Pear Walnut Gorgonzola Salad
This week our lettuce, mixed greens, and baby spinach were ready for harvest. I cut the lettuce with scissors, versus pulling the plant out of the ground to allow for re-growth later in the season. I gathered a basket full of the greens to be brought inside and washed for a salad.
Cleaning the greens. Fill a clean sink with cold water and let the greens soak. Place the greens into a colander and drain the water from the sink. Repeat washing 2-3 times to allow for all the dirt to be removed. Place the greens in a lettuce spinner to remove excess water. Make salad, or place greens in a large zip-lock bag and place into the refrigerator until ready to use.
My first recipe posted is a Pear-Walnut-Gorgonzola Salad with Honey-Dijon Balsamic Vinaigrette. This is one of my all time favorite salads I enjoy in the summer and fall. The honey used in the dressing is from Danville, IN.
I get inspiration for my recipes from traveling, exploring farmers markets & grocery stores, dining at new restaurants, and even sometimes in dreams. I enjoy creating my own spin on traditional dishes as well as pairing new flavors together.
Pear-Walnut-Gorgonzola Salad:
- *6-8oz Mixed greens-lettuce-baby spinach
- 1 pear-julienne sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
- 2 oz Crumbled Gorgonzola
Honey-Dijon Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 1 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 TBSP Honey
- 2 tsp minced shallot
- 3 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Pinch of salt
- Few grinds of fresh pepper
Directions:
Heat a dry pan on medium and add the walnuts to toast. Stir often, and keep your eye on these, they will toast quickly (about 4-5 min). Remove the walnuts from the heat once the walnuts are a light golden brown. Pour walnuts on a cutting board to cool.
Mix all the vinaigrette ingredients except olive oil together in a glass jar. Slowly add the olive oil while whisking, this will immerse the ingredients together. Dress salad or place a lid on the jar, shake to mix all ingredients before dressing the salad.
Wash the pear, and slice into thin julienne strips.
Crumble the Gorgonzola cheese. You can always buy pre-crumbled cheese, however, I prefer a solid piece for flavor and moisture quality.
Toss the mixed greens with half the dressing. Add the additional desired amount of dressing to the salad and toss again. Top with pear, walnuts, and crumbled Gorgonzola and enjoy!
Serves 4-6
*items from Midwest Vegetarian Garden
Drying your herbs
Dried herbs
Cooking with fresh herbs all summer long is a wonderful perk of having your own herb garden. Preserving fresh herbs is a great way to enjoy full flavors throughout the winter months.
Hanging herbs upside down in the basement or garage to dry them out has been successful in the past, but left my green herbs looking brown. My mother recently shared a simple and perfect way to dry your herbs, locking in the rich and vibrant colors. Dry them in the oven at a low temperature!
Storing your herbs the green way: I use air tight glass jars, labeled on the bottom, to store my dried herbs. Instead of buying new jars each time I need a refill, I dry my own herbs or purchase herbs in a bag. This is also a great way to cut costs because you aren’t paying for the glass jar each time.
Directions:
Heat oven to 200˚F.
Cut fresh herbs from your garden, or purchase fresh herbs. Wash your herbs with cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Remove herbs from stems and arrange in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking or cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes until herbs are vibrant and dried. Keep your eyes on the herbs, they could burn.
Remove baking sheet from the oven and place herbs on a cutting board to cool. Crush herbs to desired consistency and store in an air tight container. Dried herbs will stay fresh for 6-12 months if stored properly.