The Best Italian Chopped Salad

Once in a while I have a craving for something so strong that I have to make it. Usually it’s something like peanut butter M&M butterscotch marshmallow treat ice cream sandwiches, but last weekend it was salad (yay! I’m growing up). I envisioned a chopped salad with salami, artichokes, avocado, cucumber, tomato, kale and Parmesan with a red wine vinaigrette. Those ingredients – nothing more, nothing less. Though if you liked olives and onions I could appreciate adding those too (but I don’t).
 
The dressing was killer. One we will make again and again.
 
Recipe (about 4 side salads)

• Small head butter lettuce
• ½ bunch kale (more to taste…I had to make sure my husband ate it)
• 5-6 slices salami
• 1 jar artichokes, drained
• 1 pint grape Tomatoes (I used about ¾)
• 1 Cucumber
• 1 avocado
• Parmesan and/or mozzarella cheese

Dressing

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1.5 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• Pepper

First step is KEY. Chop all ingredients into little bitty pieces. That way, you can get a bite of everything in just one forkful.  Chop everything, throw it into a large salad bowl, then top with a fistful or two of cheese (I had Parmesan and mozzarella on hand). Season with fresh ground pepper.
 
The dressing mixes the best in a food processor, but sometimes taking out that big ol’ thing seems like too much work.  Either way, mix together all the ingredients except the oil.  If using the food processor, keep the machine running and slowly add the oil until combined.  If not using the food processor, whisk aggressively while adding the oil. I did it this way and everything turned out just fine. Toss the salad, and serve!

Kale Salad with Creamy Poppyseed Dressing

People got on the kale bandwagon a long time ago.  In fact so long ago I think they have moved on to something else.  Well, I'm late to the game but HOLY $%#@ I LOVE KALE. THIS SALAD WAS SO GOOD. Like so good I never want another salad again.  I dressed the salad a couple hours before serving to help relieve a little bit of bitterness and crunch from the kale – and I think that was the secret to liking it so much.  The super sweet dressing pairs perfectly with the bitter crunch, and after a few hours of marinading the kale turned into a perfect little bowl of deliciousness.  You can actually even dress the salad several hours or the night before serving, making this a super easy make ahead dish.

Recipe

• 1 bunch kale
• Handful (or two) Craisins
• Handful (or two) Slivered Almonds
• 1-2 Avocados
• 3/4 cup light mayo
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons skim milk
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1.5 tablespoons poppy seeds
• Pinch salt

Mix the kale, craisins, and almonds in a large bowl.  Make the salad dressing of mayo, milk, sugar, vinegar, poppy seeds, and salt.  Toss the salad with about half of the dressing.  Before serving, add the avocado to the salad and toss with the remaining dressing (or less to taste).  I ate this the next day and it was sooooo good leftover (with grilled salmon on top!).

Salmon and Pineapple Kabobs with Honey-Brown Sugar-Soy Sauce Marinade

I don’t marinate salmon too often, because I love the simplicity of lemon, olive oil, and salt and pepper with the delicious fish.  But when I do marinate, my favorite is a sweet soy sauce flavor – I think it pairs perfectly. This past weekend we did marinated salmon kabobs with pineapple and onion on our Firewire skewers, courtesy of my sister-in-law. These are so simple to throw together and had tons of flavor – even after only marinating for about an hour.  Plus it was the first thing my husband and I could agree on after he asked me if I wanted beef bourguignon.  No. No I don’t want beef bourguignon in the middle of August in Texas.

Although maybe I do. I love beef bourguignon.

Recipe

• 2 lb salmon
• ½ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup orange juice
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup honey
• Juice from ½ lemon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon chopped garlic (the jarred kind – more if you’re into garlic)
• Pepper
• Chopped pineapple and onion for the skewers

Mix the marinade ingredients together in a Ziploc bag. Cut the salmon into about 2-inch pieces and add to the bag. Marinate for about one hour (up to 8 if you have time).  Add all your onions to the same skewer (s), as these take longer to grill.  Brush these with olive oil and salt, and grill for about 15-20 minutes or until tender.  Add the pineapple and salmon together on the other skewers, and grill until the salmon is cooked through.  Don't these Firewires look fun? Plus I love saying Firewire. Firewire Firewire. Highly recommend!

