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Fresh Start Balsamic Fruit Salad Recipe

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Fresh starts are a good thing. I’m pretty sure we don’t give ourselves enough of them. Fresh starts are a result of proper grieving. Proper grieving happens not only after big, life-changing moments but also needs to be a part of our every-single-freakin’-day processing. We need to grieve when other drivers are rude to us, when our go-to coffee shop discontinues our favorite syrup flavor, and when we make a silly mistake in front of co-workers. We don’t need to cry over teeny-tiny everything, but we do need to acknowledge the feelings we have over the incident, talk ourselves through it with healthy, truthful words, and move forward without ignoring the lil’ bruise to our ego.

Have I ever mentioned that I’m a counselor too? Yeah. That. For realz. For the last twenty years, I’ve helped many people find their fresh starts and this always – and I mean always – includes grieving the past. There are textbook guidelines for grieving but there is no perfect recipe for getting over stuff. I mean, sometimes it just comes on too fast to keep up with the grieving. And sometimes we just don’t want to grieve yet. And sometimes no one has ever told us how important grieving is for the soul. And sometimes we excuse every bit of pain in our lives which just allows the stink to take up residency in our soul.

May I recommend a weekend away alone at your favorite B&B to find your fresh start? And may I recommend this fresh start salad to nourish your beautiful person in the meantime?

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Balsamic Fresh Fruit Salad

  • 4 nectarines
  • 1 pound fresh strawberries
  • 1 pint fresh blueberries
  • 1 pint fresh blackberries
  • 1 pint fresh raspberries
  • 2 kiwis, diced (optional)
  • 3/4 cup apricot jam (for sugar-free, use sugar-free jam)
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • ½ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 basil leaves, minced
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 4 Sprigs of mint (for garnish)

Rinse & drain nectarines & berries to clean. Cut nectarines in half. Set 4 halves aside.

Dice the remaining nectarines and place in large bowl. Peel and dice the kiwi and add to bowl. Remove stems from strawberries and dice then add to bowl. Add remaining berries to bowl as well.

In a separate bowl, passionately whisk together jam, water & balsamic vinegar. Add minced basil leaves and salt & pepper to taste. The salt should simply help bring out the other lovely flavors in the dressing.

Pour dressing over diced fruit & berries. Stir in gently until fruit is well-coated.

Place each nectarine half on a plate and top with diced fruit salad . Garnish each serving with a sprig of mint. Makes 4 servings.

You got this! Here’s to your fresh start. Also, this might be a good time to admit that I still haven’t forgiven Starbucks for ditchin’ their almond syrup eight years ago. Do as I say, not as I do.

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Sweet and Spicy Cornish Game Hens With Cornbread Stuffing

Sweet and Spicy Cornish Game Hens With Cornbread Stuffing

When I was single, I used to go for long drives in my pumpkin-orange, 76 Chevette. I would drive until I got lost and then find my way back, making stops along the way to experience new stores and new restaurants. In losing myself, I would always find a new side of myself. A sexier, spicier version of me – one who had interesting stories to share. One who could find her way around because she was no longer apt to get lost.

Somehow, stepping out of the traditional makes life a little sexier. If you haven’t taken a different route to work for years, I prescribe for you the freedom to leave early and take the backroads. If you are in need of a vacation and cannot gather the funds to take one, sneak away for a movie at a theater you’ve never tried with a friend you haven’t seen in far too long. Go to a crazy musical. Visit the zoo. Do something… anything you’ve never done before that is wild and good for your soul. Do it today. Add a little sweet and spicy to your life.

And then celebrate your break-thru to a sexier life by making this dinner for yourself and five other people who you love hanging out with.

This recipe makes dinner for six… perfect served with a gorgeous salad.

STUFFING:

  • 1 batch of Jalapeno Cornbread (make the day before)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound country sausage
  • Salt & pepper
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 teaspoon)
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 5 leaves fresh sage, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 stalk fresh oregano, chopped
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter
  • 2 celery stalks
The day before: Bake jalapeno cornbread and place a clean paper towel on top overnight. The day of: Pour olive oil in hot pan over medium-high heat. Crumble sausage and add to pan. Add salt & pepper. Cook sausage until browned. Add diced onion. Cook until sausage is done and onions are golden. Add garlic, crushed red pepper, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Allow to cook down for a few minutes then turn off heat and add chopped herbs. Break cornbread into about 1 inch chunks and place in bowl. Add celery, butter and sausage mixture (including juices). Using hands, gently toss stuffing until mixed together well.
GLAZE:
  • 1 – 10 ounce jar apricot jam (preferably not preserves)
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 cloves minced garlic (or 1 teaspoon)
Whisk all ingredients together until sauce forms. Set aside until ready to use.

