First Look, Then Cook

Roasted Pork with Fennel Bread Pudding

Published on November 7, 2010 by Dawn3 Comments

It has been a while since I wrote about my fennel fetish as I like to call it. Mostly because fennel is something I tend to make in the fall/winter months. I am glad it is finally time to start making fennel again…

Bread pudding is something I have really started to enjoy in the last few years – but mostly for dessert. Savory bread pudding is a whole different animal in my opinion – it is almost like a stuffing – but a creamy stuffing, that is extremely moist. My goal is always to get the top crispy, which the inside stays rich and creamy. For me, that is the secret to a good savory bread pudding.

This is one of my favorite recipes from Cooking Light. Every time I make it, I am not disappointed. I actually used this recipe for the pork, and then made the bread pudding to go with it. What a wonderful combination – the ground fennel seeds on the pork were just perfect combination with the fennel bread pudding. It is a wonderful cozy meal for a cool fall day.

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
8 cups water
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 (2-pound) pork loin
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 cups thinly sliced fennel (about 1 large bulb)
2 cups thinly sliced onion
4 garlic cloves, minced and divided
2 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
8 ounces French bread or other firm white bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded fontina cheese
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon ground fennel seeds

Preparation

Combine sugar, water, and salt in a large bowl, stirring until sugar and salt dissolve. Add pork; cover and brine 2 hours to overnight in refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add sliced fennel, onion, and 2 garlic cloves; cook until golden brown (about 20 minutes), stirring frequently. Add 1/4 cup broth; cook until liquid evaporates, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add remaining broth; bring to a boil. Remove from heat.

Combine bread and fennel mixture. Stir in cheese. Spoon mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until golden brown.

While bread pudding bakes, rinse pork and pat dry. Combine fennel seeds, 2 garlic cloves, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; rub evenly over pork.

Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Place skillet in oven; bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until a thermometer registers 140° (slightly pink). Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve bread pudding with pork.

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Coconut Pancakes

Published on November 4, 2010November 4, 2010 by Dawn12 Comments

After the last batch of pancakes were a total bust (Oatmeal pancakes) – my girls were not overly thrilled when I told them I was going to make them pancakes for breakfast. I assured them these would be better. There was a lot of pressure on me – waiting for food first thing in the morning is not easy for kids – especially when they get their hopes up that it is something good. I saw this recipe in Cooking Light, and I knew they had to be better than the Oatmeal pancakes. Adding coconut milk to anything makes it taste good – at least that’s what I was hoping.

Thank goodness I was right. These pancakes were incredible. Even adding just light coconut milk made all the difference – I can’t imagine adding regular coconut milk, they would be decadent. The pancakes were ridiculously delicious – and so thick and fluffy – look at the picture, I am not joking! These pancakes were so good, I had them for dessert that night – I just warmed one up in the microwave, served it with a little syrup – and it was such a treat. The coconut milk was not overpowering, but gave the pancakes just a wonderful essence of coconut flavor. If you are looking for pancakes that are just a little different – look no further. And make some extras for the next morning – they are awesome warmed up in the microwave, unless you are like me, and can’t wait for morning to have more…

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup light coconut milk
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1 egg

Preparation

Whisk together coconut milk, canola oil and 1 egg. Combine with dry ingredients. Cook as usual for pancakes.

Serves 4

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Coconut Pancakes

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Published on November 1, 2010 by Dawn4 Comments

One afternoon after camp, my older daughter sat in the back seat of the car and started telling me about her “dream meal.” She said proudly, “Spaghetti and Meatballs with parmesan cheese and garlic bread.” Ok then. Since I can’t remember the last time I made that for her, I was curious where it came from. She explained that was the counselor’s favorite meal – and all the kids agreed – that was their “dream meal” as well. So much for being unique. Couldn’t she have at least mentioned something I have posted on the blog recently? It’s not like I don’t cook for her.