 We loved this, and I ate the leftovers on a salad the next day with Kraft toasted sesame dressing. 

So so good! 

Southwestern Salad with Grilled Salmon

Sometimes my husband gets dinner inspiration from the most random places.  Last weekend, it was a bag of pre-washed butter lettuce at Trader Joe's. Butter lettuce. Who has ever been inspired by butter lettuce? No one. But from this "spotting" came the most delicious and satisfying and easy weeknight meal.  It tasted so indulgent for a salad, and is loaded with nutritional super stars like salmon, avocado, and black beans. 

For the record, this recipe does NOT require butter lettuce from Trader Joe's (I actually wasn't even allowed to get butter lettuce at Whole Foods - had to be TJ's).  Any old lettuce will do.

Recipe

• 2 grilled salmon fillets
• 1 package butter lettuce 
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 sweet onion
• 1/2 cup corn
• 1/3 cup black beans
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• Feta or cheddar cheese

Dressing

• 1/4 cup light ranch dressing
• 2 tablespoons light sour cream
• 2 tablespoons milk (more or less to reach desired consistency - we like thinner)
• 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• Dash onion powder
• Dash cumin
• Juice from 1/2 lime (optional)

We grilled our red pepper and onion to give a nice caramelized charred flavor, but you wouldn't have to.  If we didn't have time to grill, we would probably omit the onions all together.  Mix the dressing ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to use.  Divide salad ingredients into two giant bowls (why are salads so much more appealing in giant bowls?), adjusting ingredients quantities as your heart desires, then toss with dressing and enjoy!

Avocado sesame salad with creamy Asian dressing

I’ve been trying to recreate the creamy Asian dressing they have in American Airlines first class for quite some time now. Yes, an airline salad dressing may be the best I’ve ever had. And for the record, the flight attendants think so to.  We talk about it every time.  Actually this was my first time trying to make it, but I’ve been thinking about trying it for a really long time. It was a total success- exactly the flavor I was looking for – though it’s not entirely homemade.  I started with this delicious bottle of stuff from the Asian aisle at the grocery store – Miso Ginger Sesame sauce/marinade (I’m sure you can find something similar).   

It is a bit strong tasting, so I modified as follows:

Recipe

• 1/4 cup ginger sesame miso marinade
• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds 
• 6-8 cups spring salad mix
• 1-2 ripe avocados, cubed
• 1 cup halved grape tomatoes

The buttermilk turns it into a really thin and delicious dressing, just like we like them in the Braley house.  I then put together a salad of mixed greens, avocado (s), tomatoes, and toasted sesame seeds (toasted in a skillet on low for a few minutes until golden). Toss with the desired amount of salad dressing (I did not use it all), and it’s just like you’re on a 14 hour flight from DFW to Tokyo.

Wild Rice Chicken Salad

Do you have any girly events coming up? Like perhaps a baby or wedding shower? Or maybe a ladies' luncheon?  This should be your dish to bring. It hits all the women's hot buttons: it's a 'salad,' it contains fruit so it must be healthy, it has cashews so there's a crunch factor, there's a bit of a twist with the wild rice, and it's pretty.  By the way, what does the -eon add to a lunch? What happens between a lunch and a luncheon that justifies a whole new word?  Just wondering.

I first had this salad at my cousin's baby shower many years ago, and it's literally been on my mind ever since because I loved it so much. The recipe is courtesy of my lovely Aunt Donna, who swoops in with some real winners from time to time (like this pork tenderloin).  I highly recommend.

Oh and guess what? My husband loved it too.

