Watermelon-Feta Salad

Watermelon-Feta Salad

This is basically a Greek salad – replacing watermelon instead of tomatoes.

White Wine Vinegar
EVOO
Arugula & Baby Spinach
Spanish Onion, sliced
Watermelon Cubes
Crumbled Feta
Capers
Olives (Green, Kalamata, Nicoise)
Dried Oregano
Fresh Chives

Whisk 1 part vinegar with 3 parts oil (slowly add oil so that emulsifies), add salt, pepper and a large pinch of dried oregano. Toss with the other ingredients. Adjust salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle the top of the salad with more dried oregano and fresh chives.

I use various amounts of the ingredients – based upon how many salads I am making and/or if the salads are being served as an entrée or not.

A basic rule is that 1 Tbsp of vinegar and 3 Tbsp of Oil...is enough dressing for 1 entrée salad or two side salads.

Baja Chopped Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing

Baja Chopped Salad

8 oz – Baked Chicken, Chopped (A Rotisserie from the supermarket works just fine)
¼ Cup – Haas Avocado, Cubed
¼ Cup – Black Beans (Fiesta Black Beans or Garbanzo Beans work well too)
1 – Scallion, chopped on a diagonal
¾ Cup – Tomato, Chopped
½ Cup – Olives, Halved (you can use Black, Kalamata or Green or a combination)
¼ to ½ Cup – Cheddar Cheese, Grated
Cilantro, To Taste (I use quite a bit…as I really love this herb)
1 Bunch – Romaine Lettuce, Torn (If I have some Arugula on hand I also add some of that)
Tortilla Strips (for garnish)

Creamy Cilantro Dressing – To Taste

Mix all ingredients except the tortilla strips in a bowl with about ½ Cup of the dressing. Garnish with the tortilla strips. I often put more dressing on the table if folks want more – but so far they just munch it up! But if you were to serve it to someone that really likes their salad drenched in dressing, they may want more. It is important to toss the dressing in with the salad, prior to serving. Or at least – I think so!

Creamy Cilantro Dressing    

1 packet – Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
1 Cup – Mayonnaise
1/3 Cup - Buttermilk
1 – Lime, Zest & Juice
2 Cloves – Garlic, Roughly Chopped
½ Cup – Cilantro, Roughly Chopped
¼ Cup – Green Salsa, Medium to Hot (depending on your taste and tolerance)
3 or 4 Dashes – Hot Sauce (High Quality Sauce and more dashes if you like it really hot!)

Combine buttermilk, mayo, and ranch mix in a blender, just until mixed. Zest the lime and then squeeze the juice into the blender. **Note if the lime is not very juicy – then add the juice of a second one**. Add the garlic, cilantro, green salsa and hot sauce. Blend very well. Once well-blended taste and add more hot sauce if necessary. If the idea of the hot sauce scares you – then you should wait until after you have blended everything else before adding.


Pour into a bowl (or other container) and cool in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour before using.
***This also makes a wonderful Vegetable and/or Chip Dip for parties! ***

Mexican Pork Tenderloin with Salsa Verde & Avocado Salad

I have wanted to make a Salsa Verde for quite some time and I had a 1.7 lb Pork Tenderloin in the fridge – so I decided to make a light "south of the border" style meal. This is what I came up with! 

Salsa Verde

10 to 12 Tomatillos – husk removed
2 Cloves – Garlic
½ – Medium Onion, chopped
1 – Cup Cilantro, lightly packed
1 - Small Italian Pepper (or just use half of a large one)
½ - Jalapeño, seeded
1 Tbsp – Olive Oil
1 Packet – Con Culantro Y Achiote Seasoning (Sazon Goya)
½ Tsp – Cumin
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Boil the tomatillos in a large sauce pan or pot for 7 to 10 minutes. You want them soft but not overcooked. Drain and submerge in cold water to stop the cooking process and to allow cooling faster. Once they are cool enough to handle, cut into quarters. Place in a food processor along with the garlic, onion, cilantro, jalapeno, olive oil, Sazon seasoning, cumin and pulse for about 10 seconds. Scrape the sides down and taste, add salt and pepper as necessary and repulse until you reach an even consistency. Remove from food processor into a glass or non-reactive metal bowl – cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour, so that the flavors can blend. Remove from the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to serving.  This recipe makes more than you will need for this menu.  Use the rest with tortilla chips or with any other dish you desire.


Mexican Pork Tenderloin
(Serves 4)

1 – Pork Tenderloin (1 to 2 lbs)
1 Packet – Sazon Goya con Culantro Y Achiote Seasoning
1 Packet – McCormick's Sazon with Coriander and Annatto
1 to 2 Tbsp – Taco Seasoning
1 Tsp – Cumin, Heaping
3 to 4 Tbsp – Weber Roasted Garlic & Herb Seasoning
1 Tsp – Salt
1 Tsp – Pepper
1 Tsp – Dried Thyme
1 Tsp – Dried Rosemary
2 Tbsp – Olive Oil

Remove the tenderloin from the refrigerator and rinse it off and pat it dry. Place in a shallow baking dish lined in aluminum foil.

