Roasted Apple Salad

Roasted Apple Salad

with Arugula, Hazelnuts, Chevre & Champagne Vinaigrette

It's been a while since I've had time to post, let alone make a salad. Sorry to leave you all without some creative greens for so long! Promise that the blog will be flooded now that I have free time on my hands. Ok, now that that's out of the way, let's get on with the salad...

We had a few people over for dinner last night. After seeing Les Miserables (go if you haven't yet) and having a glass of wine with a dear friend, it was time to fix dinner and I needed to pull together a quick, delish and easy meal (I admit, I'm a lightweight and was totes buzzed after that one glass). I figured this impromptu dinner party would be the perfect time to get back to salad making and paired the following salad with lamb chops, sauteed kale and brown rice. It was the perfect side dish and everyone loved it. A little tart, but a great balance to the heartier meal. It also paired fabulously with the Pinot Gris we had. Hope that you enjoy it as much as we all did. Bon appetit!

Ingredients:

• 2-3 cups arugula
• 1 granny smith apple, peeled and cored
• 1/4 cup hazelnuts, crushed or halved
• 1/4 cup chevre, crumbled (I used Boucheron because we had it in the house)
• 3 Tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil
• 3 Tbsp champagne vinegar
• 1/3 lemon
• salt & pepper 

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut apple into 1/4" slices. In a small mixing bowl, toss sliced apple with juice of the lemon and 1 tsp olive oil. Spread coated apples on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan. Place apples in oven and cook for 20min (or until slightly browned) turning apples once. Remove from oven and let rest. 

In a large mixing bowl toss arugula, hazelnuts, chevre, vinegar and remaining oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Once thoroughly coated, plate salad. Top greens with roasted apples. Serve and enjoy!

Italian Style Steak Salad

Italian Style Steak Salad

Last week proved to be quite hectic with the holiday season just beginning. With a number of parties and projects in the works, I had little-to-no time to grocery shop let alone make a salad. However, guilt pangs began to strike as Friday rolled around and I had not yet posted (yes, I know I'm still one week behind- don't worry I'll catch up soon promise!). So amidst an evening filled with holiday season project #2, I managed to scrummage through the pantry and pull together a dinner. No, I don't just happen to keep filet mignon in the house- that ingredient I did have to pick up but the rest was all here. This super simple, thrown together dish turned out to be delish. Three of us cleaned our plates. I think my only tip would be to get pitted olives so you don't choke your guests (sorry, Hannah!). Not sure why I labeled this Italian-style. I guess that the combo of olives, artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomato reminded me of an antipasto. Hope you enojy. Bon appetit!

Ingredients*:

• 1 filet mignon
• 1 cup mixed greens
• 1/2 cup artichoke hearts, packed in water
• 6 Kalamata olives
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil)
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinaigrette (of choice)

Season steaks with Bosari. Set oven to broil on high heat (or grill steaks outside). Cook steaks ~10min or until just under done to taste. Pull from oven and let rest.

While steaks rest, combine the greens, olive, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes and dressing in a mixing bowl. Toss until evenly coated. 

Slice steak. Plate salad and top salad with steak. Enjoy!

*Measurements are for one serving.