Marinated Mushrooms

1 pound small fresh mushrooms

¾ cup salad oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons chopped onion

2 tablespoons chopped chives

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 teaspoon tarragon

1 clove garlic, pressed

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon sugar

1. Clean mushrooms.
2. Combine all other ingredients and pour over mushrooms and marinate for several hours at room temperature.
3. Serve in the marinade or drain. 

Couscous with Herbs and Lemon

Original: Epicurious

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

¾ cup water

1 ¼ cups low sodium chicken broth

1 (10 oz) box couscous

½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley

½ cup finely chopped fresh basil

1/3 cup finely chopped fresh mint

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice or to taste

1. Cook onion in 1 tbsp oil in a 2 to 3 quart heavy saucepan over moderate heart, stirring occasionally until golden
2. Add garlic and cook, stirring 30 seconds.
3. Add water and broth and bring to a boil.
4. Stir in couscous, then cover and remove from heat.
5. Let couscous stand, covered, for 5 minutes then fluff with a fork.
6. Stir in herbs, lemon juice, remaining tablespoon of oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

Lima Bean and Spinach Salad

Dressing:

¼ cup olive oil

2 tbsp cider vinegar

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 package blue cheese (4 oz.)

Salt and pepper

Salad:

10 oz. package lima beans

½ cup sliced green onions

4 boiled eggs, chopped

1 cup celery

¼ cup dill pickles

½ pound bacon, cooked and crumbled

6 oz. spinach (use more)

2 cups iceberg, one full head (use less)

1. Whisk together everything for the dressing.
2. Mix together everything for the salad.
3. Combine.

Chopped Parmesan Salad

Salad:

½ head iceberg lettuce, chopped into medium pieces

1 small head romaine lettuce, chopped

¼ pound Italian salami, finely diced

¼ pound mozzarella cheese, finely chopped

1 cup garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained, rinsed, and chopped

Dressing:

5 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Combine all salad ingredients in a bowl.
2. Pour Parmesan dressing over salad and toss, coating ingredients completely. Serve immediately.
3. Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar with tight fitting lid and shake well.

** You can add additional items like olives, chopped pepperoncinis (banana peppers) or sun dried tomatoes. 

Sweet and Sour Bean Salad - great side for a BBQ

1 can green beans, rinsed and drained

1 can cut yellow wax beans, rinsed and drained

1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can butter beans, rinsed and drained

1 large bell pepper, diced, any color

1 large red onion, sliced and separated into rings

1 jar pimientos, diced (I used 1 jar roasted red peppers from Trader Joe's)

¼ salad oil (your choice)

2 cups celery, thinly sliced

1 ½ cups cider vinegar

1 cups sugar or equivalent of Splenda

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 can tomato soup, undiluted

1. Place all the beans, bell pepper, onion, and pimentos or roasted red peppers in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the oil and celery.
3. In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and tomato soup. Bring to a boil and pour over the vegetables. Toss the mixture lightly with 2 forks. Do this several time as the mixture cools.
4. Cover the bowl and refrigerate 

** Recipe courtesy of Aliesha Holbert Carlos 

Spinach and Bacon Salad

3 slices bacon, diced

2 bunches of fresh spinach

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

¼ cup chili sauce

1 clove garlic, mashed

½ tsp oregano

Salt and pepper

Hard boiled eggs, chopped (optional)

1. Brown bacon pieces slowly
2. Wash spinach and pat dry. Tear leaves into bite sized pieces and place in a bowl with onions.
3. When cooked add bacon drippings, add vinegar, chili sauce, garlic and oregano.
4. Heat until mixture simmers, stir. 
5. Pour over spinach mixture, stir in eggs, and mix well, serve at once. 

Crab Spread - Great for Christmas Gatherings!

1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over

¼ cup mayo

¼ cup crème fraiche

2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley

2 tbsp snipped chives

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

¼ pound Manchego cheese, shredded (1 cup)

One 9-ounce jar piquillo peppers, drained and cut into strips

Crusty bread or crackers

1. Preheat the broiler
2. In a bowl, combine the crabmeat, mayo, crème fraiche, parsley, chives, mustard, lemon juice, and 3/4 cup of the Manchego.
3. Spread in an 8 x 11 baking dish, top with piquill peppers, and sprinkle with the remaining Manchego.
4. Broil until the cheese is melted and the dip is heated through.
5. Serve hot with bread or crackers. 

Tuscan Rice Salad

Original: Epicurious

1 cup Arborio rice or medium grain white rice

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ red wine vinegar

2 tablespoon olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)

1 large egg

1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1 cup finely diced cooked pork

1 cup frozen petite peas, thawed

1/3 cup chopped red onion

3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

6 large lettuce leaves

1 medium tomato, cut into thin wedges

1. Bring large saucepan of water to boil. Stir in rice and salt. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered until rice is tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Drain rice well.
2. Whisk vinegar and oil in large bowl. Add warm and toss to coat.
3. Whisk egg and Parmesan cheese in small bowl to blend. Spray medium nonstick skillet with vegetable oil spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add egg mixture and stir constantly until scrambled and cruds are set, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool. Cut egg into small pieces. Season to taste with pepper.
4. Stir egg pieces, pork, peas, red onion, and parsley into rice. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper. Line shallow bowl with lettuce leaves. Spoon rice salad onto leaves. Surround with tomato wedges, serve at room temperature. 

Red Potato Salad with Onions

5 ½ cups red skin potatoes, cut into ¾ inch pieces

1 ¼ cup dry white wine

6 tablespoons red wine vinegar

4 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 ¼ cups olive oil

2 red bell peppers, halved, seeded and cut into thin strips

12 green onions, chopped

1 large red onion, sliced

1 ¼ cups Kalemata olives, pitted and halved

¾ cups PacBell chopped sun dried tomatoes

1 cup fresh chopped parsley

1. Steam potatoes, pour wine over and cool.
2. Mix vinegar, mustard, and garlic in bowl. Whisk in oil.
3. Pour over potatoes.
4. Mix in peppers, onions, olives, and tomatoes.
5. Season with salt and pepper, add parsley and toss to combine.
6. Let stand for 1 hour to marinate. 

Summer Chop Salad with Corn, Snap Peas, and Bacon

Salad:

1 ½ cups sugar snap peas, trimmed and cut in half diagonally

1 ½ cups fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)

½ head romaine lettuce

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced

1 carrot, peeled and shredded

½ red bell pepper, diced

3 green onions, sliced

5 radishes, thinly sliced

1 cup basil leaves (about 1 oz.) cut into thin strips

6 cherry tomatoes, halved

Mustard vinaigrette

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

12 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons minced garlic

9 tablespoons olive oil

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

*whisk to combine 

1. Cook peas in boiling water to cover for 1 to 2 minutes; immediately plunge into ice water to stop cooking process.
2. Cook corn in boiling water for 2 minutes; immediately plunge into ice water. Drain both.
3. Chop lettuce into small pieces, place in a large bowl.
4. Add peas, corn, cucumber, and next 6 ingredients; toss with mustard vinaigrette.
5. Mound salad on a large platter and sprinkle with bacon. 

** You can add other favorite veggies too like cauliflower, broccoli, olives etc. Chicken makes it a full meal or leave out all the meat for a veg only dish.