Arugula Salad with Fresh Mozzarella

This deconstructed caprese salad makes an excellent light lunch, appetizer, or side. Using the best, freshest ingredients possible really makes this salad sing.

INGREDIENTS:

Salad:

6 ounces arugula

10 ounces cherry tomatoes (about 12), halved

4 ounces bocconcini, or cubed fresh mozzarella

Basil Vinaigrette:

2 cloves garlic

1 small bunch basil (about 3 ounces), leaves picked

3/4 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

METHOD:

For the Salad:

Combine the arugula, tomatoes, and mozzarella in a salad bowl or on individual plates.

Drizzle the basil vinaigrette (recipe below) over.

Basil Vinaigrette:

Put the garlic in a food processor and pulse to mince.

Add the basil leaves and pulse a few times.

Add the olive oil, lemon juice, and mustard and process until fully combined and emulsified (there may still be small bits of basil).

Season with salt and pepper.

Serve immediately or store in a cruet or closed glass jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Notes

Chicken Salad

2-½ cups cubed cooked chicken

1 cup thickly sliced celery

1 cup halved green grapes

2 T. minced fresh parsley

1 T. minced shallots

½ cup miracle whip

1 T. lemon juice

1 T. cider vinegar

1 ½ tsp. prepared mustard

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. sugar

1/8 tsp. pepper

In a large bowl, combine chicken, celery, grapes and parsley

Combine the next seven ingredients; mix well

Pour over chicken mixture and toss

Chill for at least 1 hour

Yield:  4 servings

Pear Salad with Walnuts and Gorgonzola

4 handfuls salad greens, washed and dried

2 Anjou pears, washed, cored, and sliced into eighths, or canned pears sliced

½ cup craisins

2 ounces Gorgonzola cheese

1 cup candied walnuts



Strawberries

Mandarin oranges

For the salad: Divide lettuce onto 4 chilled plates and top with sliced pears, craisins, strawberries, and mandarin oranges. Crumble the Gorgonzola cheese evenly over the 4 salads. Top with candied walnuts. To serve, drizzle the desired amount of poppy seed dressing over the 4 salads.

Layered Steak Salad

1 lb. flank steak rubbed with 2 T. olive oil and seasoned with kosher salt, pepper, and rub of your choice

3 cups baby spinach

3 avocados, pitted, peeled, sliced and drizzle with lemon juice

3 fresh tomatoes, sliced

1 English cucumber peeled and sliced

Pre-heat grill to medium high

Grill steak, covered, 4 minutes per side, or to 150 on an instant read thermometer, for medium rare.  Remove steak from grill, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes.  Thinly slice meat against the grain.

Layer spinach, avocados, tomatoes, and cucumber in serving bowl or plate

Top with steak slices and serve with bleu cheese or poppy seed dressing

Strawberry Salad

2 hearts romaine

½ bag 9 oz. spinach

½ small red onion, sliced

1 lb. bacon chopped and cooked until crisp

½ lb. strawberries, sliced

¼ c. sliced almonds, sugared

Dressing:

2 T. red wine vinegar

3 T. sugar

½ tsp. dry mustard

½ c. oil

½ tsp. salt

½ c. strawberry jam

Poppy Seed Dressing

Place in blender:

½ cup sugar

½ cup lemon juice

1 tsp. mustard

½ tsp. salt

2 tsp. diced onion

while blender is going add:

2/3-cup oil

1 T. poppy seeds

Bleu Cheese Salad Dressing

½ cup sour cream

½ c. mayonnaise

1 T. Shallots

3 T. lemon juice

½ cup bleu cheese crumbles

Freshly cracked black pepper

Combine sour cream, mayo, shallots, and lemon juice in a bowl and mix well. Stir in cheese, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Makes about 1 ½ cup

Refreshing Fruit Salad

5 (11 oz.) cans mandarin oranges

32 oz. pineapple tidbits

5 medium ripe bananas sliced

2 ½ cups halved seedless grapes

1-cup mayonnaise

1-cup sour cream

1/3-cup honey or corn syrup

3/ 4 cup chopped walnuts

¾ cup flaked coconut

In a bowl, combine the fruit. In another bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, and honey. Pour over fruit and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate. Just before serving, stir in walnuts and coconut

California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad

 SERVES 4 -8

 Ingredients

Tortilla Strips:

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

12 corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch strips

Coarse Salt

Dressing:

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon cold water

2 3/4 cups mayonnaise

1 cup buttermilk

7 tablespoons sour cream

2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons minced fresh Italian parsley

1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon minced fresh dill

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh oregano (or 1/4 Tsp. Dried Oregano)

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon minced fresh basil

Chicken:

1 1/3 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/3 tablespoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons salt

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 recipe Barbecue Sauce (below)

 Barbecue Sauce:

1 C Ketchup

2 T Brown Sugar

1/2 T Worcestershire

1/2 T Vegetable Oil

1 tsp. minced dried onion

salt & pepper to taste

Salad:

1/2 head iceberg lettuce, cored, rinsed, dried, and torn into pieces

1/2 head romaine lettuce leaf, separated, trimmed, rinsed, dried, torn into pieces

12 large fresh basil leaves, cut 1/8-inch strips

2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese

1 can black beans, rinsed, drained

1 cup frozen sweet white corn kernels, thawed

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 lbs fresh ripe tomatoes, cut 1/2-inch dice

Directions

To Make the Fried Tortilla Strips: In a deep, heavy frying pan, heat several inches of vegetable oil to a temperature of 375 degrees. Working in batches to prevent overcrowding, carefully add the tortilla strips to the hot oil, submerging them with a metal skimmer or slotted spoon. Fry the tortilla strips until evenly golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully lift them out with the skimmer or slotted spoon and transfer them to paper towels to drain and cool. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Set aside, uncovered, until completely cooled. These can be made 1-2 days ahead stored in an airtight container. 

2
To Make the Garden Herb Ranch Dressing: In a mixing bowl, use a fork to stir together the mustard and cold water, forming a paste. Set aside for 10 minutes. Add the remaining dressing ingredients to the bowl and, using a handheld electric mixer at low speed or a whisk, blend together just until smooth, taking care not to incorporate too much air into the dressing. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. 

To make the Grilled Garlic and BBQ Chicken: Preheat a stovetop grill or the broiler. In a mixing bowl, stir together the olive oil, garlic, soy sauce, and salt. Turn the chicken breasts in this marinade and leave to marinate at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Grill or broil the chicken breasts until cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator. Cut the chicken breasts into 3/4-inch cubes and, in a bowl, toss with the barbecue sauce to coat well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. 

To Make the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, toss together the lettuces, basil, and cilantro.  Transfer the lettuce mixture to chilled serving plates. Top salads with Monterey Jack cheese, beans, corn, and surround each salad with diced tomatoes. Top each salad with chunks of Grilled Garlic BBQ Chicken, and drizzle with dressing. Top with fried tortilla strips and serve!  


4 main-course or 8 appetizer servings.

Black Bean & Corn Salad

Dressing

1/3 cup lime juice

½ cup olive oil

1 tsp. salt

1 clove minced garlic

Salad

2 cans black beans rinsed

1 ½ cups frozen corn

½ cup cilantro

1 avocado diced

1 chopped red pepper

6 green onions chopped

2 chopped tomatoes

Combine salad ingredients with dressing and toss well. Serve with tortilla chips.

This recipe makes enough for 4-5 adults.