Carol’s Comfort Foods

Yield:  8-10 Servings

INGREDIENTS

3 lbs Yukon gold potatoes

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

1 – 16 ounce bottle of olive oil and vinegar dressing – divided

8 cups mixed salad greens

2 large avocados

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

3 large tomatoes – seeded and diced

12 small green onions, medium chop

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

4 ounces crumbled blue cheese

6-8 slices of bacon – cooked crisp and crumbled

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

PREPARATION

Cook potatoes in salted boiling water for approximately 30 minutes until tender.  Drain and cool slightly.  Peel and cut into cubes.  Sprinkle potatoes evenly with ¾ teaspoon salt.  Pour 1 cup dressing over potatoes; gently toss.  Set aside the remaining dressing.  Cover the potato mixture; chill at least 2 hours or overnight.

Arrange salad greens evely on a large serving platter.  Peel and chop avocados; toss with lemon juice.

Arrange potatoes, avocados, tomatoes, green onions, cheddar cheese, blue cheese and bacon.  Sprinkle with fresh pepper.  Serve with remaining dressing.

Source:  Southern Living - 2003

Yield:  4 Servings

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces baby spinach

2 large eggs, hard-boiled

8 pieces of thick cut bacon, chopped

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 ounces red onion, very thinly sliced

PREPARATION

Remove the stems from the spinach and wash and pat dry thoroughly.  Place into a large mixing bowl and set aside.  Peel eggs and slice into 8 pieces.  Fry the bacon until crispy and remove and drain on paper towels.  Crumble and set aside.  Reserve 3 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat.  Transfer fat to a small saucepan on low heat and add wine vinegar, sugar and Dijon mustard, whisk to combine thoroughly.  Season with a pinch of salt and fresh black pepper. 

Add the red onion to the spinach and toss.  Add the dressing and bacon and toss with spinach to combine.  Divide the spinach between 4 salad plates and garnish with the hard-boiled egg slices.  Season with additional freshly ground black pepper. 

Source:  Alton Brown - Food Network - 2007

Yield:  6 wraps

INGREDIENTS

6 flour tortillas

2 cups fresh broccoli florets

2 cups cubed, cooked chicken

¼ cup slivered almonds

2 tablespoons chopped green onions

Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

¾ cup mayonnaise

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

PREPARATION

Remove tortillas from the refrigerator; set aside while preparing the filling.

In a small saucepan, cook broccoli in 1 inch boiling water until crisp tender, approximately 2-3 minutes.  Drain and cool.  In a large bowl, combine broccoli and all remaining ingredients, except tortillas and cheese and toss lightly.  Cover and refrigerate until chilled.  To serve:  Divide filling among the tortillas.  Top with shredded cheese.  Wrap or roll up tortilla to enclose the filling.  Serve immediately.

Yield:  4 Servings

INGREDIENTS
8 strips good-quality bacon
2 large egg, hard-boiled, peeled and finely chopped
2 hearts romaine lettuce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup walnut halves, toasted

Blue Cheese Dressing, recipe follows

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Salad:

Lay the bacon strips on a roasting rack and bake in the oven until crisp, about 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and drain on paper towels.  Crumble bacon and set aside.  Toast walnuts in 375 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside.  When cooled, rough chop.  Hard boil egg, peel and finely chop – set aside.  Remove the large outer leaves from the romaine hearts and rinse. Chop these leaves into bite-size pieces.  Halve the hearts through the cores to make 4 wedges.

Divide the wedges among 4 plates. Mound some of the chopped romaine on top and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon about 1/4 cup of Blue Cheese Dressing over each salad and top with some of the chopped egg, bacon and toasted walnuts.  Pass the remaining dressing at the table.

Blue Cheese Dressing:

Yield:  2 cups

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 4 ounces)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 shallot, peeled
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
Freshly ground black pepper

Pulse the mayonnaise, blue cheese, buttermilk, shallot, lemon zest, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and celery seeds in a food processor to make a chunky but pourable sauce. Stir in the parsley and season with plenty of pepper. Use immediately or refrigerate in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days.

