Brown Derby Salad and Hollywood Studios

The whole time we were at Disneyworld, I kept calling Hollywood Studios "MGM." I wasn't sure why, except that maybe I associated Hollywood with the big movie studios? The charges would roll their eyes and correct me everytime. "Moooooooom!" Kids always drag out the vowels when they are exasperated, don't they? I stubbornly insisted on calling it MGM. (Read: Once I get the wrong idea in my mind, it's stuck there for eternity. So let it be written, so let it be done.) The Quiet Man suprised me with a copy of the Disneyworld cookbook last week. It's full of recipes from all around the park-including MGM! Read that again: M.G.M, baby! Not Hollywood Studios, my adolescent aborrigines, but MGM! At least there is a method to my madness. Apparently it is out of vogue to call it MGM now, but once upon a time, whenever this cookbook was published, the place was called MGM. Disney might be able to change names, but I'm keeping to the original. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. So...while we were at MGM (not Hollywood)...we rode the Tower of Terror (scream for me) and the Great Movie Ride and Toy Story Mania.

West built his own lightsaber to become an official Jedi Knight of the highest order.

And we ate the famous Cobb Salad at the Brown Derby. (William Holden wasn't there, in case any I love Lucy fans were wondering.) There's a reason this salad is so famous. It's superb. This is the original Cobb salad that has spawned so many variations and imitations. The original is the best. The dressing is fantastic and the recipe below makes a hefty batch. It's a little taste of MGM (that's right, MGM-ya wanna make something of it?) all the way from Hollywood Studios.

Hollywood Brown Derby Cobb Salad

Estimated Cost: about $10 for for 6 servings

Notes: To save money, buy a bagged mix of spring lettuces and a head of romaine or iceberg for crunch. Chicken can easily be substituted for the turkey. 1/2 head iceberg lettuce

1/2 bunch watercress

1 small bunch chicory

1/2 head romaine lettuce

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 1/2 cups cooked turkey breast, diced

1 avocado

3 eggs, hard-cooked

1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled

6 strips crisp bacon, crumbled

2 tbsp. chopped chives (I used green onions)

Chop all greens very fine (reserve some watercress for presentation) and arrange in salad bowl. Cut tomatoes in half, remove seeds and dice une. Also dice the turkey, avocado and eggs. Arrange the above ingredients, as well as the blue cheese and bacon crumbles, in straight lines across the greens. Arrange the chives diagonally across the above lines. Present the salad at the table, then toss with the dressing (below) and place on chilled plates with a watercress garnish. Serves six.

BROWN DERBY OLD-FASHIONED FRENCH DRESSING

1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp. sugar

1 1/4 tbsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/2 cup red-wine vinegar

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 tbsp. ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. English mustard (I used dijon)

1/2 cup olive oil

1 1/2 cups salad oil

Blend together all ingredients, except oils, then add olive and salad oils and mix well. Blend well again before mixing with salad. This makes a big batch; store in the fridge and use within 3 weeks.

Next Up:

Disney's Carribean Resort with Black Bean Soup and Johnnycakes

Winter to Spring Spinach Salad

I wish I could put off spring just a little longer. If winter were one of my students, I'd make him repeat a grade, just to enjoy him a little longer. Maybe I should move to Alaska. It's a secret escapist fantasy of mine, anyway. You might think that I don't love spring, but you'd be wrong. I love the chirping birds, the bright blue skies, the colorful flowers, the urge to be outdoors tossing a frisbee. But I love winter, too. I love the coziness, the sparkly frost and snow, the shadowy silhouettes during the dinner hour, the pots simmering and the oven baking, and the solitude of shrinking in and away. If I were Mother Nature, you would be assured 6 months of ice and snow. I'd be about as popular as Obama.

