Peppered Walnut Salad

Today I'm sharing my favorite salad recipe... again. This one comes from my genius cousin who can take regular produce and turn it into salads women moan over. I've had a couple friends ask for this recipe so I am bumping it back up and including the post as well because when I posted this last (the same week in April a couple of years ago) my feelings were exactly the same as they are today. With berry season upon us it's the perfect time to try the salad. You can be flexible on the specifics- berries, types of nuts (my mom makes it with sunflower seeds since my sister-in-law is allergic to walnuts) but the crunchy, peppery nuts, creamy, salty cheese and hint of sweet from the fruit makes for a really amazing flavor combination. Let me know how you like it!

{printable recipe here}
The heat is coming. I'm sure some of you are still in "winter" mode but around here it's already getting hot. Some days I feel like it's time to turn on the air conditioning but I just "can't want to" as we like to say around here. Hopefully spring will hold on for a couple more weeks but even if it doesn't this light, flavorful salad will hit the spot. It's fresh, delicious, and features so many wonderful flavors- peppered candied walnuts, feta, craisins or dried blueberries {fresh are great here too!}, and a garlic and parsley dressing. I've never met a woman who didn't love this salad (as for the men, sometimes they just don't know a good thing when they taste it!)

One note about the feta- the real deal will really set this salad over the top. Peter from Kalofagas (my favorite Greek cooking blog) recommended the Dodoni brand from Costco. I haven't been able to find that, but I love the authentic Greek Feta from Trader Joes. It comes in a white and blue box and is soaked in brine so it stays fresh. It's even made in Greece and is the only kind my brother, who lived in Greece, likes.

Peppered Walnut Salad

{printable recipe here}
From Wendy Jensen, my fabulous cousin who consistently makes the best salads. Thanks for sharing!

Nuts:

1 cup chopped walnuts

3 Tbsp. butter

½ cup sugar

2 tsp. black pepper

Toast walnuts in butter on low for 5 minutes. Combine sugar and pepper and coat hot nuts. Set aside to cool.

Dressing:

2 tsp. sugar

2 cloves peeled garlic

1 tsp. Dried oregano

½ c. diced red onion

½ tsp. salt

1 c. fresh parsley

½ c. red wine vinegar

1 c. canola oil

Blend and refrigerate in a container with a non metal lid (I like to use an old peanut butter jar)

Dressing keeps for a little under a week. I usually throw it out when the parsley loses it's bright green color.

Salad:

1 large head dark green Romaine lettuce, cleaned and chopped

¼ c. crumbled feta cheese

¼ c. craisins or dried blueberries

Add nuts and a 1/4 cup of dressing. Toss and serve immediately.

Homemade Salad Dressing & Croutons

I read a post today on one of my favorite craft blogs, Infarrantly Creative, where she shared a few of her great ideas. I love getting tips from people on how to simplify and improve our lives in easy ways. She's also giving away two of my favorite things to go along with her linky party- a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker and a Metal Cookie Scoop. I've gushed about both of those before and can't imagine my kitchen without my drawer full of scoops.



Since I loved her post so much I thought I would join in and got me thinking about something I do on a regular basis that we love. Sure I make crazy treats occasionally, but it's not all brownies and cupcakes for dinner (though I'm sure Baby Strawberry wouldn't object!) I always need more healthy, quick, and economical meal options. Making croutons and salad dressing go right in with that. I heard a quote once about how the French think Americans are bad cooks because we actually BUY our croutons. Making them is quick and tastes SO much better. I usually use the heels or unwanted end of the loaf of French bread from last nights dinner. Toss with salt and pepper, olive oil, and some seasoning and you are pretty much done. A few minutes in the oven or tossed on the stove and the house smells good, you have a nice bag of delicious croutons, and it was pretty much free (that's fuzzy Anne math for you there!) You can even use left over rolls, hamburger buns, whatever bread you have around. They taste incredible in Panzanella too.

You can see the crouton recipe here.

Making salad dressing is just as easy. I use my blender bottle (a lidded jar works too) and just dump everything in. I will include the recipe below but when I make it, it usually goes something like this, "one inch of vinegar, two inches of olive oil, a scoop of brown sugar, a pinch of garlic, salt and pepper." Shake and serve. It tastes 100 times better than store bought dressing and I love knowing exactly what went into it. Swap out spices and vinegar for a completely different flavor, too! I think people see 'Balsamic Vinaigrette' and think that's something you could only buy. I hope you'll try making your own dressing and see how it goes, it's really easy and delicious (a winner in my book!)

Do you have any simple, great ideas that make life easier for you? I'd love to hear em!