Ever since she decided that was her favorite meal, she begged me to make it. Sure, I could have made it that night – but I wanted to find the right recipe. I can make spaghetti and meatballs in my sleep – and I never use a recipe – but this time I wanted to try out someone else’s favorite – one that is consistent each time it is made – unlike mine which comes out differently each time I make it, depending on what I have in the house. And for the most part, my meatballs never come with pasta – I mostly just serve them plain, with rice, or serve them on rolls.

So there it was, staring me in the face in Bon Appetit – Molly Wizenberg’s favorite spaghetti and meatballs recipe. It looked delicious – and then I read the recipe. With a stick of butter in the sauce, how could it be bad? Ok, yes, it might kill your arteries, but at least you will go happy. I decided to cut down the butter (I used ½ stick), and leave everything else as is. The final product was amazing. The sauce was incredibly simple – and I didn’t have any complaints about the onions, because as far as the girls knew, there were none… The meatballs, tender and delicious, in fact they almost melted in your mouth. My daughter was in heaven, which was exactly what I was hoping for. I’m so glad I was able to make her dream come true.

Ingredients

Sauce:

2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes in juice, drained, juice reserved, tomatoes finely chopped
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 medium onions, peeled, halved through root end
1/2 teaspoon (or more) salt

Meatballs:

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs made from crustless French or country-style bread
1/3 cup whole milk
8 ounces ground beef (15% fat)
8 ounces ground pork
1 cup finely ground (not grated) Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
2 large garlic cloves, pressed
1 pound spaghetti
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)

Preparation

For sauce:
Combine tomatoes with juice, butter, onions, and salt in large wide pot. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard onions. Using immersion blender, process sauce briefly to break up any large pieces of tomato (texture should be even but not completely smooth). Season sauce with more salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat.

For meatballs:
Combine breadcrumbs and milk in small bowl; stir until breadcrumbs are evenly moistened. Let stand 10 minutes.

Place beef and pork in large bowl and break up into small chunks. Add 1 cup ground Parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Whisk eggs to blend in small bowl; whisk in garlic. Add to meat mixture.

Using hands, squeeze milk from breadcrumbs, reserving milk. Add breadcrumbs to meat mixture. Using hands, quickly and gently mix meat mixture just until all ingredients are evenly combined (do not overmix). Chill mixture at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Moisten hands with some of reserved milk from breadcrumbs, then roll meat mixture between palms into golf-ball-size balls, occasionally moistening hands with milk as needed and arranging meatballs in single layer in sauce in pot. Bring to simmer.

Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm before continuing.

Cook spaghetti in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain.

Using slotted spoon, transfer meatballs to platter. Add pasta to sauce in pot and toss to coat. Divide pasta among 6 plates. Top each serving with meatballs. Sprinkle meatballs with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

Serves 6

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Spaghetti and Meatballs

World Peace Cookies

Published on October 28, 2010 by Dawn4 Comments

What can I say about these cookies that is not already said in the name? Yes, I can understand now why they are called World Peace Cookies. With these cookies in hand, you can do just about anything. These cookies have now become my favorites for many reasons – which I will explain shortly. This is really a big deal coming from someone that used to eat around the chocolate chips in chocolate chip cookies – and from someone who hated chocolate ice-cream as a kid. Ok, yes, times have changed – but still – chocolate was not something I was born loving.

Ok – back to why these are now my favorite cookies:

First of all, they are so easy to make. You can whip up the dough in a matter of minutes.
You turn the dough into logs which then sit in your refrigerator until you are ready to bake them. Therefore, you can make a double batch, even a triple, and you will have logs of cookie dough just waiting to be baked.
You can literally have fresh baked cookies every night of the week – just slice the logs, put them on a cookie sheet – and stick them in the oven. Minutes later, you have the most wonderful chocolate cookies you have ever tasted, warm and chewy right out of the oven.

How is that for impressing your friends and family?