Recipe (makes about 8 servings)

• 3/4 cup uncooked wild rice, plus salted water
• 2 1/2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
• 1 can (8oz) pineapple chunks, drained and halved
• 2 cups diced celery
• 1 1/2 cups seedless grapes, halved
• 3/4 cup light mayo
• 1/2 cup chutney
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup roasted salted cashews 

Cook the rice according to instructions (boil in about 5-6 cups salted water, for almost an hour).  Drain thoroughly and let it cool and dry out a bit. In a bowl, add the chicken, pineapple, celery, and grapes. Mix together the mayo, chutney, and salt.   Add the rice to the bowl, then mix in the dressing. Chill until ready to serve (can be made a day ahead), then toss in the cashews.  I also added about 3/4 cup golden raisins for fun, and a little extra chicken.   I like to eat this salad on a croissant, but it's totally good solo.

BLT Salad

Who doesn't love a BLT? No one. And when you can't decide between BBQ Ribs or BLTs for dinner, do both: make the ribs and turn the BLT into a salad.

Recipe

Salad

• 1 head iceberg lettuce
• 1 container grape tomatoes
• 1/2 lb bacon, cooked and sliced into small pieces
• 2 hot dog buns or 2-3 slices bread, cut into 1-inch pieces

Dressing

• 1/4 cup light mayo
• 2 tablespoons light sour cream
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• S&P

Heat the oven to 350 degrees, spread the hot dog buns or bread on a large baking sheet, and drizzle with olive oil and salt. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.  If you're thinking I'm innovative for using hot dog buns, think again.  We've had some in our pantry forever and I needed to get rid of them.  Cut the iceberg lettuce into large wedges. Place into a large bowl and add the bacon, tomatoes, and croutons. Prepare the dressing by mixing all ingredients together, adding more milk if you prefer a thinner dressing.  We both really loved this dressing, and will be making it again and again.

Serve the salad by individual wedges...

...and COLD. Cold salads are so much better than non-cold ones. And with a side of ribs

Roasted Carrot + Avocado Salad

I loved this salad! How fun and different and lovely-looking. There are recipes all over for this salad (starting with Bon Appetit and then here and here)…I just modified based on what I had in my kitchen. There are a few too many ingredients in the original, and I can’t imagine that I really missed out on the coriander seeds.

Recipe (serves 2)

• 8-10 medium sized carrots + olive oil for roasting
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1 avocado + a drizzle of lemon juice for preserving
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Juice from 1 large lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, preferably toasted (skillet on low for 3-5 min)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the carrots with plenty of olive oil, cumin, salt and pepper. Roast for about 25-30 minutes, depending on your carrot size.

Mix the dressing ingredients – 1 T. olive oil, 1 T. red wine vinegar, juice from one lemon, and thyme. Slice the avocado and drizzle with any excess lemon juice. Toss the carrots, avocado, dressing, and sesame seeds in a bowl and serve.

Waldorf Salad

In case you've forgotten about Waldorf Salad, let me remind you:

Recipe

• 2 Red Delicious Apples, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup grapes, halved
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup raisins
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup light mayo
• 1 teaspoon honey

Measurements are approximate, as I didn't do much measuring myself. Squeeze the lemon to coat the apples and grapes. Mix the mayo and honey, then toss with the remaining ingredients.

Broccoli Salad

Broccoli salad: why are you so good? You make eating raw broccoli fun.

I've had broccoli salad on my mind for a while now, as I usually get it for lunch on the weekends from The Corner Market. So when my co-worker Trent mentioned that his wife made an amazing one over the weekend, I wanted to make it immediately.  

She used Paula Deen's Recipe, and aside from omitting the bacon and the onions (I was too lazy to cook the bacon and I don't like raw onions), I think this recipe is broccoli salad perfection.

Best made the day before to give the flavors some time to marinate (my own personal theory)...

Summer Cooking in Wisconsin (Guest Post by Randi Hartwig)

Hi! I am Gretchen's mom, and very excited to be posting on The Food Driven Life.