Anne Strawberry's Simple Balsamic Dressing
(adapted from Emeril)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (regular, sea salt, whatever will do)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (it's cheap at Costco!)

Combine all ingredients in a blender bottle (or jar) and shake to combine. Toss salad and serve immediately. This makes a lot of dressing so I usually half it and store my extra dressing in the fridge for couple of weeks- but it always gets eaten before it goes bad.

Serve with my Cheesecake Factory Knock Off French Country Salad (with goat cheese!), panzanella, or your favorite green salad. You can't go wrong here.

You can see the crouton recipe here.

Wednesday Want- Blender Bottle

I'm in late with today's Wednesday Want but had to share one of my simplest and best kitchen tools- my Blender Bottle. I've used a lot of shaker bottles before- a Tupperware, a Zyliss, and even one from the dollar store- but this one beats them all and never leaks with a nice screw-on lid. It has a stainless steel coiled ball in the center that makes quick work of homemade salad dressing, pancake batter, even instant pudding (don't judge- I love the vanilla! And the butterscotch. Blame my mom.) It's even available in tons of great colors- red, happy yellow, lime green, magenta, even a pretty plum for you purple peeps. I bought my first one at Sprout's but you can get them from Amazon for less. I love the smaller size for homemade salad dressing and I've included my favorite recipe below. It lasts for a few weeks in the fridge and even stays almost totally emulsified in the beloved Blender Bottle.

Do you use one of these things? Any great uses I'm missing out on?

PS Check out the official, awesome Wednesday Want from the talented Kayla here.

Anne Strawberry's Simple Balsamic Dressing
(adapted from Emeril)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 Tablespoons brown sugar 1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a blender bottle (or jar) and shake to combine. Toss salad and serve immediately. This makes a lot of dressing so I usually half it and store my extra dressing in the fridge for couple of weeks- but it always gets eaten before it goes bad.

Serve with my Cheesecake Factory Knock Off French Country Salad (with goat cheese!), panzanella, or your favorite green salad. You can't go wrong here.

Summer Berry Salad with Chevre

{printable recipe here}
It's too hot. Too hot to bake, too hot to even WANT to bake. Plus, my recent attempts have not ended so well. I made yesterdays Dorie treat twice in the last month and somehow forget to take a picture either time? Plus, they came out over cooked and gooey at the same time- BOTH times (tasty though)! So right now at our house, it's all about quick, low heat meals. I'm not kidding when I say I ate this salad three nights in a row! I normally try to have "vegetarian night" about once a week but unless my Tall Man wants to fire up the grill, almost every night has been vegetarian night around here. While you could certainly add some shredded rotisserie chicken, this salad is so good I don't think you'll miss the meat! The berries are cheap and delicious right now- you can use whatever you find. The goat cheese is tangy and cooling at the same time. And best of all? The only appliance needed is the blender to whirl up the dressing!


Summer Berry Salad
from Anne Strawberry
{printable recipe here}

1 large bowl of greens (I like spring mix and romaine mixed together)
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup walnuts (candy them if you're feeling fancy- it's extra delicious!)
3 tablespoons chevre (goat cheese)
1/3 cup poppy seed dressing (recipe below)

Combine all ingredients and serve immediately.


Poppy Seed Dressing
from Anne Strawberry

1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard (or mustard powder)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4- 1/2 onion (to taste)
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor until perfectly smooth. Keep refrigerated for up to two weeks in a tightly sealed container.

LaNell's Broccoli Salad

{printable recipe here}
This is one of our all time favorite side dishes. Whenever there's a party, people always ask my mom to bring this. It's one of her signature dishes for a reason! I don't like raw broccoli really except for in this salad. Cut nice and small, the texture and flavor is perfect. Bacon, Red Onion, Raisins, and Sun flower seeds give tons of crunch and variety, but they still work together. The creamy dressing is best added just before serving so it doesn't get soggy.

Broccoli Salad

{printable recipe here}
from LaNell (my mom!)

4 - 6 cups chopped broccoli flowerets

¼ cup diced red onion

½ cup toasted sunflower seeds (walnuts work, too)

1/3 cup raisins

8 strips cooked bacon (crumbled)

Dressing:         

1 cup mayonnaise

½ cup sugar

1 ½ T. apple cider vinegar (red wine works, too)

After making dressing, toss on salad and combine. Serve immediately.

