Cabin in the Woods Salad

Cabin in the Woods Salad A salad that you will make forever! The dressing with the pureed onion is superb! Everything goes into a food processor, quick and easy! Ingredients: Serves 4 Dressing: 1/4 of a medium onion, chopped 3 Tbs of cider vinegar 2 tsp of spicy brown mustard 1/2 tsp of sugar 1/2 tsp of salt 1/4 tsp of freshly ground black pepper 1 cup of vegetable oil Salad: 1/2 lb of bacon cooked and crumbled to small pieces 1 bunch of romaine lettuce, torn into bite sized pieces 1/2 can of hearts of palm, drained and quartered 1/2 can of artichoke hearts, drained and quartered 4 oz of blue cheese, crumbled

Directions: In a food processor, puree the onion with the vinegar. Add the mustard, sugar, salt and pepper. Gradually add in oil in a thin steady stream, beat til thick. Pour into a mason jar if you have one (so you can shake it up later) and refrigerate til ready to use. Cook bacon til crispy and crumble. Mix lettuce, hearts of palm, artichokes, and blue cheese in a large salad bowl. Pour on the dressing, you won t use it all.

Toss well and sprinkle on the bacon. Note to cooks: You will have dressing leftover, just refrigerate for another time. Spinach Salad with Apples, Avocado, Bacon, Cheddar and Toasted Pecans!

Th is salad is a fall favorite at the cabin! It s a glorious combination of flavors! Quick and easy to put together, serve with some warm crusty bread and it s dinner! Ingredients: Serves 4 Dressing: 1/4 C balsamic vinegar 1/4 C pure maple syrup 1/4 olive oil dash of salt and pepper Salad: 1 6 oz package of baby spinach leaves 1 large granny smith apple, unpeeled, halved, cored and chopped 4 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes

½ ½ 1 4 of a red onion, thinly sliced cup of toasted pecans or walnuts avocado, chopped pieces of bacon Directions: Start by making the dressing: Combine vinegar, maple syrup, and oil in bowl, whisk to blend, season to taste with salt n pepper. Cook the bacon until crispy. Crumble and set aside. Toast the walnuts or pecans in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant, about 5-6 minutes. Combine spinach, apples, cheese, walnuts, red onion, avocado and bacon

in large bowl. Toss with dressing to coat, season salad with salt and pepper. Tarragon Potato Salad with Crispy Prosciutto

If you like tarragon, you ll love this recipe! Creamy, herbaceous, savory potato salad topped with crispy prosciutto! Ingredients: 2 lbs of potatoes 3/4 cup of mayonnaise ( I used my new favorite, Irene s) 1 Tbs of Dijon 2 Tbs of white wine vinegar juice of 1/2 lemon 1 tsp of honey 1/2 tsp of salt 1/2 tsp of freshly ground black pepper 4 slices of prosciutto (may substitute bacon) 2 Tbs of minced shallot 2 Tbs of chopped fresh tarragon 1/4 cup of chopped parsley Directions: Start by cooking your potatoes. Peel and quarter the potatoes and drop them into a big pot of salted water, bring to a boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes or until fork tender.

Drain and let them cool just enough to handle. While the potatoes are cooking, make the dressing. In a small bowl, add the mayonnaise, Dijon, vinegar, lemon juice, honey and salt and pepper, combine well. Fry the prosciutto in a hot skillet coated with a little oil until brown and crispy. Transfer to a plate, crumble or cut into strips and set aside. Cut the potatoes into bite sized pieces and place in a large bowl. Pour 3/4 of the dressing over the potatoes and fold in. Add in the shallots, tarragon and parsley. Stir well to combine.

Let the potato salad rest and add more dressing if desired. Taste and add more salt if needed. Top with the crispy prosciutto.note to cooks: You can substitute fresh dill for the tarragon, and be sure that the potatoes are warm when adding the dressing. You can also substitute red wine or champagne vinegar for the white wine vinegar. Steak Salad

This is one of my make in minutes recipes. Quick, easy and super tasty! Steak and blue cheese are made to be together! I love the simplicity of this salad. The dressing is amazing! Serves 3-4 Dressing: 1 Tbs of Dijon 1 Tbs of balsamic vinegar 3 Tbs of red wine vinegar 3 tsp of honey 1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce 1/3 cup + 1 Tbs of olive oil 2 tsp of grated onion salt and pepper to taste Salad: 1 1/2 lbs of steak of your choice 4 oz of blue cheese

1/4 1/2 cup of red onion, thinly sliced 1 head of Bibb lettuce Directions: Whip up the dressing first, whisk all of the dressing ingredients together, add in the olive oil last and whisk until well combined. You ll need to either grill or pan sear your steak, you can use your favorite cut, I used rib-eye. If grilling, drizzle the steak with a little oil, sprinkle on salt and pepper and sear for 3-4 minutes on each side for medium rare. Remove from the heat and tent with foil. If pan searing, rub the steak

with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Over screaming high heat in a heavy skillet, sear the beef for 3 4 minutes on each side, for medium rare. Remove from the heat to rest, tent with foil. Tear the lettuce into bite sized pieces and place on a platter. slices, Cut the steak into arrange on the lettuce. Sprinkle on the onion and blue cheese and drizzle on the dressing. I wanted to keep this really light, but it would be great to add homemade croutons!

Chicken Salad with Toasted Pecans and Grapes Everyone loves chicken salad! This is my version with grapes, toasted pecans and chives. The flavor is enhanced by this incredible mayonnaise that I just found. Irene s all natural mayonnaise! http://irenefoods.com/ Ingredients: 2 chicken breasts, skin on, bone in olive oil to drizzle on the chicken

a little salt and pepper to sprinkle on the chicken 2 ribs of celery, chopped 1/2 of a red onion, chopped 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, (if not using Irene s, add 1 tsp of Dijon mustard) 3 Tbs of sour cream 3/4 cups of red or green grapes, cut in half 3/4 cups of toasted pecans 1 Tbs of fresh chives, snipped 1/2 tsp of salt 1/2 tsp of pepper Directions: Start by preheating the oven to 350. Drizzle a little olive oil on the chicken breasts and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Let cool, remove skin and then shred or cut into small pieces, I like to shred it with a fork. Place it in a large bowl. Toast the pecans in a small pan over medium heat til fragrant, about 5-6 minutes.

Chop the celery and onion and add it to the chicken. mayo and the sour cream. Whisk together the Pour it over the chicken and veggies. Add in the salt and pepper, grapes, nuts and chives, stir to combine. Note to cooks:

You can change the flavor easily by adding in one of the following: 2 Tbs of curry powder, 2 Tbs fresh chopped tarragon or 2 Tbs of fresh dill Caesar Salad with Maple Bacon

Who doesn t love Caesar Salad? This one has a little twist with maple bacon. A taste sensation! It s a complete dinner with home made croutons and fresh Parmesan. Ingredients: Dressing: 2 cloves of garlic 2-3 Anchovies 1 Tbs of Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp of mustard powder or mustard 1 Tbs of fresh lemon juice 1 Tbs of Red Wine vinegar 2 egg yolks 1/2 tsp of kosher salt plus more for making garlic paste 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper a little water for thinning out Salad: 2 hearts of romaine lettuce 1/2 cup of freshly grated or shaved Parmesan cheese

6 pieces of bacon 1 Tbs of maple syrup for the bacon Croutons: 1/2 of a french baguette, torn into bite sized pieces 1 Tbs of butter 1 Tbs of olive oil 2 garlic cloves salt and pepper to taste Directions: Preheat oven to 450 Place 6 pieces of bacon on a parchment lined baking sheet, drizzle with 1 Tbs of maple syrup and bake for 15-20 minutes til crispy. Let cool and crumble. Make the croutons, tear the baguette into bite sized pieces. In a heavy skillet, over medium heat, add the butter, oil and garlic cloves, heat til the butter is melted, then add the bread and cook til lightly browned and toasted, about 10 minutes or so. Remove the garlic cloves after a few minutes, they add a lot of flavor! Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. For the dressing: I like to whisk the dressing by hand, the extra virgin olive oil is too delicate for a mixer. Smash the

garlic, chop up and mix with a little salt. Using the back of your knife, mash into a paste. Do the same with the anchovies. Place the garlic and anchovies an a bowl and add in the remaining dressing ingredients, leaving the oil til last, whisk it in slowly Add a little water if you need to thin it out. remove the outer leaves of the Wash and Romaine. Tear into bite sized pieces, place in a large salad bowl and pour the dressing over, toss well. Plate the salad, add the

crumbled bacon, croutons and top with Parmesan cheese. Corn and Black Bean Salad

A perfect summer salad using fresh corn and tomatoes! Healthy and truly delicious, perfect with grilled meats! Ingredients: Dressing: 1/3 cup of canola oil 1/2 cup of red wine vinegar 2 tsp of sugar 1 tsp of paprika 2 tsp of cumin 1 tsp of salt 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper Salad Ingredients: 4 ears of corn 1 medium tomato, chopped 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed 4 green onions, white and green parts, chopped

Directions 1. Start by cutting the kernels off of 4 ears of corn. 2. Place the corn in a heavy skillet with 1/2 cup of water, 1 tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and 1/2 tsp of sugar. 3. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the corn is tender and the water is absorbed. 4. Meanwhile make the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper.