ASSEMBLING & BAKING CORNISH GAME HENS:

  • 6 Cornish game hens
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • Salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 375F.

Rub game hens with salt & pepper inside and out.

Fill Cornish game hens with stuffing mixture.

Prepare roasting pan by placing rack inside. Pour chicken stock into roasting pan.

Coat outside of game hens completely with glaze and place on baking rack with legs upward. Place foil over game hans about half way through baking time (or after they are golden brown).

Bake for about 1 hour  to an 1 hour and 15 minutes or until game hens register on meat themometer at 165 degrees in the thickest part of the bird (the thigh).

Remove game hens from pan and place on a platter. Reduce remaining sauce by cooking over medium heat (if needed) to thicken. Salt & pepper to taste and serve on the side.

While enjoying your friends, be sure to pass on your sweet & spicy challenge to them for a sexier life. Be sure to come back and comment after you have successfully lost and found yourself, Sexy You.

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Mediterranean Pasta Salad

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What does one serve at a party in the fall? Why, a summery pasta salad, of course.

Who would do such a thing? Maybe a person who just can’t let go of summer. Maybe a person who plays Christmas music in October. Maybe a confused person. Or maybe someone who has an ungodly amount of love for pesto.  Maybe me.

Pesto, I love you. Don’t tell apple cider.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 pound spiral (or insert your favorite shape here) whole wheat (or regular) pasta
  • 7 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 ounce container of pine nuts
  • 4 ounces of fresh basil (this can be purchased in the produce department of the grocery store if you don’t grow your own)
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
  • 1 cup mayonaise
  • 1/2 cup canned  julienne-cut, sun dried tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, sliced into fours

Boil water in a medium large pot then add pasta and about a teaspoon of salt. Boil for the length of time instructed on the packaging. When done, drain and rinse with cool water in a strainer. Place pasta in a large bowl.

Place garlic cloves, pine nuts, basil, olive oil, Parmesan cheese in food processor and process until everything becomes almost like a paste texture to make pesto.

Add pesto, salt & pepper, mayonaise, sun dried tomatoes and Kalamata olives. Stir until combined. Chill for a few of hours and serve.

If planning in advance for a party: Pesto, salt & pepper, mayonaise, sun dried tomatoes and Kalamata olives can be mixed together  & placed in a smaller container in the fridge until ready to put salad together. Cook noodles on day of party, chill and then mix pasta with other ingredients in a larger bowl.

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Tomato Seed French Salad Dressing Recipe

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Homemade French salad dressing… Why? Because it is tomato season. Because my friend gave me massive amount of gorgeous, fresh tomatoes from his garden. Because I had leftover seeds after making spaghetti sauce. Because it’s prettier than store-bought French dressing.

If you’ve ever blanched and then removed the seeds and the stems from fresh tomatoes, you have ended up with a bowl of beautiful tomatoes ready to become sauce and…

A whole bunch of tomato seeds in their juices. You can strain the juices away from the seeds and add them back with the tomatoes but in this post, we’re going to make a fun alternative. We’re making tomato seed French salad dressing. Because we can.

This time, I started with about a dozen tomatoes. They were blanched, peeled and stems were removed. Then I removed the seeds. This left about 1 & 1/4th cup of seeds and juice for me to work with.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 & 1/4 cup tomato juice with seeds
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup sugar
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Add tomato juices, seeds and remaining ingredients into a canning jar or a container with a lid. Give everything a good shake. Taste to make sure the amount of salt & pepper was enough to do the recipe justice. When you reach perfection, serve on a fresh green salad. Your friends will be so impressed.

Why? Because you’re so very talented. And because your French dressing has seeds, and theirs doesn’t.

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Smoked Salmon, Tomato and Artichoke Heart Salad Recipe

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Summer dishes should be colorful. Summer recipes should require very little, if any, cooking. Summer recipes should be something like this…

SALAD INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 pounds small tomatoes (the more colorful, the better)
  • 9.5 ounces artichoke hearts packed in water (not marinade)
  • 8 ounces smoked salmon

This salad is so tasty and so healthy it can be served as a lovely side dish. Add some rustic, artisan bread and you have a refreshing meal.

First go outside and pick a couple of pounds of colorful, small tomatoes. Or, you know, go buy some.

Then buy some smoked salmon and artichoke hearts packed in water. Make sure artichoke have been cut into quarters. If not, then cut the few that aren’t so they are easier to eat. Toss salad ingredients into a bowl then make the dressing.

DRESSING INGREDIENTS:

  • Juice from 1 fresh lemon
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Place all dressing ingredients in a container with a lid and shake until emulsified. Drizzle over salad and give salad a gentle toss until all ingredients mixed. Add a little salt & pepper if needed.

