arugula salad with red wine vinaigrette

goes extremely well with pizza :)

arugula salad with red wine vinaigrette
4 servings

6 cups arugula
1 shallot or red onion, minced
4 tsp red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp dijon mustard
4 tsp honey
salt and fresh ground pepper
toasted pine nuts (optional)
shaved parmesan (optional)

Combine all the ingredients except arugula in a leak-proof jar and shake to emulsify.

In a large bowl, toss the arugula with enough vinaigrette to just coat the leaves.

Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Top with optional toasted pine nuts, and shaved parmesan.

cole slaw

I like how this recipe was called "quick and easy," yet there's about 20 ingredients. Thanks to the blender/food processor, it actually was quick and easy - and really delicious too! We had this alongside some turkey burgers.

cole slaw
8 servings

1 medium head of cabbage, sliced into thin strips
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup onion
1 garlic clove or 1 tsp garlic powder
3 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp dried dill
3/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pepper (omitted because of kids)

All all ingredients except cabbage to a blender or food processor. Or, whisk ingredients together in a large bowl before combing with cabbage.

Process until blended.

Toss with cabbage.

*You can refrigerate before serving to let the flavors meld, but not necessary.

creamy buttermilk dressing

I made this dressing in an attempt to recreate one of my favorite salads from dirty-bird-to-go (minus the cornbread croutons and fried chicken) and also to entice our two toddlers to eat salad; it worked by the way! Not the healthiest - it's basically cream, cream and more cream, but everyone ate lots of salad and was happy about it, too!

creamy buttermilk dressing

makes 1 cup

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sour cream

1/3 cup buttermilk

3 tbsp lemon juice or rice wine vinegar

1 large garlic clove, minced or mashed

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients until well blended. 

soy sesame miso dressing

A friend of ours brought over this homemade dressing which they received from another friend, who owns a restaurant and never gives out the ingredients of this dressing. It was so good! We've been trying to recreate it - we've even kept a small amount of the original jar to compare with and tweak each new recipe we make. This isn't exactly it, but we're getting closer...

miso sesame soy dressing
makes 4-6 servings

1 1/2 tbsp miso paste
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/4 tbsp honey
1 tbsp minced, fresh ginger
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp lime juice

Whisk miso paste into rice vinegar in a bowl until smooth. Stir in honey, ginger, sesame oil and lime juice into the vinegar mixture.