Crazy Cooking Challenge: Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning

I'm excited to be participating in my first ever Mom's Crazy Cooking Challenge.  I've seen other bloggers doing this and it seemed like fun.  Basically the concept is that each month there is a set theme and participating bloggers go off and make something related to that theme.  Then on the 7th of each month the real fun begins because everyone reveals their challenge recipe and the blog hop begins!

For this challenge, we had two, yes TWO days to complete it. But thankfully it was easy.  I took a little liberty in this challenge in that I didn't make it fully into the dressing/dip...simply because I didn't have any mayo, sour cream, or even yogurt (a first!) in the house to do so.  Besides, now this seasoning can really show off its versatility as a dressing, dip, or seasoning for things like meats and potatoes.  It's completely homemade and literally took a minute to whip up from pantry ingredients.  One step to the recipe.  Seriously.  You'll never go back to the packaged stuff again!

I didn't have garlic salt or onion salt as the original recipe calls for so just used more regular garlic and onion powders and added roughly 1 tsp of salt.  I figure you can always add more later depending on your final application!

Upcoming challenges:

October 7, 2012 - APPLE PIE

November 7, 2012 - STUFFING Recipes
December 7, 2012 - PERFECT SUGAR COOKIE

Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning

Yields: ~1/2 cup

Ingredients

• 4 saltine crackers (I only had Ritz crackers around today...time to go to the store!)
• 4 Tbsp dried parsley
• 4 Tbsp dry minced onion
• 1/2 Tbsp dill weed
• 1.5 Tbsp onion powder
• 1.5 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt

Directions

1. Add all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor or blender and process until you form fine particles.  (I LOVE the Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender with Whisk and Chopper Attachments...so versatile and the perfect size for this application!)

To make into Ranch Dressing: Add 1 Tablespoon of the ranch seasoning to 1 cup of mayonnaise + 1 cup of buttermilk.  Stir to combine and if necessary, season with salt and pepper.

Source: Modified from Kayotic Kitchen

Napa Cabbage Salad

Typically I find such "Asian salads" to be a crock but this.  I really liked this.  I questioned the dressing based on the ingredients but it really worked and tasted delicious.  There's something about the crunchy ramen topping that makes it pretty irresistible....and in no way healthy.  It IS ramen noodles after all.  Even my husband, who originally turned up his nose at this salad, wanted to add this to the rotation.  Imagine that...he wanted to add a SALAD to the rotation!  Of course, I had to jazz it up with some chicken to round it out and make it a meal that he would approve of but you can leave it off if you prefer.


Napa Cabbage Salad

Yields: 6 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 head napa cabbage (you can use coleslaw or even regular lettuce in a pinch)
• 1 bunch minced green onions
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 (3 oz) package ramen noodles, broken into bite-size pieces
• 2 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• Cooked and cubed chicken (optional)

Directions

1. Finely shred the head of cabbage; do not chop. Combine the green onions and cabbage in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. To make the crunchies: Melt the butter in a saute pan. Mix the ramen noodles, sesame seeds and almonds into the pot with the melted butter. Cook and stir until ingredients are lightly toasted.
3. To make the dressing: In a small saucepan, heat vinegar, oil, sugar, and soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, let boil for 1 minute. Remove the pan from heat and let cool.
4. Combine dressing and cabbage then add the crunchies. Serve right away or the crunchies will get soggy.

Source: Slightly modified from All Recipes

Chicken, Blueberry, and Summer Squash Salad

I'll admit I was skeptical about this one at first BUT it had all the right ingredients to use up a good part of my CSA share (big ol bag of salad greens!) and I've had great luck with Kelsey's recipes.  I trusted her and it paid out.

This salad has a symphony of flavors.  A tart, slightly sweet and light dressing that contrasts with fresh pops of blueberry along with the salt and cream of feta.  It just works!  I decided to add one more player to this harmonious dish because I had a small lonely red onion in my cabinet, too.  Caramelized onions.  They make the world go round.  The other change I made was because I just am not a fan of raw squash.  So, I lightly sauteed it before putting it on my salad.

I get it, October is officially Fall and it's pretty dang cold out but I'm hoping that you'll be able to try this one out with the last of your Summer veggies (or *gasp* buy in store off-season) or if not, bookmark it to make next year.  Trust me, you don't want to miss out on this one!

Two Years Ago: Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip


Chicken, Blueberry, and Summer Squash Salad

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. honey (I added a little more because I prefer a more sweet dressing)
• 1/4-1/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil 
• salt and pepper, to taste

For the salad:

• 4 packed c. preferred greens
• 3 tsp. butter or margarine, divided
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 small summer squash, thinly sliced
• 2 TBSP fresh basil, cut chiffonade
• 2 c. cooked chicken breast, chopped
• 1 1/2 c. blueberries
• 1/2 c. feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

1. To make dressing, add lemon, honey, and olive oil to a small container with a lid.  Close the lid tightly and shake vigorously until well mixed.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Taste and adjust blend until desired amount of sweetness (add honey) or tartness (add lemon) is achieved.  Put container into the refrigerator while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
2. In a large skillet, melt 2 tsp butter or margarine then add onion.  Cook until onions begin to caramelize and brown slightly.  Remove and set aside.  In the same skillet, melt remaining 1 tsp butter or margarine then saute squash until lightly cooked.  It will start to look translucent.  Remove and set aside the squash.
3. To assemble salad, divide greens among four plates.  Top with squash, caramelized onions, basil, and chicken.  Drizzle dressing over the top, then add blueberries and feta. 

Source: Slightly modified from Apple a Day

Herbed Potato Salad

Do you cringe at the meer mention of potato salad because it conjures up images of heavy mayonnaise laden caloric nightmares?  Or, do you fear the potato salad because said mayo laden food has been sitting out at the family picnic for who knows how long?  Fear no more, friends.  Fear no more.

Just say no to calorie bombs and food-poisoning threats.  This potato salad is none of that.  In fact, this potato salad's flavor actually comes through more when it's room-temperature rather than cold.  This is the potato salad of the 21st century.  Fresh and light yet still packed with pure flavor.  Use FRESH herbs in this dish and you'll thank me.  It's a winner.

Herbed Potato Salad

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb potatoes
• 2 Tbsp chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• fresh dill, finely chopped
• parsley, finely chopped
• pepper, to taste
• salt, to taste
• garlic, minced (optional)
• fresh lemon juice (optional)

 Directions

1. Peel, wash and cut the potatoes in bit-size pieces. Boil them in lightly salted water until fork tender, about 8-10 minutes.  Take care not to overcook.
2. In a large bowl, combine 3 tbsp (extra virgin) olive oil with 1 tbsp white wine vinegar.  If desired, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for extra freshness and acidity.  Pour in 2 tbsp chicken or vegetable broth, 1/2 a tsp Dijon mustard, and garlic if desired then whisk away. The vinaigrette will become thicker. Add the finely chopped fresh dill and parsley to the vinaigrette and season with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
3. Drain the potatoes, let them steam-dry for a few minutes and then add them to the dressing while they’re still hot so they'll take on the flavors. Sprinkle the chopped scallions in there and let the potato salad cool off.  Serve at room temperature or cold by refrigerating until ready to serve. 

Source: Kayotic Kitchen

Summer Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

I have a cousin that is OBSESSED with Panera.  I'm talking every time she is in a city that has one it is on her "to do" list.  Sure it's a chain but who can blame her?  They do have really delicious food and chains provide great consistency no matter where you go.

This recipe is being dusted off from the archives.  It sat in the deep dark recesses of that black box that is my husband's computer hard drive for over a year before seeing the light of day again right here, right now.  You see, this time last year I was making lots of food but was lazy about blogging.  And then by the time I got time to blog, it just didn't worth doing so because the season had already changed.

Ah seasons.  This salad TOTALLY captures the spring/summer season.  It embodies all that is good about the bountiful seasonal fruits and veggies.  It is also inspired by my cousin's favorite restaurant, Panera.  Please go make this salad today.  It's a beautiful display of color bursting with natural sweetness and filled with nutrition!

Two Years Ago: Pasta Salad - This one ALWAYS gets gobbled up when I bring it to a party!

Summer Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

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Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 tbsp. minced shallot
• ¼ tsp. dry mustard
• 1 tsp. salt
• 6 tbsp. light mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice
• 6 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1½ tsp. poppy seeds

For the salad:

• Romaine lettuce, washed and dried
• Strawberries, hulled and sliced
• Blueberries
• Mandarin orange segments
• Fresh pineapple, cubed

Directions

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the vinegar, sugar, shallot, dry mustard, salt, mayonnaise and orange juice.  Process to blend well.  With the feed tube open and the processor on, add the vegetable oil in a steady stream and continue processing until incorporated.  Add the poppy seeds and pulse briefly just until blended.  Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. To make the salad, chop the lettuce into bite-size pieces.  Plate individual servings of the lettuce in salad plates.  Top each serving with strawberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges and pineapple cubes as desired.  Drizzle lightly with the poppy seed dressing and serve immediately.

