Fresh Chopped Salad

Mix up the dressing in a glass bowl.  Whisk together, microwave for 20 seconds and whisk again so everything's well combined:

1/3-1/2c EVOO
2T fresh lemon juice
1/3-1/2c white balsamic vinegar
2 lg. finely minced garlic cloves
salt, pepper and Southwest Chipotle seasoning

 

To the bowl, add the following sliced vegetables, mixing well to coat everything with dressing:

Brunch: Egg, Salad, Mango-Chili Goat Cheese & Crackers

1 sm. celery heart with tops
3 mini English cucumbers
1 med. Vidalia onion
1 med. peeled tomato
1 yellow or orange mini pepper

Chill salad for an hour to blend flavors. Top with sliced avocados to garnish before serving.  This is a wonderful, cooling, summer salad. . .Lin

A Big Fresh Summer Salad

After a bowl of my Lemon Chicken Rice Soup and some of the Focaccia I made today, for lunch, a big salad sounded just perfect. I grew red romaine and three types of basil plus a couple other vegetables on my deck this year. Next year I hope to expand it and grow more.

This salad will have Genovese and Boxwood Basil. The Boxwood variety is a little milder. Genovese Basil is the one I think every home cook and Italian chef would choose if they could only have one variety. The leaves are a bright, shiny green, very tender and so full of beautiful flavor and scent! The vegetables here are red romaine, orange pepper, cucumber, the basils, tomato, mushrooms, avocado and sweet onion. Drizzle with your favorite citrus vinaigrette. 

I was going to make a layered salad, on a pretty glass plate, then I thought -hey- it's only me, this doesn't have to be fancy. A tossed salad is more efficient and easier to eat. Everything gets a light coating of dressing, just to highlight the fresh flavors. 

Crunch Away!  It's Summer-Salad-Time! . .Lin