But I'm not in charge. So here comes spring in just a couple of weeks, officially. In the meantime, I find myself craving leafy greens and tender berries, in spite of myself. I'm still hanging on to my zesty citrus and hearty apples, so I created this salad to represent the best of both winter and spring. I admit to eating it daily for lunch. The dressing is sweet with caramel undertones from the brown sugar, yet zesty from the apple cider vinegar and a hint of mustard. The dressing is also deceptively low in fat, but you'll never notice that. But it's spring and that means its almost almost almost swimsuit season. Groan. Just another reason to love winter.

Winter to Spring Salad

Estimated Cost: $5.00

Money Saving Tips: It's almost time to plant spinach! Plant a row of spinach a week to keep you saving all throughout the spring. Choose any apples or berries that you find on sale and vary the nuts according to what you have on hand. You'll have plenty of extra dressing for more salad later in the week.

1 (6 ounce) bag baby spinach

1 large orange, peeled and sectioned

1 sweet apple, sliced thin

1 cup sliced strawberries

1/4 cup paper thin slices of red onion

1/3 cup toasted pecans, broken into bits

For Dressing:

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1/4 cup vegetable oil

salt and pepper to taste

For Salad, layer spinach, orange, apple, strawberries, onions, and pecans on a platter. Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar with a screwtop lid. Shake until well combined. Just before serving, drizzle dressing all over salad.

Next Up:

Captain Crunch Chicken

Avocado and Nectarine Salad with Chile and Lime Dressing

You wouldn't have ever set your neighbors up on a blind date, right? They seem like they wouldn't go together at all, and yet they've been happily married for 15 years. (I'm not talking about the Quiet Man and me, ahem, but I could be.) Some things just seem like they would never go together. Like avocados and nectarines. Who'd have thunk? But then they end up in a late night study group and fall madly in love and make beautiful babies-uh, I mean salad together. Mr. luscious avocado has a serious crush on senorita sweet juicy nectarine. Ooh, la la. It's not an obvious match, true, but once they got to know each other they refused to be separated. Have them set up house on a cozy little bed of mixed greens. Throw in a little savory feta for a wedding veil and you've got a match made in heaven. Don't listen to what the tabloids say. This couple's going to make it.

Notes:

This salad is perfect for using up your extra Chile Lime Dressing from the Mexican Grilled Corn below. Just squeeze in a little extra lime for some acid. Nectarines and other stone fruits are at their peak right now so you'll be able to get a swell deal. Use whatever greens are on sale this week. Spinach or romaine would be nice. You could make it a meal by throwing in some leftover grilled shrimp, tofu, chicken, or pork.

Avocado and Nectarine Salad with Chile Lime Dressing

Estimated Cost: $6.00 for four large servings

For the Dressing:

Combine in a bowl the following ingredients

3 tablespoons mayonaise (or swap out Greek Yogurt)

2 tablespoons sour cream

1/2 tsp. lime zest
juice from 1 lime
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. chili powder

generous pinch kosher salt

Layer the following on a platter:

6 ounces mixed baby greens

1 chopped, pitted avocado

1-2 chopped nectarines

1/4 cup sliced red onion

2 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Drizzle with dressing and serve. Yumma!
Up Next:

Chicken Fettucini Alfredo

Carrot Ginger Dressing for Asian Steak Salad

While I was busy with babies last week, the garden wasn't exactly resting on the couch, eating potato chips. My garden has good old-fashioned integrity, so it stayed home and put in an honest's weeks work. I was met with an overgrown welcoming of spinach, radishes, and green peas. Winter was soft and braised, but spring is fresh, crunchy and inviting. Who can resist working outside under blue skies, gentle breezes and smiling sunshine? West and I cut spinach this morning and gently washed the leaves. We picked and shelled the peas, then rinsed and trimmed the radishes. Sailor was sick in bed, missing some of spring, but we promised to save her some of the garden for when she is feeling better. When it comes to math papers and violin practice, my charges are perfectly happy miss out due to illness. But work in the garden is different, especially harvest work, since the fruits of your labors are figuratively and literally drooping from the vine. So sleep soundly Sailor; the spinach, and peas, and radishes-and yes, even the spring- will wait for you to get better.
Before I left to babysit, I used some of our garden produce and a piece of soy-marinated grilled steak underneath one of my most favorite salad dressings. This one is a copycat version of the Benihana Japanese Steak House ginger spiked carrot dressing. It's ridiculously low in fat yet absolutely thick and dreamy. The ingredient list is long, but you just throw everything in the blender and give it a whirl, so it's actually fairly quick. The flavors are amazing and completely addictive. Try it on a brown rice salad, or as a dip for edamame. And have a wonderful, beautiful spring day.
Carrot Ginger Dressing