Peppered Walnut Salad

{printable recipe here}
The heat is coming. I'm sure some of you are still in "winter" mode but around here it's already getting hot. Some days I feel like it's time to turn on the air conditioning but I just "can't want to" as we like to say around here. Hopefully spring will hold on for a couple more weeks but even if it doesn't this light, flavorful salad will hit the spot. It's fresh, delicious, and features so many wonderful flavors- peppered candied walnuts, feta, craisins or dried blueberries, and a garlic and parsley dressing. I've never met a woman who didn't love this salad (as for the men, sometimes they just don't know a good thing when they taste it!)

One note about the feta- the real deal will really set this salad over the top. Peter from Kalofagas (my favorite Greek cooking blog) recommended the Dodoni brand from Costco. I haven't been able to find that buy I love the authentic Greek Feta from Trader Joes. It comes in a white and blue box and is soaked in brine so it stays fresh. It's even made in Greece and is the only kind my brother, who lived in Greece, likes.

Come back Monday for another one of our all time favorite salads.

Peppered Walnut Salad

{printable recipe here}
From Wendy Jensen, my fabulous cousin who consistently makes the best salads. Thanks for sharing!

Nuts:

1 cup chopped walnuts

3 Tbsp. butter

½ cup sugar

2 tsp. black pepper

Toast walnuts in butter on low for 5 minutes. Combine sugar and pepper and coat hot nuts.

Dressing:

2 tsp. sugar

2 cloves peeled garlic

1 tsp. Dried oregano

½ c. diced red onion

½ tsp. salt

1 c. fresh parsley

½ c. red wine vinegar

1 c. canola oil

Blend and refrigerate in a container with a non metal lid (I like to use an old peanut butter jar)

Dressing keeps for a little under a week. I usually throw it out when the parsley loses it's bright green color.

Salad:

1 large head dark green Romaine lettuce, cleaned and chopped

¼ c. crumbled feta cheese

¼ c. craisins or dried blueberries

Add nuts and a 1/4 cup of dressing. Toss and serve immediately.

Crouton Confessional

It's Tuesday and I'm sans Coconut tart. Honestly, I think Coconut tastes like sunblock and has the texture of something too unappetizing for a cooking blog. However, I have already made next week's Chocolate Berry Tart and it was delicious and photogenic! So until then, I'll leave you with a healthy and crowd pleasing recipe. A big, grilled chicken and crouton topped salad is one of our favorite quick meals. I have to confess I've never actually liked croutons (why eat dried bread when you can eat it soft and fresh? Save the calories!)... until I tried the homemade variety. They are crunchy and delicious and an excellent vehicle for soaking up salad dressing.

 

And this "recipe" isn't something to be afraid of- it's a way to save yourself from running to the store because you forgot to buy croutons again (because you didn't like them in the first place, how would your new-baby-sleep-deprived brain remember) and your husband insists on having them with his salad. I'm including a real life crouton making picture to show how easy these really are. Pretend like you can see my little man running around, Baby Strawberry squawking, and you get the idea. They literally take two minutes to throw together, even with other stuff going on, and are a great way to use up leftover bread before it gets too stale (see in the picture? leftover hard rolls and wheat bread, pretty much just the heels). I like to toss on some favorite herbs and when my Tall Man sees I've actually made croutons he even flashes me his real smile. You should try it, too! If you're married to a Mr. Carbohydrate like I am this is something you should do often. I try different herbs, often depending on what I find first when I reach in my overly full cupboard. I usually bake them at whatever temperature the oven is already set on. Like I said, these are easy. And delicious. Go go!

Homemade Croutons

from Anne Strawberry

About 5 Cups Bread, cut into 1 inch cubes

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Garlic Powder

Kosher Salt

Pepper

Pinch of Thyme and Oregano

Preheat oven to 400.

Place bread on sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and season. Toss to coat and bake at 400 for 7-10 minutes (until crisp and starting to take on color). Cool and serve. Store leftovers in a plastic bag for a few weeks (or as long as they last!)

Ina's Greek Panzanella

The first time I made Panzanella, I thought, "Where has this been all my life?" My mom tried it and said, "This is like all the best parts of the salad without any of the boring lettuce!" While lettuce has it's place, I'll admit I'm still extra fond of panzanella. So when I watched Ina make a Greek version, it took all self control to refrain from running to the store and making it right then, in the middle of nap time. I held off until Monday so we could put in our Greek dinner for my brother's birthday. It was simple and delicious and even all those boys gobbled it down. I made a huge recipe and there wasn't a piece left over. With peppers and tomatoes on sale all over right now, I'm sure I'll be making it again soon.

