Spring Salad Balsamic Vinaigrette

For my son's 5th birthday in December last year, I made a salad to go with the homemade pizza.  The salad was sort of like a salad my sister-in-law Kandi made for family holiday dinner's.  Our friend Carmen asked me for the recipe.  I told her I would be posting it, and here we are months later.  I'm sorry Carmen, this took way too long to post.  This salad even won over her husband Tom, go figure! If you happen to be like my friend Angela, and love salads, then this is for you. 

 If you like salad, and your into everything in your salad, this will fit the bill nicely.

Brown Sugar Pecans Ingredients

1 cup raw Pecans

3 tablespoons Butter

1/2 brown Sugar

 Place a medium size skillet over medium heat.  Add butter to pan and allow to melt.

 Add brown sugar to butter and stir.

 Allow butter and sugar to melt and bubble.

 Place pecans in pan with melted sugar.

Stir pecans until coated and shining.  Allow to cook for a couple of minutes.
Be careful they will burn.

Pour pecans on a piece of parchment paper on the counter to cool.  Break up when cool.

Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients

2 tablespoons Honey 
1 tablespoon Spicy Brown Mustard 
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt 
1/2 teaspoon freshly crushed Black Pepper
1 large crushed Garlic Clove
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar 
3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

 Place all ingredients in a pint size mason jar with lid and ring screwed on.
Shake the jar to combine.

Spring Salad Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients

Brown Sugar Pecans
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Spring Salad Greens
1/2 cup dried Cranberries
1/4 cup Feta

Rinse and dry spring salad and place in a large bowl.  Add pecans, cranberries,
and crumbled feta.  Toss with Balsamic Vinaigrette.   Add as much you prefer.

Serve with pizza or any other entree.  

Enjoy!

Brown Sugar Pecans Ingredients

1 cup raw Pecans

3 tablespoons Butter

1/2 brown Sugar

Process

Place a medium size skillet over medium heat.  Add butter to pan and allow to melt.

Add brown sugar to butter and stir.

Allow butter and sugar to melt and bubble.

Place pecans in pan with melted sugar.

Stir pecans until coated and shining.  Allow to cook for a couple of minutes.  Be careful they will burn.

Pour pecans on a piece of parchment paper on the counter to cool.  Break up when cool.

Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients

2 tablespoons Honey 
1 tablespoon Spicy Brown Mustard 
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt 
1/2 teaspoon freshly crushed Black Pepper
1 large crushed Garlic Clove
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar 
3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Process

Place all ingredients in a pint size mason jar with lid and ring screwed on.  Shake the jar to combine.

Spring Salad Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients

Brown Sugar Pecans
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Spring Salad Greens
1/2 cup dried Cranberries
1/4 cup Feta

Rinse and dry spring salad and place in a large bowl.  Add pecans, cranberries, and crumbled feta.

Toss with Balsamic Vinaigrette, add as much you prefer. Serve with favorite entree.

Enjoy!

Lemon Feta Skillet Potatoes

As the butcher pointed out, my lamb needed to be served with potatoes.  I didn't want just any potatoes. I wanted something Greek. I Googled Greek potatoes and found lemon and feta were a popular combination for Greek potatoes.  I didn't have an oven to roast my potatoes, so I used my cast iron skillet and chose a more American style preparation for the potatoes. Oh, and good news, these potatoes didn't have a stow away rock friend.

See the potatoes to the right?  I have seen the light.  Feta and lemon together make potatoes
so delicious.  Join me and come towards the light.

 Ingredients for this recipe are: Eastern or Red Potatoes (I figured one per person, with two extra),
2 lemons, 6 large cloves or 12 small cloves of garlic, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons
coarse sea salt (not pictured), and Feta.

 Peel out yellow layer of lemon and blend with salt until the salt is yellow.

 Sift salt into bowl, leaving lemon peel in the sieve.  Squeeze lemon through the sieve. This
catches the seeds for you.

 Add olive oil to lemon mixture in bowl and whisk.  Clean potatoes and cut into 1 inch pieces.
 Toss potatoes with lemon mixture. 

Preheat 12 inch cast iron skillet on high for 5 minutes and reduce burner to medium.

Add potatoes and lemon mixture to pan.   Stir and cover until potatoes are soft.  Remove lid
and brown potatoes.  Using a fork, separate Feta into chunks and serve over potatoes.

Enjoy!