Salads

Super Good, Southern Potato Salad

March 17, 2019 by Becky Spoon

If you grew up in the South as I did, every picnic, family reunion, or Church potluck, there would be Fried Chicken, potato salad and baked beans. Oh yes, I forgot about the 4th of July!

There were mustardy potato salads, salads with just mayonnaise, salads with whipped potatoes or a little chunky like mine. I used russets, but sometimes I use red potatoes or Yukon golds and I don’t always remove the skins when using the red or gold.

I still make potato salad like I had growing up and I always have it with BBQ. It just seems mandatory! Every BBQ joint in Texas will serve potato salad as a side dish.

Super Good, Southern Potato Salad

Other than this recipe German Potato Salad is great! I don’t have a recipe on my blog yet for the German style but here is a link that sounds delicious: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/german-potato-salad

This recipe is crunchy from all the added vegetables, creamy from warm potatoes mixed with mayonnaise and a little mustardy from added yellow mustard, I love this recipe. It is sweet and sour from sweet and dill relish and a little spicy from Louisiana Hot Sauce. I love that part!

This is the perfect side dish for my Crockpot Pulled Pork: https://the2spoons.com/next-best-thing-to-smoked-crockpot-pulled-pork/

Hope you like this recipe as much as we do!

Southern Potato Salad

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

2 Large Baking Potatoes diced (I used the really big russet baking potatoes, if you don’t have use 4 medium)
3 hard boiled eggs
2-3 tbsps red wine vinegar for drizzling over the potatoes while still hot
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
3 green onions, tops and bottoms
1/2 cup celery, diced
2 3/4 oz jar pimento
2-3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup dill relish or dill pickles chopped
1/2 cup sweet relish
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp pepper
salt to tast
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1 tsp Louisiana hot sauce or other hot sauce of your choice
1/2 cup mayonaise
paprika for garnish

Method

Dice the potatoes and boil them in salted water until fork tender. While the potatoes are boiling, cook your eggs to a hard boil by placing them in cold water, bringing up to a boil, lowering the heat to medium-high and cooking for 10 minutes after they begin to boil. After 10 minutes, drain and place in ice cold water. Peel your eggs, dice or chop and set aside.
When your potatoes are fork tender, not mushy, drain and place in the bowl you will be mixing your ingredients. Douse with 2 or 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar while they are still hot and toss with a couple of spoons or your hands. This just adds to your flavor and you are starting with a flavorful potato before you add the other ingredients. You don’t want too much so 2-3 tablespoons just depend on your amount of potatoes.
Add all of your ingredients except for the mayonnaise. Toss and check for seasoning. Add a little salt and pepper if you need. I say salt to taste because you are adding celery salt, so you don’t want to add salt until ingredients are combined and you taste before adding more.
Now add your mayonnaise, starting with 1/2 cup. Add more as needed or until you reach your desired creaminess. Place in a serving bowl and garnish with a little paprika.

Crockpot Pulled Pork — Southern Potato Salad

My Popular, Italian Salad with Lemon & Olive Oil Vinaigrette

March 15, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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Italian Salad with Lemon and Olive Oil Vinaigrette is a favorite in the Spoon household. It’s my go to when having guest and I want to add an easy delicious salad! And, everyone loves it!

Light and fresh from the lemon, this salad is a great addition to almost any meal!

I used mixed greens in this recipe today. I like the different textures and colors; however, romaine is always perfect for the salad.

This is like a green salad and an antipasto all in one, which I love. You could add salami, ham, peparoni, along with big chunks of mozzarella or other cheese. Grilled chicken or shrimp would be delicious. Pepperoncini would add a tartness, and toppings like croutons or nuts would add a crunch!

Greens for my Italian salad with Lemon & olive oil Vinaigrette

You could easily substitute the lettuce for pasta in this salad and have a completely different salad for even a main dish. Here’s a link to give you some ideas of pastas to use in a a salad: https://www.thekitchn.com/the-best-pasta-for-pasta-salads-ingredient-intelligence-205203

My Popular, Italian Salad with Lemon & Olive Oil Vinaigrette

When my oldest son was growing up, I’d make a salad for him with iceberg lettuce, onion slivers, olives and I would top it with red wine vinegar, oil, and parmesan cheese, the kind in the can. I would add salt and pepper and adjust the oil and vinegar to get the right taste I wanted. He absolutely loved it.

