Summer Caprese Salad or Appetizers

The tomatoes are ripening, the basil plants are lush and full.  It's time to enjoy Caprese!

Ready to eat!

Knife Skills: How to Cut a Butternut Squash

Safety first:  Make sure your cutting board isn't going to move around on you, and use a sharp knife.

Secure your cutting board with a non slip mat or damp towel. 

Step One:  Cut the squash so that you can scoop out the seeds in the rounded bottom, and cube the narrower top.

Safety and Knife Skills: Know what you're doing

Cutting zucchini is very similar to cutting carrots in the approach.

More ways to Use a Knife Safely: Bell Peppers

If you want your bell pepper julienned or cut into 1-inch pieces, here's a trick.  Cut off the top and bottom of the bell pepper. 

Slice off the top and bottom of the pepper. 

Knife Skills and Safety

Cutting a round object without cutting yourself can be tricky.  They want to roll around.

--> It can be especially difficult to cut up a vegetable that has round sides and rolls around on the cutting board.  By following these easy steps, you can improve your kitchen safety and knowledge.  

More Creative Salads

Summer and Salads just go together for me, so I wanted to share some more ideas.


Zip up an everyday green salad by topping it with a mix of meat, cheese and vegetables.

Here's an example of a hearty main course salad with lots of fresh vegetables, tasty proteins, and a variety of textures. 

How Many Salads Can You Love?

Now that you can make a Vinaigrette, let's talk about the many different ways to use them.

Here are three samples of salads I have made recently.  They are colorful, fresh, healthy and taste wonderful.   

Grated raw beets are lovely as a salad. 

Add a Vinaigrette to some cooked beans and you have a Quick and Easy Salad!

Mix a variety of vegetables with cooked wild rice, add a Vinaigrette and you have a Delicious Salad!

If you need a recipe, here's one for a Beet Salad.

Beet Salad
Salad Ingredients:
3 medium fresh beets
Vinaigrette Ingredients:
1 Tbsp lemon juice from a fresh lemon
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
1 tsp. minced fresh herb (dill, parsley, thyme)
1 minced clove garlic
3 Tbsp. Olive Oil


Peel 3 medium sized beets.  Using a food processor or large side of a grater, grate the entire beet into a bowl.
In a small bowl, a jar with a screw-on lid, or the food processor, combine your dressing ingredients and mix well.  Use a whisk or a fork if using a bowl, and whisk vigorously to get the oil and vinegar to mix.  Pour over grated beets and mix. 

Serve this with a grilled chicken breast for a big punch of color on the plate.  Give this a try and everyone will be talking about how creative and colorful your salads are!

How Creative Can You Get with Vinaigrettes?

A very basic Vinaigrette is simply 1 part vinegar to 3 parts oil, and although it isn't always mentioned, Salt And Pepper. 

There are lots of other things you can do to make your vinaigrettes even more interesting.  Choose any one or more of these ingredients that you like, and try that next time. Start with a small amount, taste it on a leaf of lettuce, and adjust to your taste. 

Minced fresh herbs are a good addition.

Curry powder
Horseradish
Dijon Mustard
Tomato Paste
Anchovy or Anchovy Paste
Minced Shallot
Minced Garlic
Fresh herbs
Sriracha sauce
Cayenne Pepper
Soy Sauce
Fish Sauce
Worcestershire Sauce

Try adding some pesto to your vinaigrette.

Be adventurous and look around your pantry.  You might hit upon an incredibly delicious recipe for your tastes. 

Next Time:  Other ways to use your Vinaigrettes.  It isn't just for lettuce.

Can you Make Your Own Dressing? You Bet!

I am on a mission to teach people that making your own salad dressing is easy, inexpensive and better for you.  Plus, you already have everything you need right at home in your kitchen.

Lesson #1:  Learn this ratio to make any vinaigrette.  Three parts oil to 1 part acid.

Lemons and Limes are Acids that work well in making vinaigrettes.

Acids include vinegars such as red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, champagne vinegar, balsamic vinegar, etc.  but they are also citrus fruits.  You can use the juices of lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruit for the acid part of the equation.

If you want to make just enough dressing for one small serving, use 1 teaspoon of the acid and 1 Tablespoon (3 teaspoons) of the oil.  

You can mix this in a food processor, in a bowl with a fork or whisk, or use a jar with a screw-on lid.   Just put all of your ingredients together and mix vigorously.

Next time:  Additional Flavors you can add to change up your dressings.  You will find many of these right in your kitchen also!