Here are some of the recipes I talked about in the “When Times Are Bleak Do Something!” blog.
Rachel’s Better-Than-The- Bottle Lemony Caesar Salad Dressing
This salad dressing recipe has no raw eggs so no worries about that pesky salmonella potential.
Ingredients:
1 garlic clove smashed and minced finely
The juice of one lemon - can roll it on the floor with your foot before squeezing
Half of a lemon zested (be sure to wash it if you had it on the floor)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp anchovy paste (I don’t use, this is for the purists)
Salt and pepper to taste
Using either a food processor or a big bowl with a whisk, blend the mayonnaise for a few seconds until creamy and not lumpy anymore. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust to your liking. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Rachel’s Honey Mustard Poppyseed Salad Dressing
This is a sweet and tangy dressing that takes seconds to prepare.
I rarely measure for this so these measurements are approximations. Play with it and see how you like it best.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup honey
1/8 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup avocado oil
A splash of orange juice
2 TBS poppy seeds Mix the honey and mustard together until combined. Add the avocado oil in a slow stream while mixing until emulsified. Add orange juice to taste. Stir in poppy seeds. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Rachel’s Never-Fail Balsamic Salad Dressing
This is my go-to dressing for almost any salad, especially Broccoli Slaw and Spinach with Strawberries.
Ingredients:
1/3 cup good quality balsamic vinegar
5 TBS sugar (or sugar substitute)
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 cup extra light tasting olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Whisk together the balsamic and sugar until thoroughly combined. Whisk in the garlic salt. Add the olive oil in a steady stream while whisking until emulsified. Taste for salt and pepper and add to your liking. Store in an airtight container in the fridge, shaking or stirring before using.
Rachel’s Sweet Avocado All-Purpose Dressing/Spread/Dip
This is one of my all-time favorite condiments. I use it on greens as well as for fruit salads. The fig version is really yummy as a spread for cheese and crackers.
1 ripe avocado
1/3 cup peach pulp or strawberry pulp or fig pulp vinegar
1 TBS sugar or honey
1/2 cup avocado oil
Mash the avocado in a large bowl. Whisk in the vinegar and sugar until well combined. Add the avocado oil in a steady stream while mixing until emulsified. Taste for sugar/honey and adjust to your liking. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Rachel’s Leftover Bagel Croutons
These croutons are so yummy that they can substitute for chips or crackers for any snack. Dip them in hummus, melt mozzarella cheese over them, or just eat them straight. Or, for a special treat, melt cheddar or gruyere cheese over them and use as croutons in tomato soup. YUM!
Ingredients:
4 stale bagels - plain, poppy, sesame, asiago, but Everything bagels are the best for these
About 3 TBS olive or avocado oil
About 2 TBS garlic salt with parsley
About 1 TBS minced onion
A few shakes of grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Chop or tear the bagels into chunks. (We like big rustic chunks but you can always cut them in half and dice them into 1 inch cubes if you prefer.) Scatter the bagel chunks onto the baking sheets making sure there’s no overlap. Drizzle the oil over the chunks. Toss gently with your hands to ensure an even coating (you may needs slightly more oil). Sprinkle with seasonings and cheese. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown and crunchy. (My oven runs hot so I always take a peek at about 8 minutes to check the browning progress.) Store in an airtight container, probably smaller than you originally thought because everyone will eat a ton of them right off of the pans.
Homemade PIzza Dough
This pizza dough is great for pizza crusts, calzone and stromboli, breadsticks, garlic knots, and even desserts like cinnamon rolls, sticky buns, monkey bread, and zeppole.
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups warm water (between 100-110 F)
1 packet of rapid-rise yeast (equivalent to 2.25 tsp)
1 TBS sugar
2 TBS olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
Cooking spray or olive oil for bowl
Place the water, yeast, and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir gently to combine and let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy. (If it doesn’t foam either your yeast was dead or the water was too hot. If this happens, try again.) Add olive oil, salt, and 1/2 a cup of the flour. Mix with the dough hook or paddle attachment until incorporated. Add the rest of the flour a cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Beat on low speed for about 2 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 4-5 minutes until it’s smooth and no longer sticky. Shape into a ball. Lightly coat a large bowl with cooking spray or olive oil. Add the dough to the bowl, coating with spray or oil on all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about one hour or so). Punch down dough to release air bubbles and you’re ready to make whatever you want with it! Note: This is enough dough for 2 12-inch regular crust pizzas.
Rachel’s Homemade Hummus with Pine Nuts
I prefer this hummus to store-bought because I can adjust the lemon and garlic to my liking. It’s also super smooth and creamy.
2 (15 oz) cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice from 1-2 lemons (see above for rolling on the floor trick)
1-2 garlic cloves smashed and finely minced
1/3 cup tahini (optional)
1/4 cup lightly toasted pine nuts (watch these carefully because they burn quickly)
Paprika for serving (optional)
Put all ingredients except pine nuts into food processor and blend until smooth. Add a tiny bit more olive oil if it seems too dry. Turn out into a bowl and top with pine nuts in the center and paprika around the edges to serve.
Variation: Substitute white beans for the garbanzos. Add 1/2 a ripe avocado. Add 1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers. Add a dollop of pesto. Add a few shakes of red pepper flakes or hot pepper oil if you like it spicy. Substitute lightly toasted almonds or walnuts for the pine nuts.