Yield:  4 Servings

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 small zucchini, chopped

1 cup shredded carrots, chopped

1 teaspoon curry powder

3 cups chicken stock

1 cup orzo pasta

½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

3 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped

1 cup frozen peas

Salt and freshly grated pepper

PREPARATION

Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat.  Add olive oil, swirling to coat pan.  Add garlic, shallots, zucchini and carrots.  Saute for 5 minutes.  Add curry, chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Add orzo and bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to medium.  Cook, stirring occasionally until pasta absorbs the liquid and is al dente in texture, approximately 10 minutes.  Uncover and stir in cheese, parsley and peas.  Season with salt and freshly grated pepper, to taste.

Rachael Ray - Food Network - Episode# TM1E02 - 2006

Yield:  4 Servings

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces bow tie pasta

½ lb asparagus

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill weed

1 teaspoon lemon zest

½ lb fresh salmon, cooked and flaked

4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Sprigs of fresh dill weed for garnish

PREPARATION

Cook pasta according to package instructions; drain and set aside.  Trim asparagus and cut into 1-inch pieces.  Bring a pot of salted water to a boil; add asparagus and cook approximately 2-3 minutes; drain and immediately plunge in ice water to stop cooking and preserve color.

To make the dressing, whisk the oil, lemon juice and vinegar together.  Stir in dill weed and lemon peel.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Toss the pasta with the dressing.  Add the asparagus pieces and flaked salmon, toss lightly.  Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Garnish with sprigs of dill weed.

Yield: 4 Servings

INGREDIENTS

1 seedless cucumber, sliced

½ small onion, thinly sliced

2 cups small tomatoes, cut into quarters

¼ cup oil and vinegar dressing, I prefer Newman’s Own Olive Oil & Vinegar Salad Dressing

½ teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Salt and freshly grated pepper to taste

PREPARATION

Stir together cucumber, onion and tomatoes.  Add olive and vinegar dressing, lemon zest and lemon juice.  Toss to coat and salt and pepper to taste.

Yield:  Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

Slaw

1 medium-sized green cabbage

½ - red bell pepper

1 medium-sized carrot – grated

½ medium sweet yellow onion – finely chopped

Dressing

1 ¼ cups good mayonnaise, I prefer Hellmann’s

¼ cup cider vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

½ teaspoon celery salt

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

PREPARATION

Wash and cut the cabbage and bell peppers into long strips.  Place them in a medium-sized bowl.  Add finely chopped onion and grated carrots.  Set aside.  To make the dressing, add all ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir until well combined.  To make coleslaw, pour dressing over slaw mixture and mix well.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to ensure that the flavors meld together.

During the summer, you can find heirloom tomatoes at many farmer’s markets or at Whole Foods. If not, just use your favorite red tomatoes in this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

6 Heirloom tomatoes

1 lb fresh mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup basil - chopped in ribbons

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly grated black pepper

PREPARATION

Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella (approximately ½ inch thick). Arrange on a serving platter and toss basil leaves on top. Drizzle with olive oil and add salt and fresh pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature.

Yield: 4-6 Servings

INGREDIENTS

1-5 ounce bag mixed baby lettuces or spring greens

1 cup walnut pieces

4 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

2 – Golden Delicious apples

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Place walnut pieces on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for approximately 7-10 minutes, turning once during baking. Remove from oven and cool. Peel and chop apples into small pieces, sprinkle with a bit of lemon juice to prevent the apples from turning brown. Place greens, apples and Gorgonzola cheese in a serving bowl. Toss with toasted walnuts and serve with raspberry vinaigrette dressing.

I found this fruit salad recipe in one of Ina Garten’s cookbooks and it’s a favorite. Very simple and doesn’t take long to assemble. The honey vanilla yogurt makes it really special.

Yield: 4-6 Servings

INGREDIENTS

2 cups plain yogurt

2 tablespoons good honey

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ orange juiced

1 banana sliced

½ pint fresh blueberries

½ pint fresh raspberries

1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in half

1 bunch of seedless green grapes, halved

PREPARATION

Combine the yogurt, honey and vanilla extract in a bowl and set aside. Combine the orange juice and banana slices in a separate bowl. Add the berries and grapes and gently mix the fruit mixture together. Spoon the fruit into serving bowls and top with the yogurt.

During the summer, you can find heirloom tomatoes at many farmer’s markets or at Whole Foods. If not, just use your favorite red tomatoes in this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

6 Heirloom tomatoes

1 lb fresh mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup basil - chopped in ribbons

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly grated black pepper

PREPARATION

Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella (approximately ½ inch thick). Arrange on a serving platter and toss basil leaves on top. Drizzle with olive oil and add salt and fresh pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature.

