These colorful salad cups dazzle the eyes (and taste buds)

Seldom have I prepared a dish so colorful. These Colorful Turkey Salad Cups were just filled with good, healthy little bites that made a beautiful dish as well.

Who could argue with ingredients such as mango, avocado, cucumber, red pepper, red onion, and toasted pecans, all tossed with a light dressing of a cranberry sauce/sugar-free orange marmalade mixture? Truly healthy; truly attention-grabbing. Hubby kept asking, “Nothing unhealthy about this, right?” (I think he just wanted permission to have another serving.)

Again, without chopped cooked turkey on hand, I subbed cooked chicken for it. The recipe called for hoisin sauce, to be purchased in the Oriental section of a traditional grocery, but I skipped this step (didn’t have this ingredient) and instead subbed about 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce. One more sub: spinach leaves for Bibb lettuce. Any time I can work a little spinach, because of its health benefits, into a recipe, I try to do so.

This was a goodie for us! We cleaned up the last morsel yesterday after several days of storing the mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator—a wonderful salad that (like the rest of us!) only improves with age.

Colorful Turkey Salad Cups

1/2 cup jellied cranberry sauce

2 tablespoons orange marmalade (I used sugar-free.)

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce (I used soy sauce.)

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

3 cups cubed cooked turkey (I subbed cooked chicken.)

1 small sweet red pepper, chopped

1 small sweet onion, chopped

1/2 cup chopped seeded peeled cucumber

1 medium mango, peeled and chopped

1 medium avocado, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger

12 Bibb lettuce leaves (I subbed fresh spinach leaves)

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

In a small saucepan combine the cranberry sauce, marmalade, hoisin sauce, and pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until blended. Stir occasionally. Cool. In a large bowl combine the turkey, red pepper, onion, cucumber, mango, avocado, pecans, ginger, and cranberry mixture. Spoon onto lettuce leaves; sprinkle with mint and basil. Refrigerate until you serve. Makes 6 servings. (Courtesy Tasteofhome.com).

"Fun-Fetti" should be the name of this great salad mix of turkey, rice, and veggies

I’m drawn to anything that has “Texas” in the title, so I loved finding this recipe for Texas Confetti Rice Salad. The flavors were South-of-the-Border; the cook who submitted the recipe to the cookbook hailed from the Lone Star; and the salad was as colorful and diverse as is our great state, so guess that explains the name.

The recipe was designed as a way to use leftover turkey (I subbed chicken); its other contents were a healthy combo—fresh tomatoes, fresh corn, green pepper, red onion, cilantro, avocado. And so pretty in the bowl! This would be a knockout on a buffet table, for sure.

Other than the time required for chopping all those ingredients, this is a quick-fix side dish that you’ll rave about for many a day!

Texas Confetti Rice Salad

2 cans (14 1/2-ounces each) chicken broth

2 cups uncooked long grain rice

1/2 cup water

4 cups cubed cooked turkey (or chicken)

4 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2 cups fresh or frozen corn, thawed

1 large green pepper, chopped

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 cup olive oil

1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 medium-ripe avocado, peeled and cubed

In a large saucepan bring the broth, rice, and water to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Transfer to a large bowl; cool completely. Stir in turkey, tomatoes, corn, green pepper, and onion. In a small bowl whisk the oil, cilantro, green chilies, vinegar, lime juice, mustard, cumin, garlic powder, and pepper flakes. Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat. Chill until you serve. Just before you serve, stir in the avocado. Makes 12 servings. (Recipe courtesy Taste of Home Thanksgiving Recipe Cards.)

Clever Brussels Sprout Salad akin to coleslaw but with crunchy nuts topping it

Next item on the Hubby Whirlwind Birthday “Season” of recipes: Brussels Sprout Salad. Earlier I mentioned that instead of tossing a giant party with a big cake and lots of eats, we were spreading out the joy for his milestone birthday, which actually is on the calendar this week. An earlier blog mentioned the Maple-Roasted Pineapple, which kicked off his season of birthday treats.

This next one I knew he’d like because it originated with the Chickasaw Nutrition Services—and he is a Chickasaw through and through (and a very proud one after The Dallas Morning News on Sunday ran a front-page story on the tribe’s development, particularly in the area of health services).

As usual, when I prepare recipes from this source, I couldn’t imagine exactly how things were going to turn out, although I had high hopes. I’m not sure I ever had eaten Brussels Sprouts in any other way except boiled and warm. This recipe called for the Brussels Sprouts (or “scared cabbage”, as my dad used to joke and call them) to be sliced thin and served uncooked.

Ultimately the outcome resembled something akin to coleslaw. The Brussels Sprouts tossed with fresh parsley and sunflower seeds was a delicious combination, especially with the oil/vinegar/honey dressing over it. I served this with another planned treat, Gouda Grits, which originated with a recipe from Southern Living magazine. Hubby said to fix again even after the birthday observance is history—a good sign it was a fitting choice.

