Ethan's Favorite Salad

My younger son loves this salad.  I make the main salad the same, and of course add or use any other vegetables that I have in the fridge that I'd like to use up! I think it is a really good salad to get little ones started eating salads—the spinach is a good starter green and this dressing seems to be a hit with kiddos.

Here are my "little ones!"  I wish they didn't have to grow up so fast!  But all in all, I've been a very lucky mother and wife that my two boys and husband are happy to try just about anything I cook. Very good taste testers, and the older boy is quite the honest critic!

Ethan's Spinach Salad

Ingredients

•                5-6 cups fresh spinach (baby preferably), rinsed, stemmed, and patted dry

•                1/2 C thinly sliced red onion

•                2 medium tomatoes, cored and cut into wedges

•                3-4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and thinly sliced

Dressing:

•                1/2 cup honey

•                1/4 cup Dijon mustard

•                1 cup vegetable oil (I like grapeseed oil)

•                2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

•                1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

•                1/4 teaspoon salt

Optional addition ideas: 

•                2 cups white button mushrooms or baby bellas, wiped clean, trimmed, and sliced

•                carrots, wiped clean, trimmed, and sliced

•                bell pepper-any color, sliced to your liking

•                sugar snap peas

•                4-6 green onions

•                radishes, sliced (breakfast radishes are milder for kids and are found at farmer's markets more often than the grocery)

•                chick peas

Salad:

Combine the spinach, tomatoes, egg, and onion (and any other veggies you are using) in a large mixing bowl and toss. Use enough of the dressing that follows to lightly coat the ingredients. (NOTE: keep some of the egg and tomato to garnish if you want a prettier presentation.)

For the dressing: 

Combine the honey and mustard in a medium mixing bowl and whisk to blend. Slowly add the oil in a steady stream, whisking until blended and smooth. Add the lemon juice, white pepper, and salt and whisk to blend. (Makes about 1 cup of dressing, and I keep it in the refrigerator in a glass jar.  Just use enough to dress your salad).

Another of Ethan's favorite flavors is Hoisin Sauce.  So I made the following tonight to eat with the salad...

Ethan's Hoisin Pork Loin

Ingredients

•                2 small pork loins (CAN SUB CHICKEN BREASTS)

•                Jar of Hoisin Sauce from Asian section of grocery

•                equipment: get a good meat thermometer!

Directions:

Place pork on a baking sheet that has been coated with some grapeseed or olive oil. Generously coat the pork (or chicken breasts) with the hoisin sauce.  Bake at 375 until a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees Fahrenheit.  Let stand for 15-20 minutes before slicing. (For chicken bake until thermometer registers 17- degrees Fahrenheit.)

NOTE:  Using a thermometer and not overcooking meat is an amazing discovery!  Please give it a try!

Leftover Idea

I like to use any leftover meat to make an easy take on Hoisin Pork/Chicken.  I just stir fry some green cabbage, finely sliced onion, chopped garlic, grated carrots, and shiitake mushrooms...add it to chinese rice wrappers with another drizzle of the hoisin sauce (or in a pinch tortillas) with the leftover meat! Yum!

Sweet Potatoes Twice Baked Casserole

This is a recipe I love for hectic weeknights....so easy.  And so delicious....

Sweet Potatoes Twice Baked Casserole

Ingredients: 
•                2-4 sweet potatoes (depending on size)

•                diced pineapple, about a cup

•                red bell pepper, seeded and chopped in a small dice

•                4-6 green onions

•                1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

•                6-8 oz deli ham (I like boar's head black forest), sliced and chopped

•                1/2 C shredded mozzarella cheese

•                1/2 C Feta or shredded sharp cheddar

•                1 tsp kosher salt

•                1/2 tsp white pepper

•                grated parmesan for topping

Directions:

Bake the sweet potatoes at 350 degrees for about an hour or so until soft (or in the microwave until soft, just remember to pierce the potato a few times with a sharp knife before placing into the microwave.

Let potatoes cool enough to handle then remove the skins, and mash the sweet potates in a large bowl.  Add all of the ingredients through the feta or sharp cheddar and mix.  Place in a glass baking dish that has been greased with grapeseed oil or olive oil. Then place mixture in casserole dish and top with grated parmesan, bake at 350 or 375 for 15-20 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Serve.

Serving Tip:

I like to serve this with a simple green salad or steamed broccoli.