Beet Salad with Ranch Dressing

Last nite I marinated some steaks. I was going to make it an ez meal , just steak and salad. When I started pulling out stuff for my salad I realized I didn't have any tomatoes. All I had was lettuce and cucumber. Great....now what? So I started to dig around in the pantry to see what I could find and I came across a can of sliced beets.

I asked my bf if he liked beets cuz I know I do but haven't made them in ages. I don't recall ever making them for him. Good thing he likes them. My next thought was ok now what? I remembered recently reading something about beets with ranch dressing. Well I guess it could be good, I like both. So after I made the dressing this is what I came up with. It was YUMMY! And Ill be making it again........next time tho I'm going to plan for it and buy some fresh beets to roast. Roasted beets are the best made that way, much sweeter.

Beet Salad with Ranch Dressing
1 can (1lb.) sliced beets, drained well
3 green onions, sliced thin
S & P
1/2 tsp dried dill weed
1/2 cucumber, peeled and halved then sliced
Mixed lettuces
Homemade Ranch dressing (follows)

Wash lettuce and dry well, Rip apart into bite size pieces and put on flat tray or bowl. Add cucumbers and toss. In a small bowl put sliced beets, onions, S & P, and dill and mix well. When ready to serve, top lettuce with beet mixture and drizzle with a bit of dressing. Pass rest of dressing at table. If this has to sit awhile do not put the dressing on at all until your ready. It will turn fluorescent pink!

Ranch Dressing
* 1 cup mayonnaise
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
* 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
* 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, chives, parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

ROASTED BEETS

SERVES 4
1-1/2 pounds medium red beets, peeled and quartered
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375° F. Place the beets in a small roasting or baking dish in one layer. Drizzle with the oil. Add the garlic, salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Roast until fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Serve hot or room temperature.
Note: If you can get baby beets, roast them whole with the peel on. The peel will slip off easily when cooked.

ASPARAGUS WITH TOMATOES AND PINE NUTS

I decided to post one of my families favorite asparagus dishes. I found it in this cookbook many years ago. I tried to find it online to show you the cover but apparently its been reprinted so many times. My cover, I couldnt find online so I had to scan my own copy. Then I looked thru it. OMG Ive been using it and writing in it and messing it up for yrs and now I find out I HAVE A FIRST EDITION!!!!!! grrr Oh well theres nothing I can do about it now. This was printed in 1985, the yr. after I moved here. This is one of those cookbooks that has simple Italian foods but tons of flavor. I love it.

ASPARAGUS WITH TOMATOES AND PINE NUTS Serves 6-8 as a first course


2 lb. thin asparagus
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced fine
1 shallot, peeled and minced fine
2 tb. pine nuts

Simple Virgin Dressing:
1/4c fruity olive oil
1tb. balsamic vinegar
2 tb. roughly chopped basil
Coarse salt

Blanch the asparagus in a lg. amt. of boiling water in a lg. pot for 5-7 min. or till tender yet firm to the bite. Plunge immediately into a lg. bowl filled with ice and water. When asparagus feel cool to the touch, remove from water and drain. The asparagus may be cooked the day before serving. Refrigerate covered with a damp cloth.

When ready to serve , combine the tomatoes, shallot, and pine nuts in a small bowl and moisten with a bit of the Simple Virgin Dressing. To make the dressing whisk oil and vinegar together in a small bowl. Add basil and sprinkle the salt over . stir in.

Spoon the tomato mixture across the center of the asparagus in a stripe. Just before serving, pour rest of dressing over. Vinegar discolors asparagus so wait till serving to pour it all on.

***My own version of this: I double everything but the asparagus. We love the dressing, tomatoes and pine nuts but this recipe just didn't make enough to have a bite with all that asparagus. If theres any left , Ill eat it the next day for lunch, I don't care if the color isn't bright. It tastes yummy!