A few tips that will make this salad extra special:
*Use English cucumbers so you don't have to peel them- the color will look better too (wish I had had these, but they were three times the cost so I just had to deal with the regulars!)
*Use two plastic lids (from deli or tupperware containers) to cut the cherry tomatoes- just fill one to the rim with tomatoes, invert the second lid and set on top of the other, and use a serrated knife to saw through them while applying a little pressure on top. Takes all of 30 seconds to cut a whole pint.
*Good feta is vital! Yes feta has a unique taste, but it shouldn't taste rotten (like the cheap kind usually does to me). Try Trader Joe's for a Greek made feta stored in brine. It tastes like the real deal.
*Watch the bread closely. Don't go check your email while it's toasting. It's a good thing I'd bought two loaves since I had to completely start over and didn't quite get the burnt smell out before the party... oops!

Greek Panzanella
from Ina Garten

Good olive oil
1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
Kosher salt
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, large diced
1 yellow bell pepper, large diced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, sliced in half rounds
1/2 pound feta cheese, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted

For the vinaigrette:

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup good red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup good olive oil

Directions

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread cubes and sprinkle with salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 5 to 10 minutes, until nicely browned. Add more olive oil as needed.

Place the cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl.

For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper in a small bowl. While still whisking, add the olive oil and make an emulsion. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables. Add the feta, olives and bread cubes and mix together lightly. Set aside for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.

Ina's Chinese Chicken Salad

I just got back from a quick trip to Utah and while winter is in full force up there, today was almost ninety back home in Arizona! I do love it here and loved this week's Barefoot Blogger's recipe- perfect for a light spring or summer dinner. This recipe is also open to changes and substitutions- great for whatever veggies you have on hand. You could also sub rotisserie chicken for more convenience and speed, though I couldn't resist the $1.77 a pound skinless chicken breasts. I added peas, eliminated the salt from the dressing, and reduced the peanut butter. Then I served it over a bed of lettuce (or with bread for Mr. Carbohydrate aka My Tall Man). With a squeeze of lime on top, this salad was light and refreshing- perfect! I didn't even feel the need to reduce the butter in this Barefoot recipe, since there wasn't any! :)

Don't forget to stop by McKenzie's blog, this week's host, to see her take on the recipe, as well as what all the other Barefooters did.

Chinese Chicken Salad
adapted from Ina Garten
3 chicken breasts
Good olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound asparagus, ends removed, and cut in thirds diagonally
1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded
3 scallions (white and green parts), sliced diagonally
1 cup of snow peas or snap peas
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted

For the dressing:
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup good apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon peeled, grated fresh ginger
1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
1/8 cup smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub with the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Cut the chicken into large bite-sized pieces.

Blanch the asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes until crisp-tender. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain. Cut the peppers in strips about the size of the asparagus pieces. Combine the cut chicken, asparagus, peas, and peppers in a large bowl.

Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing and pour over the chicken and vegetables. Add the scallions and sesame seeds and season to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Pei Wei Spicy Chicken Salad

My husband and I have had the same problem since we've met. He likes Chinese and I like Italian. I know, that's a big problem (almost as big of problem as both being Virgos, which apparently is pretty serious and I was told we should have broken it off straight away because of that! Fortunately, we're five years strong despite our close birthdays!) Anyways, I can't get enough Italian and when he sees me boil a big pot of water he rolls his eyes and dreads the inevitable sound of the pasta shaking out of the box.

So last week, I decided that we would compromise- Chinese on Thursday and Italian on Friday. The flavors of this salad are wonderful- spicy, sweet, crunchy. I love how the dressing mixes with the sauce from the chicken to make such a delicious dressing. This salad comes together in a flash thanks to the store bought chicken. I know, half of the people who read this blog roll their eyes at the chicken from the freezer case, and the other half says, "Finally something simple I will make!" I don't normally reach for premade foods but I don't have a deep fryer and the whole idea is to have the Pei Wei salad in less time than it takes to go to Pei Wei! So, stop by the freezer case next time you are at Costco and pick up some Orange Chicken. When your Chinese-Loving Husband comes home STARVING from work, you'll be glad you did (even if it's not Italian)! Add if he's really starving, cook up some brown rice to go on the side. Yum.

Pei Wei Spicy Chicken Salad
adapted from Pimp my Dinner

1 Head of Romaine Lettuce, washed and sliced
1 Tomato, chopped
1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Cucumber, sliced
1 Cup Snap Peas, sliced in half
1/2 Cup Bean Sprouts
4 Green Onions, chopped
3 Carrots (or 12 baby carrots), sliced thinly
1 Package of Orange Chicken (from the freezer section at Costco if you can get it)

Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or foil and bake the chicken until the internal temperature reads 165, rotating half way through.

