salad

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter S

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Salad and Slice! Now here’s a perfect combo that won’t set you back on the calorie-counter scale. One slice of pizza with a garden salad is a deliciously satisfying portion any time of day or night. Add a Greek peperoncino and a couple of olives for that burst of flavor and you’ll be patting yourself on the back for stirring up that wall of will power. Who says you can’t have your cake (or pizza) and eat it, too?
SALAD AND SLICE
Ingredients Single Serving Pizza: 

1/2 cup bread flour

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 cup warm water

Pinch salt

Toppings of your choice
Instructions:

Get the oven warm and then turn it off. This helps the dough to rise. Combine flour, yeast, olive oil, and sugar. Gradually add the warm water and stir. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Knead the dough on a floured surface until it forms a ball. Place the ball in a bowl, cover it loosely with plastic wrap and set it in the warm oven for 30 minutes. It will double in size. Remove from oven, flatten to the size of a plate, and add sauce and desired toppings. Bake on a pizza stone in a 400° oven for 12-15 minutes. Cut into 4 pieces for now and later. 
Ingredients for Garden Salad:

1-2 Romaine leaves, gently torn

2 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese

2-3 crunchy croutons

Garlic Vinegar and Olive Oil, salad dressing
Instructions:

Mix together and serve. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter M

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Mouth-Watering Strawberry Mint Salad! Before the frost sets in, I wanted to take advantage of the lingering crop of fresh mint in the herb garden. What better way than to give it center stage in this appetizing side salad? It’s refreshing, light, aromatic, and appealing to the eye. Experience your first bite through the sense of sight, then follow your heart to the nearest market and pick up 3 simple ingredients to create your own masterpiece. 
MOUTH-WATERING STRAWBERRY MINT SALAD
Ingredients:

1 quart of fresh strawberries

1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

3 sprigs of fresh mint leaves
Instructions:

Rinse strawberries and pat dry. Remove tops and discard. Slice strawberries into quarters. Place portions into chilled salad bowls. Spoon feta crumbles over strawberries. Tuck mint leaves throughout. Serve. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter H

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Joy of Eating: Hacienda Taco Salad Bowls! It’s okay to indulge in those fast-food cravings. Everyone does now and then. When I get the urge to succumb to the temptation, I begin to turn things around in my own kitchen. Take, for example, the glorious Taco Salad with the edible crispy flour shell bowl. It can be made for half the cost at home, leaving extra money in your wallet for something like…oh I don’t know…SHOES! Make this guilt-free version at home. 
HACIENDA TACO SALAD BOWLS
Ingredients:

6 flour tortillas

1 pound lean ground beef

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

Romaine lettuce leaves, torn

2 tomatoes, diced

1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded

2 green onions, snipped

1/4 cup black olives, sliced

1/4 cup jalapeño peppers, sliced

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup salsa
Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Using nonstick spray oil, coat the inside of oven-safe bowls. Gently mold the flour tortilla inside to form a bowl. Bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Remove from oven and cool before transferring to wire rack. Meanwhile, brown ground beef and drain. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cumin. Mix well. Assemble hacienda bowls by filling with remaining ingredients, per taste. Top with Greek yogurt and salsa. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter W

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Wayward Wedge Salad! I get so excited when I come across bleu cheese at the Farmers Market! Recently, I was fortunate enough to lay my hands on a nice creamy chunk of Amish Bleu Cheese. And rather than nibble the entire portion away, I thought I better do something healthy with it. Does anyone else struggle with an internal tug-of war?
WEDGE SALAD
Ingredients:

1 head iceberg lettuce

6 slices bacon, precooked

2 eggs, hard cooked and chopped

Blue cheese crumbles

Blue cheese dressing

2 Campari tomatoes on the vine, quartered
Instructions:

Chill 4 salad plates in refrigerator. Cook bacon until crisp; let cool and crumble. Set aside. Quarter and core lettuce. Place one wedge on each chilled plate. Top with dressing, bacon, tomatoes, and chopped egg. Garnish with cheese crumbles. Serve immediately. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter L

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Lazy “Lobster” Wrap! When you don’t live at the ocean where lobster is in abundant supply, the next best thing is an imitation variety. Alaska pollock is not only heart-healthy, fat-free, and packed with omega-3 in every serving, it’s readily available at your neighborhood market. Amazingly, this mock lobster is a surprising alternative. Eat it now and with the money you save, you can stuff yourself with real lobster when you travel to the shore. 
LAZY “LOBSTER” WRAP
Ingredients:

7-ounce package of chunk-style imitation lobster

1 tablespoon lemon olive oil

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

cracked pepper to taste

sea salt to taste

1 pat of butter

Vidalia onion slices

1 4-ounce container of crab dip, deli-style

2 flour tortillas 

Spring Mix Salad Greens 
Instructions:

In a medium skillet, sauté imitation chunk lobster and onion slices in lemon olive oil, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. While still warm, add 1 pat of butter. Cook an additional minute to blend flavors. Remove from heat. To assemble wrap: Take a flour tortilla, spread on a layer of crab dip, top with salad greens, and add a spoonful of lobster mixture. Roll it together to form a wrap. Serve warm or cold. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter E

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Egg Salad Extravaganza, A Crêpe Idea! The debate continues………. Mayonnaise and Celery or Miracle Whip and Pickle Relish? What is your preference in Egg Salad? It probably all depends on how your mother made it during your childhood. Fortunately both can be made in a snap!
EGG SALAD EXTRAVAGANZA 
Ingredients:

3 eggs, hard cooked

3 tablespoons mayonnaise or Miracle Whip

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cracked pepper

1 tablespoon celery, chopped (optional)

1 tablespoon pickle relish (optional)
Instructions:

Combine mayonnaise or Miracle Whip, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Peel and chop eggs, breaking into small pieces. Gently stir into mayonnaise mixture. Add celery or pickle relish. Fill two Crêpes with egg salad. Tuck in several lettuce leaves. Sprinkle with Chia seeds. 
(For an alternative bread choice, please reference Crêpe Expectations for the batter recipe at https://snapshotsincursive.com/2015/05/17 to make crêpes in advance.)

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter T

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Second Helping of Tarragon Chicken Salad. If you’re tired of the same thing, here’s a gourmet twist on an old favorite. It can be served on a buttery croissant, a bed of mixed greens, or a wedge of sweet cantaloupe. You decide. 
TARRAGON CHICKEN SALAD
Ingredients:

1 10-ounce can of Premium Chicken Breast in Lemon Pepper sauce 

1/4 cup mayonnaise 

1/2 cup seedless red grapes, halved

1/4 cup celery, chopped

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Fresh Tarragon 
Instructions:

In a large bowl, combine chicken, celery, grapes, nuts, and mayonnaise. Gently fold in snipped tarragon leaves. Refrigerate until ready to use. Top with crunchy garlic croutons. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter W

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Watercress Bacon Dinner Salad! If you like salad, you will find yourself saying, “OMG, I want a second helping!”  My husband and I can literally eat this dinner salad until we think we will burst! And then we’ll have one bite more! (P.S. Spring is the best time of year to pick up watercress at the Farmer’s Market.)


Ingredients:

3 Eggs

7 slices Bacon

1 Vidalia Onion, Small

1 cup sliced Mushrooms

10 ounce package Grape Tomatoes

6 ounces Watercress

1 heart of Romaine Lettuce

1 cup seasoned croutons

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

5 Tablespoons Reserved Bacon Grease (*or substitute with olive oil)

3 Tablespoons Garlic Wine Vinegar

2 teaspoons Honey

1/2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

Instructions:

Cook eggs: cover with water, bring to a boil, then turn off heat and allow to sit in water for 20 minutes. Drain off water and add ice on top of eggs. Fry bacon until crisp. Drain on a paper towel. Remove 5 tablespoons grease and set aside. Use 2 tablespoons of grease in a separate skillet over medium heat. Slice thin the Vidalia onion, then add to skillet. Cook slowly until onions are caramelized and reduced. Remove to a plate and set aside. Add mushrooms to the same skillet. Cook slowly until caramelized and brown. Remove to a plate and set aside. Cut bacon into pieces. Peel and slice eggs. Mix romaine and watercress in a large bowl. Arrange onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, and bacon on top. 

Hot Bacon Dressing: Add 3 tablespoons bacon grease, vinegar, honey, and Dijon to a small saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat. Whisk mixture together and heat thoroughly.

Pour hot dressing over the salad; toss to combine. Arrange eggs over the top, add croutons, sprinkle on grated Parmesan cheese, and Voilà! Dinner is served!


Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter C

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen?  Caprese Salad!  Here’s a refreshingly healthy salad alternative to the traditional Cobb Salad. This little number boasts an international flavor with an Italian influence.  Right now fresh tomatoes-on-the-vine are available at the market. Hand-pick them in any size cluster you desire.  All natural mozzarella makes all the difference, especially when surrounded by this season’s basil leaves. Pluck the basil from your window herb garden or go straight to the organic produce section of your favorite grocers.  As you dive in to this crispy salad, notice the colors of the flag of Italy.  Grazie, grazie molto!

CAPRESE SALAD
Ingredients:
4-6 Roma Tomatoes 
16 oz. Marinated Mozzarella*
24 Fresh Basil Leaves
2 T Red Onion, slivered
Herbed Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Garlic Wine Vinegar 
Directions:
Cut the tomatoes into wedges.  Add the mozzarella cheese, onion, and basil. Gently toss with drizzled olive oil and vinegar to taste. 
***May Substitute Herbed Goat Cheese. Watch for this recipe in Letter G.