Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

  
What’s better than crispy pancetta and blue cheese on a salad dressed with buttermilk dressing? Add a few croutons and I say nothing!

Ingredients:
1 head of butter lettuce
4 oz pancetta, cubed and cooked crisp
4 oz blue cheese, crumbled
3 slices day old bread, cubed
2 TBSP olive oil
Garlic powder
Salt and pepper
1/2 c buttermilk
2 TBSP chives
2 TBSP lemon juice
zest of one lemon

Preheat oven to 400.

Toss cubed bread with olive oil and garlic powder. Toast for 10 minutes until crispy.

Combine buttermilk, lemon zest, chives, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a jar and shake to combine. Toss a couple TBSP with torn lettuce. 

Divide lettuce between plates, top with crispy pancetta, cheese and croutons.

Serves 2 – 4.

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Charred Broccoli with Blue Cheese Dressing

  

Dressing:
1/3 c half and half
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
3 ozs blue cheese, crumbled (see Note)
1/3 c sour cream
Salt

Broccoli:
2 pounds broccoli, cut into 1 1/2-inch florets with stems
1/4 c unseasoned rice vinegar
1 1/2 TBSP harissa
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 TBSP soy sauce
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp Sriracha
1/2 c olive oil
1/3 c minced shallots
Salt
Pepper
2 TBSP butter
1 c crisped rice cereal

In a small saucepan, warm the half and half until hot. Whisk in the crushed red pepper, sugar and one-third of the blue cheese until melted. Let cool completely, then whisk in the sour cream and the remaining cheese. Season the dressing with salt.
PREPARE THE BROCCOLI 

In a large saucepan of salted boiling water, blanch the 
broccoli until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain well and spread on a large baking sheet to cool.

In a blender, combine the vinegar, harissa, lemon zest and juice, soy sauce, mustard and Sriracha and puree. With the blender on, gradually add the olive oil until incorporated. Transfer the vinaigrette to a medium bowl and stir in the shallots. Season with salt and pepper.

In a medium skillet, melt the butter. Add the cereal and 1 1/2 tsp of the harissa vinaigrette and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain.

Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. In a large bowl, toss the broccoli with half of the remaining vinaigrette and season 
with salt. Grill the broccoli over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until lightly charred all over, about 5 minutes. 
Transfer to a plate.

Spread the blue cheese dressing on a platter and scatter the broccoli on top. Garnish with the spiced crispies and 
serve, passing the remaining harissa vinaigrette at the table.

Blue Cheese & Walnut Shortbreads with Chutney



These are a super fancy looking appetizer that is easy to make, thanks Cocktail Food for the recipe!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c blue cheese
• 3 TBSP ghee or soft butter
• 1/2 c flour
• 1/4 c cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 c walnuts chopped
• Mango Chutney (TJs)
• 1/2 c walnut halves, toasted
• 36 parsley leaves

Combine first 7 ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until a ball starts to form. Remove. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325.

Place the chilled dough on a piece of plastic wrap cover with another piece and roll out 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 1 inch circles and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes until lightly browned. Let cool.

Spread 1/4 tsp cream cheese on each shortbread. Top with a parsley leaf, walnut half and chutney.



Chopped Salad with Yogurt Lemon Dressing

This is from one of my many Patricia Wells cookbooks. Most of her recipes are totally doable by been the least experienced cook. This salad is delightful and perfect for a hot summer day. I served it with a nice slice of my homemade bread (Tartine’s recipe).

Ingredients:
1/2 c yogurt
2 TBSP lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt

Combine in a jar and shake until combined.

1 head of iceberg, chopped
3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
4 green onions, sliced thin
4 oz blue cheese, crumbled
4 sliced bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
1 avocado, cut into small pieces

Combine ingredient, drizzle with a couple TBSP and toss gently, addled dressing if needed. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 2 – 4.

The Wedge salad

Iceberg is really under-rated – ok it’s not big on its nutritional value but It’s crispness with bacon and a creamy blue cheese dressing is the ultimate comfort food. For this recipe I used fat-free sour cream and low fat buttermilk, you can use regular if you like.

Ingredients:
4 oz bacon, cooked crisp and cut into 1″-thick pieces
1/2 shallot, chopped
3/4 c sour cream
1/2 c buttermilk
1 TBSP chives, chopped
1 TBSP white wine vinegar
1/2 c blue cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper
1 small head of iceberg lettuce
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

Whisk 1/2 shallot, sour cream, buttermilk, chives, white wine vinegar in a small bowl; fold in 1/2 c crumbled mild blue cheese, salt and pepper. Cut 1 small head of iceberg lettuce into 4 wedges; place on plates and spoon dressing over. Top with bacon, 1/4 thinly sliced small red onion, and more crumbled blue cheese and chopped chives.

Serves 4.

Blueberry & Blue Cheese Salad

I love fruit with greens! This is a great little salad.

Ingredients:
2 TBSP balsamic
1 TBSP blueberry preserves
1 tsp Dijon
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 TBSP olive oil
5 oz baby spinach
4 oz blueberries
1/4 c slivered almonds
1/4 c crumbles blue cheese

Combine balsamic, preserves, Dijon, oil & salt & pepper in a jar, shake to combine.

Toss spinach with dressing toss with blues, cheese and nuts.

Serves 4.

Pear & Duck Salad

Costco sells a great Duck Confit – just heat and serve! This is a wonderful salad I found on Epicurious. It comes together super quick so it is great for lunch or weeknight meal.

Ingredients:
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 TBSP Sherry vinegar
4 TBSP olive oil
1 shallot
1/2 c pecans, coarsely chopped, toasted
2 confit duck legs
2 firm-ripe pears
8 c mixed greens
2 ozs crumbled blue cheese

Preheat oven to 425.

In a small food processor, chop shallots, add mustard, vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper.

Heat duck for 15 – 20 minutes until skin crisps.

Halve and core pears and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Add pears, greens, duck, cheese, and nuts to dressing with salt and pepper to taste, then toss gently to combine.

Serves 2.

Pulled Buffalo Chicken

1 1/2 lb boneless chicken breast
1/2 c hot wing sauce
2/3 c water or chicken stock
Salt & pepper

Blue Cheese Dressing:
1/3 c buttermilk
1/3 c sour cream, far free
1/3 c blue cheese, crumbled
2 TBSP lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Coat slow cooker or pan with non stick spray. Place chicken in a single layer. Cover with Wing sauce and water. Cover with a lid and cook on low for 8 hours in slow cooker. If cooking on stove cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and summer covered until it is easily pulled apart, about 2 hours. Shrewd with forks.

For dressing: combine all ingredients in a blender and purée.

Serve on greens or a roll with dressing.

8 servings.
4 WW PP per serving.