Happily, Gretchen and John left the heat of Texas for the warmth of Northern Wisconsin this past weekend. One of our other daughters Bente and her boyfriend Judd traveled from Milwaukee and we all  spent one of the last beautiful weekends of the summer at the cabin.  We enjoyed lazing around on the dock in between bursts of physical activity.  We read, napped, skied, kayaked, talked- while the weekend flew past the days seemed long and lazy.

The best part of family get-togethers is the planning and preparation of what we are going to eat next.  Since we are all in relax-mode the goal is to keep things simple. So here is an easy dinner to put together in between a day full of activity.

We started the evening with a surprise appetizer.  My friend Debbie made this amazing mixture and gave it to us with a bottle of wine just as we were heading out for a pontoon cruise.  What a great addition to a boat ride!  I don't have a picture for two reasons, 1) I didn't make it, and 2) we ate it too fast.  Thanks Debbie!  (Debbie throws the best parties with the most fantastic food- and she ALWAYS shares her recipes!  Don't you love friends like that?)

Avocado Dip

• 2-3 avocados, diced
• 4 oz. feta, crumbled
• 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• clove garlic, minced
• TBS. minced cilantro (use TBS of parsley if you don't like cilantro-I have heard there are people like that out there but I don't believe it)
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• TBS olive oil
• 1/2 squeezed fresh lime

You might want to double the recipe- it's that good. 

For an easy dinner we marinated boneless chicken breasts to grill.  Everyone always likes chicken and any leftovers are welcome.  The marinade makes the chicken juicy and full of flavor.

Chicken Marinade

• 3 TBS. soy sauce (use Tamari sauce for gluten-free)
• 1 TBS. honey
• 1 TBS. oil
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. garlic minced

Marinate 4 chicken breast at least a couple of hours or overnight.  Grill 6 to 8 minutes a side- Don't overcook! Chicken is best when the juices still run. 

For an easy side dish we had Smashed Potatoes. 

Pick out some nice small red or white potatoes from your Farmer's Market (Isn't the Farmer's Market just the best? I marvel at the selection and perfection the vendors offer!)

Drizzle a little olive oil on potatoes and roast in oven at 375 on cookie sheet until fork tender

Using another cookie sheet gently smash the potatoes by pushing down on them

Drizzle again with a little olive oil. Sprinkle with your choice of herbs- I like rosemary.  Add a little garlic and some grated parmesan cheese. Put back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes until heated through.

Along with this we had a wedge salad- what could be easier? We sprinkled the wedge with diced bacon, blue cheese, and chopped tomato.  Gretchen made a homemade ranch dressing (John's favorite), but any dressing would do.

Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing (Modified from The Pioneer Woman)

• 1 cup Light Mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup Light Sour Cream
• ~1/2 cup Buttermilk (I believe I added a bit more to reach a thinner consistency)
• 1/4 cup Italian Flat-leaf Parsley
• 1-2 TBS. Fresh Chives
• 2 TBS. Fresh Dill 
• 1/2 tsp. White Vinegar
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire
• 1/4 tsp. Paprika
• 1/8 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
• 1/2 tsp. Fresh Black Pepper
• 1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt
• Dash Tabasco

Whisk all ingredients to combine, adding more/less buttermilk to reach the desired consistency.

Dinner was great, easy to put together and we all had fun working together.  Great job on the grill, guys!

Finally, to celebrate Gretchen and John's first year together, we indulged in a Braley Wedding Cake from 2510 (the B is slightly smudged due to our dog smashing the box on the way up).

One last weekend before summer truly fades into fall- so ends another summer filled with memories and good food!

The Best Salad I Have Ever Made

Woah. I had no idea I liked salads so much, until I made this dressing.

Recipe

• 1/3 cup light mayo
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 2-3 tablespoons fat free milk (or more mayo, to balance the vinegar)
• 1/4 cup parmesan (more if you're from Wisconsin)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• S&P

Whisk all of the ingredients together and then refrigerate until ready to use. I made my own croutons by cutting french bread into cubes, drizzling with olive oil and salt, and baking at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Yum.

Then I mixed a salad of romaine, plenty of tomatoes, mushrooms, and parmesan. Toss with dressing and croutons, there you go. It's very Olive Garden-esque, and who doesn't love that salad? No one.

