June 20, 2011

SMOKED SALMON AND AVACADO SUMMER SALAD





Avocado 1 ripe but not too soft
Ripe cherry tomatoes 100g
Red onion 1 thinly sliced
Smoked salmon 250g cubed
Pink grape fruit 3 to 4 section from the whole
Lettuce leaf 3 to 4(optional)
Parsley leaf few chopped
Dressing
Olive oil 4 table spoon
White Vinegar 1 table spoon
Lemon juice 1 table spoon
Sugar ½ teaspoon
Salt and pepper to taste

PROCEDURE:
Wash and peel the avocado and quarter it. Cut it into 1cm-wide strips and then into similar-sized cubes. Cut the cherry tomatoes into half .Take all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Toss avocado slices with lemon juice. Arrange the avocado, pink grapefruit in lettuce leaves and chill it for 2 to 3 hours. Now arrange cheery tomatoes and thinly sliced onion and cube or thin slices of smoked salmon. Then pour the dressing over it. Toss well. Garnish with parsley. You can serve immediately or refrigerator for 10 15 minutes before serving that’s up to you how you like to have it.
Your fresh cool smoked salmon and avocado summer salad is ready to cherish. I hope you will like this healthy salad..

Artichoke, Chicken and Sun dried Tomato Salad



3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1 T. vegetable oil
1 can artichoke hearts (14 oz)
1 red bell pepper
2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup pitted green olives
3 T. parsley, minced
4 cups mixed baby spring greens (clean and dry)

-DRESSING-

2 T. red wine vinegar
5 T. olive oil
2 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 t. kosher salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t. dried oregano
1/8 t. black pepper


-Pound the chicken breasts just until evenly thinned down. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Pan fry the chicken for about 5 minutes per side. Set aside.


Cut the bell pepper into strips and briefly cook in a pan over medium heat, 6-7 minutes or until it has begun to soften. Another great alternative is to roast the pepper. But I didn't have time today.

Place the sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl. Pour boiling water over them and soak for 15 minutes. Then drain and mince them.

The artichokes.

Canned artichoke hearts are very delicate, and if you want to keep them from falling apart in your salad, you need to take a little care with them.

Carefully cut each heart into 4ths, and press each one into a paper towel to get rid of the excess brine. Keep the artichoke quarters together with your fingers as you cut them and drain them.


Then, when the salad is finished, place them on top, not mixing them with the other ingredients. That way they'll stay pretty and not fall apart!

Slice or coarsely chop the chicken, and combine with the pepper, parsley, olives and sun-dried tomatoes.

Then, make the dressing. Simply whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture and coat well.

Place the chicken mixture on top of the baby greens. You can do this either on a big platter, or on individual plates. The dressing from the chicken will kind of settle down into the greens. Add your artichokes at the end.

Luscious Lemon Squares



4 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
2 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar

4 cup granulated sugar
grated lemon peel from 1 lemon, if desired
1 cup lemon juice (3-4 Lemons)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
8 eggs

Powdered sugar

This is a betty crocker recipe. I have quadrupled it to make a lg cookie sheet. Cut softened butter into flour and powdered sugar mixture. Press into bottom of cookie sheet. Build up sides slightly. Bake at 350 for 20-25 mins til slightly golden. Do not over bake. Mix on high speed remaining ingredients for 3 mins until frothy. Pour over partially cooked crust. Return to oven and bake 30-40 mins til set and light golden, again do not over cook. Let cool and dust with powder sugar.

These are a family favorite! Tia Concha used to make them for every family get together. They are so heavenly and melt in your mouth. I tried to make these years ago but for some reason they didn't turn out and I never tried them again. Recently Angel made a batch using Poway, CA lemons while we were visiting Linda (who has access to free lemons year round, LUCKY!)anyways they were divine to say the least! We had to make another batch the night we returned to Utah to share with our family here.

I'm not sure why they didn't turn out so long ago, but I'm sure glad Angel helped me out!

Black Bean Corn Salsa



1 can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Corn, drained and rinsed
3 Roma Tomatoes, small dice
1 Red bell pepper, small dice
2-3 avocados, diced
1 Serrano pepper, minced
1/2 red onion, small dice
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 lime or lemon, juiced
1/3c. Italian dressing
Salt, pepper, garlic to taste
opt. Cayenne pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients, and chill or just dive in!!! Really great with Tostitos hint of lime chips. To quote my nephew Hunter "This stuff is sooooo addicting!!!" We made this for Father's Day Dinner and it was GONE QUICK. Mahonri(who normally hates tomatoes) and I were craving some the next day so we made another bowl and it too was GONE by the end of the day. I think this is going to be our summer favorite!

Mango Peach Salsa




2-3 Mango's, peeled and diced
1 lg can sliced peaches, diced
1/2c. Red onion, minced
1 Serrano pepper, minced
1/2c. Cilantro, minced
1/2 lemon, juice
2 heaping Tb. Pineapple Jam (or Peach Jam)

Mix all ingredients add additional lemon juice or sugar to taste. Should have a little heat but not hot and tangy from the lemon but not sour.

This is really good served over fish or my brother who hates fish put his on his steak, either way DELICIOUS!!!