Salads/Dressings/Extras
Basil Butter
Ranch Dressing/Dip
Taco Seasoning
Ingredients:
4 sticks butter, salted, good quality, room temperature
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 cup fresh basil leaves, tightly packed, washed and dried
Directions:
In the bowl of a food processor add all the ingredients. Blend till smooth. Roll in to longs on wax paper. Twist both ends to seal and freeze for up to 6 months.
Use to top steaks, scrambled eggs, roasted or grilled veggies, loaves of bread and so much more!
Taco Seasoning
Ranch Dressing/Dip
Taco Seasoning
Ingredients:
1/4 cup chili powder
2 Tbsp cumin
1.5 Tbsp kosher salt
1.5 Tbsp ground black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp paprika
pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes, more if you like the heat
Directions:
You can triple this up. You can also add more of any spice depending on what you like!
Mix in a bowl and store in an airtight container or mason jar. (I love these lids for the mason jars https://amzn.to/3GcVnvE )
To use this - brown 1lb of ground beef and drain off the fat. Then add 2 Tbsp of the taco seasoning and 1/2 cup water and allow to simmer till water has mostly evaporated.
2 Tbsp seasoning to 1lb of ground beef
Ranch Dressing/Dip
Ranch Dressing/Dip
Blue Cheese Dressing/Dip
Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup Italian Parsley
1 scallion, rough cut
1 cup mayonnaise
1 /2 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp white vinegar
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
pinch cayenne
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
kosher salt
black pepper
1/4 cup buttermilk, more if necessary
Directions:
In the bowl of a food processor add all the ingredients except the buttermilk. Pulse till almost smooth. Add a little buttermilk at a time till you have the desired consistency. Adjust seasonings.
Add jalapeno or chipotle to spice it up!
Blue Cheese Dressing/Dip
Quinoa and Asparagus Warm Salad with Feta
Blue Cheese Dressing/Dip
This makes a wonderful dressing or dip. It is a bit thick and chunky - if you prefer to thin it out - add Tbsp of buttermilk, whole milk or half and half to thin it out. Add as much as needed but start with just a Tbsp. at a time.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise (not low fat - just regular mayo!)
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
6 oz blue cheese crumbles
1 Tbsp buttermilk, more if necessary
Directions:
In a medium bowl whisk together all the ingredients except the blue cheese. After it is well mixed, gently stir in the blue cheese crumbles. Thin as necessary for dressing or leave chunky for dip. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours and taste to adjust seasonings just before serving. Will last for up to 1 week if stored in a sealed container in the fridge.
Quinoa and Asparagus Warm Salad with Feta
Quinoa and Asparagus Warm Salad with Feta
Quinoa and Asparagus Warm Salad with Feta
Ingredients:
12 stalks asparagus, trimmed, cut in to 1" pieces
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup feta cheese (or more if desired)
4 cups cooked quinoa
EVOO
Kosher salt and black pepper
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375.
On a rimmed sheet pan add the asparagus, red pepper, onion and drizzle with EVOO and season with a pinch of kosher salt and pepper. Roast for 10-12 minutes, stirring once.
Meanwhile make the quinoa according to the packaged directions. You also sub this for rice, barley, wheat berries, farro, couscous or almost any grain.
In a large bowl add the hot quinoa. Next, scrap all the contents off the baking sheet in to the bowl. Be sure to add the oil (I tilt the pan and scrape with a spatula to get all the yummy stuff!)
Add the feta cheese and gently stir. You don't want to mash or break up the salad so take care when stirring. This can be served hot, cold, slightly warm or at room temp.
