Bacony Spinach Salad

Posted on August 3, 2011 by okieranchwife

This very simple salad with just a few ingredients. And it allows each flavor to speak for itself. And of course the bacon sings!!

  • 1 pound fresh Spinach, washed
  • 4 oz fresh White Button Mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 Green Onions, chopped
  • 1 small Red Onion, sliced and separated into rings
  • 4 Hard-boiled Eggs, peeled and sliced
  • 8 slices Bacon, cooked and crumbled

Dressing:

  • 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 clove fresh Garlic, minced or pressed
  • 1/4 cup White Wine Vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt

In a large serving bowl, toss spinach, mushrooms, green and red onions. Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, mix dressing ingredients and blend well. Add to the spinach mix and toss gently.

Chill in the fridge at least 1 hour. Just before serving add the hard-boiled egg slices and bacon.  Approximately 4 servings.

 

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Lemon Lime Flavored Water

Posted on August 3, 2011 by okieranchwife

The best thing you can drink during this heat wave is water. You know you should but plain water is, well… so plain.  Here is a twist that is refreshing with nothing un-natural like chemicals added.

  • 1 gallon pitcher of water
  • 1 Lemon, seeded and sliced
  • 2 Limes, sliced

Add all of the lemon and lime slices to the water and chill in fridge at least one hour.  Serve the water and slices in glasses with ice.

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Not Your Usual Caesar Salad

Posted on August 3, 2011 by okieranchwife

Who says that Caesar Salad must ONLY be romaine lettuce, croutons and parm cheese? Certainly not me! This is what I call my Caesar Salad. I serve the Caesar dressing on the side so people can use as much or as little as they want.

  • 4 oz Italian Bread
  • Olive Oil cooking spray
  • 1 head of Romaine Lettuce or 1 package (18 oz) Romaine Hearts. I like to use just regular Romaine. The dark green leaves have more nutrients.
  • 2 Hard Boiled Eggs, peeled and sliced
  • 1 small Red Onion, sliced and divided into rings
  • Black Olives

Dressing:

  • 1 cup Olive Oil Mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 clove Garlic, peeled and pressed
  • 1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon Pepper
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 1/4 cup of Milk (Whole, reduced fat or Skim)

Mix all ingredients together and whisk well until smooth. Set aside until individual salads are completed.

Pre-heat oven to 400 F. 

Cut the bread into 1/2 slices. Then cut the slices into 1/2 cubes.  Place on a cookie sheet and spray the croutons with Olive Oil cooking spray. Bake 10 minutes or until they are golden brown and crispy. Cool on the pan.

Trim off the bottom and top  of Romaine head and tear into bite size pieces. Arrange in individual salad bowls. Will make 4 or 6 depending on your portion size.  Arrange the slices of hard-boiled eggs, rings of red onion, black olives and croutons on top of the lettuce.

Serve with dressing on the side.

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Italian Primavera Salad

Posted on August 3, 2011 by okieranchwife

Here is another cold salad that can be used as a side during the hot days of the summer. It is a nice light dish that will not weigh you down.

  • 1 package (12 oz) Tricolor Spiral Rotini
  • 4 medium Carrots, peeled and grated
  • 2 medium Zucchini, cut in julienne slices
  • 3 medium Tomatoes, seeded and diced
  • 1 cup Broccoli, broken in small florets
  • 1 cup Cauliflower, broken in small florets
  • 1 can (15 oz) Chickpeas (Garbonzo Beans) drained
  • 1 cup Zesty Italian Salad Dressing

Cook the Rotini according to the directions on package until it is al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.  Place in a large bowl and add remaining ingredients. Toss gently. Put in a storage container and chill for several hours before serving.  Serves 4 -8.

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Cold Tuna and Bean Salad

Posted on August 3, 2011 by okieranchwife

This good tasting cold salad is full of the protein and fiber needed for healthy diet. With no cooking involved, it is great for hot weather, picnics, and even emergency cooking.  I came up with this recipe more than 15 years ago when I needed to take a covered dish to a friend’s picnic.

  • 2 cans (5 ozs) Albacore Tuna packed in water, drained
  • 1 can (15 ozs) dark red Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (15ozs) Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) drained 
  • 2 medium Carrots, peeled and shredded
  • 2 ribs of Celery, finely chopped
  • 1 small Sweet Onion, finely chopped
  • Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 1 cup (or more according to your taste) Newman’s Own Original Salad Dressing

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Place in storage container and chill at least 1 hour before serving.  This recipe is very easy to double or triple in order to feed alot of people.

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Cold Broccoli Salad

Posted on August 2, 2011 by okieranchwife

With no relief in sight from this heat wave, no one wants to stay in a hot kitchen.  This side dish requires minimum cooking and if you don’t put the bacon in, there’s no cooking.

  • 2 bunches of Broccoli, broken into florets and stems discarded
  • 10 slices of Bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled
  • 1 small Sweet Onion, finely chopped
  • 2/3 cup of raisins

Toss the above ingredients in a large bowl. 

Dressing:

  • 1 cup Olive Oil mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup Sugar or Sugar Substitute
  • 2 tablespoons of Vinegar (Can use White Vinegar or for a milder taste use White Wine Vinegar)

Mix well. Pour over broccoli mixture, put in storage container and chill in fridge at least 3 hours before serving.