Seriously, if you are not running to your kitchen to bake these now, there is a problem. Thank goodness for Bon Appetit who printed Dorie Greenspan’s recipe so that I could enjoy it and share it with all of you – now go get to work.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
11 tablespoons (1 stick plus 3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
5 ounces extra-bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 85% cacao), chopped (no pieces bigger than 1/3 inch)

Preparation

Sift flour, cocoa, and baking soda into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth but not fluffy. Add both sugars, vanilla, and sea salt; beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add flour mixture; beat just until blended (mixture may be crumbly). Add chopped chocolate; mix just to distribute (if dough doesn’t come together, knead lightly in bowl to form ball). Divide dough in half. Place each half on sheet of plastic wrap. Form each into 1 1/2-inch-diameter log. Wrap each in plastic; chill until firm, about 3 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using thin sharp knife, cut logs crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Space 1 inch apart on prepared sheets. Bake 1 sheet at a time until cookies appear dry (cookies will not be firm or golden at edges), 11 to 12 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: World Peace Cookies

Chicken Pot Pie with Savory Crumble Topping

Published on October 25, 2010October 25, 2010 by Dawn17 Comments

Chicken Pot Pie is such comfort food for me. Sunday night is the perfect night to make it – you have lots of time, and it makes the entire house smell good. Sometimes though I like to make a pot pie during the week – it is such a wonderful weeknight treat – especially when you make a can make a homemade topping that is delicious. I have lots of recipes for short-cut toppings – but usually those end up using a boxed puffed pastry or a boxed filo dough. Don’t get me wrong, those recipes are delicious, and I wouldn’t think twice about using them – but sometimes you are looking for something a little more special.

My husband invited a co-worker to dinner one night who was visiting from out of town. He enjoys food like we do, so I wanted to make something that he would enjoy. I saw this recipe in Cook’s Illustrated, and I couldn’t wait to make it. The problem is that I couldn’t just make it for my husband and I – we would be eating it all week – and I wasn’t convinced that my kids would enjoy it. I finally had my chance – with two big eaters and me, I was sure we would get through a lot of it.

It was fantastic – the crumbles were delicious, and the sauce had just the right amount of flavor – it definitely tasted like I had been making it all day – but in fact, I worked all day – and started this meal at 6pm. Cook’s Illustrated pulled through again – I will definitely make this again, and maybe even for my kids too…

Ingredients:

Filling

1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into slices
2 small celery ribs, chopped fine
1 pkg mushrooms, washed and sliced
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp tomato paste
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) butter
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 tbsp minced fresh parsley leaves
3/4 cup frozen baby peas

Crumble Topping

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
6 tbsp butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, chilled
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp heavy cream

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450.

For the chicken: Bring the chicken and broth to a simmer in a covered Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook until chicken is done, then transfer chicken to a bowl. Pour the broth through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl and save.

For the topping: Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper in a large bowl. Sprinkle the butter pieces in and incorporate with your fingers until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Stir in the parmesan, then add the cream and stir until just combined. Place on a lined, rimmed baking sheet and bake 10-13 minutes until becoming fragrant and browning. Set aside.

For the filling: Heat 1 tbsp oil in the empty Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and stir well. Cook until vegetables are tender, and while they are cooking, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Transfer cooked vegetables to the bowl with the chicken and set aside.

Heat the remaining oil in the pot and then add mushrooms, cover and cook until mushrooms have released their juices, about 5 minutes. Remove cover and stir in the soy sauce and tomato paste. Cook, stirring until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are browned. Transfer the mushrooms to the bowl with the chicken and veggies.

Heat butter in the pot and when the foaming subsides, add the flour and cook for one minute, stirring. Slowly whisk in the reserved chicken broth and milk. Bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan to get those browned bits up. Simmer about a minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and parsley. Stir in chicken and vegetable mixture and pease into the sauce. Pour into a greased 13×9 baking dish and sprinkle crumble topping evenly over the top. Bake until filling is bubbling and topping is well browned, about 12-15 minutes.

Serves 6-8

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Chicken Pot Pie with Savory Crumble Topping

Pumpkin Tea Loaf

Published on October 21, 2010 by Dawn5 Comments

I love this time of year – because now I have an excuse to make pumpkin bread. Ok, not pumpkin bread, but pumpkin tea loaf – it sounds much fancier that way, doesn’t it? This is a wonderful bread that fills your entire home with pumpkin spice goodness. Who doesn’t want that?