How lovely to be able to keep these ingredients on hand in case a friend pops in for lunch or dinner. This salad stores well in the fridge too – just a little added bonus.

I feel thinner, more refreshed and summery just looking at it.

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Northwest Autumn Salad Recipe

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Because I will be making milkshakes soon. Because it is spring and because I am a Northwest girl through and through, I introduce you to a Pike Place inspired salad.

This week I had a first. This might be a good place to admit it only took me four plus decades to visit Alki Point in Seattle. < hangs head in shame >. Yes, I really did grow up here. And I’ve been to Seattle close a million times but I purposefully wandered my way to Alki while doing an errand in Seattle this week. Nothing was going to stop me. It’s so beautiful that it will not take me four decades to visit again.

See the Space Needle in all her glory? She is 50 this year so the city painted her orange just like when she was first built for the World’s Fair in 1962. I love Seattle and could talk about Washington and it’s beauty for hours but I will now introduce you to our beautiful food.

The Northwest Autumn Salad… with Salmon Pear & Blackberry. She is fresh. She is lovely and she is perfectly delicious for a dinner party or brunch.

While walking through Pike Place recently, I was handed some smoked salmon. I took two steps further and was handed a piece of perfectly ripened pear by another merchant. I knew right away that there was something amazing happening. As I enjoyed them both, my taste buds were dancing.

SALAD INGREDIENTS:

  • A couple of big handfuls of spring lettuce mix
  • 3/4 cup fresh blackberries
  • 2 ounces smoked salmon (Think: Wild, Northwest and Copper River whenever possible) Never settle for “farm fed” salmon.
  • 1/2 ripe pear, diced
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)

You could toss the salad together, but I prefer to create beautiful layers. Starting with the lettuce, sprinkle the other ingredients on top and enjoy the Northwest on a plate.

SALAD DRESSING INGREDIENTS:

  • Juice from 1/2 fresh lemon (about 1/4 cup)
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Simply shake the salad dressing ingredients together in a container with a lid & drizzle on your gorgeous salad. This recipe makes about a cup of dressing so you will have leftovers for another day. Just save in the fridge.

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Seven Layer Salad Recipe – Only Better

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Was there ever a potluck where seven layer salad was not present when we were kids?

Although similar, it seems everyone has their own special take on how a seven layer salad should look. Mine? Well, I prefer 3 times 7 for an abundant 21 layers. The best bowl for layered salads and desserts is the trifle bowl. It’s always such a gorgeous memory maker.

LAYERED SALAD INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 head of romain lettuce, chopped
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1/2 large red onion, finely diced
  • 1 1/2 cups bacon bits
  • 3 hard-boiled eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
  • 1 bunch green onions, diced
  • Salad dressing (recipe below)

Chop one head of romaine lettuce. I then cut it into squares so that the pieces are a very friendly bite-size.

Begin your layers with the lettuce.

Then frozen peas.

Then finely diced red onions.

Then, um, bacon. Lots and lots of bacon.

Then a diced hard-boiled egg.

Then grated cheddar cheese. Lots and lots of cheese.

Finally, top with green onions.

That sums up the seven layers and then we top with the dressing. Oooo, the dressing!

DRESSING INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Whisk ingredients together and pour 1/3 of dressing over the first seven layers of salad.

Repeat this for the next seven layers and dressing. And then once again – only for the last time, place the dressing on top of the red onions so the top can be gorgeous and cheesy and bacon-y. Allow to set long enough for the peas to defrost and the dressing to drizzle down into the salad.

You can play with the layers if you like, introducing new ingredients to your liking or remove the peas for the kid’s sake.

 Voilà! Memories made with lots of layers and lots of love.

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Superfood Salad With a Touch of Autumn Recipe

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What a lovely parade of healthy treats! Our doctors and Jamie Oliver have taught us to eat colorful foods. I do believe this lovely more than qualifies.

This colorful salad is full of goodness for your body and really yummy!

  • Fresh baby spinach (I do love all things mini!)
  • Blueberries
  • Raspberries
  • Homemade sugared pumpkin seeds
  • Grated flakes of dark chocolate

 

Top with raspberry poppy seed dressing

  • 1/2 cup of olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 a cup of raspberry jam (sugar-free works great too)
  • 2 teaspoons of poppy seeds
  • Dash of salt & pepper

Place all ingredients in a container & stir (or place in a jar with a lid & shake).

Of course, as with any salad, all things are optional. Play with it and figure out what you like! The reason I chose this rainbow of colors is because many of them are superfoods – believe it or not, about 15 percent of my cookbooks are healthy ones. :)

 

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