My Menu Blog

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon stone-ground mustard
• 2 teaspoons grape seed oil
• 7 cups loosely packed baby arugula
• 2 cups red grapes, halved
• 2 tablespoons toasted sunflower seed kernels
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Combine vinegar, honey, syrup, and mustard in a small bowl.

Gradually add oil, stirring with a whisk.

2. Combine arugula, grapes, seeds, and thyme in a large bowl.

Drizzle vinegar mixture over arugula; sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Toss gently to coat.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

½ cup Champagne vinegar
½ cup olive oil
½ pint of fresh raspberries
1 tbs. sugar

1. Whirl all ingredients in blender until smooth.

2 large garlic cloves
1 med. onion, cut into 8 pieces
2-4 jalapeño peppers, quartered
½ cup cilantro leaves
½-1 tsp. sugar
2 cans (15 oz. each) while tomatoes, drained
1 tbs. lime juice
Salt to taste
Tortilla chips for serving

1. Place all ingredients except tortilla chips into blender. Cover and pulse 2 times until fruit and vegetables are chopped.
2. Pour into bowl, serve with tortilla chips.

3 Italian eggplants
1 large zucchini quartered
6 fresh baby artichokes prepared*
½ yellow pepper sliced thin
3 fresh cherry peppers cut in half
4 cloves garlic cut in half
¼ cup marsala
¼ cup olive oil
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
2 tbs. chopped thyme
4 or 5 green and black olives

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine marsala, olive oil, salt, pepper flakes and thyme in a large bowl. Add veggies and marinate for 15 min.
3. Remove veggies from marinade  and spread evenly on roasting pan. Roast 15-20 min. until veggies are tender.
4. Remove veggies and place on serving platter. Scatter olives around plate. Garnish with fresh thyme if desired.

2 cucumbers
1 med. onion
½ red bell pepper
1 cup plain yogurt
¼ cup fresh dill leaves, stems removed
2 or 3 slices of feta cheese

1. Slice cucumbers, onion and pepper.
2. Place sliced veggies in large bowl.
3. Add yogurt and dill to food processor and pulse 2 or 3 times.
4. Pour yogurt into bowl w/ veggies and toss to coat.
5. Refrigerate for 1 hr. Feta cheese may be crumbled on top of salad or slices may be placed on top with dill sprigs for garnish.

3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Cooking oil
½ lb. (½ package) won-ton wrappers
2 tbs. sesame seeds
½ cup slivered almonds
½ cup vinegar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
¼ cup salad oil or sesame oil
½ head iceberg lettuce, torn
4 green onions, chopped

1. Coat the bottom of a large saucepan with cooking spray. Place over med.-high heat; add chicken breast halves. Cook 3-4 min. on each side, then add enough water to cover bottom of pan. Cover pot, reduce heat to med.-low and cook until chicken is tender, about 20 min. Remove breasts and let cool to room temp. Cut into bite-size pieces.
2. While chicken breasts cook, heat 1 in. oil in fryer or deep pot. Slice won-ton wrappers into ½-inch-wide strips. Drop a small quantity at a time into the hot oil. Cook until lightly brown, just a few seconds. Drain on paper towels.
3. Place a small heavy frying pan over med.-high heat. Do not add any oil. Add sesame seeds and cook, stirring until lightly toasted, about 5 min. Transfer sesame seeds to a bowl, and then add almonds to the same pan. Cook, stirring until lightly toasted, about 5 min. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. In a small saucepan, heat the vinegar and sugar, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; whisk in salt, pepper and oil. To assemble the salad, place torn lettuce leaves in a bowl. Top with chicken, friend won-ton strips and almonds. Drizzle with dressing, and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

For the Lemon-Ginger Vinaigrette…

1 tbs. raspberry vinegar or rice vinegar
2 tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 tbs. soy sauce
1 tsp. finely minced fresh ginger
4 tsp. maple syrup or honey
3 tbs. canola oil
1 tbs. toasted sesame oil

