Chino Chopped Veggie Salad

Ingredients Mustard Vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup almond or safflower oil
Salt
Freshly ground white pepper
Salad:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced fresh artichoke bottoms
Salt
Freshly ground white pepper
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced green beans
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup diced radicchio
1/2 cup fresh corn kernels
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced ripe avocado
1/4 cup peeled, seeded, and chopped tomato
4 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup mixed greens of your choice (curly endive, chicory, baby lettuce), cut or torn into bite-size pieces.

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the mustard and vinegar. Slowly whisk in the oils. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside. Whisk again when ready to serve.   In a small skillet, heat the olive oil. Season the diced artichokes lightly with salt and pepper and sauté until al dente, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.  Blanch the carrots and beans by placing each into a fine mesh basket. Set the basket into a pot of boiling salted water and cook until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes. Plunge onto cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain, cool, and add to the artichokes. Add the onion, radicchio, corn and celery.   When ready to serve, dice the avocado and the tomato and add to the other vegetables. Reserving a little vinaigrette, toss the vegetables with the vinaigrette, sprinkle with the grated cheese, and toss again. Correct seasoning to taste.   Toss the greens with the reserved vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper to taste.   Divide the salad greens among 4 salad plates. Mound the chopped salad on the greens and serve immediately.   Note: You can be creative as to the vegetables you want to include or exclude in your salad. For example, you can use baby peas in season, or diced Chinese pea pods, or diced Italian squash, etc.

Chicken Almond Salad

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups diced chicken
1 cup finely diced celery
1/3 cup slivered almonds

Directions:

Combine lemon juice, mayonnaise, and salt and blend well. Toss with chicken, celery and almonds. Serve on bread or crisp lettuce.  Serves 6.
 

Cucumber Celery Salad

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons pickle relish
2 tablespoons cider or red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it
1 seedless (English) cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced 1/2 inch thick (you can use a regular cucumber, but seed it and if the skin is waxy, peel it)
5 to 6 ribs celery hearts, sliced 1/2-inch thick
1/4 cup chopped hot or roasted red peppers or 1/2 small fresh bell pepper
1 small jar marinated mushrooms or artichoke hearts or 1 cup pickled vegetable salad, "giardiniera", chopped
Salt and pepper
Directions:

Place relish in the bottom of a bowl. Whisk in vinegar, then extra-virgin olive oil. Add cucumber, celery, peppers and marinated vegetable of choice to the bowl. Toss salad, adjust salt and pepper to taste.  Serves 4.

Tomato Bruschetta

Ingredients:

1 8-ounce loaf French bread (baguette)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 medium red and/or yellow tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1/4 cup chopped, pitted ripe olives

3 Tbsp. sliced green onion

1 jalapeno pepper or 1 small banana pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. snipped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Cut bread into 3/8-inch-thick slices. Brush both sides of each slice lightly with the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a 425 degree F oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until crisp and light brown, turning once.

2. For topping, stir together tomatoes, olives, green onion, jalapeno or banana pepper (if desired), garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, oregano, and pepper.

3. To assemble, top each toasted slice with a little Parmesan cheese, then about 1 tablespoon of the tomato topping. Sprinkle each with some of the remaining Parmesan. Return slices to the baking sheet. Bake in 425° F oven 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese starts to melt and topping is heated through. Serve warm. Makes 24.

Fast Low Calorie Salad Lunch

Ingredients, Dip:

1 c. plain, low fat yogurt
1 c. cottage cheese
1/4 c. minced fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. dill weed
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
Salt to taste

Ingredients, "Salad Dippees:"

Sliced Cucumber

Sliced Carrots

Broccoli Flowerets

Celery stalks
Directions:

Combine all ingredients for dip in a bowl and chill several hours. If you prefer a smoother dip, blend yogurt and cottage cheese together in a blender or food processor, then add remaining ingredients. Serve with freshly sliced vegetables. Contains approximately 7 calories per serving.

