Recipes from Karen Anderson's Cooking Dinner Salads Class

Recipes from Karen Anderson’s Dinner Salad Class

Pulled Pork Salad

4 lb. boneless pork loin roast (or boned equivalent)

5 cans Coke, Dr. Pepper or root beer (not diet)

2 ½ cups brown sugar

Garlic salt

½ cup water

1 8 oz  can diced green chiles (mild)

1 ½ to 2 cups Pace picante sauce (mild/medium)

1.       Put pork in a Ziploc bag with 2-3 cans soda and ½ cup brown sugar. Let marinate a few hours or overnight, turning bag a couple of times.

2.       Drain and discard marinade; put pork, one can soda, ½ cup water, a couple of shakes of garlic salt or powder in a crockpot, and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Drain meat and shred when it cools  a bit.

3.       Mix (or blend) one can soda, green chiles, Pace picante sauce, and remaining brown sugar (about 2 cups – you can use less). Pour over shredded meat in crockpot and cook on low about 2 hours.

Cilantro Lime Rice

2 cups rice

2 tsp butter

4 cloves garlic (I use jarred)

2 Tbs fresh lime juice (add more lime juice later)

4 tsp Better Than Bouillon or Tone chicken bouillon paste

4 cups water

Cook rice. Mix 2 Tbs lime juice, 4 tsp sugar, ½ bunch (about one cup) chopped fresh cilantro and stir into cooked rice.

Cilantro Ranch Dressing

1 pkg original Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup buttermilk

2 tomatillos, husked and diced

½ bunch chopped fresh cilantro (about one cup)

1 clove minced garlic

1 lime, juiced (about 1/3 cup)

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

Mix in a blender; best made the day before.

Roughly chop a head of romaine lettuce. Place the lettuce on plate and top with rice, meat, dressings, and toppings as desired. Toppings might include Gourmet Tortilla strips, warmed black or pinto beans, sour cream, or grated cheese.

Chinese Chicken Salad

1 head napa cabbage, roughly chopped

1 head cabbage, roughly chopped

1 green onion, thinly sliced

2 pkgs slivered almonds

3 Tbs sesame seeds

2 pkg Top Ramen

2-3 chicken breasts, boneless/skinless

Dressing:

2 Tbs sugar

½ cup vegetable or peanut oil

2 Tbs sesame oil

1 tsp salt and pepper

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

1 packet Top Ramen seasoning

Gently simmer chicken breasts in water. Drain and cool, then shred chicken in long strips. Put in bowl – or Ziploc bag – with the dressing. Allow to marinate several hours or overnight. Meanwhile, put the almonds and sesame seeds in a dry frying pan to toast. Keep a careful eye on the pan! Swirl the pan frequently and take out as soon as browning starts. Assemble all the parts of the salad just before you want to serve it.

Braised Chicken with Butternut Squash and Cranberries

Serves 4

1 large butternut squash (3 lbs)

2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil

4 chicken leg quarters (2 ½ lbs total), split into drumsticks and thighs

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 red onion, cut into ½-inch wedges

2 Tbs chopped fresh sage

4 tsp all-purpose flour

2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground nutmeg

2 cups low-sodium chicken stock

½ cup dried cranberries

1.       Cut half the squash into ½-inch pieces and refrigerate for Friday. Cut remaining squash into 1-inch pieces.

2.       In a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot, heat 1 Tbs oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt an pepper and, in two batches, cook, skin side down, until skin is golden and crisp, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken to a plate; pour off fat from pot.

3.       Add 1 Tbs oil, reserved squash, and onion to pot and cook until vegetables are beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add sage, flour, coriander, and nutmeg, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add broth and cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon, 1 minute. Nestle chicken, skin side up, in squash mixture; add cranberries and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through and squash is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.