Meanwhile, in a large microwave safe bowl, pour in the Orange sauce and warm through in the microwave. After the chicken is cooked, toss in the dressing bowl and set aside.

Assemble the vegetables in a large bowl and toss. Prepare dressing. Serve salad topped with dressing and spicy chicken. For more heat, add a little Sriracha Chili Sauce to the chicken.

Simple Lime Vinaigrette
by Anne Strawberry

Juice of one lime
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon of Sugar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Pour the lime juice into a small, screw-top jar. Add triple the amount of extra virgin olive oil. Add the Sugar, Salt and pepper to taste, and shake to combine. I use a little tiny jar and it turns out to be about 1 Tablespoon of juice and 3 Tablespoons of oil. Just be sure to get a good ratio, so the dressing isn't too tart. Pour over salad, toss to combine.

Summer Berry Salad with Sweet Poppy Seed Dressing

This salad is a perfect summer lunch- light, flavorful, and easy to put together. I've used the same recipe for poppy seed dressing for a while but always thought it was a little too sharp. I got this recipe from my Aunt Diane who always makes the best salads- and sure enough, it's the perfect balance of sweet and tangy. Add whatever berries you have on hand- we used strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Toss with a little spinach, some Havarti or Monterrey Jack cheese, and some chicken if you want to make it a meal. Candy your pecans with a little cinnamon for some extra flavor and enjoy!

Poppy Seed Dressing
by Diane Call

1/4 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons (or 3/8 Cup) Sugar
1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
1 teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Poppy Seeds
1/3 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar or Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 Cup Red Onion
1/2 Cup Canola Oil

Put all ingredients except the oil in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and then, with the machine running, slowly drizzle in the oil to emulsify the dressing. Pulse once more and store the dressing in the refrigerator. Keeps two weeks in a sealed container.

Add dressing immediately before serving to a bed on spinach or spring mix with assorted berries, cinnamon sugar candied pecans, and Havarti or Monterrey Jack cheese. Add sliced chicken breasts if desired.

Crunchy Thai Salad with Ginger Lime Dressing

I found this recipe on The Pioneer Woman Cooks (check it out, her recipes look SO tasty!) and adapted it for a pool party a few weeks back. It's crunchy, colorful, flavorful, and light- great for summer. It's also very adaptable and works great with whatever you have in the fridge. I reduced the size and this still makes a huge bowl of salad. Make sure to add the jalapeño to the dressing- they are kind of intimidating but if you remove the membrane and seeds you'll end up with a lot of flavor and not too much heat (but if you're like me, keep some in, and it's perfect!) Another thing I like about this salad is that it's so good that even men will eat it. That's right, a rare find. Add some chicken breasts and you have a meal, nice, huh?!

Crunchy Thai Salad with Ginger Lime Dressing
adapted from Jamie Oliver and Ree Drummond, photos by Anne Strawberry
Salad:
1/2 package cooked & cooled linguine or fettuccine noodles
1 head thinly sliced cabbage (combine a few types or just use whichever type you have on hand)
2 big handfuls baby spinach
1 bag of bean sprouts
6 scallions, thinly sliced
1 bunch chopped cilantro (remove the stems)
1 cup chopped bell peppers- I like the mixed bag of mini peppers from Costco
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup raw cashews, toasted
1 handful of snap peas, if available

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.

Ginger Lime Dressing:
Juice of 1 lime
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 jalapeño, chopped (remove the membranes and seeds for milder dressing, or add it all for some great heat!)

Put all ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake to combine.

When you're ready to serve this salad, toss it with the dressing and eat immediately. Enjoy!

French Country Salad

Before my baby (and I) became slave to his morning nap, we used to go to Pottery Barn Kids Storytime every Tuesday with my Mom. After the story and some browsing at the mall, we would get the French Country Salad and Adam's Peanut Butter Cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory. It is so delicious with the chevre and the candied nuts, I seriously never get sick of it. After ordering the same salad for months I decided that I should try making it myself. Here is the result. Add chicken breast to make it a meal. C'est incroyable!

French Country Salad

Combine in large bowl:
1 bag spring mix salad
1/2 C. candied walnuts
1/2 C. sliced beets
2 ounces goat cheese
Roasted asparagus (optional- great if you have it, but I don't usually buy it if it's not in season or on sale)

Top with fresh cracked pepper and Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing and toss. Enjoy!

Dressing (adapted from Emeril's Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 T. brown sugar (I like it a little sweeter for this salad)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 t. kosher salt
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
3/4 C. extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake to combine. Toss salad and serve immediately. This makes a lot of dressing so I usually half it and store my extra dressing in the fridge for a week or two. Bon appetit!