Serving Up {Salad}: Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with White Balsamic Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

We are entering the dog days of summer...it's hot and we are down to the last few weeks before school begins again, which means we are playing HARD to try to get all the summer fun in!  This recipe is perfect for a busy day that you know you have to feed the family but it is simply too hot to heat up an oven.  I like to prepare this salad early in the morning (minus the spinach and dressing) before we head out for our day and then just stick it in the fridge.  When dinnertime comes around and everyone is hot and tired and asking, "what's for dinner" you can just whip it out, add the spinach and dressing and, "voila", dinner is served!

You're welcome!

One Year Ago: Homemade Sloppy Joes
Two Years Ago: Ravioli with Balsamic Browned Butter
                         Spinach, Pear, Prosciutto and Gorgonzola with Balsamic Vinaigrette

MEDITERRANEAN QUINOA SALAD with WHITE BALSAMIC HONEY DIJON VINAIGRETTE    
(recipe from Mylan S.)
printable version

1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups water
1 sweet onion, sliced and grilled w/ oil until browned and soft & carmelized
1 can Garbanzo beans, rinsed
1 jar (4 oz) artichoke hearts, chopped or sliced
1/2 jar pittted kalamata olives, chopped or sliced
12-16 ounce bag baby spinach

White Balsamic Honey Dijon Vinaigrette:
1/3  cup white balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1 Tbs. honey
Salt & Pepper to taste

Prepare quinoa by bringing water to a boil and adding the quinoa.  Stir, cover and cook as per package directions.  Set aside and allow to cool.
Prepare vinaigrette by combining all ingredients in a blender and pulsing until combined.
To cooled quinoa add onion, garbanzo beans, artichokes and olives.  Gently toss to combine.
Add spinach and dressing and toss lightly to coat.

Serving Up {Breakfast}: Fried Egg Sandwich with Bacon and Gorgonzola

I have been enjoying egg sandwiches quite regularly as of late - some for breakfast, others for dinner, last night it was eggs and avocado at 9:45 p.m. in hopes of getting the tummy to stop grumbling.  I get the most beautiful free range eggs from a local farmer and the yolks are literally ORANGE.  Gorgeous!  With eggs kind of on my mind, I saw this recipe posted at Smitten Kitchen and I knew that I had to make it!  And I did make it - the very next night (and again the next day)!  I mean, you use the bacon fat to make a dressing for the greens!  Are you kidding me?  All salads would benefit from a couple of tablespoons of good ole' bacon grease, but that is just my personal opinion...

I wrote the recipe as I made it which included a couple of tweaks - not necessarily because it needed tweaks, but because I made it with what I had on hand.  So the frisee became spinach and the blue cheese became gorgonzola.  While I can't speak for the sandwich with the original ingredient list, I can speak of the sandwich made with the substitutions and I can't imagine anything better.  Yum!

FRIED EGG SANDWICH with BACON AND GORGONZOLA
(recipe from Smitten Kitchen)
printable version

2 ciabatta rolls

1 ½ cups favorite mixed greens
2 slices bacon, thick cut
1 Tbs. minced shallot
1 ½ Tbs. red wine vinegar
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
Salt and Pepper
¼ cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese

2 Tbs. butter
2 eggs
Salt and Pepper

Place mixed greens in a small bowl. Cut bacon crosswise into ½ inch pieces. Heat skillet over medium heat and cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside, reserving half of the bacon grease. Add shallot to bacon fat and cook for one minute, stirring. Add red wine vinegar, stirring for 30 seconds, then remove from heat and whisk in Dijon mustard. Pour hot dressing over mixed greens, add cooked bacon and toss with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Split rolls in half and toast. Divide salad between each roll. Top each salad with 2 Tbs. crumbled gorgonzola.

Reheat skillet over medium heat. Add butter and coat the pan. Crack each egg ino the pan, season with salt and pepper and cover the skillet with a small lid. Cook for one minute for a perfect sunny-side-up egg, although flipping the egg for 30 seconds more will keep the yolk from comepletely running off your sandwich. Remove the eggs from the pan and place on top of the gorgonzola. Replace top bun.

Serving Up {Breakfast}: Spinach Artichoke Egg Croissant

I try really hard to always site my source for recipes, whether it be a friend, another blog or the back of the chocolate chip package!  While I would like to properly site this recipe, I can't recall the exact source but I will tell you how it evolved.  I was reading a book and the character created an egg sandwich by spreading spinach artichoke dip over a toasted croissant, topped it with a poached egg and drizzled the entire thing with Hollandaise sauce.  So I guess my true source of this recipe was a character in a book, or more accurately, the author of the book, but I can't recall what book it was.  Regardless, you can bet that I jumped at the chance to recreat it and am really glad that I did.  I have served this as a quick breakfast for the hubby, as a dinner for the family and as the main dish for a holiday luncheon with twelve church ladies in attendance.  It just works!