Wild Violets

I have had a love affair with violets for as long as I can remember. They grew wild in the woods near me in NJ when I lived there. My gramma had them too. When I went to the Jr. Prom yrs later I even asked the boy who was taking me to get me violets as my flowers....I was wearing a lavender and lace gown. Violets are tiny lil things that you might even miss unless you look close. The smell is heavenly but fleeting, that is because one of the components in them actually numbs your nose once you smell them. So today I thought Id blog on another of my favorites and also a few recipes. Yes you can use them in food as long as they are organic, not sprayed, and not ones from the side of the road. If you read all the way down to the bottom theres some yummy surprises to top this all off hehee. Violets --Viola ordorata, also known as sweet violets, so delicate with their velvety purple petals. For me, they always conjure up images of lace gloved matrons sipping sherry from cut crystal glasses. The air, of course, is thick with the intoxicatingly clean, sweet perfume that could only belong to violets. Many cultures, primarily the Celts and the Germans, celebrate the arrival of springtime at the first sighting of violets. The German's further celebrate this event with dancing and drinking of May wine, a concoction made of wine, herbs and of course violets. Combining wine and violets dates back to the days of the ancient Greeks, who would not only put the petals in the wine, but also scatter them all about the banquet hall. They also wore garlands decorated with violets in the belief that this would help to prevent dizziness and headaches from overindulging in drink. (There must be some basis for this since today in France violets are used in the treatment of hangovers). Napoleon was also very fond of violets, even going so far as to adopt the violet as the symbol of his party. Josephine is reputed to have worn violets in her locket, and covered Napleon's grave with violet petals. Throughout the years people have used violets for medicinal purpose, usually in the form of a tea taken internally. In Pakistan, it is drunk to increase sweating and thus reduce fever. It is also reputed to relieve anxiety, insomnia and reduce high blood pressure. In the 17th century throat lozenges, made with violet conserve, were used to treat bronchitis, as well as to combat sinus congestion. Violet sugar was a popular staple in apothecaries of the time. This was used to treat consumption. These treatments worked because of the antibacterial properties of the blossoms. In addition, they contain vitamin C and A, and an aspirin like compound. For external treatments, violets were mixed with vinegar to make liniments. These were used to relieve gout, and to ease liver and spleen problems. The Celts were known to steep violets petals in goat's milk to make a facial treatment aimed at improving one's complexion. One of violet's most notable trait's is its delicate fragrance. It is ironic that this aroma is rarely used today to make perfume because the scent dissipates quickly. It is often replaced by synthetics. When violets are used in the kitchen, it is their candied form that most of us are familiar with. In the Victorian times these were so popular that they were often served as a confection for high tea. They were also used to garnish cakes, pastries, flans and puddings. These days people tend to use the fresh petals more than the candied ones. I love to add them to chilled soups (they are especially striking on creamy spring pea soup). Try adding them just before serving to a salad of fresh spring greens. Not only do they add rich color, but a delicious floral taste as well. I will often use Johnny-Jump-ups in addition to the violets. They, along with pansies, are part of the violet family. Their flavor and perfume is not as strong as those of the violet's, but their vivid colors, and contrasting face-like patterns transform a plan salad into a delightful treat. Violets are also used to add deep color and perfumed taste to jellies, jams, and liqueurs. Commercially available violet water can be used to add that floral quality to cakes, tea breads, ices, and poached fruit. The garden is where violets truly shine. Being a perennial, you can enjoy them year after year, in rock gardens, pots, borders and formal gardens, almost anywhere there is rich, moist soil, full sun (partial shade in very hot regions) and good drainage. Native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, violets have now naturalized in most temperate zones. They propagate by seed, or by root division. Plant them in fall in mild winter areas, and fertilize well to insure a showy burst of flowers come spring. Violet and Orange Whipped Cream and Strawberries serves 4 2 tsp. candied violets* 2 