BRIANNA'S BLUSH WINE SALADS

This is one of my favorite salad dressings- Brianna's blush wine vinaigrette! It's easy to find because of the big strawberry picture and it's great on just about anything.  Here are two of my favorite salad recipes that work as a side or a meal.  I also love recipes that use the same ingredients.  We buy a lot of groceries in bulk at Costco (ie. grape tomatoes, spring greens, feta cheese, peppers, strawberries, dijon mustard- so I love different recipes that use the same ingredients.  You'll find lots on this blog!)

STRAWBERRY FETA SALAD

spring mix, or any greens
strawberries, sliced (egg slicer works great)
grape tomatoes, sliced
chopped pecans, or any nuts
feta cheese
Briana's blush wine vinaigrette

Assemble and enjoy!


GRILLED CHICKEN SALAD (Tammy)
chicken
greens, any kind
red onion, diced
colored pepper, diced
tomatoes, diced
colby & monterrey jack cheese, shredded
Briana's blush wine vinaigrette

Salt and pepper chicken.  Cook chicken in a pan with a little olive oil (4 min each side) and cut into strips.  Assemble salad and add chicken, cheese, and dressing.  Serve immediately.

GREEK SALAD (Barefoot Contessa)

1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, sliced in half-rounds
1/2 pound feta cheese
1/2 cup calamata olives, pitted

nocoupons2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup good red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup good olive oil

Place the cucumber, peppers, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl.  For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Still whisking, slowly add the olive oil to make an emulsion. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables. Add the feta and olives and toss lightly. Set aside for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.

ORANGE CHICKEN (Parade)

whole chicken, cut in pieces
3 oranges, juice and zest
1/4 c. honey
3T soy sauce
2T olive oil
2t garlic
1/4 t red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
2T cilantro

Place chicken in a large bowl.  Combine remaining ingredients and coat chicken.  Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.  Preheat oven to 375*  Arrange chicken in shallow roasting pan.  Pour 2/3 of marinade into pan.  Bake chicken for 1 hr basting periodically.  Transfer to platter .  Strain pan juices in saucepan and boil about 10 min to thicken.  Drizzle over chicken.

SOUTHWESTERN SHEPHERD'S PIE (Parade)

2T olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1T garlic
1 lb ground beef or turkey
1T tomato paste
1t chili powder
1T cumin
(Optional: 1pkg reduced-sodium taco seasoning)

salt and pepper
2c. tomatoes, chopped
1/2 c. corn, cooked
1/2c. black beans
1/4c. cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and chunks
2T butter
1/2 c. milk

Preheat oven to 400*  Place sweet potatoes in saucepan with water to cover.  Boil , reduce heat, and simmer for 30min. Heat oil in large pot and saute onion, green pepper, and garlic for 10 min.  Raise heat to med-high and brown meat.  Add tomato paste and seasonings.  Cook for 2min.  Add tomatoes and simmer 15 min to reduce.  Add corn, beans, and cilantro.  Spoon into a 9x9 baking dish.   Drain.  Mash with butter and milk.  Spread over meat mixture.  Bake for 30min.

CREAM of FRESH TOMATO SOUP (Barefoot Contessa)

3T olive oil

2 red onions, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 T garlic

5 lg tomatoes, chopped

2 t sugar

1 T tomato paste

1/4 c fresh basil leaves, diced

3c. chicken stock/broth

1T salt

2t pepper

3/4 c. heavy cream (milk works, too)

croutons for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over med heat.  Saute onions, carrots, and garlic for 10 minutes.  Add tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, chicken broth, salt, and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce to low and simmer for 30-40 min uncovered.  Add the heavy cream and stir.  Blend with a hand blender (or let cool and blend in small batches in the blender) and serve.

CHICKEN CANNELONI (Shana)

8 manicotti or large shells
2c. cooked chicken, dice in food processor
8oz chive and onion cream cheese
1/2 pkg chopped spinach, thawed
1 pkg sliced mushrooms (optional)
4oz shredded mozzarella cheese
2oz parmesan cheese
1t garlic salt
1t pepper
1/2 jar spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 350*.  Cook pasta as directed.  Saute mushrooms in olive oil, breaking them into small pieces with a spoon.  Combine chicken, cream cheese, spinach, mushrooms, mozzarella, 1oz of parmesan, garlic salt, and pepper.  Stir together and spoon into a large ziploc bag.  Snip off the corner and squeeze to fill shells.  Lay in a dish and pour sauce over top.  Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese and bake uncovered for 30 min.

ASIAN RIBS (Beth K)

2T soy sauce
2T ginger
2T garlic
1/4c. hoisin sauce
1T worcestershire sauce
1T splenda
2T sesame oil
2T minced onion
1T oyster sauce
2T sake
4lbs beef back ribs (cut into 1-2 rib segments)

Mix in crock pot and then coat ribs.  Cook on low 8 hrs.  Remove ribs.  Pour off sauce and let separate.  Skim off fat. Pour sauce over ribs and serve.