Shaved Brussels Spout Salad

Shaved Brussels Spout Salad, by Gael

Serves: 4
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

1.5 lb Brussels sprouts
3 T olive oil
1/4 c sliced almonds
lemon zest
1.5 T lemon juice
1/2 clove garlic (I used minced)
1 T white wine vinegar
1 T honey
2 t Dijon mustard
1/2 T thyme leaves (I left these out)
1/2 pear, thinly sliced
6 oz shaved Pecorino-Romano cheese (Parmesan would also work)

1) Preheat oven to 375. Pull off outer layer of sprouts, reserving leaves. Then slice each sprout thinly. Toss sliced sprouts into one bowl, outer leaves in another.

2) Take bowl with outer leaves, add 1 T olive oil and salt to taste. Roast on baking sheet until crispy, about 10 mins. I put them on foil, some did get brown.

3) Combine almonds with 1/2 T olive oil and some salt. Stir. Spread on separate baking sheet. When leaves are out of oven, turn oven down to 350. Toast almonds 10 mins or until lightly brown.

4) Make dressing. In blender, combine lemon zest, juice, garlic, vinegar, honey and mustard. Stream in 1.5 T olive oil. When emulsified, add thyme leaves (I skipped thyme). Pulse 2-3 times.

5) Before serving, mix the sliced sprouts and the roasted leaves. Toss the mix with the dressing. Put some of the mix on plates, Serve with small cups of the pear slices, cheese shavings and nuts and let everyone top their own salad.

--Shape Magazine, Jan/Feb 2015

Made this Jan. 21, 2015 along with Roasted Pork Chops With Sweet Potatoes and Apples for me, Dan and Rob. We really liked it. Unusual to have a salad where the shaved Brussels sprouts replace the lettuce.

Simple Summer Pasta Salad, from Gael

Simple Summer Pasta Salad, from Gael




My friend Molly Motherwell shared this recipe but I tweaked it to our tastes. It's pretty much your basic cold pasta salad, but Rob and I loved it. I made it on April 28, 2008, and am sure I will make it again, especially as the weather gets warmer. It can be a main course or a nice side dish, especially if brought to a potluck or book-club meeting or other event.





1 package tortellini or other stuffed pasta (Molly uses rotini instead)
small can chopped black olives
small jar artichoke hearts, quartered
3 T Italian or red-wine vinaigrette or other premade salad dressing
couple handfuls grape or cherry tomatoes
3 T pesto sauce (I use readymade, comes in small refrigerated containers at the store. You could probably also leave this out easily enough.)
Freshly grated Parmesan, or packaged grated Parm (not the kind in the green shaker can)





Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and let cool slightly.


Put drained, cooled pasta in big Ziploc bag. Add 3 T dressing. Toss and then seal bag and put in fridge to marinate



When ready to serve, take bag out of fridge. Add all the other ingredients into the bag. Shake, shake, shake! Pour into bowl and serve. Good with garlic bread on the side.

Caprese salad, from Gael

Caprese salad, from Gael

Such a simple, summery salad, but so good.

2 large red or yellow tomatoes, sliced
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, drained and sliced
1 bunch fresh basil
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste

Arrange tomato, cheese slices and basil alternately overlapping on platter.

Whisk oil and vinegars together. Pour over tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.

24-hour salad, from Mom's club

24-hour salad, from Mom's club

From Mom's club, late 1940s or early 1950s. Mom writes: Great served with nut bread and cheese spreads, cream cheese, etc.

3/4 cup pineapple juice
juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup cream

FRUIT
1 cup pineapple chunks
12 large marshmallows (or 1 1/2 c small)
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup cherries
1/2 pint whipping cream

Mix first five ingredients and cook till it thickens. Cool slightly and pour over fruit.

Wild-Rice Salad, from Clio and Erin

Wild-Rice Salad, from Clio and Erin

This was served at Erin’s wedding in 1990. Best when made the day before serving.

2 boxes Uncle Ben's long-grain wild rice
chicken, diced
water chestnuts, chopped
celery
onion
Lawry seasoning
salad dressing

Mix everything together. No specific proportions given!

Thai Peanut Pasta Salad, from Anne

Thai Peanut Pasta Salad, from Anne

Supposed to serve cold – but also good heated up. I usually double the recipe – also make more dressing than it says – otherwise the salad can be dry.

3/4 lb grilled or broiled chix breast
1/2 lb uncooked spaghetti
1/3 cup shredded carrots
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/3 c dry roasted peanuts chopped

Dressing:
1/3 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 T white vinegar
2 T peanut butter
2 T sugar
2T toasted/plain sesame seeds
dash crushed red pepper (optional)

Slice cooked chicken into julienne strips. Next cook pasta until tender. Drain. Rinse with cold water. Drain again. In large bowl combine chicken, pasta, carrots, onions and peanuts. In small bowl combine soy sauce, vegetable oil, vinegar, peanut butter, sugar, sesame seeds and red pepper. Stir until thoroughly combined. Add dressing to salad. Toss. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Pat Schuster’s Vegetable Salad, from Anne

Pat Schuster’s Vegetable Salad, from Anne

1 head lettuce -- torn into pieces
salt and pepper
1 small onion – chopped
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 pound bacon, fried -- diced, drained
3/4 cup American cheese – shredded
3/4 package frozen peas -- thawed, drained
salad dressing

You can layer this, with lettuce, peas and onions on the bottom, topped by dressing and seasoning, topped by cheese, then topped by bacon. But Pat said she just mixes onions, lettuce, peas, dressing, seasoning and sugar together, tops with cheese, then with bacon. It's best in a glass 9 x 13 pan, covered and let to set at least a few hours or even overnight. Pat adds that some people add black olives and Parmesan.

Frozen Fruit Salad, from Anne

Frozen Fruit Salad, from Anne

Anne credits this to her friend, Pat Schuster

8 ounces cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1 can crushed pineapple -- drained
nuts (no amount given)
3 large bananas -- diced
8 ounces strawberries -- thawed
8 ounces Cool Whip

Cream together cream cheese and sugar, set aside. In another bowl, combine pineapple, bananas, and nuts. In a third bowl, whip together strawberries and Cool Whip. Combine pineapple mixture and cream cheese mixture. Add strawberry mixture. Put in 9 x 13 pan. Freeze at least 24 hours before serving.

Creamy Orange-Cumin Dressing, from Clio

Creamy Orange-Cumin Dressing, from Clio

1T mayo
1 T plain yogurt
2 t frozen orange juice concentrate
3T olive oil
1T red wine vinegar
1 small minced garlic clove
1/4 t ground cumin

Put mayo in small bowl or jar and beat it with a fork or whip. Add yogurt and orange juice; briskly stir in the rest of the ingredients. (I usually put a cover on it and shake it up).

Cold Chicken Salad, from Clio

Cold Chicken Salad, from Clio

1 cup chicken -- cooked, diced
1 cup celery -- chopped
1 cup ripe olives -- drained, chopped
1 cup carrots -- grated
onion -- to taste
1 cup Miracle Whip
1 cup cashews (pieces or halves)
8 ounces chow mein noodles

Mix everything except cashews and noodles. Add those right before serving.