From Joy of Cooking

Estimated Cost for dressing: $2.00 for 1 and 1/2 cups

1/2 cup coarsely chopped carrots

1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery

1/4 cup peanut or vegetable oil

2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped onions

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons catsup

2 teaspoons fresh lemon jjuice

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 dashes hot pepper sauce

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth and thick.
Next Up:

Oatmeal and Peanut Butter Raspberry Bars

Mother's Day Chicken-Spinach Salad with Strawberry Dressing

This is the Quiet Man. My name is not really the Quiet Man. I'm called Shane, which starts with SH. Shhh! I've been hearing this all my life "Sh....ane" Perhaps this is why I have become so quiet. I doubt it though. My name is not really Shane either, but that is another story for another Mother's day.

Once a year I feel obligated to at least try to make a special Mother's Day meal. Not the breakfast in bed meal, but a Sunday afternoon sit down meal. Usually, I pass my ideas along to Prudence Pennywise and we get a revision or two. My meal ideas tend to be like a rusted out Pontiac station wagon, and then after a short discussion with Prudence Pennywise, we have a Cadillac version, at the same price. In recent Mother's Days, I have teamed up with Prudy's Father, who also feels obligated to make a marvelous meal for Mother's Day. Truthfully, despite our attempts to go it alone, there is always a kind word of encouragement or suggestion from Prudy and Prudy's mother. They say things like: "Well kid, you did your best." Anyway, the fathers end up doing a bang up job of cleaning the dishes, the kitchen and the mess. Here we have this year's attempt at a special Mother's Day meal. Isn't it the thought that counts? Not around here, it's more like making the attempt that counts. Here goes:

Popeye would be proud of our garden and we've got more spinach than I care to eat in a whole year. With that pleasant thought, I decided dinner had to be a salad. A lady kind of salad-the kind ladies think is a whole meal. (They do that with soup, too.)

I planned to grill the chicken, but it got a little windy, as it tends to do, so I moved it inside and broiled it in the oven, with just a little bit of S&P, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Yeah you heard me say it: "broiled it in the oven", where do you think I learned that?If you have some cornbread lying around, or if you feel inclined to make some, it makes very good croutons. By the way, cornbread has been on the mind recently. You can also use plain bread. In either case, cut them into cubes and put them in the oven to toast. I had the broiler on and I turned my back for a minute. Do you think Prudy will notice?

Well fellas, have a go at it. I'm going to have to take a brief hiatus from blog posting now, as I don't have anything left to say. That's why they call me the Quiet Man. I'll be back before long with dessert-chocolate covered strawberries.

Mother's Day Spring Chicken and Spinach Salad with Strawberry Dressing

For the dressing:

Equal parts strawberry jam

olive oil

red wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

For the Salad:

spinach

sliced strawberries

sliced red onion

day old cornbread, cut into croutons and dried in the oven

grilled (or broiled) chicken strips

walnuts

feta cheese

Next Up:

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries for Mother's Day Dessert