tsp. candied orange peel 2 cups unsweetened whipped cream 2 baskets strawberries, stemmed and quarted 4 fresh violet blossoms, or Johnny-jump-ups With a very sharp knife, chop the violets and the orange peel separately. Place the whipped cream in a bowl. Gently fold in the violets and the peel without deflating the cream. Divide the berries into four decorative dessert cups. Top with the flavored whipped cream, and serve, garnished with a fresh violet blossom on each dessert. *available in specialty markets. Or make them yourself when you have violets blooming, its ez and I store them in an air tight container. Candied Violets Makes 100 If the eggs in your area are questionable as far as the risk of salmonella, feel free to substitute an equivalent amount of meringue powder, available at many baking supply stores. 1 large egg white 1/3 cup water 1 16-oz. box superfine sugar 100 freshly picked violets on the stem -- In a small, deep bowl, lightly beat together the egg white and water. Set aside. -- Pour the sugar into something smallish and deep, like a loaf pan. Working with 1 violet at a time (I warned you, this is tedious!), dip the violet into the egg white mixture, then hold it over the sugar and snip the blossom from its stem. Gently scoop more sugar on top of the violet so that it's completely covered. Discard the stem. Your scissors will get really gummed up after a few dozen violets, so you may have to stop and rinse them from time to time. -- Remove the violet from the sugar with a fork and lay it carefully on a wire rack to dry completely. Repeat until remaining violets are gone, or you are ready to scream, whichever comes first. Allow violets to completely dry at room temperature for several days before storing in airtight containers. Storage Candied violets keep for several months in a cool, dark place, and look gorgeous scattered over cakes, ice cream, and custards. Violet Muffins 1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix (makes 6 to 10 muffins) or use your own muffin recipe 1/2 cup fresh violet leaves and blooms Add 1/2 cup fresh violets to each box of corn muffin mix. Sprinkle tops of muffins with violet leaves. Bake as directed. To get extra vitamins from the violets, mix some fresh violet blooms and leaves into some margarine (whipped would be best), and have it ready when the muffins come out of the oven. Violet Jelly 2 cups violet blooms (the darker blooms make a richer color) Juice of 1 lemon 1 package commercial pectin 4 cups sugar Put violet blooms in a jar or other glass container. Cover blooms with boiling water. Let it steep for 24 hours. This is called "infusion". After 24 hours, strain the liquid from the blooms. Put 2 cups of violet liquid in a saucepan. Add lemon juice and pectin. Bring to a boil and then add sugar. Return to a boil and boil hard for one full minute. Pour into sterilized jars and seal. Violet Jam 1 cup violet blossoms, tightly packed 1 1/2 cups water Juice of 1 lemon 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1 package powdered pectin Place violets in food processor. Add 3/4 cup of water and lemon juice. Blend to coarse paste, add sugar, blend until dissolved. In a pan, heat 3/4 cup of water, then stir in pectin. Boil hard for 1 minute. Add to blender; blend for about 1 minute. Pour jam into small jars and seal. Store in freezer Violet Vinegar - pick enough violet flowers to fill a pint jar - pour unseasoned white wine vinegar over flowers - put lid on - sit container in windowsill for 4 days - strain into another pint jar, put lid on and refrigerate. Salad Dressing - 1/2 Cup Mayonnaise - 1 tsp. sugar - 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. Violet Vinegar - Mix well Sweet Violet Herb Salad 1 head of endive 1 tbsp finely chopped celery 1 tbsp finely chopped, tender fennel stalks (peeled if necessary) 1 tbsp chopped parsley 1 tbsp chopped chervil 2 olives, finely chopped salad dressing to taste petals of 30 sweet violets Separate the endive leaves and place in a salad bowl. Add the remaining salad ingredients, including the herbs, and gently mix well. Add the dressing and toss the salad. Sprinkle on the sweet violet petals. Serves 4. And two more recipes which have nothing to do with violets except the name and sounded like a great way to top this off!!! Blue Violet Martini * 1 ounce Hpnotiq * 1/2 ounce Chambord * 1 ounce Absolut Raspberri * splash of pineapple juice * 3 blackberries PREPARATION: In an ice-filled mixing glass, combine Hypnotiq, Chambord, Absolut and juice. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with skewered blackberries. April's Violet 1 1/2 oz. Bombay Sapphire gin 2tsp. Blue Curacao liqueur 3 drops grenadine syrup Pour into a mixing glass half filled with ice. Add ingredients, stir. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and serve.