Served beside some yummy breakfast potatoes (may I suggest these), this is a really satisfying meal.

  

Warning: make sure you have a fork and an extra napkin or two because as delicious as it is, it is equally messy.

SPINACH ARTICHOKE EGG CROISSANT     

printable version

1 large croissant

3-4 Tbs. Spinach Artichoke Dip (Costco sells a yummy version)

3-4 Tbs. Hollandaise Sauce

1-2 large eggs

salt & pepper

Cover the bottom of a small skillet with water about 1-2 inches and bring to a simmer (you don't want the water to be boiling).  Add 1 Tbs. vinegar to the water.  Crack the egg into a small dish and, from the dish, pour the egg into the simmering water.  Cover and allow to simmer for approximately 4 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, remove the egg from the water.  If you want two eggs on your croissant, then repeat the process with another egg.

While egg is cooking, slice the croissant in half.  Place in toaster oven to toast lightly.

Heat spinach artichoke dip until the cheese is melted.  Remove croissant from the toaster and spread the dip on the bottom half.  Place poached egg on top of the artichoke dip and season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle the Hollandaise sauce over the egg and replace the top half of the croissant.

Serving Up {Side Dish}: Savory Sausage Stuffing

I have to admit that when it comes to stuffings, add some craisins to a box of Stove Top and I am actually quite happy. I guess I am admitting to easily satisfied taste buds or I am giving Stove Top quite the rave review. Hmmmm.

While Stove Top stuffing may meet my needs on a random week night, there is something about Thanksgiving dinner that demands that the onion and celery and garlic be freshly chopped... that the bread cubes be cut by my own hand, brushed with oil and toasted in my own oven... that I throw in some spinach and cashews, and maybe even craisins, by eyeballing it. I have been creating and adjusting this recipe for years. I will admit that this recipe is a bit of work but the end results are, dare I claim, better than Stove Top.

**as written this recipe makes a LOT!  As in, if you aren't taking it to a family gathering, you may want to scale it back**

SAVORY SAUSAGE STUFFING     

printable version

2 packages Jimmy Dean sausage (I prefer Sage flavored)
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 ½ cup onion, diced
1 ½ cup celery, diced
1 cup grated carrots
3 garlic cloves, minced
10 ounce pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and drained (I use fresh)
2 tsp. dried rosemary
2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 tsp. black pepper
15 ounce herbed dry bread, cubed
(use Italian bread, brush with olive oil and bake until browned)
2 cups chicken broth
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 cups whole cashews
Craisins, optional (wink)

In a large skillet, cook sausage until no longer pink. Add mushrooms, onions, celery, carrots and garlic. Cook and stir for 10 minutes until vegetables are softened. (If using fresh spinach, add the last 2-3 minutes to wilt it down).
Transfer meat and vegetables to a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well.
Pour everything into a large buttered 4-quart casserole dish. Bake for 60 minutes at 325 degrees.

**Stuffing is a snap done in a crockpot. Cut liquid in half and cook for four hours**

Serving Up {Salad}: Spinach, Pear, Prosciutto and Gorgonzola with a Balsamic Vinaigrette

What a difference the sun makes!  For months I have been stuck taking photos of the dishes I've made using a flash but summertime has FINALLY arrived in the Northwest and my photos look much more appealing in natural light!  No guarantee how long this blessing will last.  The comment I heard from a friend regarding our weather was, "it's so nice that summer fell on a weekend this year".  Sad but true!

I love gourmet salads and never tire of trying new salad combinations with homemade dressings.  When I discovered this salad I immediately knew I would love it and I was right.  When we lived in Vegas there was a restaurant called Sammy's Wood fired Pizza (it's a chain with locations also in Southern California).  The menu offered many unique pizza combinations and I don't believe I ever had one that I didn't adore, but I did have a favorite...Sammy's Organic Arugula and Pear.  It was a pizza topped with proscuitto, pear and gorgonzola and after it came out of the oven it was topped with an arugula salad dressed in a balsamic dressing.  If ever you visit Sammy's please order this pizza!

This salad is a delightful (crustless) version of that pizza.  And it makes me very happy.  I hope it makes you happy too.

