Dandelion Greens Salad

Dandelion Greens Salad

Dandelion Greens are a Spring Tonic and March 19 is the day I traditionally dig up the greens.  Highly rated for containing iron as well as other nutrients, they do make a tasty dish.  Dandelions are best chosen in tall grass or deep leaves prior to developing buds.  Once the greens develop buds they are bitter.  If the area was spayed with herbicide, do not use the dandelions.  My recipe is identical to Rachael Burkholder's owner of the Amish Fabric Shop, Country Fabrics.  I add boiled potatoes to my dish. 

Ingredients:
4 cups dandelion greens, cleaned and picked over
2 hard boiled eggs
3 slices bacon, chopped and fried crisp
Dressing:
Remove bacon from the drippings to make dressing. Use the bacon grease.
Stir until we blended. 1 egg, 4 teaspoons vinegar, 1 cup water or milk. Add: 1 1/2 teaspoons flour, 1 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons sugar

Stir until well blended, cook until thickened. Cool slightly and pour over greens, egg and bacon and toss. It is delicious!

This is a recipe I learned early in my marriage in the 1960's. My version added boiled cubed potatoes.

Valley Kitchen Cobb

      

Valley Kitchen Cobb

The best versions honor the classic formula while introducing subtle innovations. 6 servings

Ingredients:

3 hard-boiled eggs
6 slices thick-cut lardon
3 heads organic baby mixed green lettuce
3 cups free range chicken breast, chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes
¾ cup Point Reyes blue cheese, crumbled
3 green onions, chopped
1 fresh avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
8 ounces creamy blue cheese dressing
1 cup cucumber, sliced

Directions:

Place eggs in a saucepan and cover completely with cold water; bring to a boil, then cover and remove from heat.

Let eggs sit for 10-12 minutes, then cool, peel and chop.

While the eggs are cooking, place lardon in a sheet pan. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown, 10-12 minutes. Drain, chop and set aside.

Divide the organic lettuce among individual plates. Top with rows of lardon, eggs, free range chicken, cherry tomatoes, blue cheese, English cucumber and avocado.

Drizzle with the creamy blue cheese dressing.

Betty's Classic Salad

 

Betty's Salad

Betty's Salad was entered into the Holiday Inn International Competition in London for Holiday Inn Restaurant's Recipe Contest winning 1st place for salads. The Timko's owned and managed the Perrysburg Holiday Inn.  The restaurant named The Wooden Indian and later became Soup and Such. The restaurant is no longer owned by the late Timko's and serves a heavy truck traffic. The recipe as typed here is exactly the ingredients of Betty's original recipe. The addition of water chestnuts came from elsewhere not Betty Timko.  Betty's Salad Dressing is still available in Toledo area Food Stores. 

Ingredients
5 ounces Baby Spinach, stems removed
6 hard-boiled eggs, diced
8 ounces fresh bean sprouts (or half a can, well-drained, if fresh are not available)
1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled.  Never back bits.

Betty’s Classic Dressing

1 cup oil
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup catsup
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 small onion, fine dice
Directions:
Layer all salad ingredients in the order posted. Mix dressing ingredients – chill for approximately 1 hour to blend. Drizzle over the salad when ready to serve. Enjoy!

Cobb Salad

Cobb Salad 

Named for Bob Cobb who made it for his original Brown Derby Restaurant in Los Angeles Restaurant where the chain began. 

Ingredients:

6 oz bacon (6 slices) chopped and browned
1 medium head romaine lettuce 5 cups chopped, rinsed and dried
2 cooked chicken breasts from a cooked chicken
2 hard-boiled eggs
1 large avocado sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
1/2 cup red onion thinly sliced
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbled (or feta cheese)
2 Tbsp parsley finely chopped

Cobb Salad Dressing:
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove pressed and minced
1/3 cup extra-vrigin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

Sautee chopped bacon on a skillet until browned and crisp (5 min), then transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to cool. Cook 2 hard-boiled eggs then peel and quarter.

Chop, rinse and spin dry romaine lettuce and arrange on a platter. Arrange remaining salad ingredients (chicken, eggs, avocado, tomatoes, onion, blue cheese, and bacon) in rows over salad then sprinkle the finely chopped parsley over the salad.

Transfer dressing ingredients to a mason jar and shake like crazy. Drizzle over salad just before serving or let guests add their own dressing to taste.

Loaded Cauliflower Salad

LOADED CAULIFLOWER SALAD WITH EGGS, BACON, PICKLES AND GREEN ONIONS 

Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients:
1 medium head cauliflower, chopped into small florets 2 T. avocado oil or other neutral oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
5 slices bacon, diced
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup avocado mayonnaise
2 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped 
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced dill pickles plus 1 T. pickle juice 
1/3 cup finely chopped green onions, divided use 
1 tsp. hot sauce
1/4 tsp. paprika, divided use

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, stir together cauliflower florets, avocado oil, minced garlic, pepper, and salt. Spread cauliflower onto a prepared baking sheet and bake until lightly golden, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cauliflower to cool completely.

2. While cauliflower is roasting, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels and cool; set aside.

3. In a mixing bowl, stir together sour cream, mayonnaise, and chopped eggs. Fold in half the cooked bacon, celery, pickles plus juice, 1/4 cup chopped green onions, hot sauce, and 1/8 tsp. paprika. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours prior to serving. Garnish with remaining chopped green onions and paprika.

Macaroni Salad

Ingredients

2 cups elbow macaroni

4 hard boiled eggs, diced

2 cans Bumble Bee tuna fish, drained

1 can peas, drained

1 1/2 cups Miracle Whip (or mayonnaise)

salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Prepare the macaroni noodles according to the package directions. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Add in the diced hard boiled eggs, tuna, peas and Miracle Whip. Mix well. Store in the fridge until serving.

Optional add-ins: salt, pepper, mustard, celery, onion, cucumber. You can add in just about anything you’d like!