Wild Greens and Proscuitto with Honey Peach Vinaigrette

This was another dressing I made at the restaurant. OMG I love this dressing and salad. I couldn't find a picture close to it but we served it with the chunks of peach in the dressing and a prosciutto rose. You could just serve it like the picture with slices of peach and shreds of prosciutto. But it doesn't look as pretty as what I served. The dressing here tho is a creamy one.

Wild Greens and Prosciutto with Honey Peach Vinaigrette Serves 2-4

Dressing:
2 egg yolks
1/4tsp. Coleman mustard
1tsp. whole grain mustard
2 1/2oz. honey
1/2c. champagne vinegar
8oz. of a bland salad oil....like pure olive oil not virgin or corn oil
dash of salt and pepper to taste
a dash of fresh grated nutmeg
1 lg. peach, peeled, pitted and chopped

Salad:
fresh wild greens salad mix
1 slice of prosciutto for each salad as a garnish



Directions:
Combine egg yolks, mustards, and honey, blending well. Begin adding oil and vinegar alternately beginning with the oil, constantly whipping. Add seasonings and adjust if needed. Fold in peaches prior to serving and serve ice cold.

Put a nice mound of wild greens on a salad plate. Roll prosciutto slice into a rose shape and put on side of greens as garnish or .......shred and toss with greens. Top with Honey peach dressing and serve.

Spinach and Strawberry Salad with Thyme Vinaigrette

I used to make this in the Spring at the restaurant I worked at. It was very popular. This has a dressing recipe but at home I would make a Red Onion/Thyme vinegar first to use in the dressing recipe itself. That vinegar also won a First Place ribbon at our local county fair.


Spinach and Strawberry Salad with Thyme Vinaigrette Serves 4

1 bag spinach, washed and large stems removed
1 belgian endive, sliced thinly
1 8oz pkg. fresh ripe strawberries
1 pkg. quail eggs

Dressing:
1/2c. olive oil
1/4c. white wine or champagne vinegar
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tb. chopped fresh thyme
1 sm. red onion, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste



Directions:
First cook quail eggs....
1 10-pack fresh quail eggs*
1 tablespoon plus 1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 1/2 cups ice cubes

1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt

*Quail eggs are available at some supermarkets, farmers' markets, and specialty foods stores Place quail eggs in small saucepan; add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar. Bring to boil. Remove pan from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Add ice cubes to pan; let stand 15 minutes to cool. When cool cover with the vinegar in a glass bowl. You want glass so the vinegar doesn't react with the bowl. Let them sit until the shell becomes like rubber, this makes it easy to shell.Then peel and rinse them well with water.

Wash spinach and drain well. On a plate put spinach leaves, sprinkle with finely sliced Belgian endive. Top with 2-3 strawberries, cut in wedges. Drizzle with dressing and top with a few cooked quail egg halves.

Easy Ceasar Dressing

I love ceasar salads, all kinds , with chicken, plain , shrimp you name it. But I hated making the dressing every time I wanted it and somehow bottled dressings dont taste as good as homemade. Then I found this recipe. I love it! I make a big batch and put it in an old jar and keep it refridgerated for when I want it now. When you really think about it the base is really a homemade mayonnaise so thats whats used in this instead of making this by hand. By doing that it keeps well too.

EASY CEASAR DRESSING MAKES 6 SERVINGS

4 anchovy fillets (yes use it, it does make a difference and when blended you dont taste it)

3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped up a bit

2 tb. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. Dijon

1/2 tsp. Tabasco

1 1/3c. mayonnaise ( I like Best Foods, its Hellmanns in the east)

2tb. Parmesan cheese

2tb. (or more) fresh lemon juice

Extra Parmesan for the salad when served.

Blend all ingred. in a food processor then chill.

I usually put all the ingred. down to the Dijon in the processor, then zap it a bit till the garlic is pretty ground up. You dont want chunks of that. I use anchovy paste you can buy in a tube because I dont use it much. I dont need to buy a bunch then have it go bad. I squirt out what I think are 4 fillets and add. Once the good stuff is blended I add the mayo, cheese and lemon juice and zap. I add the Tabasco and zap once more and taste to adjust if needed. I always use fresh lemon juice for this , its the best. This dressing is not strong so for us I usually add a bit more of the flavorings and maybe another garlic clove. Taste when you make it and decide for yourself.