Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese and Walnuts

 

Baby spinach, toasted walnuts and crumbled goat cheese tossed with a basic vinaigrette. Sounds simple and it is but is packed with flavor.

Dressing

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon minced shallot or red onion

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons quality walnut oil

Salad

8 cups baby spinach leaves, stems trimmed, washed, and dried

1/2 cup whole or chopped toasted walnuts

1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, shallot, mustard, salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in the oil to make a creamy dressing.

Put all but a large handful of the spinach in a large bowl. Toss with most of the dressing. Add remaining spinach and continue tossing until well coated.

Serve immediately topped with goat cheese and walnuts.

Food Network advises if your walnut oil is very strong, use half walnut oil and extra-virgin olive oil.

A Food Network Recipe

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Cornbread Dressing

Grandma's Cornbread Dressing from scratch. Award winner!

cornbread:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup cornmeal

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup canola oil

dressing:

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

3 large eggs

2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

3 teaspoons poultry seasoning

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups chicken broth

Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk eggs and buttermilk. Pour oil into an 8-in. ovenproof skillet; place skillet in oven 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened.

Carefully tilt and rotate skillet to coat bottom with oil; add batter. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

Reduce oven setting to 350°. For dressing, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery; cook and stir 4-6 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat. Coarsely crumble cornbread into skillet; toss to combine. In a small bowl, whisk eggs, condensed soup and seasonings; stir into bread mixture. Stir in broth.

Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake 45-55 minutes or until lightly browned.

Recipe from Taste of Home

—Suzanne Mohme, Bastrop, Texas

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BLT Salad with Buttermilk-Parmesan Dressing and Buttery Croutons

Do you like the traditional BLT's? If you do you'll love this BLT salad. This recipe makes the perfect creamy buttermilk dressing. 

2 1/2 cups cubed white bread

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon sugar

12 ounces romaine lettuce hearts, chopped

1 1/2 pounds assorted fresh tomatoes, sliced

6 slices cooked bacon, chopped

Flat-leaf parsley and torn basil leaves to garnish

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Prepare Croutons: Toss together bread, melted butter, salt, and pepper in a medium mixing bowl. Place on a baking sheet, and bake 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from oven, and set aside.

3. Prepare Dressing: Combine shallot and vinegar in a medium mixing bowl, and let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk in buttermilk and next 5 ingredients.

4. Make Salad: Arrange romaine lettuce hearts onto a serving platter. Top with sliced tomatoes and chopped bacon, and drizzle with 3 Tbsp. of dressing. Add croutons, parsley, and basil. Serve immediately with remaining dressing on the side.

Erin Merhar and Dawn Perry,

Southern Living

JUNE 2016

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Herbed Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe

You’ll never buy the bottled stuff again. It’s a great, basic recipe, and it can be adapted into three different versions—Lemony Ranch, Blue Cheese Ranch, and Avocado Ranch. Drizzle over salads or use for dipping.

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

1 small garlic clove, pressed

2 tablespoons minced shallot

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chives

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon whole grain Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

Combine all ingredients in a 1-qt. glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Cover and shake vigorously to blend. Chill 30 minutes. Refrigerate in covered jar up to 1 week. Shake well before serving.

TRY THESE TWISTS:

Lemony Ranch: Prepare Herbed Buttermilk Ranch Dressing as directed, adding 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, and 2 tsp. honey to jar before shaking.

Makes about 2 cups. Active: 20 min., Total: 50 min.

Blue Cheese Ranch: Prepare Herbed Buttermilk Ranch Dressing as directed, adding 2 oz. mashed blue cheese, 2 oz. crumbled blue cheese, 2 tsp. chopped chives, 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper, and 1/2 tsp. paprika to jar before shaking.

Makes about 2 cups. Active: 20 min., Total: 50 min.

Avocado Ranch: Prepare Herbed Buttermilk Ranch Dressing as directed, adding 1 ripe mashed avocado, 2 Tbsp. minced jalapeño pepper, 2 Tbsp. hot sauce, 4 tsp. fresh lime juice; and 1/2 tsp. kosher salt to jar before shaking.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups. Active: 20 min., Total: 50 min.

Southern Living Recipe

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