Source: Salad from Annie's Eats; Dressing from Jamie Cooks It Up

Recipe Swap: Sweet Beginnings' Summer Pasta Salad

The theme for this week's swap was foods you'd bring to a Memorial Day picnic.  I submitted the uber fabulous and easy Firecracker Shrimp and received Jaida (jaire30) from Sweet Beginnings original pasta salad recipe.  As always, you can see the full blog roundup post in A Taste of Homecooking's blog.

Once again I was thrilled to be able to use up some of my pasta stash and was pleased with the way this recipe tasted.  Very light and refreshing.  The perfect complement to our burgers and dogs!  I wasn't sure about the use of zucchini or the lack of salad dressing "sauce" in this recipe but I have to say, it really worked.  It's not super flavorful (like the salad dressing types) but my-oh-my do those veggies really shine in this dish.  It'll be nice to have an alternative to my standby pasta salad recipe from my mother-in-law when I want to mix things up a bit :).

Please pardon the yellow tint to this photo.  I forgot my camera and so the iPhone was pulling double duty!  But, it's actually not half bad for a camera-phone picture, in my opinion...


Sweet Beginnings' Summer Pasta Salad
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Ingredients

• 2 cups tri-color Rotini or Fusilli Noodles, cooked according to package directions
• 2  Zucchini, sliced into ¼ inch rounds
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• 1 1/2 cups Cherry or Plum Tomatoes, halved
• ½ cup Red Onion, diced
• 1 Tbsp fresh basil, coarsely chopped
• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Olive Oil, divided
• 1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
• ½ Lemon (optional)

Directions

1. Lightly sauté zucchini using 1 tsp of olive oil or cooking spray and season with salt & pepper, then cut each round into halves or quarters.
2. Mix olive oil & vinegar together in a small bowl.
3. Toss pasta, zucchini, tomatoes, and onion in a large bowl with the olive oil mixture. Season with salt & pepper, add basil and stir.
4. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, squeeze lemon over pasta (if desired), toss and serve! 

Source: Sweet Beginnings

Candied Orange and Walnut Salad with Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette

Look at all the beautiful colors and textures in this salad!

Do you see how the candied oranges glisten like stained glass?

And the candied walnuts?  Crunchy, tantalizingly spicy and sweet and to die for.  If you're not into spicy, watch out and suggest you reduce the level of peppers used or omit it all together.  Personally I loved the surprise little kick to these crazy nuts :).

You may be asking yourself right now what's up with all of the candied stuff.  Well, for our recent Dinner Club our hosts Sig and Kristen chose the theme of candy.  Sweet, sweet sugary candy.  Wanting to be up for a challenge, I chose to bring something from the salad/vegetable category.

Yes, this certainly stretched our culinary imaginations to the fullest.  Emily and Scott chose to serve GUMMY BEAR kiwi wontons with blackberry dipping sauce as our starter.  Surprisingly this was quite delicious and if I wasn't told there were gummy bears inside I don't think I would have known any better.  We joked that they were filled with Gummiberry Juice as the sugar started coursing through our veins and we got a bit bouncy from the extra energy.  But we were just getting started because then came my salad, Kemani and Toni's delightful homemade raviolis filled with cocoa encrusted pork and topped with a white chocolate alfredo sauce, Kristen and Sig's peanut butter cup chicken and lemonhead chicken along with caramel, oreo cookie, and chocolate filled croissants, and lastly, Jackie and Jeff's peanut butter cup cupcakes and lemon pop rock cupcakes.

Caramel croissant, gummy bear kiwi wontons, homemade ravioli with white chocolate alfredo sauce, and peanut butter cup cupcakes.  Photo credit: Emily H.

The sugar rush that followed?  OH. MY. GOD.  Let's just say it's a good thing our hosts had very fun Minute to Win It games to help us expend all of our energy before we subsequently crashed.

Minute to Win It games to burn off all of dinner's sugar: Candy Land Card Flip, Bolt Stacking, Football Roll, and Licorice jump roping.  Photo credit: Emily H.

This salad not only looked beautiful but it tasted really good too.  Kemani said that it was just like the salad at  Dewey's.  Wow what a complement!  I was very pleased with how it turned out and I know I'll be making the candied nuts again for snacking.  The oranges tasted just like those fruit slices so Chris really enjoyed them (it's his favorite flavor).  Though, you can also candy other citrus like lemons and grapefruits, if you prefer.  And then the dressing?  Delicious.  Will make again, too.

So serve up this sweet salad for your sweetie on Valentine's Day.  You'll thank me later :).

Looking for more Valentine's Day Ideas? It seems that the clear favorite on my site are these Heart-shaped Red Velvet Whoopie Pies but the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles will be the way to a chocolate lover's heart.  But if you want a full meal, try this Linguine with Clam Sauce.  Not only is it delicious but it's simple and I hear that clams are an aphrodisiac.  Ooh la la!

Candied Orange and Walnut Salad with Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette
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Photo Credit: Emily H.

Yields: 2 entree-sized or 4 starter-sized salads

Ingredients

• 2 large handfuls of baby salad greens
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup dried cranberries (craisins)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup feta cheese
• 1/4 to 1/2 candied spiced walnuts (recipe to follow)
• candied oranges (recipe to follow)
• orange balsamic vinaigrette (recipe to follow)

For the candied spiced walnuts 

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon chipotle, ancho, or cayenne chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 heaping cup walnuts (or can use pecans)

For the candied oranges

• 2 organic oranges, washed (can also use lemons or grapefruit)
• Water for boiling
• Ice water
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water

For the orange balsamic vinaigrette

• 1/4 small sweet onion such as Vidalia
• Zest of 1 large orange (preferably organic)
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 Tablespoon orange marmalade or undiluted frozen orange juice
• 6 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 12 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Directions

1. Allow at least 24 hours to make the candied oranges since they need ample drying time.  To make the candied oranges, cut the oranges into thin slices (not too thin or else they tear apart too easily) removing the ends and any seeds. Bring water to a boil in a saucepan and blanch the orange slices for about a minute. Drain the orange slices and plunge them into a bath of ice water. Drain. Meanwhile, combine the sugar and 1 cup of water in a large saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a simmer and add the orange slices. Let simmer (don’t boil) for an hour (you can simmer as much as 2 hours). Remove slices from hot sugar syrup and set on a cooling rack over a baking sheet to dry. Take up to 24 hours to dry.
2. To make the vinaigrette, in a blender or food processor, puree the onion, orange zest, garlic, and orange marmalade.  Add the vinegar, olive oil, and salt then blend to emulsify.  Taste and balance sweetness (add a pinch of sugar, the syrup from the candied orange slices, or more marmalade), acidity (add a few more drops of vinegar), and salt.  Pour vinaigrette into a squeeze bottle.  Cap and refrigerate.  Can be made a day ahead.
3. To make the candied walnuts, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a medium-sized bowl, mix together sugar, chili powder, and salt.  Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil.  Add nuts and boil for 3 minutes (if using pecans, boil only for 15 seconds).  Drain the nuts well then shake in bag of sugar mixture until thoroughly coated.  The sugar will melt slightly.  Transfer the nuts to a baking sheet covered with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.  Bake until they are a deep golden brown, turning halfway through baking, about 15 minutes. Watch closely because the sugar burns easily.  Cool completely and then store in a air-tight container until ready to use.
4. When ready to serve, in a large mixing bowl, toss salad greens and 1/2 to 3/4 of the dried cranberries, feta cheese, and walnuts with enough of the vinaigrette to coat each leaf.  You will likely have vinaigrette leftover for a couple more salads later.
5. Arrange the dressed salad in the middle of the salad plate.  Finish the salads by garnishing with remaining dried cranberries, feta cheese, walnuts, and candied orange slices.

Source: A Christine's Kitchen Chronicles original with inspiration from many sources.  Candied walnuts, salad dressing, and salad concept adapted from Luna Cafe.  Candied orange slices slightly modified from Use Real Butter as originally adapted from Martha Stewart and Culinary School of the Rockies.

Mock Bravo Insalata Della Casa

Chris used to work at Bravo! Cucina Italian before he met me.  It is a nationwide chain restaurant group that also owns Brio Italian Gril.  He was a server there for quite some time and at the time, got 80% off or something rediculous when he dined there.  Basically, he could get a FILET MIGNON dinner for the price of a fast food value meal!  Sadly, once we started dating, he quit his job.  He says it was so he could spend more time with me (servers were required to work on Saturdays) but I say why the heck didn't we at least go for a good (and cheap!) date before he quit! 