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps for Chinese New Year

I can't help it. I still want to celebrate happy everything, even if I'm falling behind. So Happy Chinese New Year, everybody. My little sister, Catherine, reminded me that I hadn't ever posted my Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce. How did that happen? These used to be on my weekly menu, and now that I've made them again, they're getting their starring role back. They're simple, healthful, cheap, and so addictive. I only had one little problem when I made them this week. I had no good "wrapping" lettuce. You need soft leaved lettuces, like butter, or red-leaf to make a good wrap. All I had on hand was baby spinach, so they became an open-faced lettuce wrap. And now a word about the peanut sauce: YUMMA! I'm sorry to say that I ate it huddled over the sink, right out of the pan, with a spoon. It's that good. It's thin enough that you could douse it all over your whole meal. You'll have extra, so try it on noodles with veggies tomorrow. And the main ingredient of peanut sauce, as you may have guessed is peanut butter. Jif Peanut Butter for us. So for my stream of consciousness post today, that brings me to the Jif Contest. We have to wait a little longer, until the results are posted on the website next week, to share any news about West's status. Lips are sealed until that time. But not so sealed that I can't eat lettuce wraps. With lots and lots of peanut butter.

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce

Serves 4

Estimated Cost: $8.00
Marinade:
1 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sugar (or honey)
1 Tbsp garlic
1 Tbsp grated ginger or ginger powder
1 lb. boneless, skinless, chicken breats

Place chicken in marinade for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight. Cook chicken by grilling, broiling, or pan frying. I've used all three methods with great success. Slice into bite sized pieces.
Prepare Peanut Sauce:
1 can of chicken broth
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil

1/3 cup peanut butter... JIF for us

1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar
Simmer broth, soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil for two minutes then add peanut butter, chili garlic sauce and brown sugar. Sauce will be very thin. You can also use it as a salad dressing.
Have cooked and ready:

Rice (I like jasmine, but white or brown or fine, too)
Have ready:
sliced radishes, sliced cucumber, grated carrots, red or green onion sliced, chicken, peanut sauce, peanuts

Place ingredients inside soft lettuce leaves, or serve over spinach, salad style.

Up Next:

Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup

Apple, Pecan and Cheddar Spinach Salad with Sweet Maple Dressing

Today is Tuesdays with Dorie, my weekly baking club day. It is outrageous to see a leaf of spinach here on Tuesdays, or anything green-unless it is tinted frosting. Instead, you should see butter, sugar, and flour emerging from the oven in a variety of tempting creations. But I confess that I never have the heart for extra sugar in the days following Halloween. Bear with me.
This is my sugar free-est week of the year. For some reason, the sweet magic ends on Halloween night for me, and it's a very good thing, since I'm hoping to never weigh 682 pounds. Up until October 31st, I raid the cupboard of all our tricks and treats. The charges always catch me-those darn crinkly wrappers!-and then I have to share. Quiet Man finds the open bags and digs in too, filling his pockets on the way to work. I'm forced to buy more candy (my favorite kinds, of course)...then we eat that too. Please don't tell my new dentist. But then when Halloween is over, the sugar monster can be kept at bay. Yesterday West and Sailor actually chose apples out of their treat bags OVER the candy. It isn't because they are virtuous and self-denying; we're all maddeningly sick of candy. And in case you are wondering, it's still safe to get an apple for Halloween in Smalltown, USA.

And speaking of apples, here's my latest and greatest favorite salad showcasing Fall's most winsome fruit. I've shared variations on this salad before, but I think this is the best version. It's decidedly American in flavor, with creamy cheddar, crunchy pecans, and crisp apples, in a sweet maple dressing. If you're off candy, give this salad a go. If you aren't off candy, give it a go anyway. I think it would make a very nice appetizer to a Reese's peanut butter cup. Just not this week.

Money Saving Tips: If you don't have pure maple syrup, sub in a little pancake syrup. Compare the price of bagged spinach with the loose and buy for a bargain. Any apple you've got on hand will work well-even a baking apple -since it will be coated in sweet dressing. It's a great idea to double or triple the dressing and use it all week long.

Spinach and Apple Salad

Estimated Cost: $4.00 for four servings

1/4 cup light flavored olive oil, or vegetable oil

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

about 6 cups baby spinach

2 small crisp apples (I like Gala and Golden Delicious)

2 ounces cheddar, diced

1/4 cup paper thin onion slices

In a small bowl whisk oil, cider, vinegar, sugar, and syrup. (I love to throw mine in the blender and let it get nice and thick.) Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Combine salad ingredients at the last possible minute. Drizzle with dressing and serve.