chopped tomatoes, 5. Now add in the beans, corn, green onions and cilantro. Mix well, chill for at least an hour. This salad just gets better and better! Balsamic Chicken Salad

Chicken breasts soaked overnight in a balsamic marinade makes for a taste explosion when mixed with toasted walnuts, grapes, red onion and crispy lettuce. Ingredients: Serves 4 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts Marinade: 1/4 C of olive oil 1/3 C of Balsamic vinegar 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 tsp of salt 1/2 tsp of black pepper 1 tsp of sugar Dressing: 4 Tbs of Balsamic vinegar 2 Tbs of Dijon mustard 2 tsp of brown sugar

2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 tsp of salt 1/4 tsp of ground black pepper 1/2 cup of olive oil Salad 5-6 cups of lettuce, any variety you prefer, I like to mix crisp Iceberg and buttery Bibb, 1 cup of toasted walnuts 1 cup of white grapes, halved 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced Directions: Add all of the marinade ingredients in a mason jar with a lid, shake well. Place the chicken breasts in a large ziplock or shallow baking dish and pour in the marinade Refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours. Remove from the fridge and bring to room temperature before cooking, about 30-40 minutes. Shake off the excess marinade. Either bake, broil or grill the chicken til nicely browned. I baked mine at 350 degrees for 40 minutes and let rest under foil for 15 minutes. For the last 12 minutes of baking time, put the walnuts in to toast with the chicken. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes or until fragrant.

Cut the chicken into slices about 1/2 inch thick. Mix up the dressing ingredients in a mason jar with a lid and shake well. In a large salad bowl, place the lettuce, walnuts, grapes and red onion. Pour over about 1/2 of the dressing and toss well, let it sit for 5 minutes or so. Plate the salad on 4 chilled plates, place the sliced chicken on top. Serve with remaining

dressing for drizzling. I like to serve garlic bread along side, just add 1 minced garlic clove and a pinch of salt to 2 Tbs of soft butter. Cut a baguette into slices, butter one side and bake at 400 for about 10 minutes. Sweet & Sour Slaw

Classic vinegar based Cole Slaw! Easy and delicious! Ingredients: Dressing 1 1/2 Tbs white sugar 2 Tbs brown sugar 1 tsp mustard powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1/2 tsp celery seed dash of celery salt 2 Tbs canola oil or extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup white vinegar Slaw 1/2 head green cabbage (or a combination of red and green) grated or thinly sliced 1 large carrot grated 1 small onion grated 1/2 of a green bell pepper, chopped Or use bagged slaw mix from the grocery store Directions: Whisk all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

Place all slaw ingredients in a large bowl, pour in the dressing and toss well. Let sit in the fridge for at least an hour. All done! Salmon Salad Nicoise

Anothe r summertime favorite to make when tomatoes, beans and potatoes are fresh from the garden. The salmon is to die for! Very easy to put together, and so healthy! You could also use traditional tuna. Ingredients: Serves 2 3 2 salmon fillets (about 6 oz each) 1 lemon, zested and juiced 2 Tbs of extra virgin olive oil 2 tsp of Dijon mustard dash of Worcestershire sauce 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 tsp of salt 1/2 tsp of pepper 3 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and sliced 3-4 new potatoes 1 large handful of green beans, stems removed 3 ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges

lettuce of your choice, torn in bite sized pieces 1/3 cup of Kalamata olives, pitted 1 can of anchovies, optional fresh dill for garnish Vinaigrette: 1/4 cup of white wine or red wine vinegar 1 tsp of Dijon mustard 1 tsp of sugar 1 tsp of kosher salt 1/2 tsp of freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil Directions: Preheat the oven to 450 Marinade: In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, mustard, dash of Worcestershire sauce, garlic, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Place the salmon on a sheet pan that has been covered in aluminum foil and drizzle the marinade over the salmon. Allow the salmon to sit for 15 minutes. Hard boil the eggs, place them a saucepan and cover with water, bring to the boil, turn off heat and let sit for 20 minutes, run under cold water, peel and slice.

Boil the potatoes in a large pot of salted boiling water, just til tender. Remove them with a slotted spoon, now add the green beans, bring to a boil, cook for 4 minutes, drain immediately and plunge in a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain again and set aside. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them into thick slices. Bake the salmon for 15 minutes. Take it out of the oven and let it hang out for 15-20 minutes. You can also grill the salmon. For the vinaigrette, combine the vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion. Set aside. Arrange the lettuce on a large platter, then add the salmon, potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, eggs, olives and anchovies (if using). Drizzle over the dressing, season with salt and pepper and

sprinkle with fresh dill.