1. In a bowl, whisk together vinegar, lemon juice, soy sauce, ginger, maple syrup and canola and sesame oils.

For the slaw…

4 cups thinly sliced red cabbage (about ½ head)
1 red bell pepper, cored and cut into very long thin strips
1 large carrot, shredded or cut into matchsticks
1 cup snow peas, strings removed
2 tbs. sesame seeds, toasted

1. In a serving bowl, combine cabbage, bell pepper and carrots. Blanch snow peas in boiling water for 1 min. and then run them under cold water. Pat dry and slice each snow pea lengthwise into 3 thin strips and add to a bowl.
2. Mix a bit of dressing wit a spooful of the slaw and taste. The dressing should be pleasantly balanced between sweet and sour. If it isn’t, adjust accordingly. Just before serving, toss the slaw with vinaigrette and garnish with sesame seeds.

4 cups

1½ oz. roasted bell peppers, peeled and seeded
6 tbs. pure olive oil (not EVOO)
3 tbs. honey
5 tbs. Zinfandel vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
8-10 cups baby mixed greens
16 to 20 basil leaves, torn
4 oz. Marcona almonds, toasted
6 oz. strawberries, sliced thick
2 oz. feta cheese
1 tbs. aged balsamic vinegar

1. In a blender, puree red pepper, olive oil, honey and vinegar until smooth. Season with salt and ppepper.Pour through a chinois, or fine-mesh strainer and then set aside.
2. Place greens, torn basil,almonds and strawberries in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Drizzle with desired amount of dressing (¼ cup is sufficient) ans toss to coat. You wil have some dressing left over.
4. Divide salad mixture among 4 chilled plates, and arrange some berries and almonds around the outside of each salad. Top each salad with ½ oz. of crumbled feta cheese. Finish with a drizzle of aged balsamic.

1/8 tsp. sea salt, plus more as needed
¼ tsp. ground cumin
6 large uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
1½ tbs. EVOO
1 champagne mango, cut into thin slices (about ¾ cup)
½ to 1 Haas avocado, cut into ¾-in. dice or slices
¼ small red onion, cut into 5 or 6 very thin slices
¼ small red onion, cut into 5 or 6 very thin slices
1 tbs. cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

1. Combine the sea salt and cumin in a small bowl. Use the mixture to lightly dust the shrimp.
2.  Heat ½ tbs. of the olive oil in a med. skillet over high heat; swirl to coat the pan evenly. Add the shrimp and cook for 1-2 min. until they are just opaque, then turn them over and cook for 30 seconds or so. Remove from the heat.
3. Fan the mango slices on a diner plate. Arrange the shrimp, avocado and red onion on top. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro, then drizzle with remaining tbs. of olive oil and the lime juice. Sprinkle with sea salt to taste. Serve immediately.

For the vinaigrette…

½ cup EVOO
Juice of 1-2 med. lemons (about ¼ cup)
2 oz. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
¼ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1. Place oil in small bowl. Whisk in the lemon juice and cheese; season with salt and pepper.

For the salad…

1 tbs. EVOO
4 oz. porcini or cremini mushroom (or a combo), stemmed and cut into thick slices
Juice of ½ a med. lemon (about 2 tbs.)
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
6 thin asparagus spears, tough ends trimmed
2 oz. mache (about 4 cups; may sub. baby spinach or arugala)
2 oz. goat cheese

1.  Position the top oven rack 4-5 in. from the broiler elemen. Preheat the broiler.
2. Heat 1 tbs. oil in med. sauté pan or skillet over med. heat. Add the mushrooms and do not move or shake the pan for 2 min.; that will allowthem to take on some color.
3. Cook for about 7 min. total, turning them so they brown on all sides. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and squeeze the lemon juice over them. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Meanwhile, place the asparagus on a baking sheet or dish and drizzle with oil and a sprinkle of salt. Broil for 6-7 min., turning once or twice. Transfer to a cutting board to cool, then cut into 2-in. pieces.
5. Toss the mushrooms with 1-2 tbs. of the vinaigrette in a small bowl. In a separate med. bowl, toss the mache with 1 tbs. of the vinaigrette.
6. To serve, place the greens on a large plate. Top with the mushrooms and asparagus; crumble the goat cheese on top. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste.