Showing My Salads...

... for Dil Se's Show Me Your Salad event!

For Broccoli Salad...
Ingredients:

• 1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
• 2 tbs. sugar
• 2 - 4 tbs. cider vinegar (according to taste)
• 1 pound broccoli flowerets
• 1/3 - 2/3 cups raisins (optional)
• 6 - 8 slices bacon, cooked crisp & crumbled
• 2 - 4 tbs. chopped red onion

Method:

In a large bowl, mix mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar. Add remaining ingredients and chill. Store covered.

For Lime Chicken Salad w/ Avocado & Spinach...

Ingredients:

• 3 ounces fresh baby spinach
• 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice (about 3 limes)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• salt to taste
• 4 ounce chicken breasts, sliced thin
• 1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup grape tomatoes
• 1/2 a cucumber, peeled and sliced thin
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, leaves only

Method:

In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, honey, salt, and cayenne pepper. Pour half of this over the chicken, marinating chicken for one hour. When ready, shallow fry the chicken till done, cooling completely. When ready to serve, combine the vegetables and chicken along with the remaining lime mixture. Serve Immediately.

For Cold Chicken Salad...

Ingredients:

• about 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 5 cups water with chicken bouillon
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 onion, chopped fine
• 1 rib celery, halved and sliced
• 3/4 cup red seedless grapes, halved
• 1 cup walnuts, broken up
• about 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 tbs. lemon juice

Method:

Simmer chicken in bouillon water until done and easily pulls apart with a fork (save that water for stock!!!) Cool chicken and pull part into smaller pieces. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Add remaining ingredients, stir and chill. Serve on bread or buns.

For chicken stock:
Throw a rib of celery with leaves in the reserved water along with a carrot and onion, cut up...simmer and reduce. Strain and refrigerate, or freeze, for later.

~ "It takes four men to dress a salad: A wise man for the salt, a madman for the pepper, a miser for the vinegar, and a spendthrift for the oil" - Anonymous ~

~ "The embarrassing thing is that the salad dressing is outgrossing my films - Paul Newman" ~

Spinach & Portobello Enchilada's for Create for a Chilli Chopper

Here's what I came up with after buying some Portobello mushrooms... My daughter ate them up, not even knowing there were mushrooms in them! After I told her, she freaked out :D I made some homemade tortillas for these, and I tried the Mrs. Dash's Steak Seasoning since I like it on steak so much... and it was just as good on the mushrooms.



I'm sending this to KO Rasoi's CREATE For a Chilli Chopper.

Ingredients:
• 10 ounce enchilada sauce (any kind you like)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 green chili, chopped
• 8 ounce Portobello mushrooms, chopped into 1 inch cubes
• 10 ounce frozen spinach, thawed and water squeezed out
• 1/2 bell pepper, any variety, sliced into long strips
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• salt and pepper to taste
• Mrs. Dash's Steak seasoning, to taste
• 1 1/4 cup shredded jack cheese
• 2 cups shredded colby/jack cheese
• Cilantro, for garnish
Method:

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 13 x 9 inch pan with oil. Spread small amount of enchilada sauce on bottom.

Fry onion, garlic, and chili's until softened. Add mushrooms and bell peppers, along with Mrs. Dash's and cumin. Fry until mushrooms are tender. Add spinach, jack cheese, and 1 cup of colby/jack cheese and heat until cheese is melted. Spoon a small amount onto tortilla, roll up and place seam side down in pan. Repeat until pan is full, squeezing them in if necessary. Cover with remaining enchilada sauce, and then with remaining cheese.

Spray a piece of tin foil with oil and place oil side down, sealing baking dish. Bake 30 - 40 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Sprinkle with Cilantro and serve.

~ "My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind." - Albert Einstein ~

Sweet Rice for EFM Variety Rice Series

This use to be my favorite breakfast when I would stay at my auntie's house...I looked so forward to Sunday morning's and this rare treat! I have added raisins, cinnamon, and nuts before but this is the way I ate this growing up.

 Simple, without many ingredients, but a favorite of mine!

I am sending this to EFM - Variety Rice Series hosted by SriLekha.

Ingredients:
• 2 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup starchy white rice
• 1/4 cup stick butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• salt to taste
• brown sugar to sprinkle

Method:

Bring water, rice & salt to a boil. Reduce heat, stir and cover, simmering for 10 minutes. Stir once more, replace lid and simmer 10 more minutes. At this point, stir in the rest of ingredients until blended. Sprinkle with brown sugar and enjoy!

Oatmeal Date Squishies for Sweet Series & Oats

This is my entry for Sweet Series, hosted by Sireesha over at Mom's Recipes and Oats over at Madhuram's Eggless Cooking.


I use the crumb crust for this recipe in a lot of desserts...It's so good I have to stop myself from eating it all before I even bake it! These desserts remind me somewhat of the seasonal pumpkin shaped Little Debbie cakes they have around Halloween.



Ingredients:

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup stick margarine or butter
• 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda

For the date filling:

• 3 cups cut up pitted dates (1 pound)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 tsp. allspice

Method:

For the date filling...cook the dates, sugar, water & allspice over low heat till thickened (I mash it a bit with a potato masher). Set aside.

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease bottom & sides of a rectangular 19 x 9 x 2 inch pan. Mix brown sugar & margarine (or butter) in a bowl. Add flour, oatmeal, salt & baking soda till crumbly. Press half of crumb mixture into bottom of pan. Spread date filling over crust. Top with remaining crumb mixture, press lightly. Bake 25 - 30 minutes or until light brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars while slightly warm (although I love these cold out of the 'fridge!).