My Cole Slaw
I’ve been making this for many, many years and still love it!
Ingredients:
1 Head Cabbage (Green and red can be mixed)
1 lg. Carrot
1 C Mayonnaise
½ C Sugar
1 tbsp Cider Vinegar
Directions:
Grate or thinly slice cabbage, grate carrot and add to cabbage. In separate small bowl mix mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar until smooth (a whisk works well).  Refrigerate separately. Do not add dressing to cabbage until ready to serve or dish will become soggy. 

Refrigerator Pickles
These pickles are so good they almost make a meal in themselves. They are much easier than traditional pickles, but do not keep as well.  Keep them refrigerated for up to one month.  They never last nearly that long at my house!
Ingredients:
6 C. thinly sliced and peeled cucumbers
2 C. Thinly sliced Onions
1 ½ C. Granulated Sugar
1 ½ C. Cider Vinegar
½ tsp Salt
½ tsp Mustard Seed
½ tsp Celery Seed
½ tsp Ground Turmeric
Directions:
In large glass or crockery bowl alternately layer Cucumbers and Onions. In medium saucepan combine rest of ingredients.  Bring to boil – stir just until sugar dissolves. Pour mix over Cucumbers.  Cool slightly. Can be placed in jars (jars should be sterilized first).  It must be stored in refrigerator.  Refrigerate 24 hours before serving.  Can be kept refrigerated for one month.

Lunch Veggies
I discovered while working at my desk years ago that a bunch of veggies and a good sauce for dipping made a light but satisfying lunch for me, especially if I tossed in a few crackers of some kind.  This is what we use, and even Jim likes it now and then, and he is not much of a vegetable fan.
Broccoli Flowerets

Celery Sticks

Carrot Sticks

Cauliflower Flowerets

Marie's Ranch Dressing

Olive and Sun-dried Tomato Tapenade

Ingredients:

1 (8-oz.) can pitted black olives, drained

¼ C. sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil

¼ C. Extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 springs fresh thyme, leaves finely chopped

1 Tbsp. chopped parsley

½ tsp. Lemon juice, fresh

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine well, then allow to process until mixture is coarsely pureed.  Taste for seasoning, then serve as a spread on thin slices of a crusty baguette of sourdough bread that’s been toasted on one side in the broiler.  Bread can be drizzled with olive oil and a cut clove of garlic rubbed over it for more intense flavor, if desired.  This is very good!

Shrimp Salad for Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 pound cooked shrimp, peeled and de-veined
3 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
3 celery stalks, minced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Dash onion salt
Salt and pepper
Seasoning salt
Celery salt
8 slices your choice bread, toasted
Lettuce and tomato slices, optional

Directions:

Place shrimp in a food processor and pulse until finely minced. Transfer shrimp to a bowl and add eggs, celery, and mayonnaise; mix well. Add seasonings, to taste, and stir to combine. Spread additional mayonnaise on both sides of bread. Heap shrimp salad onto bread and then cut sandwiches in half. Serve with lettuce and tomato, if desired. Note: I think this recipe came from Paula Deen’s TV Show, Paula’s Home Cooking on the Food Network.
 

Watermelon Salad

Ingredients:

1 (5-pound) watermelon
1 Vidalia or other sweet onion
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
6 whole mint sprigs

Directions:

Cut the flesh from the melon and cut into bite size pieces, removing and discarding the seeds, and set aside. Peel and slice the onion into rings.   In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, salt, pepper, and whisk until salt is dissolved. Slowly whisk in the olive oil, a few drops at a time. Add in the chopped mint, taste, and adjust seasonings.   In a large bowl, combine the melon, onion, and feta. Pour the dressing over the melon mixture and toss gently until everything is coated and evenly mixed. Garnish with mint sprigs.   To serve, divide salad among individual plates and garnish with mint leaves.
 

White Bean Salad with Shitake Mushrooms

Ingredients:

4 shiitake mushroom caps
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 C. warm white beans, cooked or canned rinsed and drained and heated
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
3 Tbsp. chopped chives
3 plum tomatoes, finely diced
4 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. finely chopped garlic
1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:

Preheat grill. Brush mushrooms with some of the oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side, remove and slice into 1/4-inch slices. Place the warm beans in a large bowl, add mushrooms, herbs and tomatoes.   Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil and garlic and pour over the beans. Add the cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.