Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

 Ingredients:

1 cup raspberry puree (2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries pureed)
1 cup olive oil
1 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 cup fresh honey
salt, pepper

Process all ingredients in a Vitamix, or blender.  Store in a glass jar or bottle.  Shake before using.  This recipe makes about 22 oz.  I store mine in a Mason Jar.

Fresh, local honey

Candied Pecans

Ingredients:

2 cups pecans

1 cup white sugar

4 TBL butter

2 tsp vanilla

dash cinnamon

dash sea salt

Directions:

Melt sugar and butter.  Add vanilla, cinnamon and salt.   Add pecans.  Stir well to coat.  Continue stirring and cooking for 3 minutes or so until the nuts are well coated and "crispy" looking.  Cool on parchment paper.  I tried wax paper, but the nuts stuck to the paper, so parchment is a better choice!!

Store in a jar, or airtight container.  Great on salads!!

  

Chinese chicken salad

This was so  much better than I expected it to be!  I must say I out did myself tonight!  

Ingredients:

1 bag cole slaw mix

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1 bunch green onions, sliced on the diagonal

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 red pepper, slivered (I added this for color)

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients and top with:

The dressing that ROCKS this salad:

2 TBL sesame oil

2 TBL soy

4 TBL rice wine vinegar

2 TBL vegetable oil

2 TBL ketchup

2 garlic cloves
(2) 1- inch pieces fresh ginger
juice of 1 lime
1 tsp chili pepper flakes
3 TBL sugar

Directions:
In a food processor, mince garlic and ginger.  Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until it thickens a little and is smooth.  Pour over chicken/slaw mixture and let marinate for about an hour.   YUM!

Asian beef salad

You could also use the meat for lettuce wraps instead of a salad!

Ingredients:
1 lb. sirloin, cut into strips
1 cup soy
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp sesame oil
1 TB lime juice
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 TB crushed red pepper

Marinate beef overnight or for 4 hours.  Grill and serve over romaine salad.  Serve with rice wine vinaigrette, or heat the marinade to a boil and serve over salad.

Romaine Salad ingredients:

2 heads fresh romaine, chopped
8 oz broccoli slaw
1/4 cup slivered almonds
handful of cilantro, chopped

Rice wine vinaigrette:
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup grapeseed oil
1 tsp sesame oil
2 TB Agave nectar or honey
1 tsp chopped shallots

Rainbow slaw salad

A couple of weekends ago we went riding (ATV's) with some friends of ours.  Now when we're with this particular group of people, we EAT (and drink)!   This group can cook and I love getting new ideas from the recipes I've seen over the years.   Someone brought this wonderful cole slaw salad that I thought I could duplicate.  We came home and I improvised with what I had in the fridge.  Here's what I came up with. As my husband said, "It was pretty damn good."  He's a man of few words, so it must have been good for him to say that.  For me, the basil is what makes this salad.   

I'd just like to say that Agave nectar is my new fave item!  It's low glycemic and you can use in place of white sugar.  

Ingredients:
1 bag rainbow salad (broccoli slaw with cauliflower) or just use broccoli slaw
11/2 cup mayo
1/3 cup agave nectar (or use sugar)
3/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup dried cranberries
4 oz linguine (about a quarter of a box), cooked and rinsed
8 oz. parmesean cheese
1 cup chopped fresh basil

Whisk the vinegar, agave nectar and mayo.  Set aside.   Place the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Pour the dressing over the slaw and let it marry awhile.  The longer it sits, the better the dressing is.
*variation* You could use bottled cole slaw dressing instead of making your own dressing.