Brussels Sprout Salad

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons white vinegar

2 garlic cloves, skinned and crushed

1 tablespoon honey

salt (or salt substitute) and pepper to taste

1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and sliced

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1/3 cup shelled sunflower seeds

Put the oil, vinegar, garlic, and honey in a bowl; whisk mixture until smooth. Put the spouts and parsley in a large bowl; add the dressing and half of the sunflower seeds. Mix well. Sprinkle the remaining sunflower seeds over the top of the salad. Serve. Makes 4 servings

Cornbread croutons, veggies give this quintessential Southern dish new twist

What could be more Southern than cornbread? A recent issue of Southern Living magazine featured a variety of quintessential recipes (such as cornbread, grits, collards, and shrimp jambalaya) highly identified with our region of the country. The magazine gave each of them a new twist to make them more appealing to today’s lighter palate.

One that caught my eye and immediately went into the “must-try” category was Panzanella Salad with Cornbread Croutons. I have been the Cornbread Queen ever since my first cookbook, Way Back in the Country, was released some years back and I traipsed from TV station to TV station in the promotion of it. During this interesting time I had to learn a new skill: preparing food under the glare of TV cameras. The programming person at each TV station requested that I make Golden Cornbread, one of my family’s staple recipes. I can’t tell you how many batches of cornbread I whipped up for the TV lights so I would have the finished product on display while I stirred up a demo batch.

As a result of this blitz I grew to the point at which I could make cornbread in my sleep. So, to get this new recipe started, I tested myself to see whether I could remember the oft-baked Golden Cornbread Recipe (find it on page 23 of my cookook, Way Back in the Country) by heart. Once I baked a pan of it and let it cool completely, I cut up the cornbread into the 1-inch cubes that this recipe required and then toasted these cubes briefly in the oven so their edges would be brown and crouton-like.

From the garden the recipe called for red onion, a yellow bell pepper, tomatoes, and cucumber. How I look forward to some of those items being abundantly arrayed in my own garden a few weeks hence! (The tomato crop looks as though it will be particularly vast. As I gaze out my patio door, I see row after row of Hubby’s tomato stakes gleaming in the sun.)

We loved the honey-and-lemon vinaigrette that tied this unusual mixture together and gave it a slight Italian accent. I forgot to say that besides the other items in this somewhat unorthodox combination, the recipe also called for Hubby’s favorite condiment—black olives. I’ve always read that cornbread salad is a guy thing and that the heartiness of it makes it a man favorite. Truly, Panzanella Salad with Cornbread Croutons was a Hubby-pleaser through and through.

Panzanella Salad with Cornbread Croutons

One pan cornbread (made from your favorite recipe), cooled completely

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

1 small red onion, diced

1/2 cup olive oil, divided

2 teaspoons lemon zest

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon honey

salt (or salt substitute) and pepper, to taste

3 Roma tomatoes, diced

1/2 cucumber, quartered and sliced

1/2 cup black olives, sliced

1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut cornbread into 1-inch cubes. Bake in a single layer on a lightly greased cookie sheet 15 minutes or until edges are golden. Stir halfway through. Meanwhile saute bell pepper and onion in 1 tablespoon hot olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until pepper and onion are crisp-tender. In a large bowl whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, remaining 7 tablespoons olive oil, and salt and pepper. Stir in onion mixture, tomatoes, and next 3 ingredients. Add toasted cornbread cubes and toss to coat. Serve immediately. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

With "spring" in the title, recipe just has to bring about something good

The title that included the magic word “spring” couldn't help draw me to the recipe. I mean, who can avoid getting spring fever on these recently gorgeous days we've experienced in our part of the Long Star State? Any food item that seems to move us a little further along in the leave-taking of winter just has to be yummy, I reckoned.

Crunchy Asian Spring Salad was just that. Colorful, healthy, different, but beyond all that, it used two green onions from our soon-to-be garden. Onion shoots stand like green sentinels above the soil as we gaze out the patio door onto our little spot of nature. Some day soon, the growth beneath the ground will be bulbous and ready to keep us in onions throughout the summer. For now, though, we pluck a few of the startlings to spice up this tasty spectacle of color and health.

The light toasted sesame dressing was a wonderful pull-together for this assorted veggie toss. Chow mein noodles added the crunch. This weekend hubby and I enjoyed this springtime feast as we sat on the deck of our outdoor living area attached to our RV at the lake. We took a lunch break from spring-cleaning the RV and its environs and marveled that time for these spring-prep errands had rolled around again. Boy, were we ready to sit outdoors and bask in the breeze from the lake—while we dined on this splendid accompaniment.

