Santa Rosa Valley Salad

Santa Rosa Valley Salad

• 1 Box seasoned long grain and wild rice mix (like Uncle Ben’s)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 3 Chicken breast halves, cooked and diced
• 4 Green onions, chopped
• 1 Red bell pepper, diced
• 3 oz. Chinese pea pods, ends removed
• 2 Medium avocados, diced
• 1 C. Chopped pecans, toasted
• Lettuce leaves for garnish, red leaf looks nice

Dressing:

• 2 Cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/4 tsp. Sugar
• 1/4 tsp. Pepper
• 1/3 C. Seasoned rice vinegar
• 1/2 C. Vegetable oil

Combine dressing in blender. Cover and refrigerate. Cook rice according to package directions. Mix with all salad ingredients except avocados and pecans. Combine with dressing and refrigerate 2-4 hours or up to 24 hours. Before serving add avocados and pecans and garnish with lettuce leaves.

GREEK PASTA SALAD

1 c (8 oz.) dry orzo (or rotini or farfalle) pasta
4.25 oz can chopped black olives
½ c chopped green olives
8 oz (1 c) crumbled feta cheese
2 c chopped marinated artichoke hearts
½ c chopped red pepper
½ c chopped green pepper
¼ chopped red onion
½ c chopped fresh parsley
½ c olive oil
½ c vinegar
½ t dried basil
1 t dried oregano
½ t garlic powder (1 clove fresh garlic, pressed)
½ t mustard powder
salt and pepper to taste


Cook pasta per package’s instructions. Drain, rinse, and cool in refrigerator for 1 hour. In a large bowl, combine pasta with black and green olives, feta, artichoke hearts, red and green peppers, onion and parsley. In small bowl or bottle, combine oil, vinegar, garlic, herbs and spices, and shake well to mix. Drizzle dressing over pasta mixture and toss to coat completely. Chill for an additional hour before serving. This salad tastes even better after being refrigerated over night. Optional: add 8 oz. pepperoni or salami slices, cut in halves or quarters. Makes six 1½ cup servings.

BLT SALAD & AVOCADO DRESSING

(With apologies to Martha Stewart, from whom the recipe originally came—but I tweaked it a bit!)

Salad:

24 strips ¼-inch-thick-cut bacon (1 pound)
2½ bunches lettuce
1 c avocado dressing
2 pounds tomatoes
1 pint cherry tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat oven to 425°. Arrange bacon strips on a wire rack set or on parchment paper on a baking pan. Place pan in oven until bacon is golden brown and crisp, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven, being careful of the bacon fat that has collected under the rack, and set aside.

2. Arrange lettuce in the bottom of a salad bowl; drizzle with half the avocado dressing. Cut tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices; cut cherry tomatoes, depending on size, in half. Arrange tomato slices over lettuce; scatter cherry tomatoes over tomato slices.

3. Set aside two strips of bacon for the dressing. Crumble the remaining bacon strips over tomatoes. Drizzle with remaining avocado dressing, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately. Serves 12.


Dressing:

1 ripe avocado
¼ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 small clove garlic, peeled (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
Juice of 2 limes
3 tablespoons red-wine (I use balsamic) vinegar
½ cup olive oil
½ cup water (the original recipe doesn't call for this, but I use it to thin out the dressing for drizzling)
2 strips bacon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Note: Because of the bacon and balsamic vinegar, this dressing will have a rather unappetizing brownish green appearance. Once you get past the way it looks, it's actually one of the most delicious dressings ever—but if the look bothers you, just omit the bacon and substitute a paler vinegar such as cider vinegar.

Slice avocado lengthwise. Remove and discard the pit and peel, and place flesh in the bowl of a food processor. Add basil, garlic, lime juice, and vinegar; process until combined. Slowly add olive oil through the machine’s feed tube, and process until the dressing is smooth. It should have a thick but pourable consistency; give an extra squeeze or two on the limes to adjust consistency. Season with salt and pepper, and use immediately. Makes 1 cup.

AZTEC SALAD

6 servings

Quinoa salad:
1 c. quinoa
2 c. water
2 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 c. corn kernels, thawed if frozen
1 T. finely chopped cilantro
2 T. toasted pine nuts

Bean Salad:
15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 large roma tomatoes, diced
2 T. finely chopped cilantro

Dressing:
6 T. lemon juice
3 T. olive oil
1 medium clove garlic, finely minced
3/4 t. chili powder
3/4 t. ground cumin
3/4 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. salt
cayenne pepper to taste

Lemon wedges to serve

1. Mix dressing ingredients.

2. To prepare quinoa salad: In a medium sauce pan, bring quinoa and
water to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and transfer to a boil. Fluff with fork and stir in
green onions.

3. When quinoa has cooled, stir in corn, cilantro, and pine nuts.

4. Mix together ingredients for bean salad. Stir in 3 T. of the
dressing and refrigerate.

5. Stir remaining dressing into the quinoa salad. Cover and refrigerate.

6. Bring the salads out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving
(or like me, make it right before you eat it and skip the
refrigerator). Spoon quinoa salad on a platter and top with bean
salad. Serve with lemon wedges.