. Add ingredients until flavor is what you want.
SALAD:
1 lb. Chinese dried noodles
3 carrots, peeled and julienne
1 red bell pepper, julienne
1 bunch green onions, sliced
thinly (slice only ½ of the green part)
1 C cilantro leaves
1 cucumber, peeled thinly, sliced
then halved
1. Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente & then
cooled
it in cold water. If storing overnight in the refrigerator,
toss
cold pasta with 2T olive oil.
2. Toss together all the vegetables in a large bowl.
3. Add pasta, toss, then add enough dressing right before serving
salad…adjust the amount of dressing. Best served at room temp
Penne Pasta Salad with a
Parmesan Balsamic Vinaigrette
12 oz penne pasta, cooked until
al dente,
Yield: 4 servings
then cooled completely
½ large red bell pepper, julienne
½ large green bell pepper, julienne
10 mushrooms, washed and thinly
sliced
¼ C thinly sliced red onions
(optional)
¼ C black olives, sliced
2 T pine nuts, lightly roasted
2 oz. salami slices, julienne
1. Toss all ingredients together and add the dressing below…you may need to make 1 ½ of the dressing
for this pasta salad if you like it reall moist. Refrigerate overnight
Parmesan Balsamic Vinaigrette
1 garlic clove, minced
½ t salt
2T white balsamic vinegar
1t fresh lemon juice
3T minced fresh basil
¼ C grated parmesan cheese
¼ t pepper
½C olive oil
1. In a blender jar, throw together all ingredients except for the olive oil.
Blend until smooth. Slowly add the olive oil and blend
until well mixed together.
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