Using a mortar and pestle, blend all of the dry ingredients. I like to add one at a time to get a very nice blended flavor.  Also, please note that I do indeed use the McCormick's and the Goya Sazon products as they have differences in flavor (both are great and you could just use one or the other).

Coat all sides of the tenderloin with the dry rub and place fat side up, drizzle with 1 Tbsp of the olive oil down the piece of fat in a zigzag manner. Let rest and come to room temperature (at least one hour & up to 3 hours).

Preheat oven to 450°.

Drizzle the remaining olive oil down the center of the loin. Bake for 10 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 250°. Bake for 50 to 80 minutes – until internal temperature reads 150°. Remove from the oven and take the tenderloin and place on a cutting board and tent with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Slice and serve.

Avocado Salad
(Serves 2 to 4)

1 – Ripe Haas Avocados, peeled and pitted
1 – Tomato, halved and sliced thin
½ - Medium Onion, halved and sliced thin
2 – Limes
1 – Lemon
1 Tbsp – Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Slice the avocados into strips, combine with the tomato and the onion, salt and pepper to taste. Place into a glass bowl or non-reactive metal bowl and squeeze the juice of the lemon and the limes and lightly toss. Drizzle in the olive oil and again slightly toss.

This makes a great meal.  Very filling, yet light.  To serve, place your slices of pork on plate and place the salsa vertically down the middle of the pork and put the salad on the side.  This is a spicy dish - so if you don't like spicy foods - this probably would not work very well for you.

Anna’s Family Caesar Salad Dressing

I decided to post a recipe that I use very often. I call it a "go-to recipe". I was lucky enough in the late 80's and through the 90's to become an "adoptive" member of my best friend Jeff and his wife Anna's families. Both families treated me as if I were one of their own. I have so many wonderful memories of those times. Jeff, Anna, Uncle Wally and Miss Sylvia (Wally and Sylvia were Anna's parents) are all gone now…but every time I make this dressing I can feel their love and it always brings back a flood of those memories. This is Miss Sylvia's recipe and often when I am making it I put on "Imagine" by John Lennon (this was her favorite song) and for some reason when I do that – it taste even better!  I am a firm believer that if you are in a good mood and put "love" into your food - not only does it taste better it is better for you!  I often play music when I am cooking.  Try It!


Caesar Salad Dressing
1 Cup – Sour Cream (Regular or Light)
½ Cup – Mayonnaise (Regular or Light)
2 Tsp – Lemon Juice (Fresh)
1 Tsp – Worcestershire
1 Tsp – Dry Mustard
1 Clove – Garlic (Crushed)
½ Tsp – Curry Powder
1 Tsp – Beau Monde Seasoning (or Celery Salt)
1 Tbsp – Anchovy Paste


Mix all ingredients in blender or in bowl with hand-mixer. Chill well, toss with your favorite salads. Of course it was written for a Caesar Salad…but I use on all types of Salads.


*I prefer using Celery Salt as I find Beau Monde to be a bit too salty for my taste. If you like salty food then by all means use the Beau Monde.*


"I think this salad is much more elegant and special than tossed salad for dinner parties/holidays." As noted by Anna – she was referring to a Classic Caesar, using Romaine, Croutons and Shaved Parmesan Cheese.


**Easily doubled and keeps for 2 weeks covered and in the refrigerator.**

Oops I almost forgot...

Also on the previously noted menu was an Iceberg Wedge Salad with Bacon and Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing.

Iceberg Wedge Salad with Bacon and Blue Cheese Dressing

The Dressing:

2 Cloves Garlic
Salt
3 Tbsp. Sour Cream
¼ cup Buttermilk
2/3 cup  Mayonnaise
1 Tsp. Dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp. White Wine Vinegar
¼ Cup of EVOO
4 to 5 ounces of Crumbled Blue Cheese (I prefer the milder kinds for this dressing)
2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 Tsp. Ground Pepper
1 Tbsp. Fresh Chopped Flat-Leaf Parsley

In a bowl, whisk the above ingredients through the EVOO (which needs to be whisked in slowly to emulsify).  Then fold in the Blue Cheese and the Lemon Juice - season with pepper and parsley.  Taste - add salt if necessary.  Refrigerate until chilled.

For the Salad:

1 Head of Iceberg Lettuce (Quartered)
3 Tbsp - Snipped Chives
½ lb.- Thickly sliced bacon cut into 2 by 1/2 inch pieces (Applewood Smoked Bacon is Best)
¼ Red Onion – Sliced Very Thin and halved
2 Radishes (Red) Sliced Thin

In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp.  (About 10 minutes)...transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

Put each lettuce wedge in a wide salad bowl, sprinkle chives, onions, radishes onto the lettuce.  Drizzle the dressing over the wedges and sprinkle with the bacon pieces.