or orange bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 hard-cooked egg, chopped
1 ⁄ 3 cup mixed dried berries (I prefer Trader Joe’s Golden Berry Mix of dried cherries, cranberries, blueberries, and golden raisins)
Dried tarragon leaves, crumbled (about 1 tablespoon)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Dressing
3 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon sugar, or more to taste
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
1. Put the salad greens in a large serving bowl and add the pecans, feta, avocado, cucumber, onion, bell pepper, egg, and dried berries. Season to taste with tarragon, salt, and pepper. Toss gently.
2. Whisk the orange juice, vinegar, mustard, and sugar in a small bowl. Whisk in the oil until it is fully incorporated. Whisk in the tarragon and season to taste with salt and pepper. Take a sample taste and adjust flavors according to your personal taste.
3. Just before serving, toss the salad with dressing to taste.
Make ahead? Stash the salad (minus dressing) in the refrigerator until serving time, covered with plastic wrap. Or if your refrigerator won’t hold the bowl, put all the salad ingredients into a plastic bag; it’s a little more flexible when space is tight.
For large crowds: This is easily doubled or even tripled.
Making Candied Nuts
Use these approximate proportions: 1 ⁄ 2 cup sugar to 1 cup nuts. Spread the sugar evenly in a thin layer in a large skillet (cast iron, if you have one), and melt over medium heat. While that’s happening, don’t touch the pan. Don’t stir, don’t shake it, don’t do anything but watch it. When the sugar is melted and has turned a nice caramel brown in color, take the pan off the heat, dump in the nuts all at once, and stir like mad. Try to get all the nuts coated, but work fast, and be careful — melted sugar is extremely hot. Dump the nuts onto a buttered surface, such as a baking sheet or even a section of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Spread them out as much as possible, but don’t worry if some of the nuts remain clumped together. When the nuts are completely cool, break them apart with your hands or roughly chop.
Poppy Seed Dressing
Recipe from Albertina’s Restaurant , Portland, Oregon
Makes 3 1 ⁄ 2 cups
This classic dressing goes well with all green salads, especially those that have a little fruit included. If you use red onions, the dressing turns a pretty pink color.
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
2 ⁄ 3 cup white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 teaspoons salt
1 ⁄ 4 cup chopped onion
2 cups salad oil
1 1 ⁄ 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
Instructions
1. Combine the sugar, vinegar, mustard, salt, and onion in a blender or food processor. With the motor running, slowly add the oil.
2. Transfer the dressing to an airtight container and stir in the poppy seeds. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Desserts for Fall
Desserts for Fall
Peanut Butter–Chocolate Chip Cookies (photo, page 28 )
Recipe from Elizabeth Newland, Civano Soup Supper , Tucson, Arizona
Makes about 4 dozen cookies
Elizabeth says: The best of both worlds — peanut butter and chocolate chips — what’s not to love? I took these to a Fourth of July potluck, and they were gone before we got to the dessert part of the meal!
Ingredients
1 1 ⁄ 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 ⁄ 2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 ⁄ 2 cup granulated sugar
1 ⁄ 2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8–12 ounces chocolate chips
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Whisk together the flour and baking soda in a medium bowl.
3. Beat together the peanut butter and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Beat in the granulated sugar and brown sugar, mixing well. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
4. Add the flour mixture, blending thoroughly, and then stir in up to 12 ounces of chocolate chips, depending on
1 hard-cooked egg, chopped
1 ⁄ 3 cup mixed dried berries (I prefer Trader Joe’s Golden Berry Mix of dried cherries, cranberries, blueberries, and golden raisins)
Dried tarragon leaves, crumbled (about 1 tablespoon)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Dressing
3 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon sugar, or more to taste
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
1. Put the salad greens in a large serving bowl and add the pecans, feta, avocado, cucumber, onion, bell pepper, egg, and dried berries. Season to taste with tarragon, salt, and pepper. Toss gently.
2. Whisk the orange juice, vinegar, mustard, and sugar in a small bowl. Whisk in the oil until it is fully incorporated. Whisk in the tarragon and season to taste with salt and pepper. Take a sample taste and adjust flavors according to your personal taste.
3. Just before serving, toss the salad with dressing to taste.
Make ahead? Stash the salad (minus dressing) in the refrigerator until serving time, covered with plastic wrap. Or if your refrigerator won’t hold the bowl, put all the salad ingredients into a plastic bag; it’s a little more flexible when space is tight.
For large crowds: This is easily doubled or even tripled.
Making Candied Nuts
Use these approximate proportions: 1 ⁄ 2 cup sugar to 1 cup nuts. Spread the sugar evenly in a thin layer in a large skillet (cast iron, if you have one), and melt over medium heat. While that’s happening, don’t touch the pan. Don’t stir, don’t shake it, don’t do anything but watch it. When the sugar is melted and has turned a nice caramel brown in color, take the pan off the heat, dump in the nuts all at once, and stir like mad. Try to get all the nuts coated, but work fast, and be careful — melted sugar is extremely hot. Dump the nuts onto a buttered surface, such as a baking sheet or even a section of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Spread them out as much as possible, but don’t worry if some of the nuts remain clumped together. When the nuts are completely cool, break them apart with your hands or roughly chop.
Poppy Seed Dressing
Recipe from Albertina’s Restaurant , Portland, Oregon
Makes 3 1 ⁄ 2 cups
This classic dressing goes well with all green salads, especially those that have a little fruit included. If you use red onions, the dressing turns a pretty pink color.
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
2 ⁄ 3 cup white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 teaspoons salt
1 ⁄ 4 cup chopped onion
2 cups salad oil
1 1 ⁄ 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
Instructions
1. Combine the sugar, vinegar, mustard, salt, and onion in a blender or food processor. With the motor running, slowly add the oil.
2. Transfer the dressing to an airtight container and stir in the poppy seeds. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Desserts for Fall
Desserts for Fall
Peanut Butter–Chocolate Chip Cookies (photo, page 28 )
Recipe from Elizabeth Newland, Civano Soup Supper , Tucson, Arizona
Makes about 4 dozen cookies
Elizabeth says: The best of both worlds — peanut butter and chocolate chips — what’s not to love? I took these to a Fourth of July potluck, and they were gone before we got to the dessert part of the meal!
Ingredients
1 1 ⁄ 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 ⁄ 2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 ⁄ 2 cup granulated sugar
1 ⁄ 2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8–12 ounces chocolate chips
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Whisk together the flour and baking soda in a medium bowl.
3. Beat together the peanut butter and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Beat in the granulated sugar and brown sugar, mixing well. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
4. Add the flour mixture, blending thoroughly, and then stir in up to 12 ounces of chocolate chips, depending on
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