You already know that Chris despises anything white and creamy...ranch-type dressings being one of them.  Oddly enough, he loves this salad and I think it's possibly the only a la carte add-on salad that he'll get a restaurant yet it's a cream-based sauce!  What really makes this salad is the creamy parmesan dressing.  I couldn't find Bravo's specific recipe but I found one by Emril so decided to give it a shot.  As expected, it wasn't quite the same but still rather good, nonetheless :).

At any rate, Bravo remains one of our favorite restaurants today and so for our (belated) Valentine's Day dinner this year I made a Mock Bravo Italian meal for the two of us at home.  I will put the breakouts of restaurant pricing below but in total had we eaten the same meal at Bravo it would have cost us at least $40 + tax and tip.

• Insalata Della Casa ($2.59 each with meal)
• Foccacia Bread and Sun Dried Tomato Dipping Oil* (free with meal)
• Pasta Bravo ($13.99 each)
• Dessert ($3.99+ each), Chubby Hubby Cookies (unrelated to Bravo...just wanted to try them!)

*Note: I didn't make the dipping oil this time but I've linked to a recipe that I've bookmarked to try next time that's supposedly the real deal from Bravo! It'll need scaling though as the recipe is for 1 GALLON! Sheesh!

Mock Bravo Della Casa Salad
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Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients

• Iceburg lettuce, rinsed, dried, and chopped
• Tomato, diced
• 1/2 Cucumber, diced
• 1/2 Red onion, diced
• Creamy parmesan dressing, store bought or recipe to follow
• Bacon bits
• Tortilla strips (omitted)

Creamy Parmesan  Dressing

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons sour cream (used unflavored yogurt)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon Essence, recipe to follow
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Yield: about 1/2 cup

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast)*

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all seasoning ingredients thoroughly. Yield: 2/3 cup. 

*Note: Since I didn't know if I'd use the blend again anytime soon I just improvised and did 2 dashes each of paprika, salt, and garlic powder; 1 dash each of remaining ingredients directly into the dressing mixture.

Directions

1. In a large salad bowl, combine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions.
2. Add some prepared creamy parmesan dressing and toss to coat.  Add more dressing as desired.
3. Top salad with bacon bits and tortilla strips before serving cold.

Source: Original Christine's Kitchen Chronicles copycat recipe; Creamy parmesan dressing from Emeril Live 2005 (Mushroom Show)

Mmmm...BACON!!!

This isn't one recipe but OVER ONE HUNDRED recipes on how to use bacon in all things savory or sweet.  I saw this shared on my brother's friend's facebook and had to cross-share it with my Dinner Club friends.  We do a different theme every month and we often joke that one day, we should have a bacon themed dinner.  I'm pretty sure this blogpost is driving us one step closer to that...

Here's a little photo teaser...

Check out all the delicious recipes and photos for 100 Ways to Use a Strip of Bacon at the Endless Simmer.  Just try not to drool on your keyboard, okay?

PS: Taking requests on something to make with bacon.  Leave a comment!

Broccoli Salad

This recipe is being posted at the request of my cousin Kat.  My mom made it for Thanksgiving and so she asked that it be posted.  I like to think that it's slightly healthy because it's broccoli but let's be honest...it's slathered in miracle whip and garnished with cheese cubes and bacon.  I use fat free/light miracle whip but still...negation of the healthy factor!  I love this recipe but normally reserve it for the summer/picnicing months so had she not requested it, this recipe would have taken at least another 6 months or so to be shared with you all :).  Since Chris does not eat Miracle Whip, he doesn't partake in this dish and hence another reason I don't personally make this one often (will usually opt for the Pasta Salad instead).  Anyway, here you go.  Enjoy!

Broccoli Salad
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Ingredients

Salad

• 1/2 lb. bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, cubed
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 head fresh broccoli, florets cut into bite size pieces

Dressing

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
• 1/2 cup Miracle Whip

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix together dressing ingredients.  Cover and refridgerate until ready to serve.
2. In a large bowl, toss together salad ingredients.  When ready to serve, add dressing and toss to coat.

Source: Mary Lynn N. (Chris' Mom)