Keep your Feet in the Street

Cindy Ruth's recipe was a big hit at my house. I think we would have loved it even more if we had a better quality of lettuce--that was the weakest link, here. I did leave out the anchovies for Ken, and also I didn't find the paste anywhere. But the lemony dressing was wonderful without them! It's been a really long time since I did homemade croutons and we loved them--nice and garlicky.

Here's the recipe:

GRILLED ROMAINE SALAD Serves 4
2 heads romaine lettuce
Extra-virgin olive oil
Citrus Caesar Vinaigrette, recipe below
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Chopped tomatoes
Homemade croutons, if desired

CITRUS CAESAR VINAIGRETTE
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons anchovy paste
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Place all ingredients in a pint jar with a lid. Secure the lid, then shake to blend. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week.

We also ate a chicken breast with a little mushroom sauce and some squash, onions and red peppers with herbs.

Ken said it was too much food--after he cleaned his plate, totally. But I thought it was a really nice meal.

Thanks Cindy Ruth for the fresh take on our salads.

On the road to the Piano Grande, Umbria/Le Marche, Italy.
Doesn't the snow look just like cream dripping from the mountain tops?

This terrific recipe came from Deborah. It is very fresh tasting and would be a perfect side dish for any grilled meat or fish.

I got this recipe on the internet a few years ago. Unfortunately, I can't remember where in order to give proper credit.

This makes a pretty big batch, so you might want to halve it.

My picture came out out of focus so I'm not posting it, but the salad looks very pretty with the flecks of red, green yellow and orange. I didn't use sunflower seeds but substituted some toasted, chopped cashews and they worked well. I loved the little bit of orange peel, brightening it up. I think I may use more next time. For the corn, I toasted the thawed frozen corn in a skillet, like we did once before for one of Jerry's soup recipes (I think it was his??) and it gave the corn a nice flavor and a little bit more texture.

I am quite sure I will be making this one again. Perfect for a covered dish meeting.

I took this shot in Genoa, July 2008, for my friend Teresa who actually teaches Kids Yoga, here in Tallahassee.

Kim, who is a great screener of Cooking Light recipes, posted this week's main dish salad.

Fajita Salad with Creamy Cilantro-Lime Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound skinned, boned chicken breast, cut into thin strips
Cooking spray
6 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1 1/3 cups thinly sliced green bell pepper rings
1 cup sliced red onion, separated into rings
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese
2 tablespoons sliced ripe olives
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium tomato, cut into 8 wedges
Creamy Cilantro-Lime Sauce

Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add chicken; toss to coat. Place a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat until hot. Add chicken mixture; sauté 8 minutes or until chicken is done. Set aside.

Divide lettuce and next 6 ingredients (lettuce through tomato) among 4 bowls; top with chicken mixture. Serve with Creamy Cilantro-Lime Sauce.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 serving salad, 3 ounces chicken, and 1/3 cup sauce)

CALORIES 520 (38% from fat); FAT 21.9g (sat 6g,mono 6.8g,poly 6g); IRON 5.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 101mg; CALCIUM 360mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34.7g; SODIUM 1061mg; PROTEIN 3.6g; FIBER 6.6g

Creamy Cilantro-Lime Sauce

This recipe goes with Fajita Salad with Creamy Cilantro-Lime Sauce

1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/3 cup skim milk
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 large garlic cloves, minced

Combine all ingredients, and stir well with a whisk. Cover sauce, and chill.

Yield: 1 1/3 cups (serving size: 1/3 cup)

CALORIES 113 (65% from fat); FAT 8.1g (sat 1.2g,mono 2.4g,poly 4.2g); IRON 0.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 10mg; CALCIUM 32mg; CARBOHYDRATE 6.6g; SODIUM 254mg; PROTEIN 3.2g; FIBER 0.1g

Ken and I loved it! With a nice side of Indian nan and some Chateau St. Jean Fume Blanc, it made a wonderful summer supper.

I am not a big olive fan, so I skipped them. I did cook the onions and peppers (half a red and half a green) in some olive oil, with a little bit of diced fresh jalapeno. Then I tossed them back into the cooked chicken and put them, quite warm, onto the greens and beans. The cheese got soft on top from the heat.
I loved the creamy sauce/dressing. Have to admit I used sour half and half and regulation mayo so the calorie count went up.

Thanks Kim for the tasty meal.