SPINACH, PEAR, PROSCIUTTO AND GORGONZOLA with a BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE     

printable version

16 ounces baby spinach

2 pears

4 ounces Gorgonzola

4 slices prosciutto, baked crispy and broken into large pieces

1/2 cup candied walnuts or pecans

Combine all salad ingredients in a bowl or prepare individual salads on salad plates.  Dress with Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing.

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing:

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 Tbs. soy sauce

2 Tbs. dijon mustard

1/2 Tbs. shallots, minced

1/2 Tbs. garlic, minced

salt, to taste

ground pepper, to taste

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup canola oil

Combine all ingredients except oils in blender base.  Blend until all ingredients are well combined.  Slowly add oils, mixing until all the ingredients are thoroughly blended and lightly emulsified.

Serving Up {Salad}: Teriyaki Bowtie Chicken Salad

Can I just say that by simply posting this recipe I am craving it!  A lot!  I mean, read through those ingredients and tell me what there isn't to love?  Okay, so my kiddoss don't actually love that the ingredients are all touching each other - and being the ultra cool (pushover) mom that I am, their salad looks more like a plate of Teriyaki chicken with a side of noodles and a serving of spinach.  But throw out those childish inhibitions and toss it all together.  You will be so glad that you did!  I will be so glad that you did.  In fact, I might come over and eat it with you because I cannot get enough of it!!!  

TERIYAKI BOWTIE CHICKEN SALAD     

(recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe)

printable version

Dressing:

1 cup canola oil

1/3 – 2/3 cup bottled teriyaki sauce

1/3 cup rice vinegar

1/3 cup cider vinegar

6 Tbs. sugar

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

Salad:

16 ounce bow tie pasta, cooked al dente, drained and cooled

1 bag (10 ounce) fresh spinach

6 ounce craisins

2 (11 ounce) cans mandarin oranges, drained

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

4 green onions, thinly sliced

¼ cup sesame seeds, toasted

6 ounce honey roasted peanuts

2 cups cooked chicken, tossed with 2-3 Tbs. teriyaki sauce

In a blender, combine all the dressing ingredients and blend until well combined and smooth. 

Mix about 1 cup of the dressing with the cooked pasta in a large bowl and marinate for at least one hour. Combine the remaining salad ingredients in a large bowl. Just before serving, add the pasta and toss. Add dressing to taste and toss. Serve immediately.

Serving Up {Entree}: Spinach Pie

I hate it when I'm at a loss when I write and, yet, as I begin to type this post I realized that I don't even know how to categorize this recipe.  Frustrating!  It may have "pie" in the title, but this is not something you would serve a'la mode.  It also has "spinach" in the title but the butter content alone negates it from being labeled a vegetable.  I do, however, think you could venture as far as to consider it a "brunch" entrée - think of it as a variation on quiche.

I first sampled this recipe on Christmas Eve.  My mother-in-law put together a 'Night in Bethlehem' and, with the help of my sister-in-law, created a lavish meal including roasted vegetables, nuts and dried fruit, salad and this Spinach Pie.  Blankets were spread on the floor as we ate a meal intended to represent the time period of the Savior.  The evening was delightful and touching, but among many fond memories are the memories of this delicious dish!  I've made this recipe three times already since.  Something about that feta cheese keeps me coming back!  Yum!

I will pass along one tip.  I usually avoid any recipe that calls for fillo dough because I think it is so difficult to work with.  My past experiences include it tearing and drying out and crumbling.  Ugh!  But I am guilty of freezing my packages of fillo dough.  My sister-in-law suggested refrigerating the dough and not freezing it.  It made all the difference for me.  I am no longer scared of fillo dough.  Bring it on!

SPINACH PIE     
(recipe from Sheri D.)
printable version

14 sheets Fillo Dough
10 oz. package frozen, chopped spinach
12 ounces cottage cheese *
8 ounces cream cheese *
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1/2 tsp. dried dill weed
2 scallions
1 medium onion
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 cup butter
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Chop the onion and thinly slice the scallions.  Saute in vegetable oil at medium heat until tender and golden.  Drain the spinach and squeeze dry.  Thoroughly mix the onions, spinach, cheese, dill, pepper and egg in a large bowl.  Melt and clarify the butter.  Brush the bottom and sides of a 13"x9" baking pan with butter.  Using 7 fillo sheets build a stack in the bottom of the baking pan by brushing half of each fillo sheet and folding in in half.  Spread the spinach and cheese mixture evenly over the fillo in the baking pan.  Cover the mixture using 7 fillo sheets in the same manner used to create the base.  Thoroughly butter the top layer, especially the edges.
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown in a 375 degree preheated oven.
Let it stand for 10 minutes before cutting for easier serving.  Cut into squares or triangles using a sharp knife.