Crunchy Asian Spring Salad

4 cups spinach leaves, torn

1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1 cup carrots, cut into thin matchsticks

2 green onions, chopped

2 cups red cabbage, roughly chopped

1 cup snow peas, halved

1/2 cup Asian toasted sesame dressing, light

1/2 cup chow mein noodles

In a large bowl combine first six ingredients. Add dressing and toss to coat. Top with chow mein noodles. Chill until ready to serve. Makes 8 1-cup servings.

Hairdresser-tested recipe for Mexican Salad a real bonanza of freshness

If you want to know something, ask a hairdresser.

For years I've lived by this maxim. Hairdressers are walking encyclopedias for all that lives and breathes. Their vast degree of social contact gives them, on a daily basis, access to more information than the average individual would collect in a lifetime of living.

Our daughter was fortunate to marry well in this regard. Not only did she get a special, devoted hubby, she also acquired a mother-in-law who is a hairstylist (and a very nice person, to boot). My daughter's hair always looks bandbox-perfect as a result of this fortunate connection.

Recently my daughter's mother-in-law shared with me this recipe for Mexican Salad; around the salon she'd picked up the instructions for this new dish. Wow, was I glad I knew a hairdresser after I tried this recipe! Debbie was absolutely correct in believing this one would be up my alley because of its fresh ingredients. With the fiber-ific properties of beans getting higher kudos by the day, this recipe has the double benefit of containing both black beans and blackeyed peas, with a little corn tossed in for added measure. Green onions, cilantro, tomatoes, and celery (the latter addition drawing a big smile from Hubby, since he's mad about celery these days) add to the health plusses of this flavorful mixture.

Letting the ingredients marinate for at least four hours (or better, overnight) is crucial to the success of this dish. Stirring it frequently to make sure all the liquid is mixed in is a must. Actually I ended up doubling the recipe for the marinade to be sure the dressing had enough moisture, but if I had been more vigilant about tossing it frequently, I probably didn't need to increase the liquid and could have stuck with what the recipe below specifies.

I garnished the finished product with a cut-up avocado and served it with tortilla chips. Hubby kept returning again and again for just a few more morsels of the salad. I was extremely thankful to have this hairdresser-tested recipe, which, as most women know, is just about the best recommendation a dish could have!

Mexican Salad

1 14-oz. package slaw

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

1-2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can blackeyed peas, drained and rinsed

1 (12-15 ounce) bag frozen corn (or 2 cups fresh corn cut from the cob)

2-3 chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitute)

avocado for garnish, if desired

In a large bowl mix and toss the first nine ingredients. In a small saucepan mix vinegar and sugar; boil and let cool. Toss the dressing with the salad mixture. Allow to marinate for 4 hours or overnight. Garnish with avocado, if desired. Makes 8 servings.

Earthy Cauliflower Salad helps get us through completing our quilt projects

Well, we did it—had the party to finish our quilts. In a previous blog I mentioned baking Cranberry-Chocolate Chip Cookies for the occasion this past weekend in which my quilting class from December was to meet at my house to finish our projects and have a “ladies’ lunch” as we stitched and gabbed.

The cookies were a big success. So was the Earthy Cauliflower Salad that I prepared for the luncheon and served alongside Spicy Ham and Collard Greens Quiche (see tomorrow’s blog for that recipe.) Earthy Cauliflower Salad is an interesting blend of fresh cauliflower, fresh mushrooms, pimiento, and onion. It was marinated overnight in an interesting mustard-based dressing. Very unusual; very good.

We dined on pink and green luncheon plates and used pink napkins to match the pink-and-green decor of my sewing room, which is amply spacious and has room for a little bistro table and chairs and a small kitchenette area with a microwave. These were my first guests in my “garret” (so named for Jo’s “garret”, or creative area, in the book, Little Women) since Hubby refurbished it for me out of a former dank warehouse area in our back yard.

After we dined, we got the sewing machines cranking and finished our current projects. Mine was a blue-and-white table runner in the "Bear Paw" pattern—now complete except for sewing the border around it.

Then I'll have two wonderful souvenirs of our time together—my Bear Paw table-topper and the recipe for Earthy Cauliflower Salad.

Earthy Cauliflower Salad

1/4 pound button mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 lemon

1 small cauliflower head, broken into florets

2 onions, finely chopped

salt and pepper

paprika (optional)

Dressing:

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons vinegar

1 teaspoon prepared mustard

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon honey

Put the oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic powder, and honey into a screw-top jar. In a large bowl sprinkle the mushrooms with the lemon juice; toss. Add cauliflower and onion, toss. Add salt and pepper to taste. Shake dressing well to blend before you pour it over the vegetables. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. (Also can marinate several hours or overnight.) Sprinkle with paprika and serve. Makes 6 servings.