Well, later as we grew older, I learned to class it up a little, lol! I started making the salad with chopped romaine, tomatoes, green onions, avocados, different types of olives, sometimes I’d add capers or artichokes, you know a lot of those delicious foods to make a terrific Italian Salad.

I started making the dressing separate combining olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper and either Parmesan, Asiago cheese or pecorino Romano in one jar for a great dressing. Here’s the link for the salad dressing which is also included in the recipe: http//://www.the2spoons.com/delicious-lemon-olive-oil-vinaigrette/

Italian Salad with Lemon and Olive Oil Vi aigrette

Here’s the easy recipe! Enjoy! Hope you love it as much as we do!

Italian Salad with Lemon & Olive Oil Vinaigrette

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Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

Romaine Lettuce, sliced into 1 inch pieces or a Bagged Spring Mix
English Cucumber, thin slices
Tomatoes, diced
Green onions, sliced
Avocado, cubed
Kalamata olives, sliced
Other salad items of your choice
My lemon and olive oil dressing ( https://the2spoons.com/lemon-olive-oil-vinaigrette/)

Method

I didn’t give amounts because of course, that depends on how many servings you are making. Also, I used a bag of Spring Mix because I needed to but normally I would use Romaine hearts, either work well.

Colorful, Spinach and Berries Salad with Dill

March 13, 2019 by Becky Spoon

Not only is this Spinach and Berries Salad with Dill beautiful, but it is also absolutely delicious. I have made it for years and everyone who tries it loves it! Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, toasted almonds, fresh spinach, fresh dill, and soft lettuce….what is there not to love?

I served the salad the other day for a family gathering with my easy Broccoli and Cheese soup, with other dishes my sisters brought like my Avocado and Poached Salmon toast, a delicious chicken salad, and a beautiful sliced deli meats and cheese board with fresh loaves of bread and condiments. This menu worked so well with the salad. Here is the link for my soup recipe: https://the2spoons.com/best-4-ingredient-broccoli-cheese-soup/ and the Avocado Toast with Poached Salmon: http://www.the2spoons.com/avocado-toast-with-poached-salmon/

Colorful, Spinach and Berries Salad with Dill

I originally got this recipe from the cookbook “Colorado Colore A Palate of Tastes” by the Junior League of Denver. https://barnesandnoble.com/w/colorado-colore-junior-league-denver/…

The original recipe calls for Butterhead lettuce which I can’t always find so I substituted red leafy lettuce which adds even more color. You just want soft lettuce and not a crunchy lettuce like iceberg or romaine. The recipe makes a lot of the vinaigrette so be sure and store it to use on other salads. It is a delicious vinaigrette. I’d use it on an Antipasto Salad or you could use it as a marinade for fish or chicken.

Besides the options I gave previously to serve with the salad I think it would be a beautiful side dish to a lovely piece of salmon, a roasted chicken, or even a grilled steak.

Want another delicious salad recipe?

Here’s the complete recipe! You will love it!A Classic – Beautiful Caesar Salad

Caesar Salad with Homemade Croutons and Dressing

Here’s the recipe for this delicious Berry Salad:

Spinach and Berries Salad with Dill

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Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

Red Wine Vinaigrette

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp onion powder

Salad

1 cup slivered almonds
1 lb baby spinach leaves
1 lb butter lettuce or a soft leafy lettuce I have used a red leaf and it’s beautiful with the berries
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 pint fresh raspberries
1/2 pint fresh blueberries
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill weed

Method

For the Vinaigrette

Combine the olive oil, vinegar, sugar, garlic, salt, pepper, dry mustard and onion powder in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake to mix. If you are not using right away, chill until serving; however, I always bring it to room temperature before using.

For the Salad

Spread the almonds on a baking sheet. Toast at 350 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown, stirring after 3 to 4 minutes. let stand until cool. Toss the almonds, spinach, lettuce, green onions, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and dill weed in a large salad bowl. Add the vinaigrette just before serving and toss to coat.