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Horseradish Chive Bread

Posted on August 2, 2011 by okieranchwife

This bread is great when paired with any beef or bison roast or stew dish.  It is a very nice side to the Bison Shank Bourguignon Stew. I must admit that it is a Martha Stewart recipe.

  • 1 stick unsalted Butter, softened
  •  2 tablespoons Prepared Horseradish
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Chives (onion or garlic)
  • Sea Salt to taste
  • 1 large loaf (or 2 small loaves) French Bread

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Mash butter, horseradish, chives and salt until smooth. Slice bread in half lengthwise (like a hotdog bun) and spread butter mixture on both halves. Close bread with butter mixture sandwiched between both sides of bread. Wrap loaf in foil and bake for 15 minutes. Serve warm.

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Bison Shank Bourguignon Stew

Posted on August 2, 2011 by okieranchwife

Low and slow is the key to a great tasting Bourguignon (Burgundy or Red Wine) stew. When this is finished cooking it is fall off the bone tender. No need for a knife!  And since it is a lower leg cut, it is still an economical choice for a family meal. This cut is also known as skin meat.

  • 4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, EVOO
  • 3 to 4 pounds Bison or Beef shank with the bone in
  • 3 tablespoons Corn Starch or Wondra flour
  • Sea Salt and Pepper to coat meat
  • 8 ozs White or small button Portabello Mushrooms, quartered
  • 3 Carrots, peeled and sliced in 1/2 inch coins
  • 1 meduim Onion coarse chopped or 3 Leeks chopped
  •  2 ribs Celery coarse chopped
  • 1 Cup Red Wine
  • 1 can (15 oz) Crushed Tomaotoes
  • 2 tablespoon Tomato Paste
  • 4 cups low Sodium Beef Broth or homemade Bison Broth
  • 1 cup Water
  • 2 sprigs of fresh Rosemary or Thyme
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • Chopped Parsley for garnish

Pre-heat oven to 300 F.

Heat 2 tablespoons EVOO over medium high in a heavy soup pot or large cast iron Dutch Oven with a lid. Season the meat with salt and pepper and coat with the corn starch or flour. Don’t let the oil smoke.   Brown the meat all on sides and set aside on a plate. Don’t crowd the while browning. If you need to, work in batches until all meat is browned.

Heat remaining EVOO in pot.  Add mushrooms, carrorts, onion/leek, and celery into the Dutch Oven. Cook until brown and carmelized. Set aside on a plate with meat.

Turn the heat to high wait approximately 30 seconds and pour red wine into the Dutch Oven to deglaze. This will sizzle… alot. Scrap the softened meat and browned vegatable bits from the bottom and sides of the pot. These are the tasty bits. Cook until wine is slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Return meat, meat juices, veggies and veggie liquid to pot. Add  crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, water and herbs.

Remove from stove, cover and place in oven.   Cook for 3 hours. Separate meat from the bones garnish plates with parsley and serve.  This rich dish is wonderful paired with my horseradish chive bread (posted after this recipe) and a nice hearty Malbec wine.

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Ham and Potato Chowder

Posted on August 2, 2011 by okieranchwife

I must be wishing for cooler weather. It is another 100+ degree day here in the Heartland. This is a great recipe to use those potatoes that you dug out of the garden last month.

  • 3 cups Potatoes, diced with skins on
  • Water to boil potatoes
  • 3 cups Ham, cooked and diced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Butter
  • 1 medium Onion, chopped
  • 2 Carrorts, peeled and shredded
  • 2 cans of Cream of Celery condensed soup
  • 1 can (15 oz) Creamed Corn
  • Sea Salt and pepper to taste
  • Grated Cheddar Cheese for garnish
  • Garlic or Onion Chives for garnish (I love cutting them out of my garden)

Boil potatoes until tender. Drain potatoes and reserve the liquid for later use in chowder.  Over medium low heat saute onion and carrot in butter until soft in a large soup pot, approximately 12 minutes.  Add Cream of celery soup and creamed corn to the onions and carrots.  Use the reserved water from cooking the potatoes and add enough fresh water, if needed,  to make 6 cups of liquid.  Add to soup mix and blend well.  Add potatoes and ham. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with grated cheese and chives. Is excellent with crusty French bread served on the side.  Enjoy!

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Butter Bean Soup

Posted on August 2, 2011 by okieranchwife

I found the basic recipe for this soup on a can of butter beans but added some special extras of my own.  This is excellent for freezing so don’t worry if you are cooking for only one or two people. I think you’ll like this enough to make a double batch!

  • 1 1/2 cups Celery, finely chopped
  • 1 cup Carrots, grated
  • 1 cup Onions, finely diced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, pressed
  • 3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 3 tablespoons All Purpose Flour or Wondra
  • 2 cups Chicken Stock (Homemade or store bought low sodium)
  • 2 cups Water
  • 2 cans (16 oz) Butter Beans, drained
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced Tomatoes (For a bit more heat try tomatoes with chiles)
  • 1 cup, sliced tender Okra
  • 1 teaspoon Basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
  • Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large pot, cook celery, carrots, onions and garlic in EVOO until soft. Stir in flour and cook for about one minute. Stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn. Add chicken stock and water stirring until smooth and blended in.  Add tomatoes, okra, basil, italian seasoning.  Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes uncovered until slightly thickened. Add sea salt and pepper to taste and serve.

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