Next Up:

Classic Cheddar Mac and Cheese

MMIX Fall Kick Off Dinner

It is Friday night and I feel pretty certain that I am the only red blooded American at home working on a cooking blog. All of my readers are beautiful, toney, and cool, so they are out at a night club, or a latest release movie, or a neighbor's BBQ. But not me. I'm home. The truth is, I really like it here. It's peaceful after a week that was mind-spinningly busy. Still I have my little to do list, even on a Friday night. It goes a little something like this: Number one: Begin to sew Sailor's Halloween Costume. She wants to be a Mary Engelbreit style witch this year. I think I can pull it off, that is if no one looks too closely at zipper or buttons. Number two: Read political philosophers Locke and Hobbes and prepare lecture plus something un-boring for this week's classes. Maybe I'll have my students draw a political cartoon. Number three: Finish reading Dracula for Cookie Bookie week, coming in October. Already finished Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde. Number four: Complete the Crossword puzzle. Today's has me stuck. For Pete's sake, does anybody know of a Puerto Rican born Oscar winner with six letters? Send help. And Number Five: Share Fall Kick Off Dinner with Dear Readers, who are all out having fun and won't be able to read this until Monday morning. But Monday will be just right, see, because Tuesday is the official first day of Fall. So go ahead and play all weekend, but don't forget to celebrate the start of a brand new season with this stellar menu. Fall: My windy, whirly, winsome favorite.
2009 Fall Kick Off Dinner Menu
Spinach Salad with Apples and Swiss and Mustard Vinaigrette
Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
Cider and Maple Glazed Pork Chops with Sauteed Apples
Buttered Green Beans
Flaky Apple Turnovers (see previous post)
Money Saving Tips: This celebratory dinner makes use of common ingredients (Potatoes, onions, apples, pork chops, dried thyme), so the good news is that it's very affordable. To make it even cheaper, choose whatever firm apple you can find on sale at the market. Use apple juice in place of the cider, or swap out the maple syrup for honey. Spring mix or Romaine can stand in for the Spinach. It's all good.
Spinach Salad with Apples and Swiss and Mustard Vinaigrette
Estimated Cost: $4.50 for four servings
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons Maple syrup
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 of a 6 ounce bag baby spinach
1 apple, skin on, thinly sliced
2 ounces swiss cheese, chopped
2 tablespoons red onion thinly sliced
2 tablespoons thinly sliced almonds

In a small bowl, combine mustard, syrup, oil, and vinegar, whisking to blend. Add salt and pepper to taste. On four separate plates, layer spinach, apple slices, cheese, onion, and almonds. Drizzle with dressing just before serving.

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
Estimated Cost: $3.00 for four servings and leftovers
Notes: These tangy potatoes are so fantastic with the sweet cider pan juices.
3 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttemilk
1/2 cup sour cream (low fat is fine)
2 tablespoons butter, plus more if desired
Place potaotes in large pot and cover with cold water. Add salt. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cook until tender, about ten minutes. Drain potatoes in colander discarding all water. Place potatoes back in same pan over low heat to dry out potatoes. Using hand masher, mash potatoes adding in buttermilk, sour cream, and butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mash until smooth adding more milk or butter if needed. Dot the top of the potatoes with butter and put the lid on pan until serving time.
Cider and Maple Glazed Pork Chops with Sauteed Apples
Estimated Cost: $6.00 for four servings
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (plus 1 more tablespoon)
1 lb pork chops, boneless
2 tablespoons flour
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 large apples, peeled and thinly sliced
3/4 cup apple cider
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
Heat large skillet over medium high heat. Preheat oil in skillet. Sprinkle chops with flour and about 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook chops for three minutes per side, or until nicely browned. Transfer to plate and cover to keep warm. To same skillet, add an additional tablespoon oil and onions. Cook until onions begin to soften, about five minutes. Add butter, thyme, and apples. Saute for about five minutes, or until softened and browned in some places. Pour in cider, maple, and vinegar. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer. Return chops to pan. Cook for five minutes, or until sauce is slightly thickened. To serve, arrange potatoes on plate and spoon pan juices over potatoes. Serve chops with apples atop.

