Avacado Honey Lime Dessing with Southwest Salad

A week ago I ran across a recipe for a southwest  avacado salad with a honey lime dressing.  I added it to my mental list of recipes for the week's menu and then was never able to find the recipe again.  I was fine on making a southwest style salad, but I really wanted the dressing recipe.

Since I couldn't find it, I made one up.  My salad skipped the avacados because Jack doesn't like them except in guacamole, but I instead added the avacados to the dressing.

Avacado Honey Lime Dressing -

Combine ingredients in a blender or food processor.
1 avacado, peeled and seeded
1/4 cup of honey
Juice of 2 limes
2 tbsp of sour cream
2 tbsp of red wine vinegar
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp of ground red pepper

I started with this and ended up adding a bit more red pepper, honey, lime juice and vinegar until I had the taste I wanted.  It was very thick, almost the texture of mousse, but worked very well when tossed into my salad.  If I had any cilantro, I would have added it to either the dressing or the salad.  As it was, the flavor was light with a bit of spice and sweet balanced with tangy lime with a hint of avacado in the background.

The rest of the salad was romaine and green lead lettuce, grilled corn and red bell pepper, green onions, rinsed black beans, diced tomato, and some grated sharp white cheddar.  I believe the original recipe called for queso fresco.  We had this with grilled steak, but it would be good just by itself.  By the way, Jack really liked this.

Cornbread Salad

**I would double this recipe for a Sunday lunch with my Wilson family or for a potluck, but I do realize that not everyone feeds a horde at every meal

1 8 x 8 pan of cornbread (can be made with white or yellow cornmeal)
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix ( make according to instructions)
1/2 cup finely sliced green onions
1/2 cup finely diced carrots
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup diced bell pepper (any color)
1 can sliced olives, drained
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 to 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

Crumble cornbread into a fine crumble  - no big chunks.  Combine crumbled cornbread with all the other ingredients except the dressing. Add about a third the dressing - mix everything together and continue adding dressing according to taste.  It should be moist but not wet.  I only use all the dressing if I make a double batch.  You are free to add more vegetables or substitute vegetables.  Chill for several hours or overnight before serving.

** If I double the recipe, I do not usually double the corn and usually only use about 1 1/2 cups of cheese.

Jo Wilson's Squash Casserole

Jo's Squash Casserole

1/3 diced onion
4 med yellow squash sliced thinly or diced small (about 4 cups)
salt/pepper
1 med tomato, diced
1 small Anaheim, hot banana, jalapeño (depending on how spicy you like things)
2 tbsp butter
1 can of fat free cream of chicken or mushroom soup OR make you own - *see recipe below*
1 cup of fat free half and half
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
homemade croutons - ** see recipe below **


In a large skillet or  Dutch oven, sautee onion and squash in 1 tbsp. butter - add salt and pepper to taste.  If you have a problem with butter, use a little cooking spray or olive oil.  If that little bit of butter is not enough to keep veggies from sticking to pan, add a little more or drizzle in some EVOO.  When squash is tender, add tomato, pepper, soup and half and half.  Simmer until thick and bubbly. Stir in cheese. If your pan is not oven safe, transfer to casserole dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.  Add croutons and bake for 5 more minutes.  Serve.

*Homemade cream soup:  melt 2 tbsp. of butter in a medium sauce pan or skillet.  Whisk in 4 tbsp. of flour and a dash of salt and pepper.  Brown for a minute.  Very gradually, whisk in 12 oz of evaporated milk or 1 1/2 cups of half and half.  You can use regular milk, skim, fat free half and half, etc, but it will be thicker and creamier if you use evaporated milk or regular half and half.   I usually opt for skim milk if I am making this just for my family, but splurge for company and potlucks. If you are making chicken soup, add in 2 tsp of granulated chicken bouillon dissolved with a bit of water.  You can also substitute some of the milk for chicken broth.  If making mushroom, add a bit of beef broth and some sautéed mushrooms.  Cook and stir until thick. 

**Homemade croutons:  melt 2 tbsp. of butter.  Add 1/4 tsp top 1/2 tsp of garlic powder and 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of onion powder and any other dried herbs of choice.  Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spay lightly with cooking spray.  Slice 4 to 5 thin pieces of bread.  Cube.  Pour onto baking sheet and toss with the butter.  Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 12 minutes or until toasted.

Cheese and Pepper Sandwiches

I cannot at all claim creativity for this recipe - it came out of a magazine, probably Cooking Light, years and years ago, so long ago I just know that Jack found the recipe.  It is one of those recipes that you make according to taste - i.e., a tomato does not get near Jack's, but overloads mine. Use as much or as little of each ingredient as you please.  These make a great meal alone or pair nicely with a light soup or salad.

French Rolls, Hoagie Rolls, Sub Sandwich Rolls  - I have even used sliced homemade bread
thinly sliced tomatoes
thinly sliced bell peppers - you pick the color
thinly sliced red onion
slices of sharp cheddar
slices of provolone
butter
Italian seasoning or some oregano and basil - fresh or dried
optional - red wine or balsamic vinegar
optional - sliced banana peppers

Open sub rolls.  Lightly butter each inside and sprinkle with herbs of choice.  Layer bell pepper, tomatoes, onion, banana pepper, provolone, and cheddar.  I try to alternate the cheese with the veggies - it holds together better. I also use two layers of pepper and one layer of everything else.  Put the top layer of bread on and wrap tightly in tinfoil.  Bake at 450 degress 15 to 20 minutes until bread is toasty and cheese is melted.  Cut in half and drizzle vinegar of choice on the inside. 

Pasta With Pan Roasted Garden Veggies

When I go out to eat, I am always analyzing the favors and textures so I can recreate and tweak it to our tastes when I get home.  Today's lunch is Johnny Carino's inspired and fulfilled by the bounty of my garden.

There aren't exact  measurements here - just approximations.

4 cups of cherry or plum tomatoes - rinsed, not cut up

1 med onion, large dice

1 tbs of garlic, minced

2 or 3 med red sweet Italian peppers ( approx 1 very full cup chopped)

1 med or large jar of marinated artichoke hearts - drained 

1/2 cup white wine

Fresh basil, thyme, oregano to taste

Fresh ground pepper

1 can sliced black olives - drained

Fresh Grated Parmesan - 1/4 to 1/2 cup to taste

Grilled chicken breasts 

Angel Hair Pasta -  we used a gluten free from Hodgson Mill

EVOO

yellow or zuchini squash

***the veggies could all be fire roasted on a grill, but I opted for the kitchen just because it was too hot to stand outside.  (Jacks note: fire roasted would have been killer.  Sun dried tomatoes would have been good, too.). If you grill them, just combine with wine and other ingredients and simmer for a few minutes before serving. 

Heat a large skillet to med-high.  Place tomatoes in skillet.  Turn as they begin to char a little.  When the skins split and they are about 1/3 charred, remove from skillet.  When cool, pulse in a food processor or roughly chop by hand.  You want something that is more diced than puréed.  Drain off juice.

Skillet may need rinsed if there are charred chunks of tomato stuck in it.

Add a drizzle of olive oil to skillet and return to med heat.  Add peppers, onions, and garlic.  Sauté.  Add a small handfull of chopped basil and a few sprigs of thyme and oregano.  Add white wine.  Add a bit of black pepper.   Roughly chop artichoke hearts and add to skillet.  Add olives and Parmesan.   Return tomatoes to skillet.  Bring to a simmer.  If it seems too dry, can add a little wine.

While this simmered for just a little bit - not long, perhaps 10 min, I grilled some chicken breasts that had marinated in white wine and herbs - any Italian type marinade would work.  I also added 2 yellow squash halves to the grill (drizzle with a bit of EVOO first).

While sauce simmers and chicken grills, cook pasta.

To serve, top pasta with chicken, sauce, and some of the squash that has been chopped.  Add a little Parmesan.

(Jacks note, again: I added fresh ground pepper.  Think some balsamic vinager could be used as well.)