There are two really great reasons to make this recipe besides how good it tastes: 1) It makes two loaves 2) It freezes extremely well. So, go home, and make yourself some pumpkin tea loaves – eat one this weekend, and freeze the other one for Thanksgiving. Now I just helped you prepare for the big day! You’re welcome.

Ingredients

1 cup vegetable oil
2 3/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
15 oz. pumpkin (unflavored)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the oil, sugar, and eggs together until smooth. Add the pumpkin, and mix well. In a medium bowl, add all the dry ingredients together and stir with a whisk. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture.

Grease and flour two 9x5x2 inch loaf pans. Divide the batter between the two loaf pans. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Pumpkin Tea Loaf

Brisket

Published on October 17, 2010 by Dawn10 Comments

I have two grandmothers – and therefore, I have two brisket recipes. Both are excellent – but one has a sweet sauce, while the other has a savory one. I am actually partial to the savory one, although I never complain when I am served either one.

I remember getting this recipe from my grandmother shortly after I graduated from college. I remember making it a couple of times, and then for some reason I stopped for a while. A couple of years ago I decided to make it again, after my grandmother passed away. I had a big dinner one night and invited some friends over to enjoy the food – a tribute to my grandmother. I remember that the brisket just wasn’t the same, and I knew that I had missed something.

Over the holidays I decided to try the brisket again. This time, I actually thought about it before I dove right in, and started looking through my files – and low and behold, I actually found a recipe from years ago – the one I used a couple of years ago was a more recent one. The trick is making sure the sauce is reduced to the proper consistency – and adding the chopped dill at the right time. When I took a bite of this brisket, I was right back at my grandmother’s house – I could close my eyes, and I swear I was there. Food is so magical – never underestimate the power it can bring…

Ingredients

5-7 pound brisket, trimmed of all fat
1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup
3 carrot sticks, peeled and cut into rounds
3 celery ribs, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, sliced
2 8 oz cans of tomato sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the chopped vegetables on the bottom of a 8 1/2 x 11 casserole dish. Add the garlic slices. Trim the fat off the brisket, and sprinkle the onion soup evenly over both sides. Pour one can of tomato sauce over the vegetables, with 1/4 cup of the stock. Place the brisket on top of the vegetables, and pour the second can of tomato sauce and 1/4 cup of broth over the top. Cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake for 1 hour, then baste using the sauce. Bake for another hour, baste again, then add the tomato paste. Bake for another hour, remove the foil, and add the dill, and baste again. Bake until the sauce is reduced, and the brisket is very tender when inserted a fork.

At this point you need to decide if the sauce needs to be reduced further – if so, remove the brisket and boil sauce on the stove until it is the desired thickness. I prefer it to be very thick and rich.

Let the brisket rest for about 10 minutes. Remove the brisket and slide it thinly against the grain. Place the sliced brisket in another casserole dish, and pour the sauce and vegetables on top – make sure to get the sauce in between each one of the slices.

Let the brisket cool, then cover with foil, and put it into the refrigerator. Before serving it, bring it to room temperature, then reheat in a 325 degree oven until all heated through.

Serves 6-10.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Brisket

Fudgy Brownies

Published on October 13, 2010October 14, 2010 by Dawn5 Comments

Fudgy brownies – they had to come eventually. These brownies now have a special place in my life. It was Friday night, I had picked the girls up from school – and I was just about to figure out what I was going to make for dinner. I still had work to do, so I kept procrastinating by going to the computer to just reply to one more email…when the phone rang.

