Napa Noodle Salad

Posted on May 30, 2011 | 2 comments

This one I got from a neighbor in Colorado, and it’s become a staple in the Kolen household in the summer. But it’s great all the time!

Napa Noodle Salad

4 cups sliced Napa Cabbage ( I cheat and buy the cabbage in a bag. It’s not always Napa but sometimes I don’t feel like chopping.  if you buy the bag, it’s fine, just use 1 whole bag. It’s more than 4 cups but it’s fine, and if all you can find is the cole slaw kind it’s Ok too, it will just have some carrots and some purple cabbage.

5 green onions (scallions) sliced very thin (green parts only)

Mix cabbage and green onions and refrigerate for a few hours (at least 2). This gives it a chance to meld and wilt a bit.

2 packages of Ramen noodles (It doesn’t matter which flavor you buy b/c you should throw away the flavor pack )you won’t be needing it for this salad.

handful of sliced almonds

1/2 cup sesame seeds (available in the spice aisle)

1/4 cup butter

Take the noodles (hard crunchy ones) and put in a large plastic bag. Bang noodles with a mallet or your fist (fist is fine) and just crack them up. They’ll be easier to work with. Add the almonds and sesame seeds and brown all together in the butter.

Dressing

1/2 cup sugar ( I know, but I never said I cook DIET)

1/2 cup salad oil (plain old vegetable oil will do just fine)

1/4 cup vinegar (I use white rice vinegar, which is available in Asian section of supermarket or just wherever the vinegars are.)

1 Tbsp. soy sauce (low sodium always)

Toss all together and Serve

*cabbage and onions need to meld and wilt a bit, so make sure to give them at least 2 hours in the fridge. The hard noodles should stay a little crunchy. Don’t burn–just brown–the ingredients until the butter gets a bit bubbly; not burnt. Be careful. While you’re browning the noodles with the almonds and sesame seeds, move them around with a wooden spoon so it all gets buttery.

I know this is fattening, but isn’t everything fattening so yummy??? And you’re not eating the whole thing, so enjoy!!!

Of course you can double up this recipe, it’s just a whole lotta cabbage to toss! As a side dish, this is a nice amount as is.

Serves 4 – 6 as a side dish

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Yummy Pesto (super easy)

Posted on May 28, 2011 | 3 comments
 

Yummy Pasta Pesto Prep

I have to give credit to my BFF Suki for this one. It is her recipe that I use. It is awesome and delish. Easy easy go-to for spring/ summer meals, although I’ve been known to make it anytime I see fresh basil.

Yummy PASTA Pesto

2 cups fresh basil

1/2 cup romano cheese (grated)

1/2 cup parmesan cheese (grated)

1/2 cup pignolli nuts or use walnuts

1 cup extra virgin olive oil (use a good one)

1 – 3 tablespoons butter (hafta admit I use all 3; sometimes 2)

4 cloves garlic

freshly ground pepper

1 lb. Gemelli Pasta Noodles

Put all ingredients (except the pasta, of course!) into Cuisinart food processor ’til smooth.

I use gemelli pasta or any noodle that will let pesto hold on.

Cook pasta according to directions, and add pesto. Add a little at a time ’til you get the pasta looking (and tasting!) the way you like it. This recipe probably yields a bit more pesto than you’ll need, depending on how you like it. Unfortunately, pesto doesn’t last more than a day or so in the fridge without going an ugly brown. So make it and enjoy! It’s creamy and yummy. 

Can keep in the fridge, and again let it sit out before serving. It’s best at room temp.

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Fresh Corn Salad

Posted on May 27, 2011 | 6 comments

5 ears of corn

1 small red onion (diced) (if you don’t like a lot of onion, just use less)

3 Tablespoons good olive oil

3 Tablespoons cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

1 pint of red grape tomatoes (cut in 1/2 or 1/4)

Instructions:

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the corn for 3 minutes just to take the starch out. Drain and put into large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and make it turn bright yellow. Once the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cob (if you keep it flat side down it is easier to cut). If you have a bundt pan, that is perfect for cutting corn into b/c the kernels tend to fly all over.

Next, add kernels to red onion, tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Cut in some fresh basil.

Serve at room temperature.

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Lemon Marinade (perfect for Chicken Breasts on Grill)

Posted on May 27, 2011 | 2 comments

Ingredients:

3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 – 5 small lemons) (2-3 large)

3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tsp. Kosher salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1/2 teaspoon dry thyme

I use a large measuring cup to put all the ingredients into and use a small whisk to combine.

2 lbs Chicken Breasts (I prefer not too thick. Thin ones are good and are usually available. If not, ask the butcher to pound them.)

Let chicken sit in marinade overnight . I use a large baggie and squish it around. The longer it sits, the better. Before I put it on the grill, I usually put it into a glass Pyrex (easier to put on grill from Pyrex than baggie) and when it’s in the Pyrex I lightly sprinkle it with a little kosher salt, you’ll need to do this for a bit more flavor.

Put chicken on the hot grill and cook. Don’t overcook. Turn them so you get nice grill marks. They cook rather quickly–a few minutes on each side–especially the thin ones. Cut into one of the pieces if you’re not sure. These have to be watched on the grill. The thin cutlets go quickly, but I really do prefer them .

