Embracing Him

A few weeks ago our family attended a Christmas potluck with friends from our church and our homeschool group. There were plenty of tasty dishes to enjoy, but my favorite part of the meal was a delicious salad. I fell in love with colorful ingredients and contrasting textures. In addition, the vinaigrette that dressed the salad was absolutely amazing!

While at the potluck, I tracked down the creator of the fabulous salad and asked if she would mind sharing the recipe. Andrea happily agreed to share the ingredients and I prepared the salad last night. It was just as good as I’d remembered and when I took it to my MOPS dinner meeting last night the ladies raved about it and ate all but a 1/4 cup! (I’ll be enjoying that little bit with my lunch today!)

Andrea suggests using a light olive oil as she finds the flavor of regular olive oil to be a bit too strong. If a light olive oil is not available, she recommends using 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.

When preparing the salad myself, I found a single preparation of the vinaigrette was plenty to dress the salad. When dressing the salad, I recommend adding the vinaigrette a little at a time and tossing the salad in stages so as not to overdress it. Keep in mind that many people have nut allergies, so you may wish to serve the walnuts on the side. Consider varying the salad by using spinach instead of mixed greens and adding a cup or so of dried cranberries.

If you’re really into salad and you want to take yours to a new level, visit the Dole Salad Guy. He will introduce you to the tastes and textures of various salad mixes and provide you with salad recipes and salad pairings for you and your family to enjoy.

Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup light olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon hot sauce
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley

In a container combine all ingredients. Cover and shake until blended. Set aside for at least 45 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. Shake again before serving.

Mixed Greens with Mandarins and Walnuts
1 bag mixed greens (16 ounce)
2 (15 ounce) cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 small red onion, chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

In a large bowl, combine the ingredients. Toss well to coat with the vinaigrette and serve.

Photo: Courtesy of The Gifted Photographer (Flickr)

Today is Earth Day, so we’re going green! This colorful and filling salad was recently a hit at our house. Make the salad even more special by topping it with homemade salad dressing. You don’t have to use the recipe as is. Use more or less of the ingredients here. Give the salad your own twist by adding ingredients you enjoy.

Steak Salad
1 pound sirloin steak, cut into bite sized pieces
1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped
½ cup small red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup mushrooms, sliced
1 (8 ounce jar) roasted red peppers, sliced
4 plum tomatoes, diced
1 carrot, shredded
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Toss the lettuce, onion, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, carrots, steak, and cheese together in a large bowl. Top with salad dressing and enjoy.

Ranch Dressing
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
½ cup buttermilk
½ teaspoon dried chives
½ teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon dried dill weed
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, chives, parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

Honey Mustard Dressing
¼ cup honey
¼ cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon steak sauce

In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Refrigerate for 20 minutes before serving.