Lazy Day Gourmet

Amazing Spinach & Pear Salad

Over the holidays, I tried a new salad recipe that has turned out to be my absolute favorite salad recipe of all times.  With a wonderful rosemary and parsley dressing, fresh pears, and a few blue cheese crumbles, it's wonderful as a starter salad for a nice dinner with company, or great as a dinner salad.

The pears and the spinach together are just sweet and wonderful.

Amazing Spinach & Pear Salad
1 large bag of spinach salad greens
3 medium pears, ripe
2 TBS rosemary, finely chopped
2 TBS parsley, finely chopped
4 TBS olive oil
4 TBS red wine vinegar
4 TBS rice vinegar
1/4 cup bllue cheese crumbles
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Wash your spinach and shake gently in collander to remove water.
2. Slice pears very thinly, leaving the skin on. If you like smaller bites, cut to the size you like.
3. In a blender, small food processor, or a cup with a tight lid add the rosemary, parsley, oil, vinegars, salt and pepper. Blend until thoroughly mixed, or shake until thorougly mixed.
4. Toss the pears into the spinach greens.
5. Pour the dressing over the salad, and toss using your tongs.

How Much Do You Love Ranch Dressing?

When I am eating out, I try to be adventurous and order the restaurant's "house" dressing. These days it's usually some sort of raspberry or balsamic vinegarette, which is okay by me. But around the Berry's dinner table, our "house" dressing is defnitely Buttermilk Ranch.

I recently had a conversation with my sister in law, Kristine, where she confessed that if she could choose one food to overindulge in without any health or waistline consequences, she would choose Ranch dressing.  I personally think she's nuts, and that pumpkin cheesecake definitely wins in the ONE FOOD contest, but I do have to agree with her that it's a guilty pleasure that I am pretty snobby about.

I don't like store bought bottled Ranch dressing. It just doesn't taste the same as homemade.  And by homemade, I do mean the kind that you make at home by dumping a packet of Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning mix into a bowl and pouring in one cup of buttermilk and whipping with one cup of mayonnaise.  I am an incredibly busy cook. And there is a difference between homemade and from scratch. When it comes to Ranch, the homemade kind is heavenly and convenient. Give it a try. The difference is astounding.

And if you insist on making Buttermilk Ranch dressing from scratch, here is a recipe...

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing from Scratch
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon minced dried onion
1 clove garlic -- minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl, saving the buttermilk for last. While stirring, slowly blend in buttermilk. Chill for 2 hours or more before serving.

Traverse City Cherry Salad

Traverse City, Michigan is known as the cherry capital of the world. During a winter trip to Traverse City, I picked up a bag of dried cherries and enjoyed this wonderful fresh salad. You should be able to pick up dried cherries in your local grocery store. If not, you may want to stop by your local Whole Foods or health food store. 

Dried cranberries or blueberries could also be used in this salad if dried cherries are not available.

Ingredients
6 cups lettuce leaves- washed and dried
4 oz crumbled blue cheese
1 apple, sliced
1/2 cup red onion- thinly sliced rings
1 cup toasted walnuts
1/2 cup dried cherries

Dressing:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 dash ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon rosemary, crushed
1/4 teaspoon thyme

Arrange the lettuce, blue cheese, apple slices, red onion, walnuts, and dried cherries in a large salad bowl. Mix the dressing until well combined, making sure the sugar and salt are dissolved. Toss salad with desired amount of dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Serving Suggestions:
Fresh French Bread
Top with Grilled Shrimp or Chicken for a heartier entree.