I didn’t recognize the voice at all, nor did I recognize the phone number. It was a very good friend of mine from high school – it was probably almost 20 years since we last saw each other. She was such a big part of my life in high school, but then you go to college – and it is hard to keep in touch with everyone. She was one of the people I just lost touch with. I owe this all to Facebook – that’s where she found my number, because yes, we are friends. She was visiting the pacific northwest, and happened to mention it on Facebook – and another one of our friends reminded her that I lived here. She ended up coming over for dinner that night, and what a fabulous evening we had catching up…

Needless to say, I decided to forgo making dinner – and ordered a pizza instead – but I did make a batch of these brownies. The recipe was from Cooking Light – and I wasn’t expecting anything – but I have to say, they were pretty darn good. At 150 calories a piece, you cannot go wrong here. They were moist, dense, and very chocolatey. Facebook, these brownies are for you – for bringing old friends together!!

Ingredients

4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (1 cup)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks
1 large egg
Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk.

Place butter and chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl, and microwave at HIGH for 45 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds. Stir until smooth, and set aside. Cool slightly. Add 1 cup sugar, milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, egg yolks, and egg; stir with a whisk to combine. Add butter mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until combined. Pour batter into an 8-inch square metal baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean.

Makes 16 squares.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Fudgy Brownies

Spinach, Green Onion, and Smoked Gouda Quiche

Published on October 9, 2010 by Dawn6 Comments

As I have mentioned before, I love eating breakfast for dinner. Unfortunately my husband doesn’t feel the same way – so any time I can sneak in a breakfast for dinner, I am there. There is one exception to that rule though, and that is quiche…unfortunately the amount of cream or half-n-half involved is enough for me to save it only for special occasions.

Making a quiche with milk instead of cream has always been a challenge for me. Most of the time, the eggs just don’t set enough, and I end up with a soupy mess. Although, that never stops me from trying again. I saw this recipe in Cooking Light, and I really didn’t think it would set correctly – but I was wrong. This quiche came out beautifully – and the flavors were delicious. I especially loved the smokey flavor in the gouda cheese. The crust was flakey and not soggy at all. I will definitely be making this one again.

Ingredients

Crust:

6 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons 1% low-fat milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk
5.6 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/4 cups)

Filling:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated smoked Gouda cheese
3/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of grated nutmeg
3 large eggs

Preparation

To prepare crust, place butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Combine milk, salt, and egg yolk in a small bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add milk mixture to butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour; beat just until combined. Press mixture into a 4-inch circle on plastic wrap; cover. Chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Unwrap and place chilled dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough into a 10-inch circle. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Freeze 15 minutes. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.

To prepare filling, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add spinach; sauté 2 minutes.

Combine 1 cup milk and remaining ingredients in a bowl; stir well with a whisk. Stir in spinach mixture. Pour filling into crust. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Cut into 10 wedges.

Serves 10

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Spinach Quiche

Turkey and Tomato Salad with Avocado Dressing

Published on October 6, 2010October 7, 2010 by DawnLeave a comment

There are two types of people – people who like salad dressing, and people who don’t. I am definitely a salad dressing person – my husband, not so much. He is perfectly content to sit down to a nice big salad with no dressing. My older daughter, the same way. There has to be a lot of cheese on the salad for me to do that… My younger daughter – just like me – carrots are just a means to get the ranch dressing into her mouth.

I saw this recipe in Cooking Light – and was stuck on the dressing. The funny part is the title of the recipe had no mention of the dressing what-so-ever. I adapted the salad slightly to what I had in the house that evening – but I have to admit, for me, it was all about the dressing. This dressing was so delicious, I was eating it with a spoon. It was ridiculously creamy, and the avocado flavor was amazing – mixed in with the garlic – wow, what a treat. I can’t wait to make that dressing again – even if I am the only one in the house to eat it.

Ingredients

1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 ripe peeled avocado, seeded and coarsely mashed
4 cups bagged chopped butter lettuce
2 cups diced deli, lower-salt turkey breast (about 8 ounces)
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, cut in half

Preparation

Combine first 7 ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth, scraping sides. Set aside.

Combine lettuce and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle buttermilk mixture over lettuce mixture; toss gently to coat.

Serves 4

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Turkey and Tomato Salad with Avocado Dressing

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