* the recipe calls for low-fat cottage cheese and light cream cheese, so if you are into that I think you are safe to substitute.  I don't believe in "low-fats" and "lights" so I use the REAL stuff and the results are fabulous!  No guilt here!

Serving Up {Salad}: Sandy's Spinach Salad

In my husband's family, if you say you are bringing "Sandy's Salad" everyone knows exactly what you are speaking of.  Which is pretty remarkable because I can't think of another recipe that needs no introduction or explanation.  Sandy happens to be my sister-in-law and this recipe is her spinach salad that I make more than any other salad.  The ingredients seem to always be on hand so it's quick to throw together without any aforethought - yet the taste would make you believe that it was labored over.

SANDY'S SPINACH SALAD     
(recipe from Sandy D.)
printable version

Spinach leaves
Sliced tart apple (granny smith)
Crisp bacon bits
Toasted slivered almonds
Dried sweetened cranberries
Shredded parmesan

Combine all the salad ingredients in a large bowl.

Poppy Seed Dressing:

3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (or raspberry vinegar)
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 Tbs. dry onion flakes
1 tsp. salt
1 cup canola or olive oil
1 Tbs. poppy seeds

Mix the first five ingredients in a blender until sugar dissolves.  Slowly add the oil while continuing to blend.  Add the poppy seeds last.
***The dressing proportions make A LOT of dressing - I always cut it in half and still have leftover.

Serving Up {Pasta}: Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Shells

I posted this recipe on our family blog three years ago because every time I made it I would get the request for the recipe.  Nothing has changed.  It continues to be one of my favorite meals to make and continues to get requests for the recipe whenever it's shared.  Because it is so well received, it is one that I often go to when I need to provide a dinner for another family - not to mention it is an easy recipe to double if you need to feed a large crowd.

Don't be frightened by the spinach.  My husband is not a big fan of cooked spinach and yet I have never had him voice displeasure in it's presence in this meal (as he reaches for seconds).  If you are really adverse to it, then simply leave it out.  They will still be amazing! 

SPINACH ARTICHOKE STUFFED SHELLS      
(adapted recipe from Karen S.)
printable version

1 pkg. jumbo shells
1 can artichoke hearts (not marinated), chopped
1/2 cup frozen CHOPPED spinach (about 1/2 package), thawed and well drained
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Dash each of Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1 lb. jimmy dean sage sausage, cooked and drained

Cook pasta until almost done - they are easier to stuff when not completely cooked.  Set aside.

Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise and spices and blend together well.  Add the spinach, chopped artichokes and sausage and stir until all mixed.

Stuff the shells with the cream cheese mixture and place in a lightly sprayed baking dish, open side up.  Top with alfredo sauce (recipe to follow) and bake until heated through.

ALFREDO SAUCE
(recipe from Karen S.)

1/4 cup butter
1 quart HEAVY whipping cream
1 cup parmesan shreds

Melt the butter in a saucepan, being careful to ensure it does not burn.  Add the whipping cream and heat over medium-low heat until it thickens (at least 5 minutes) stirring frequently.  Add a little salt and pepper.  When the sauce is thickened, add the parmesan cheese and stir until it is melted and incorporated.  Do not add the cheese prior to the cream thickening or the cheese will sink to the bottom and burn.  Taste and add additional salt if necessary.

The Alfredo Sauce recipe makes enough that I generally only use 1/2 of the recipe to top one batch of the stuffed shells.

Serving Up {Salad}: Strawberry Spinach Salad

If I had to choose just one of my favorite salads to eat for the rest of my life, this would make the cut into at least the final three.  It is really that good!  When strawberries are in season I have been known to eat this for lunch everyday for a week or more, and have never tired of it.  In fact, after a week of eating it I will still salivate as the clock nears noon and I begin to think of eating it again.

This salad is just one of many terrific recipes that can be found over at the Sister's Cafe - one of my favorite food blogs!  It pairs spinach, strawberries, feta and pine nuts with a delightful lemon & Dijon dressing.  Not only is it delicious, it is beautiful and would be a gorgeous accompaniment to any Easter brunch.

 

STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD     Pin It
(recipe from The Sister's Cafe)
printable version

Dressing:
3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
3 Tbs. sugar
1/2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1/2 Tbs. grated lemon rind
1/4 cup canola or light olive oil

Combine all the ingredients in a blender.  Continue to pulse until the mixture is combined, thickened and the sugar is dissolved.

Salad:
3 cups fresh spinach
1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
Feta Cheese, to taste

In a large bowl, toss together the spinach, strawberries, nuts and feta.  Toss with enough dressing to coat.