January: Salads

"If you could have one food for the rest of your life what would it be?" The right answer: Salad. I had a friend tell me that was the perfect answer because with salad, you can have any food - protein, veggies, fruits, salads, pasta, even dessert.
I will let you be the judge of what kinds of salads we will need. Don't forget variety and dessert!

Main Course Salad: Steak and Spinach Salad (Sarah)
Pasta Salad: Kelsey
Hot Potato Salad: Lindsey (it's sort of side dish kind of thing)
Alaskan Smoked Salmon Green Salad: Kristen
Black Bean Salsa/Salad with Chips: Bethany
Pioneer Woman Salad: Jenny
Green Monster Salad: Jeri (it's a dessert-ish kind of thing)
Broccoli Bacon Salad: Marie
Citrus Salad: Carina

Black Bean Salsa/Salad

Combine:
3 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 bag frozen corn, thawed
2 med. Tomatoes, diced
1 red, 1 orange, 1 green pepper, diced
1 chopped onion

For Salsa, add these:
½ c. lime juice
1/3 c. oil
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp chili powder
1 tsp sugar
Cilantro
Salt and Pepper to taste

For Salad, add these:
1 c. oil
6 Tbsp vinegar
4 Tbsp sugar
½ tsp chili powder
Cilantro
Salt and Pepper to taste

Bethany's Note: I made a half recipe and did a mixture of both dressings. Also, I used EVOO for the oil and cider vinegar but you can use whatever you want to.



Citrus Salad (aka Salad of Awesomeness)
By Carina
This salad requires you to supreme a bunch of citrus fruit. Use any combination that you like, or that are in season.
3-5 oranges
2-3 Blood Oranges
2-5 Grapefruit
1-2 Pummelo (if you want)
2-5 Tangelos
2-5 Clementines
1-2 Bananas
1-2 Apples, peeled and sliced thinly (I used sweet Golden Delicious instead of a tarter variety.)
Zest of one lime, if desired
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Supreme the citrus over a large bowl. I use a large steak knife. I'll even squeeze the pulp to extract the last of the juice*. Drain out the citrus pieces and place them in a clear bowl. Slice the bananas and the apples directly into the citrus juice, which will help them from oxidizing. Add the fruit to the citrus. Toss. Drizzle with the sweetened condensed milk. If you are feeling frisky, you can add a little vanilla bean paste to the milk before drizzling, but I like it as is. Consume in delight. Maybe drink the liquid from the bottom of the bowl when no one is looking.

*I usually get a couple glasses of fresh juice from this salad. Yummy byproduct. I also take the peels and microwave them in a bowl of water for two minutes. It steams off the gunk in the microwave so all you have to do is wipe it clean, not to mention deodorizes the appliance. Then I throw the peels down the garbage disposal. Everything is better after this salad.