Lemon-Poppy Seed Dressing

In time for Easter.

 This is a nice, lemony, slightly sweet dressing that

 is perfect for a Spring salad.

 Make a simple salad with chopped romaine lettuce.

 It's nice topped with croutons 

(homemade would be best)

and thinly sliced red onions if you wish.

 Assembled ingredients.

 Juice from 1/2 lemon for 2T and 1t grated zest. 

 Add mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper.

 Whisk it until creamy and add the poppy seeds.

I used 1 romaine heart, chopped to make about 4C.

Wash and spin chopped romaine to make

sure it's dry so the dressing will cling.

Toss the romaine with the dressing

until well coated. Taste to see if it needs

more salt and pepper.

Add croutons and thinly sliced red onion.

Lemon-Poppy Seed Dressing

 – serves 2

Whisk:

1 T sugar

2 T  fresh lemon juice

2 T  mayonnaise

1 t    minced lemon zest

 1 t   Dijon mustard

½ t  poppy seeds

Salt and pepper to taste

Toss:

I heart chopped romaine lettuce

Croutons

Thinly sliced red onion – not much

Enjoy!

Links: Stone Gable,
Between Naps On The Porch
Designs By Gollum

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Bacon, Avocado,Tomato Pasta

What's for lunch?

Sometimes I just look in the refrigerator to see 

what I can pull together for lunch.

 Today I found 1/2 of a tomato, 1/2 of an avocado, 

a few pieces of bacon, and a little leftover grated cheese. 

 All I needed to do was cook a little pasta, and

 Chop those few ingredients.

The rest of the ingredients I usually have on hand

 are: fresh basil from my garden, garlic, lemon juice, 

olive oil and s&p. Toss it all together.

Lunch is being served on the patio!

You don't need to follow the recipe exactly. 

It's just a guide. Use what you have. 

Just add your ingredients and toss.

B-A-T Pasta

2 C uncooked pasta, bow ties

4 slices bacon, cooked crisp

1/2 avocado, cubed

1/2 tomato, cubed

1/2 C shredded Italian cheese,

(Parmesan, Romano, Asiago or a combo)

1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4-1/2 C fresh basil leaves, chopped

2 T lemon juice

Generous amount of salt and pepper to taste

Cook and drain the pasta. Rinse under cold water.

Put into a medium bowl, add other ingredients.

Toss to combine. Two large servings.

Enjoy!

"Ask not what you can do for your country. 
Ask what's for lunch." ... Orson Welles

This is similar to my Spinach Pasta Salad with Asiago Cheese
Links: Designs By Gollum

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Marinated Shrimp

Instead of making the usual shrimp cocktail, try this!

It's a great appetizer.

Serve chilled.

 First, boil the shrimp using my easy no-fail recipe.

 Cover the shrimp with at least 2 inches of water. 

Add vinegar and Old Bay seasoning and salt. 

You can add more spices if you like.

 Place on high heat and stir occasionally. 

When 1 or 2 shrimp float to the top they are done. 

The water may not come to a boil.

 Immediately pour into a colander to drain
 and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.

 Ingredients for the marinade.

 Mince the garlic. I used cilantro here, 

but you can also use fresh flat leaf parsley, or both.

 Combine the marinade/dressing ingredients in a jar.

 Shake to blend.

 To the shrimp add: sliced celery, chopped green
onions and chopped fresh cilantro or parsley.

 Pour the marinade over all and toss well. 

Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

 Sprinkle with additional green onions and parsley. 

Set out with toothpicks at a party or serve in small

glass dishes as a dinner appetizer.

Or do what we did tonight and share with a 

glass of wine and good warm crusty bread.

Easy No-Fail Shrimp Boil

1 lb large or extra large shrimp

1 T Old bay seasoning

2 T cider vinegar

1 t salt

Add shrimp to pot and add water to cover

the shrimp by 2 inches. Add the Old Bay,

Salt and vinegar. Start cooking on high,

stirring until 1-2 shrimp float to the surface.

(water may not come to a boil)

Drain immediately in a colander and 

rinse with cold water to stop the cooking, 

Peel and chill.

This method works any amount of shrimp.

Marinade

1/2 t salt

1/2 t paprika

1/4 t sugar

1 T Dijon mustard

1-2 T horseradish

3 T tarragon or basil vinegar

1/3 C olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake.

Enough for 1 lb of shrimp.