Here are two really good recipes for homemade mayonnaise. It’s really pretty simple to make and tastes great. Even if you don’t want to abandon your favorite commercial brand, learning how to make your own mayo is a great technique to master. Just in case one day you reach in the refrigerator for mayonnaise and come up empty, you’ll have a backup plan!

Recipe #1 - Homemade mayo recipe from Alton Brown – Good Eats – Mayo Clinic Episode

Yield: Approximately 1 cup

INGREDIENTS

1 egg yolk*

½ teaspoon dry mustard

½ teaspoon fine salt

2 pinches sugar

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup oil, canola, safflower or corn

PREPARATION

In a glass bowl, whisk together egg yolk and dry ingredients. Combine lemon juice and vinegar in a separate bowl, then thoroughly whisk half into the yolk mixture. Start whisking briskly, then start adding the oil a few drops at a time until the liquid seems to thicken and lighten a bit. Once you reach this stage, you can relax your arm a little (not too much though) and increase the oil flow to a constant (albeit thin) stream. Once half of the oil is in add the rest of the lemon juice mixture. Continue whisking until all of the oil is incorporated. Leave at room temperature for 1-2 hours and then refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Recipe #2 - Homemade mayo recipe from Molly Wizenberg – Bon Appetit – April 2008 edition

Yield: ¾ cup

INGREDIENTS

1 large egg yolk**

½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup canola oil

PREPARATION

Combine egg yolk, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, and ½ teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Whisk until blended and bright yellow, about 30 seconds. Using ¼ teaspoon measure and whisking constantly, add ¼ cup oil to yolk mixture, a few drops at a time. Gradually add remaining ½ cup oil in very slow stream, whisking constantly, until mayonnaise is thick, about 8 minutes. Cover and chill.

**RAW EGG WARNING

Raw egg is not recommended for infants, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems. To avoid the risk of salmonella or other food-borne illness, you can use pasteurized egg yolk instead.

Yield: 6-8 Servings

INGREDIENTS

4 large split chicken breasts - bone in

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup green gapes – cut in half

¾ cup good mayonnaise

1 ½ tablespoon finely chopped tarragon

Kosher salt and grated black pepper to taste

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place chicken breasts skin side up on a large baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over each breast and sprinkle with kosher salt and grated black pepper. Roast the chicken in the oven for approximately 50-60 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and let cool. Meanwhile, chop celery, slice grapes in half and chop tarragon. When chicken has cooled, pull the chicken meat off the breast and slice in ½ inch cubes. Place cubed chicken in a large bowl and add the grapes, celery and tarragon. Toss mixture with ¾ cup mayonnaise until the chicken is coated. Season with salt and grated black pepper to taste. Refrigerate.

Source: Barefoot Contessa at Home - 2006

Serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS

12 medium red potatoes

6 hard boiled eggs – finely chopped

2 stalks celery – finely chopped

1 medium-large sweet yellow onion – finely chopped

1 ½ cups good mayonnaise, I prefer Hellmann’s

1 scant tablespoon granulated sugar

2 teaspoons yellow mustard

¼ cup milk or half and half

Salt and grated black pepper

Smoked paprika

PREPARATION

In a large stock pot filled with water, gently boil potatoes until fork tender, approximately 35-40 minutes. When fork tender, remove potatoes from stock pot and cool. Once cooled, remove skins and chop potatoes into 1 inch cubes. Place in large mixing bowl. Add chopped hard boiled eggs, onions and celery. Season the potato mixture with salt and grated black pepper to taste. To prepare dressing: Combine mayonnaise, sugar, mustard and milk or half and half in a medium mixing bowl. Stir until smooth and creamy. Add dressing to the potato mixture and toss gently, coating the potatoes. Sprinkle top with smoked paprika and chopped green onion. If desired, garnish top with additional sliced hard boiled eggs.

INGREDIENTS

2 ½ lbs unpeeled red potatoes

¼ cup dry white wine

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup sour cream

1 ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 ½ tablespoon cider vinegar

4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

3 green onions, finely chopped

1 cup coarsely chopped celery

PREPARATION

Boil potatoes until just tender when pierced with a fork. Don’t overcook. Drain and cool to room temperature. Cut into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl. Add wine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let stand until wine is absorbed. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, vinegar, blue cheese, green onions and celery. Add to potatoes and stir well. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.