When they’re finished, put them on a platter, add some lemon slices, and serve! You can garnish with a few sprigs of fresh thyme if you’d like.  These are awesome leftovers next day served on top of any salad.

*something I discovered not too long ago was a grill pan. If you don’t have access to a grill or it’s raining and you don’t want to be out there grilling. I bought a really nice one and you get beautiful grill marks and the food tastes really good. Something good and worthwhile to buy.

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My Best(est) Pasta Salad

Posted on May 27, 2011 | 2 comments

MY Bestest Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 small box of fusilli pasta*

1 small container of crumbled feta cheese

3 cloves garlic

1 pint of grape tomatoes (if you can get different colors, that is perfect; if not red is just fine)

1/2 cucumber (preferably hot house or small Persian ones; if use Persians, then use 2)

7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons white vinegar (I use a white wine vinegar. Champagne is my favorite go-to as opposed to just plain white vinegar.)

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 red pepper and 1/2 yellow pepper, sliced (you can use as much or as little as you like and you can also use one whole of either but don’t use green)

a handful of fresh basil (roll it up and use kitchen scissors or a knife to cut it up)

2 tablespoons of fresh chives 

feta cheese (how much is totally up to you!)

Cook pasta in a pan of salted water and add the 3 cloves of garlic. Cook al dente and drain. Put the garlic  aside for the dressing abd put the Pasta in a bowl to cool off.

In a New Bowl :

Cut the tomatoes, cukes, peppers, and black olives into small pieces. Give the herbs a rough chop and add to bowl. Mash cooked garlic cloves on a wooden board and add a little kosher salt, add to this bowl. Add oil, vinegar, and a little more kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Add feta cheese to the mixture, then and add pasta. Mix it all up with large spoon.

Let it sit in fridge, mix before serving, and let it sit out at room temperature for at least an hour before serving. Should be room temperature. Mix it well from bottom , and add salt and pepper to taste.

*if fusilli not available, use small shells, elbows, gemelli, etc. They’re all equally good. I like the fusilli b/c cheese and dressing sticks to pasta well.

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Kale Salad

Posted on May 27, 2011 | 4 comments

Prep for Kale Salad

INGREDIENTS:

3 bunches of organic kale

small container crumbled feta or goat cheese

pignolli nuts ( roast in oven for app. 4 minutes at 350) they burn quickly so watch them. Once you smell them they’re usually burnt, depends on oven so be careful

dried fruit ( I love dried cherries in this) but raisins will do

When I make the kale, I take out the rib in the center and just use leaves. You can wash it first before taking the rib out–it’s easier that way. 

Dry the kale and chop in large food processor. After it’s all chopped, put in large bowl.

Mix all ingredients in with the kale, add my mustard vinaigrette. Do this little by little and keep mixing. The beauty of kale is that you can put it in the fridge and let it soak in for hours. I usually make this the same afternoon or evening that I’m using it. I take it out of the fridge at least an hour before I’m using, mix it and add more dressing depending on how you like it. It is perfect at room temperature. 
 
*mustard vinaigrette under it’s own title on cookingwithcandi.com

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The basics: salad dressing- Mustard Vinaigrette and Caesar

Posted on May 26, 2011 | 6 comments

Salad Dressing in the Cuisinart

Salad Dressings

While there are some amazingly delicious salad dressings out there these days I prefer to make my own. Sometimes you have to cave and go store bought but if you have a little extra time these are well worth a little extra effort.  It is so easy to make these salad dressings and the taste is so delicious and fresh. They will keep for a few days to a week in the fridge (Ball Jar or Good Seasons Cruet Jar; sold in almost every supermarket.)

For all of the dressing, I throw all the ingredients in a mini food processor, whole garlic and all

This one is my most favorite go-to dressing: 

 My Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing 

3 tablespoons champagne vinegar

about 1/2 teaspoon of fresh minced garlic (about two small cloves)

1 egg yolk (unless you’re spooked about raw egg, in which case you can omit and substitute with about a tablespoon of mayo. I always use egg.)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black ground pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

First, I put the garlic in the processor, then add everything but the olive oil. Give it a good whirl, mixing all ingredients together. Then add olive oil slowly; it will emulsify and you can taste and add salt and pepper to taste and adjust the dijon to your liking. You may start with less and add. An option is to squeeze in a little lemon juice. I am pretty true to this recipe and it always rewards.

This is awesome over almost any greens.

Keep excess in fridge for about 3 or 4 days.

Caesar Salad Dressing 

Again I put all ingredients in mini or regular processor

2 cloves garlic

1 egg yolk

kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper

4-5 anchovies (I like it salty and use 5)

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tablespoon (heaping) I like a lot Dijon Mustard

grated Parmesan cheese (fresh is always best)

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

First, I chop garlic then add anchovies to the processor, and mix together. Then add lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and egg yolk. I mix all together, and then slowly add olive oil in, mix together and taste for salt, because the anchovies and mustard give it a lot of salt and kick. You can always add more salt, but you can’t take it away. Add pepper.

For the Salad:

Pour dressing on about two heads of romaine. I’ve stretched it to 3 and I know they sell 3 heads in a bag–it’s a bit skimpy, but doable. Mix together and right before serving, add cheese; or let everyone do their own with a hand grater!

I buy Organic Romaine heads (3 in a package). I prefer organic.

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