I’ve been eating this salad every day for weeks! The pecans, the parmesan, the pears and the poppyseed (so many p’s!) all work together so well!

Poppyseed Dressing
3/4 c. sugar or Splenda
2/3 c. apple cider vinegar
2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. onion
2 tsp. dry mustard
2 tsp. salt
2 T. poppyseeds

Put everything into blender EXCEPT poppyseeds. Blend. Stir in poppyseeds after blended. Makes enough dressing for 4 or more exta large salads. Store in quart jar.

Pear and Spinach Salad
Spinach
Romaine Lettuce (half as much as spinach)
1/2 pkg. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 c. Craisins
1/2 c. almonds, slivered and sugared
Parmesan cheese, grated
Pears, cubed (add right before serving)
Avocado (optional)

Pour poppyseed dressing on just before serving.

Changes I made to dressing: No onion
Changes I made to salad: Pecans instread of almonds, no bacon, and I didn’t use avocado.

Every year, without fail, I go through my “salad phase” when the weather warms up. It’s all I want to have. From Greek to Caesar, I can’t get enough of vegetables+lettuce+dressing.  I’ve made this version of a vegetable salad several times over the past few weeks. Each time, I’m amazed at the simple mix of flavors. You can serve immediately, but it is just as good the next day. It takes less than 15 minutes to fully prepare (including slicing and dicing) and serves four as a side and two as a main course. I sometimes add cubed cheese or chicken if I need protein.

1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1/4 red onion
20 cherry tomatoes
1 corn (on cob)

1/4 c red wine or balsamic vinegar
1/4 c olive oil
1 t fresh lemon juice
1 t sugar

Dice the zucchini, squash and red onion. Halve the red tomatoes. Shuck husk and strip corn from cop. Mix the lemon juice, oil and vinegar together and then toss with vegetables. Salad is best served at room temperature.

Serves 4

Originally posted at Honeysuckle Life

Last week, I caught a NPR article on food trends in 2009.  The major trend forecast was that comfort food and casual dining would be king this year.  Their reasoning? With the economic downturn, eating at home and casual restaurants were becoming more popular. Cooking at home is typically cheaper, and bistros serve lower cost meals that are familiar and easy to eat. After hearing this, I started paying attention to magazine covers. A quick survey confirmed this theory as not just a few, but every cover had comfort, soul, money saving, leftovers, hearty, home, etc. or some derivation of this idea. Comfort and saving money is in. Luxury is out. Never one to buck the trend, and as a great lover of comfort foods in general, here are a few of my favorite go-to comfort foods:

1.  Grilled Cheese

{via Gourmet}

I might as well call this “old faithful.”  You don’t have to be an expert to make a grilled cheese.  It’s actually easier than making ramen.  Start with two buttered pieces of bread, your favorite cheese, and a grill pan heated to medium.  Slow heat is the best way to go with this standby.  Pair it with your favorite tomato soup, and you’re ready for a night of comfort.  Get fancy with Gruyere and crusty bread.  The variations are endless, and it is hard to make this taste bad.

2. Macaroni and Cheese

{via Seven Spoons}

I have to admit, this is one of my weaknesses. I’m a mac and cheese purist; no meat, chives or tomatoes.  Minced onion can be used in moderation. It must be creamy with a crispy crust. In an emergency situation, I will stoop to something out of a box. But only in an emergency.

3.  Pesto Pasta

{via Prevention}

Pesto has quickly become a staple in most pantries over the last five years.  Known for its abundance of flavor and ease of use, pesto pasta night tops my list.  Toast pine nuts, shred mozzarella and chop sun dried tomatoes for an easy and quick meal.  Add sliced grilled chicken for protein and you are good to go!

4. Blueberry Cobbler

{via Meme527}

My obsession with berry pies and cobblers started with a jumbleberry pie from Frontier Pies. Purchased several times a year for major holidays, I refused food just to have enough room for this delicacy.  Worth every minute you’ll spend putting this together, blueberry cobbler is never ever ever a bad idea.  Hate blueberries?  Make it peach.  Or raspberry.

5. Wedge Salad

{via Restaurant Widow}

Introduced to wedge salad at Brio (the very place where this pictures was taken) it is almost too easy to put on the list.  Perfect on those nights that don’t require a full meal.  Soak your iceberg in ice cold water during the day to make it much crisper.  Bolthouse Farms makes a lovely yogurt based bleu cheese dressing that tastes better than the real thing.  Go over budget on the cheese, every penny will be worth it.

There are a million and one recipes available online for every type of salad dressing you can imagine.  I love mixing and matching ingredients for that perfect flavor.  Here is my favorite recipe for a simple balsamic vinaigrette.

Ingredients
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar, optional*
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup olive oil

Directions
Place all the ingredients in a screw-top jar or dressing container and shake to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

*If using a good quality balsamic vinegar you should not need the sugar, but if using a lesser quality you might want the sugar to round out the dressing. (We added sugar the first time we made and it gave it a lightly sweet taste. If you want a tangier dressing, don’t add the sugar.)

I tossed this with a tomato, cucumber and onion salad.  It blended perfectly with the freshness of the veggies.

{source}