Month: January 2016

For years, this green salad has been a hit at family dinners and parties. I’ll never forget when after a big Thanksgiving dinner with many scrumptious dishes, one guest leaned back from the table and proclaimed my green salad to be the best dish of the meal.

This salad goes great with chicken, beef, pork, pasta, and fish dishes. Keep in mind that the crumbled cheese is strong, so don’t pair with another cheesy dish like Alfredo.

The recipe below is 3 parts:
1. Salad dressing
2. Candied nuts
3. Green Salad

Salad dressing – Ingredients:
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 small clove garlic, minced (can be omitted)

Salad dressing – Directions:
Wisk all ingredients together and store in air tight bottle in refrigerator. I recommend making this one day ahead so flavors blend.

Candied Nuts – Ingredients:
2 cups walnut or pecans, ideally the half pieces not little bits
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon OR 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (can be omitted if you don’t want spicy nuts)

Candied Nuts – Directions:
1. Medium sized pan, medium high heat.
2. Add butter and nuts at same time and stir continuously moving nuts around pan so don’t burn.
3. Add brown sugar and spices at same time and keep stirring so doesn’t burn.
4. As soon as sugar is melted and coating all the nuts, turn off burner and remove from heat immediately. This should happen within a minute of adding sugar and spices.
5. Spread out nuts evenly along bottom of pan. Allow to cook in the pan – at least 30 minutes before out on salad. Break apart because will probably stick together.

I usually make these in advance so I have on hand for quick salad prep. Store in air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks – if they last that long.

Note: I’ve used these nuts in other dishes too. Try with pork, chicken salad sandwiches, garnish steamed green beans or roasted Brussels sprouts, but always a great addition to green salads!

Green Salad – Ingredients:
1 head romaine, green leaf, or red leaf lettuce, leafy edges torn from rib, rinsed and dried. I like a combination of two different lettuces.
1/2 cup blue cheese or gorgonzola cheese crumbles
1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
2 green onion stalks, sliced thin on the bias (diagonally cut)
1 cup candied nuts
Dressing
Optional – your favorite seasoned croutons

Green Salad – Directions:
Part of the enjoyment of this salad is presentation. I recommend not tossing all the ingredients together until you’re ready to eat.

To assemble, use large salad bowl. Start with lettuce on the bottom and add ingredients in this order:
Tomatoes
Cheese crumbles
Green onion
Candied nuts

When ready to eat, drizzle 1/2 cup of salad dressing on top, toss to coat. If you’re using croutons, add 1 cup and toss to combine after already tossing once before with dressing. I do this because I don’t want the croutons to soak up all the dressing.

Sit back and watch the flavor explosion in their mouths and smiles of delight!

I’ll see you at the table!