How To Make The Best Vinaigrette

March3

I’m getting ready to go on holiday in a few weeks so I’ve been eating a lot of fresh greens and raw veggies to shed this extra layer of warmth that somehow glommed onto me this winter.

I’ve been topping my salads with freshly squeezed lemon, but sometimes your mouth craves a little more excitement.

This vinaigrette is deliciously easy, versatile and light enough for tiny baby greens… but it goes perfectly with romaine, iceberg and spinach salads. Another idea: I pour this vinaigrette over all kinds of vegetables before I roast them in the oven. I’ve even used it instead of mayonnaise in chicken salads! Here’s how to make the  best vinaigrette ever… an easy recipe that everyone should have in their back pocket!

How To Make The Best Vinaigrette -Here's a recipe everyone should know by heart: a very basic but the best vinaigrette. This recipe is deliciously easy, versatile and light!

 

How To Make Perfect Cobb Salad

August6

Cobb Salad Mama's High Strung

It has been a little cooler than normal around here, so all the fresh summer veggies I crave have been a bit delayed in making their usual appearance at my farmers market.

But that hasn’t stopped me from whipping up my favorite salad of all time: Cobb Salad inspired by the Hotel Bel-Air’s Cobb Salad in Los Angeles.

What’s not to love about this protein-packed totally indulgent salad? Eggs, avocados, tomatoes, roasted chicken, onion, bacon and blue cheese all in pretty little rows on top of mounds of crisp lettuce. Toss it with a little homemade herb vinaigrette and you’ve got a beautiful (and substantial) meal!

That’s a lot of ingredients, I know, but here’s an easy way to remember what to include:

EAT COBB

E is for egg… A is for Avocados… T is for tomatoes… ah, you get the picture.

Most recipes call for iceberg lettuce but I use romaine lettuce instead because that’s what they use at that fancy-do Hollywood hotel where I learned how to make perfect Cobb Salad!

My Dexas Kitchen Tools really helped pull this recipe together easily!

Featured on BlogHer.com

 

Cobb Salad Mama's High Strung

 

Want more great salad ideas? Here are a few:

Crunchy Bacon and Broccoli Salad 

Old School Wedge Salad

Sriracha Potato Salad


Crunchy Broccoli and Bacon Salad

June13

Yep, been on a bit of broccoli binge lately… and this Crunchy Broccoli & Bacon Salad is my latest crave.

(Sure were a lot of “Bs” in that last sentence.)

Crunchy Broccoli & Bacon Salad Obviously, I love broccoli.

  • Not just because it provides more disease-fighting nutrients than almost any other vegetable.
  • Not just because it’s loaded with both soluble and insoluble fiber… good for the heart and digestive system.
  • Not just because it’s crazy low in calories.

Broccoli is my veg of choice because it pumps up the nutrition, flavor and color of almost any dish… and because there are SO MANY ways to prepare it;

  • Eat it raw.
  • Steam it.
  • Sauté it.
  • Soup it.
  • Use it to dip or turn it into a dip.

Or make it into a easy-Louisey Crunchy Broccoli & Bacon Salad like I did. Keep the lemony dressing very light… you don’t want to drown the florets. I added red peppers for color, but you can throw in cucumbers or some other equally crunchy vegetable. So… have at it! This is one binge-worthy food that’s actually healthy!

 



Hi…
I’m Christina Chavez

I was a TV journalist for many years, but with a house full of kids I decided to come off the road, go to culinary school and follow my passion for cooking. Mama’s High Strung is all about food… everything from creative recipe ideas to some really cool kitchen gadgets and cooking tips. I live in Chicago, but I love to travel and write about my food discoveries! You can reach me by email: mamashighstrung@gmail.com