Grilled Peach, Onion, and Bacon Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

Since I moved into our new home, I get a depressingly small amount of mail. I am pretty sure that I did all the proper 'mail forwarding' steps and notified all my credit cards, etc of the move - but I barely even get any junk mail anymore. It's sad. So, needless to say, I cannot explain the joy each month when my 'Bon Appetit' and 'Food and Wine' magazines show up. Not only do they fuel my passion for recipe-reading, but they also count as mail. For me.

Food and Wine has a lot of odd recipes. Many that I often want to try, but am a little too weirded out by the addition of strange things like fennel. I have never seen so many recipes that call for fennel.

This recipe also falls into the odd category. Bacon - Peaches - Onions - Mint - Buttermilk Dressing???? Weird. But, it caught my eye. It looked so amazingly delicious to me that I knew I wanted to make it the second I laid eyes on it. And boy was I glad. Serve this for a summer dinner party and your guests will be impressed by the amazing flavor and originality of this dish - and don't tell them you got the recipe from Food and Wine, so they think you're a real food pioneer. Recipe here.

Also, if you're thinking that photograph looks shockingly good for my blog, I didn't take it. I forgot to take one all together. But, mine looked exactly the same so I don't feel all that fraudulent.

Watermelon Avocado Salad with Basil and Mint

I've already posted a recipe similar to this, but this time I added basil and mint. And woah...the unexpected flavor combination goes perfectly together. I also used a different salad dressing, but you can just use balsamic vinaigrette if that's easier for you.

Recipe

• 1 seedless watermelon, chopped
• 3-4 ripe but firm avocados
• 1 bunch mint, stemmed and chopped
• 1 bunch basil, stemmed and chopped
• 1-2 cups spinach (optional)
• 1 package shaved or crumbled feta
• 3 T red wine vinegar
• 2 T balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons sugar

Mix the first six ingredients in a large bowl.  Combine the dressing ingredients separately and then pour over the salad and toss to distribute evenly. 

Texas Caviar

I don't know who came up with the name 'Texas Caviar,' but I like them. What a sneaky and innovative way to make a salad/dip/salsa consisting mainly of canned ingredients sound classy and exclusive.

The first truth is that there is nothing exclusive about this recipe. It is so easy (and cost effective!) - and a great party food. Plus it looks pretty with all the colors it has going on. I made this dip/salad/salsa (it is truly a multi-purpose recipe) for my husband's work lunch, served with Pulled Pork Tacos.

The second truth is that I don't think this is really Texas Caviar. True Texas caviar is composed mostly of black-eyed peas; and most variations contain chopped onions, jalapenos, and a lime-juice marinade. I didn't feel comfortable with any of that, so I made this instead. But it's close enough to the true Texas Caviar that I'm sure no one will be offended I'm using the name.

Recipe

• 1-2 cans corn (depending on your love of corn)
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can white northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can cooked black eyed peas
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 yellow pepper, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 3-4 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Dressing

• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (please don't use the generic kind)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup olive oil

So, there's really no instructions here. Mix all of the salad/dip/salsa ingredients together, more or less of each to taste. I prefer a corn-heavy mixture, so I used 2 full cans of corn.  Whisk all the dressing ingredients together, then mix it together with the corn mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least a couple hours before serving, but 24 hours is ideal. Try to stir it occasionally to distribute the dressing evenly. Serve with pita or tortilla chips.

Brussel Sprout Salad

People have very strong opinions about brussel sprouts - they either love them or hate them. I find they are similar to politics, in a way. You don't want to bring them up in dinner conversation because you will often get a very explosive reaction and people will never agree.  I can't even mention the word brussel sprout in front of my husband without getting a 'god those are gross.' But the truth is I don't think he has even touched one since he was a kid, when everyone hates them. I certainly did.  Growing up,  I couldn't believe something so terrible existed in the world. 

