French Lentil and Roasted Beet Salad

I was really nervous for this meal as I had never had beets or lentils, but it was great! :)

Ingredients for Salad:

1 pound beets

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup lentils

1 sprig fresh rosemary, plus 2 teaspoons chopped leaves

1 bay leaf

2 large cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1/2 onion

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning

Dressing (directions below)

1/4 cup minced fresh flat leaf parsley

Freshly ground black pepper

6 cups mixed greens

6 ounces aged goat cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Trim all but 1 inch of the beet stems. Put the beets on a large piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with olive oil, and seal the foil to make a tight package. Put the package in the oven and roast for about 1 hour. When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel them (skins should slide right off with a bit of pressure). Dice the beets and set aside.

While you roast the beets, put the lentils in a saucepan with cold water to cover by about 2 inches. Put sprig of rosemary and bay leaf (tie it together if possible) along with smashed garlic, onion half, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce the heat and simmer, about 25 minutes. Strain the lentils and discard herbs and onion.

Put the warm lentils in a bowl and stir in half of dressing. Cool the lentils completely, then add the beets, parsley, and chopped rosemary. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Lightly dress the greens with a bit of the dressing and divide among plates. Spoon some of the lentil salad onto the greens, crumble goat cheese over each serving, and drizzle with some of the remaining vinaigrette.

Ingredients for the Dressing:

3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar

2 tablespoons whole grain mustard

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 shallots, minced

Whisk the vinegar with the mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the olive oil, starting with a few drops and then adding the rest in a steady stream to make smooth, slightly thick. Stir in the shallots.

Enjoy!

Summer Chopped Salad with Ranch Dressing

This was a great salad! :) Christine and James came over for dinner and we had this with some yummy chicken from the grill! It was a great meal! A little bit more ingredients than I was expecting, but well worth it in the end!

This has a homemade ranch dressing and I will include the recipe at the end.

Ingredients for Salad:

8 ounces small red-skinned potatoes, halved

Kosher Salt

1 cup fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears of corn)

1 cup chopped fresh green or wax beans

1 cup small broccoli florets

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 kirby cucumber with peel, chopped

Ranch Dressing

Freshly ground black pepper

4 cups torn mixed greens (we used the Spring Mix bag)

1 cup sprouts (optional)

Put the potatoes in a small saucepan with enough cold water to cover and season with salt. Bring to a boil and then simmer, uncovered, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and put in a large bowl.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Fill a medium bowl with ice water and salt it as well. Add the corn, beans and broccoli to the boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or strainer to scoop out the vegetable and plunge them immediately into the ice water. Drain the vegetables, pat them dry, and add to the bowl of potatoes along with the tomatoes and cucumber. Toss the salad with 1/2 cup of the dressing.

When ready to serve, toss salad with the greens and sprouts. Pass the remaining dressing at the table!

Ingredients for Ranch Dressing:

1 clove garlic

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup

2 buttermilk

2 tablespoons minced fresh flat leaf parsley

2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

1 scallion, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

Freshly ground black pepper

Smash the garlic clove, sprinkle with the salt and with the side of a large knife, mash and smear the mixture to a coarse paste. Scrape the paste into a small bowl, add the remaining ingredients, and whisk well to make a creamy dressing. (This can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days)

Enjoy!

Hearts of Romaine with Blue Cheese and Bacon

This was a great side salad to our meal the night that I made this! I also LOVED the blue cheese dressing that I made! A must try! :)

Ingredients:

8 strips of bacon

1 large egg

2 hearts romaine lettuce

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Blue Cheese Dressing

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lay the bacon strips on a roasting rack and bake in the oven until crisp, about 20 minutes. Pat dry with a paper towel. When cool enough to handle, break into pieces or in half.

Put the egg in a small saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, cover, and remove from heat. Set aside for 10 minutes. Drain the egg and roll in between your palm and the counter to crack the shell, then peel under cool running water. Rub the egg through a fine-mesh strainer and set aside.

Remove the outer leaves from the romaine heats and rinse. Chop these leaves into bite size pieces and spin dry. Halve the hearts through the cores to make 4 wedges. Rinse under cold water and shake to air dry.

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 sieved egg and bacon. Pass the remaining dressing the the table.

Enjoy!

Blue Cheese Dressing

Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 shallot, peeled

1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon celery seeds

2 tablespoons minced fresh flat leaf parsley

Freshly ground black pepper

Pulse everything in a food processor besides the parsley and black pepper. Once it is all together, stir in parsley and black pepper.