Marinated Shrimp

1 lb cooked shrimp

Green onions, chopped, about half a bunch

Celery, thinly sliced or minced, 2-3 stalks

Fresh Parsley or Cilantro, or both chopped 

to taste about 1/2 C

Place cooked shrimp in a bowl and add the

celery, green onions and parsley, as much as you 

like. Pour over the marinade and toss.

Cover and let marinade at least 4 hours or

overnight in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

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Spinach Pasta Salad with Asiago Cheese

This is an easy pasta salad to toss together. 

It can be a light entree or side salad 

if you need to bring something.

I cut the recipe in half for us.

Use freshly grated Parmesan and Asiago cheese.

We're having some for lunch today.

Spinach Pasta Salad with Asiago Cheese

6 C cooked penne pasta 

1 bag fresh spinach-8-10oz.

3-4 T olive oil

4 Roma tomatoes, cut up

2 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 large)

generous salt and pepper to taste

3/4 C grated Asiago cheese

1/4-1/2 C grated parmesan cheese

Toss it all together.
Refrigerate if made ahead.

Can add chicken or shrimp

Enjoy!

Links: Remodelaholic,
No Minimalist Here,
Designs By Gollum, Stone Gable

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Asian Slaw

This is a slaw you just can't stop munching on.

I like that I can make it ahead of time.

 Gather ingredients: broccoli slaw, sunflower seeds,
sliced almonds, green onions and a packet of ramen noodles.

Whisk or shake in a jar the dressings ingredients:
oil, sugar, vinegar and the reserved flavor packet.

 Crush the noodles and put into the bowl.

 Toast the almonds in the toaster oven for about
5-10 minutes at 350, until fragrant.

 Add the broccoli slaw to the bowl.
Chop the green onions and add to the bowl along
with the sunflower seeds and almonds.

Combine the dressing well and pour over. 

Give it a good toss. Taste and try not to eat 

too much. Put in a sealed container in the

refrigerator until ready to serve or overnight. 

Asian Slaw

2 (3-oz) packages beef-flavored 

ramen noodle soup mix

2 (8.5-oz) packages broccoli slaw mix
(or 16-oz bag cole slaw mix) 

1 C sliced almonds, toasted

1 C sunflower kernels

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1/2 C sugar

3/4 C vegetable oil

1/3 C white or apple cider vinegar

flavor packets from soup mix

~~~~~~~~~~~

Remove the flavor packets from the soup mix

and set aside. Crush the noodles and place 

them in the bottom of a large bowl. 

Top with the slaw mix; sprinkle with almonds, 

sunflower kernels and green onions.

~~~~~~~~~

Whisk together the contents of the

 flavor packets, sugar, oil and vinegar. 

Poor over the slaw. Cover and chill 24 hours.

 Toss before serving.

tip: can add cut-up shrimp or chicken for
a complete meal. (about 2-4 C)

tip: I cut the recipe in half in the above photos.

for the oil ~ half of 3/4 C = 6T

for the vinegar ~ half of 1/3 C = 2T+2t

Enjoy!

Links: Designs By Gollum

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The Reuben Sandwich with Homemade 1000 Island Dressing

Another one of our top ten favorite sandwiches is the a

Grilled Reuben.

 I never buy bottled 1000 Island dressing because 

it's so easy to mix up a batch at home 

with ingredients I already have in the house.

 I dont even measure anymore.
 Just dump in a jar and stir it until

  it looks like 1000 Island dressing.

I don't use it on salads. I like it on sandwiches. 

It's great for a chicken or turkey sandwich. 

It's also good on a BLT, another favorite sandwich.
~~~~~~~~

To Make A Reuben 

you'll need: rye bread, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut,

 pastrami or corned beef, butter or margarine and

1000 Island dressing

~~~~~~~~  

 Butter one side of the rye bread slices and 

put them buttered sides together while you
assemble the sandwiches.

 Spread the other side with dressing and
 pile on the corned beef or pastrami

 Top with sauerkraut. Squeeze out any extra juice.

Lay on Swiss cheese slices.

Add more dressing if desired.
 Put it on your preheated grill, or fry pan.

 Top with the remaining buttered rye bread slices, butter side up.

 Close the grill and grill for about 5 minutes.
If using a fry pan you'll need to flip the sandwich. 

Remove from the pan when the sandwich is grilled to

 a golden brown perfection and the cheese is melted.

Enjoy!

1000 Island Dressing
1 C mayonnaise
1/4 C sweet relish
1/4 C ketchup
1/4 t salt & 1/4 t pepper
1/2 t tarragon
1 t Worcestershire sauce
dash Tabasco (optional)
Combine all ingredients in a jar.
Store in the refrigerator to use as
sandwich spread.

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