UP Next:

Blackberry Jam Pufflet Cookies

2 Salads for Father's Day

I'm pretty sure that this is my sixth time on Nantucket Island. My first time was our July honeymoon. We stayed in the attic bedroom of the Martin House Inn, the cheapest room we could find on the island. I immediately loved the salt stained shingled houses, the cobblestone roads, the cleverly named cottages. And please don't get me started on the restaurants. I'm perfectly content to walk the island all day, stopping only for breakfast, snacks, lunch, snacks, dinner, snacks. Wake up. Repeat. Sigh contentedly.

When we were expecting Charge #1, we hunted the map of Nantucket island for possible baby names. Vestal? Sconset? Folger? Brandt? Not exactly what you think of when you look down at a pink and rosy baby. We did find two inspiring possibilities: Madaket or Sailor. We chose the latter.

So if by some miracle, we find ourselves someday expecting a baby again, Madaket is still available. But so is Vestal, Sconset, and Folger.

Here's the promised salads for Father's Day. I'm itching to make them again tonight, with our lobster dinner. These salads MUST be eaten together for the full effect: one is soft and creamy, pungent with blue cheese; the other is sweet and tart with a hint of mustard and lots of crunch. And as good as they are together, they're even better with a toasty slice of sourdough slathered with cheese butter. Be back tomorrow with that recipe and the rest of the Father's Day Menu.
Money Saving Tips: Please don't be tempted to buy the blue cheese crumbles; ounce for ounce they are much more expensive.

Red Cabbage Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

Estimated Cost: $3.00
1 small head read cabbage, finely cut

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/3 cup red wine or cider vinegar

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Combine cabbage and salt and pepper in large bowl. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, mustard, and sugar, stirring until combined. Toss vinegar mixture and oil with red cabbage. Can be made up to 2 hours before serving time.

Chopped Green Salad with Blue Cheese

Estimated Cost: $3.50

1 head ice berg lettuce

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 clove garlic, minced

2 ounces crumbled blue cheese
Chop iceberg into bite sized pieces. Place in a large bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve. In a small jar, combine buttermilk, cream, corcestershire, lemon and garlic. Add 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Place the lid on the jar and shake until combined. Just before serving, toss dressing and blue cheese with lettuce.
Up Next:

Sourdough Bread with Cheddar Cheese Spread

Southwestern Tossed Salad

Among the pleasures of having a garden is watching your children plant seeds, monitor their progress, and marvel at their growth. But harvest is best of all because fussy young charges take a suprisingly active interest in what they are bringing in for dinner. I'm not quite ready to rename them Peter Cottontail or Mopsy, but they are surely beginning to appreciate the sweetness of soft baby spinaches and the zing of candy colored radishes. (And another big step is my Sailor girl is wearing her jeans! Only to garden, but still.) Not that they wouldn't prefer Mesquite Barbecue Chips or a cone of Baskin Robbin's mint chip, but I think we are taking a step in the right direction. And while, I'm a fan of chips and ice cream myself, I like this salad so much better. It's so fantastic that if I don't get off my current kick of eating it nightly, I'll soon have nothing else to post about. It could be Southwestern Tossed Salad all summer long. Then again, that mint chip ice cream cone sounded pretty good. Maybe I should plant some mint... Have a great weekend everyone!

Money Saving Tips:

Get some lettuce planted and you'll save yourself bundles and probably have loads to share with neighbors too. I love having spinach since I can pick enough for a few days at a time and it will stay nice and fresh in the fridge. It'll only cost you pennies! You may want to double the dressing recipe because it is terrifyingly addictive.

