Gingham Salad

Gingham Salad. It's worthy of an intro.

As a teeny bopper I "life guarded" at one of the local country clubs. Let's be honest, it's a country club, and the few senior members that did make it down to the docks didn't have the energy to swim once they made it there.  And I don't blame them.

Subsequently, I was paid to be the bronzing beauty that guarded... the "dock" and my lunch plate.  Free gourmet country club food?  Worth every hour, hello.

The Gingham Salad was the pinnacle of my summer bliss.  It's a perfect symphony of fresh berries, mandarin oranges, feta, candied pecans, grilled chicken, and a dressing that is heaven in its self. You will not have lived until you taste THE Gingham Salad. Oooooh the dressing... don't get me started. So simple. So fresh. So perfect.

Adapted from the Hayden Lake Country Club's Gingham Salad.

Tell me what you think!

Gingham Salad Bliss From Scratch | Printable Version Candied pecans (recipe follows or can use store-bought) Gingham dressing (recipe follows) Canned mandrin oranges Fresh blue berries Fresh strawberries Black berries* Raspberries* Grilled chicken* Feta or blue cheese Salad greens of choice *optional, but highly recommended Assemble greens, berries, fruit, and chicken. Top with cheese, nuts, and dressing--skimping on these ingredients is like trying to do jumping jacks without legs.  Let your mouth and mind be blown away.  This is my all-time favorite meal, ever. Gingham Dressing No substitutions will work.  Believe me, I've tried.  Dressing will last in the fridge for weeks, but using fresh onion with reduce the shelf life.  You'll make it again soon after, I'm confident of that. wink-wink. 1/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon dry mustard 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon onion powder OR 1 tablespoon small yellow onion 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1/3 cup salad oil (canola or olive oil) In a blender, mix all of the ingredients for 1-2 minutes. Candied Pecans 1 cup pecans 2 tablespoons butter 5 tablespoons brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon pinch of nutmeg In a small skillet, melt butter and sugar over med-low heat.  Add pecans and spices, stir until pecans are fragrant and well coated (they should appear sticky with the melted sugar coating them).  Remove from heat and spoon the mixture onto parchment paper, break apart as desired if the nuts are clumping together.  Cool completely before serving.

Best Chocolate Cake with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream

This cake is extremely moist and dense, without being overly rich.  It really is the best chocolate cake recipe I've come across thus far.

Chopped Broccoli Salad

Need a new salad recipe to whip out for the forthcoming Thanksgiving festivities?  

Then lucky you.  I have just the thing.

Berry Crumble Bars

These bars were bonkers good.  

They remind me of my sweet Grandma Hill and all of the happy childhood memories of the lovely home baked goods that she spoiled us with as kids.  Mmmmmm.  

My choc-aholic P-Man loved 'em too.  He's always proving me wrong that way.  I'll make something that I'm sure he'll reject on principle alone, and he's like "Hey these are super good".  

Fruit Salad with Vanilla Honey Citrus Dressing

Summertime means salads to me. 

I'm enamored with the fresh seasonal ingredients at the height of their nutrients and flavor.  I especially enjoy sampling new salads at summertime get-togethers and BBQs, and oft times simple wins big. 

So here's my version of simple.  A medley of fresh vibrant fruits tossed in lightly sweetened juices with the perfect hint of vanilla. 

Lovely!      

Balsamic Strawberry Shortcake Sugar Cookies



Perhaps using the word "shortcake" is being a bit liberal with the term, but it just felt right.

Aren't they lovely? 

Almost too darling to eat?  Maybe that's what I said before two or three disappeared. 

I'm still perplexed as to how that happened.  Ahem.

To be honest, the first time I laid eyes upon the marriage of balsamic vinegar and strawberries, I can't say that it seemed too appealing.

An initial eewww may have crossed my mind. 

But for some reason the idea lingered and kept nagging at me for a few weeks.  Weeks! 

So finally I grabbed a carton of berries and mustered up the gumption to give them a try.  I cringed a little as I poured the vinegar over the freshly sliced berries and with my P-Man casting more than a few unsubtle doubtful glances my way... The mood was tense.

And then I dusted on the black pepper.  And that's when P-Man had to just leave the room.

But there's a happy ending to this story.  When I spooned a dollop of lightly sweetened cream onto a perfectly soft melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookie and topped it all off with those marinated berries, the result was glorious. 

bite. moan. bite.

Continued in that order.

Instead of overpowering the natural flavor of the strawberries it only enhanced and brightened their flavor, and color too.  Oh the possibilities.  I'm already diabolically plotting for future mind-blowing balsamic/strawberry concoctions.  And I'm a dork.
      

Memorial Day is a comin' my friends, and these eye and mouth candy treats will impress your BBQ crowd.  Try them.  Love them.  And you're welcome.  



Balsamic Strawberry Shortcake Sugar Cookies

Recipe by Bliss From Scratch  | Printable Version

• 2 dozen sugar cookies, recipe here.  (You may not need this many, it just depends upon how much topping that you pile on 'em.)
• 4 cups whipped cream, lightly sweetened

For the berries:

• 16 oz. fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and gently stir.  Cover, and allow to marinate for about an hour. 

Spoon the fresh whipped cream onto the sugar cookies and top with the marinated strawberries.  Serve immediately.  Enjoy.

Fresh Strawberry Buttercream

There were a few extra strawberries in the fridge that I had somehow managed to hide from my girls.  This small miracle resulted the epiphany that I needed to fold fresh strawberry puree into the vanilla buttercream. 

The verdict: lovely, fragrant, pastel pink perfection. 

Blueberry Muffins. The heavenly kind.

It has occurred to me that most anything worth baking will naturally call for the use of either butter or buttermilk.  These heavenly muffins wisely require both.  And the batter- oh trust me when I say that one taste will never suffice, and your muffins may never make it into the oven.