However, seeing as this is a post about brussel sprouts, I have changed my mind. These cute little things are wonderful, and you can do a lot of fun things with them. If you like brussel sprouts, you will love this salad. If you don't, stop reading this post now. I don't want to upset any readers.

Recipe

1 lb fresh brussel sprouts

2 slices bacon

3 T. dried cranberries

2 T. olive oil

1 cup balsamic vinegar

3 T. maple syrup

kosher salt

I think this salad tastes best with crispy roasted brussel sprouts, but you could steam them if you need to save time.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Lay the brussel sprouts on a baking sheet in a single layer, drizzle with 1 T. of the olive oil, and sprinkle generously with kosher salt. Roast for about 20-25 minutes - you want them to remain crispy. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely.

Meanwhile, prepare the bacon.

Cook until very crispy. Transfer to a plate covered with a paper towel. 

For this dressing I used a balsamic reduction. I mixed 1 cup balsamic vinegar with 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and cooked in a large saucepan on medium until reduced to about 1/4 cup. I love the sweetness of the glaze with this salad, but you could also just mix 3 tablespoons balsamic with 3 tablespoons maple syrup if you were looking to save time. 

Break the bacon up into large crumbles, then toss with the brussel sprouts and dried cranberries. Mix in the dressing, and you're dunzo. How easy!

I think this salad is best served slightly chilled, but you could serve it warm if you prefer. 

Apple and Goat Cheese Salad

I'm really into apples lately. Not by choice, really. I blame Central Market. The Honey Crisp apple is their star food right now, and when you walk in the store they have a huge cascading fragrant pile of them, with a lady asking if you'd like a sample. Yes, yes I would. And I'll take 12. 

This salad would also be good with pears. The thing that bugs me about pears though is you have to buy them days in advance so they are ripe enough to eat when you want them. Who plans to eat pears in advance? I don't. Apples make more sense.

Recipe:

• 1 head of romain lettuce, chopped
• 2 apples, chopped
• Candied pecans
• Goat Cheese

For the candied pecans, simply mix 1/2 cup pecans with 2 tablespoons sugar in a skillet. Add a dash of cinnamon, and heat on low to carmelize.

Mix all ingredients, then prepare the dressing.

Dressing:

• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil

Wow, maple syrup in a salad dressing! Do it now!

Grilled Peach Salad

Oh how I loved this salad! Slice several ripe peaches, and grill about 3 minutes on each side...

Mix a salad with spinach, raisins, toasted almonds, and Brianna's poppyseed dressing. Top with grilled peaches and voila! Amazingness.

 

Raisin and Goat Cheese Salad

I could be a little more creative with my recipe titles, but there are only so many things you can do with salads. I like to just put it out there, so everyone knows what they're getting into. This salad has raisins and goat cheese.  I don't have quantities for my salad ingredients, because in my opinion - to each their own in salad making. I love a lot of some ingredients, and very little of others. Some prefer more veggies, others prefer more cheese (me).  Here are the ingredients, do with them what you will. This is a wonderfully delicious salad.

Recipe

Spinach
Mushrooms
Raisins
Toasted Almonds
Goat Cheese
Brianna's AMAZING Poppy Seed dressing

Let me tell you, Brianna knows how to make a salad dressing. The tangy flavor of this goes perfectly with the sweetness of the raisins and goat cheese. 

I apologize for the lazy post, but this is a lazy salad and there is only so much I can write.

Watermelon Avocado Salad

Watermelon and avocado: two of my favorite things. Put them together, add some cheese (my other favorite thing) and what you get is one ridiculous summer salad. 


I chopped up about a half of a watermelon, two avocados, and mixed with about 5 cups mixed greens (and some spinach that I illegally mixed into my 'bulk lettuce' bag). Central Market would understand, I am a very loyal customer. Then I topped with Feta cheese, and a pineapple-balsamic vinaigrette. I sort of eye-balled the dressing, but I would imagine I used the following approximate quantities:


3/4 cup Pineapple juice
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 t. olive oil


Toss the salad and dressing and you're done. Delicious!