Earth Day Salad

 Happy Earth Day all!

For Earth Day, I decided to eat vegetarian this weekend and make a salad for dinner.

This salad is perfect for Earth Day, a light lunch, for dinner or anytime.

I used baby spinach but you can use what leafy greens you like instead.

I’ve used a clean dish towel to pat dry spinach, but you can use a salad spinner to dry spinach if preferred instead.

I’ve used almonds, but you can omit almonds if there’s a nut allergy.

I also used feta cheese but you can use bleu cheese if preferred instead.

2 - 3 c. baby spinach

1 onion sliced

1 cucumber sliced

1/3 - 1/2 c. each: feta cheese, fresh blueberries, toasted almonds (optional)

1/4 c. sunflower seeds

Rinse blueberries in a clean colander, set aside to drain.

Rinse, snip ends off and pat dry spinach.

Peel, rinse, slice onion.

Rinse, cut ends of, slice cucumber.

In a clean salad bowl, place spinach.

Arrange vegetables on top of spinach.

Top salad with the blueberries, cheese and almonds.

Sprinkle sunflower seeds on top of salad.

Serves 4.

Chicken Lyon

 This was inspired by a dish they served on the Titanic to 1st.  class passengers.

You don’t have to be on a ship to enjoy this.

1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/4 tsp each: salt, pepper, dried parsley

1 - 2 T. each: olive oil, butter

1/3 c. each: chicken stock (low sodium), dry white wine
1 clove garlic, crushed and chopped
1/2 tsp. each: white vinegar,  cornstarch 

1 onion sliced into strips 

Peel, rinse, chop onions and garlic. 

Heat skillet to medium high heat.

Lower heat to medium, add butter and oil. 

Add chicken to pan. 

Sprinkle salt pepper, parsley on both sides of chicken and cook on 1 side for 7 - 10 min or until done.

 Flip over and cook chicken on other side 7 - 10 min or until done.

 Remove chicken from skillet and place on serving plate to let rest.

In a measuring cup, combine chicken broth and cornstarch. 

Mix with a clean fork until cornstarch is dissolved.

Reduce heat to medium low, add onions, garlic and sauté onions for a few minutes.

Very carefully add wine, use a clean whisk to to stir and let wine reduce. 

Add chicken broth mixture and vinegar.

Stir sauce with whisk for 5 - 8 min or until reduced.  

Spoon reduced sauce over chicken.


Serves 4 

Opening Day Caramel Corn

 It’s the Tigers home opener this week.

This is great while watching the game or anytime.

Enjoy!

5 - 6 qt. pre popped popcorn

2 c. brown sugar packed

1/2 c. white corn syrup 

1 c. (2 sticks) butter

1 tsp. each: salt, baking soda, vanilla extract 

Preheat oven to 250’ F.

Pop popcorn and place popped popcorn in a roasting pan, set aside.

Heat pot over medium heat. 

Add brown sugar, butter and corn syrup to pan. 

Bring pan to a boil for 5 min., make sure to stir.

Remove from heat: add salt, vanilla and baking soda.

Pour mixture over the popcorn and stir to coat well.

Place roaring pan in oven.

Bake for 40 min or until done, stir a few times.

When finished cooking, remove popcorn carefully from oven and place on counter to cool. 

Serves 10.