Tag: Lunch
Bacon-Berry Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
And now it’s time for a little Q & A with A Love Letter to Food.
Q: Dear Love Letter to Food, is it okay for a salad to taste like candy?
A: YES.
ABSOLUTELY. NO PROBLEM WITH THAT AT ALL.
This salad is the proof. I’ve been making it for years and it’s probably my favorite way to eat greens. And even though it tastes like something that dropped out of a piñata, I’m pretty sure it’s actually fairly healthy. After all, you can’t argue with spinach, orange slices, almonds, and cranberries. (As for bacon and cheese, well, I guess you can argue about those…but only if you want a salad filibuster from yours truly.)
Q: What’s the best part of this salad?
A: Possibly the highlight of this colorful, mostly healthy melange is the zingy raspberry dressing. Salad dressing is one of those foods that, once you start making it yourself, I believe you’ll never go back to store-bought. (Others include taco seasoning, chicken broth, and pumpkin butter.) Whipping up a small batch for one-time use ensures a freshness you just don’t get from the bottle that’s been sitting in your fridge for two years. (I mean, doesn’t it seem kind of counterintuitive just how long certain “perishable” foods like salad dressing can theoretically be held in a refrigerator?) The muddled raspberries in this particular dressing give it a special sweet-tanginess that goes well with a host of other foods, including the cheesy bread we had as a side with this salad the other night. You could also try it on chicken breast or pork loin.
Q: Does that mean the chicken or pork loin would taste like candy?
A: Yes. No problem with that at all.
Bacon-Berry Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
(Dressing adapted from Allrecipes.com)
Ingredients:
For the salad:
6 c. fresh spinach
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. slivered or sliced almonds
1 large orange, peeled and sliced into bite-sized pieces
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 c. crumbled feta or goat cheese
For the dressing:
3 Tbsp. raspberries
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. white sugar
1/4 c. olive oil
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp. oregano
1/8 tsp. black pepper
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, toss spinach with cranberries, almonds, orange slices, bacon, and cheese.
2. To make dressing, mash raspberries, then add all other ingredients and whisk or shake well in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
3. Toss salad with dressing, or serve on the side.
Serves 4.
Cookie Cutter Ham and Cheese Pockets
At our play group Halloween party, these little gems got quite a bit of buzz. I had several people request the recipe, so I thought I would share it here! I’ve been making these for four years, since I first saw them in a Woman’s Day issue (back when I inexplicably received that magazine in the mail–it just began appearing one month, then disappeared a year or so later. Some anonymous benefactor must have thought I needed help being a woman?)
Anyway, for a four-ingredient recipe, these ham and cheese pockets really shine. The flaky-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside pie crust melts in your mouth with the gooey cheese and salty ham. Their greatest virtue is their versatility. You can use any cookie cutter you choose, as long as it’s big enough and not too weirdly shaped (reindeer shaped pockets for Christmas might pose a challenge). And of course the filling can be modified as well. If you’re a turkey and cheddar fan rather than ham and Swiss, knock yourself out. They store well in the fridge and can be reheated in the oven on warm if you’ve made them ahead of a party. I like to serve them with a side of honey mustard.
Cookie Cutter Ham and Cheese Pockets
(Adapted from Woman’s Day)
Ingredients:
1 box (15oz.) refrigerated pie crusts
8 oz. thinly sliced deli ham
8 oz. sliced Swiss cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
Directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
On a large surface, unroll pie crusts. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out to approximately 1.5 times its original diameter. Cut crusts into shapes using desired large cookie cutter (3 inch works great). Collect scraps and roll out again to get as many shapes as possible. You will need an even number.
To form pockets, place one slice Swiss cheese and one small portion ham on one cut-out shape. Place a second cut-out shape and on top and press edges together firmly. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Repeat until all dough is used. Cut slits in top crust to allow steam to escape.
Brush tops of pockets with beaten egg. Bake 12-15 minutes.
Makes 9-11 pockets.