Southwest Tossed Salad

Estimated Cost: About $6.00

For the Dressing:

1/2 cup packed cilantro

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lime or lemon juice

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon honey

For Tortilla Strips

8-10 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips

2-4 tablespoons vegetable oil

For Salad

Spinach or other lettuce

radishes, thinly sliced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

chopped tomatoes

rinsed and drained black beans

corn kernels, thawed if frozen

diced avocado

Blend dressing ingredients in blender until smooth; season to taste with salt and pepper. Fry tortilla strips in hot oil until crisp; drain on paper towels. Combine remaining ingredients in the bowl and toss.

Up Next:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad for Mom's Day

Have you ever heard of a Mechanic's Lien? Well, neither had I until yesterday when we served with papers. (They should come up with another verb for delivering legal papers because being served has none of the positive connotations that I associate with being served lovely things, like being served a hot fudge sundae perhaps) Nothing makes a pit in the stomach faster than finding out that you are being sued. A Mechanic's Lien, in case you are wondering, is a subcontractor's dispute involving work done on your property for which he has not been paid. The homeowner has paid the contractor (we paid a year ago, before the work had even begun), the work has been completed, but somewhere down the line, someone, in this case, the poor guy who supplied the materials for the concrete in our backyard, never got his due. So now we are being served and you know all of the lovely, pleasant things that come along with that, like countless hours on the telephone, trips to the notary and certified letters, and the gathering of aged documents. It's such fun, it makes me wish I pursued a career in the law. (Actually, I almost did. It might have come in handy now.) But life goes on, even if you have a Mechanic's Lien giving you an ulcer or not, and time marches forward even if you turn off the lights and lock the door, which by the way doesn't work and besides it could be the UPS man and I'm always happy to see what he brought. As far as I know, no one has even been served papers via UPS. And this weekend, smooshed right up too close to Cinco De Mayo, is Mother's Day. All I ever want for Mother's Day is a few hours to read. (I've got the Friday Night Knitting Club waiting for me.) And world peace, of course, but maybe that is asking too much. Oh, and if I'm allowed three requests, I'd also like to settle this little lawsuit in my favor.

Here's what I'm having for dinner on this day in which we spoil the women in our lives: Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad. This version is easy enough for the men and little ones in your lives to pull off, plus it'll keep them busy while you hole up and read. Best of all, it's insanely delicious, sooo much better than the limp and flavorless salads that you so often end up with at a restaurant. And once in a while, it's fun to get out of the kitchen and let others serve you. As long as it isn't papers that they are serving. Happy Mother's Day!

Money Saving Tips:

Please don't use your bottled Caesar dressing! Homemade dressing is fast, easy, cheap and soooo much better than store bought. Skip the bagged greens and buy fresh romaine. Wash it well and put it in a pillow case. Send the kids outside to swing the pillow case through the air (in the style of a salad spinner) and you'll have nice crisp greens. Get your chicken on sale and youre bread for croutons on the day old rack.

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

Estimated Cost: $8.00 for four servings

Notes: I've included options for fresh garlic or garlic powder to make it easier.

For the Chicken:

1 lb. chicken breasts

1 teaspoon each garlic powder (or two cloves minced), salt, and pepper

juice of one lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

For Croutons:

1/2 loaf French bread, cut into 3/4 inch cubes

1 teaspoon garlic powder, or 2 cloves minced

4 tablespoons olive oil

For Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

pinch of cayenne, if desired

For Salad:

Romaine lettuce, torn into bite sized pieces

red onion, thinly sliced

Place chicken in ziptop baggie. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Pour lemon juice and olive oil into bag, turn chicken to coat and marinate for 1-12 hours. Grill or broil chicken, about 6 minutes per side.

For croutons:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. ON a foil lined cookie sheet, toss bread with garlic and olive oil. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Bake bread until toasted, turning once, about 15 minutes.

For Dressing: Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a blender and process until smooth.

To serve:

Place romaine and red onion on plates. Top with croutons and chicken breast. Drizzle with dressing and black pepper. Get a nice cloth napkin and go serve Mom. Give her a hug while you're at it.

Up Next:

Still haven't forgotten those jelly donuts.....