Brittany's PantryIceberg Slaw
Brittany wrote this on 13 July 2013
buttermilk, gluten-free, lettuce, yogurt
Everyone needs a fall back recipe. Something that is cheap, easy, and goes with everything. Like a perfume that you can wear to the beach or to brunch with your in-laws. This, my friends, is one of mine.
It has very few ingredients, all of which I generally have on hand. And hello!! It uses iceberg lettuce! Other than a wedge salad, how many recipes do you come across nowadays that actually call for iceberg lettuce. Not many. For several reasons I’m sure, not the least of which is the fact that iceberg is practically flavorless and has little or no nutritional value. Sounds so appealing, doesn’t it? But, in this case, that is OK. In fact, it is exactly what you want. Because iceberg lettuce has something you need to make this recipe a success.
Crunch.
Crunch makes all the difference in the world as we are looking for texture here, people. You could use romaine if you wanted, but it just doesn’t shred like a good head of iceberg. The beauty of this is that you are taking something that is…well…rather boring, and making it pretty great. And you are doing it without throwing it in a bowl all ripped up and looking like a cheap salad bar item. No minute pieces of carrot and purple cabbage here kiddos. We are going for pure. Simple. Fresh. Pale. Like spa food. I mean, practically.
One Year Ago: Snickerdoodles, Sour Cream Cherry Bars, Maple Glazed Ribs, & The Best Banana Pudding
Two years Ago: Sweet & Tangy Ribs, Cobb Potato Salad, Plum Crunch, Pasta Scuie Scuie, & Sweet and Spicy Salmon
Iceberg Slaw
Adapted from Martha Stewart
This side goes great with pretty much anything, but grilled food is particularly good. Also, this is totally bare bones kinda food and that is why it works so nice. But if you have some grated carrot laying around, throw it in there.
1 head iceberg lettuce, cut into fourths and sliced thin into shreds
1/4 c sour cream or plain yogurt
1/4 c buttermilk or milk
1 tsp dried dill
salt and pepper to taste
1 T chopped fresh parsley, optional
Whisk all ingredients together, except the lettuce. Taste for seasoning. Drizzle just enough dressing on the lettuce to coat-you will have leftovers. Toss gently and taste again for seasoning. Serve immediately.
Chocolate Cherry Almond Clusters
Brittany wrote this on 27 June 2013 almonds, cherries, chocolate, gluten-free
I have never really like almonds.
Ok. I shouldn’t say that. Its not that I don’t like almonds, they just always seem to be in the way. Ground up and coating my fish? No thanks. A whole, big, chunky almond in my trail mix? Too big of a bite. And for some reason, they just never seem to be as crunchy as other nuts. Really, the only exception to this is when my sister introduced me to these, which incidentally, are strangely addictive and I highly recommend them.
But I digress. Chocolate, cherries, and almonds are obviously not an original combination. But I have never actually taken the time to combine them simply in a little snack. And I have NO IDEA WHY! Almonds are crazy good for you with all the fiber, healthy fats, and Vit E to benefit your skin and lower cholesterol. Of course, cherries and dark chocolate are both filled with a wealth of nutrients and antioxidants. That triple health combo makes these a powerhouse of good things for your body, but satisfying as well. Just three little foods! No muss. No fuss. Nothing extra, and using good, quality ingredients. I am a little embarrassed to say just how many of these I have had over the last few weeks, so….I won’t tell you how many I have had. But I may or may not be eating one right now and typing with one hand.
The only warning I have for you about these, other than the fact that you may hate me for turning you on to this incredibly munch-able snack, is that they will melt in your mouth, but also in your hand! The point here is to use good ingredients so that you end up with something fairly good for you, not filled with chemicals and extra sugars. Because a good quality, dark chocolate won’t have stabilizers in them like a commercial chocolate chip does, they will melt into a mess rather easily. But as for downsides, thats all I got. They are awesome. And they make staying healthy taste oh so good.
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One Year Ago: Yogurt Salads
Two Years Ago: Guacamole & Red Velvet Cupcakes
Chocolate Cherry Almond Clusters
The key here is to use good quality ingredients, with as few additives as possible. These are awesome right out of the freezer.
8 oz good dark or bittersweet chocolate, at least 60% cacao, finely chopped
1 1/2 c roughly chopped unsalted almonds
1 1/2 c roughly chopped dried sour cherries
In a medium glass bowl, melt the chocolate at 30 second intervals, stirring in between, and stopping before it is smooth. At the end, the heat of the bowl and a vigorous stir will work out the last of the lumps without overheating your chocolate. Always err on the side of less heat when it comes to chocolate. Stir in the almonds and cherries until well mixed. Line a baking sheet with wax or parchment paper and scoop and portion out the mixture in large tablespoons. I consistently get exactly 20 clusters out of a batch! Chill until set in the fridge and store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Classic Potato Salad
Brittany wrote this on 24 June 2013 chives, dijon mustard, eggs, gluten-free, mayo, pickles, potatoes
If you have glanced at your calendar lately, you know that July 4th is right around the corner. But really, whether you are celebrating Independence Day with family and friends, or you have a slew of pot luck dinners and barbecues to attend, potato salad always seems to make its way into the line-up!
As well it should! With the exception of the fact that it has to be kept chilled, it is easily the most popular side with grilled food. It practically begs to be spooned onto a paper plate. I would like you to consider skipping the deli counter to pick up your vat-o-salad, and instead, make this!
I learned how to make potato salad from my parents and have made very few modifications to the recipe over the years. There was no pickle in their version, but my family and I kind of love it this way, so it stays. I was born in the 70’s so yes, my potato salad has the quintessential slices of hardboiled egg sprinkled with paprika. The pictures on this blog show us eating it with dinner (which we did, that wasn’t staged or anything…:) but if I was bringing it as a dish to pass, I would layer egg prettily over the top and dust the whole thing with red. And you know what? It is usually the first thing a guest dips a spoon into. And you know why? Because potato salad is safe. It is safe and expected. Like…Smurfs. Very safe. It rarely contains weird ingredients, and you know that it will at least be passable.
But the thing is…you see…is that I don’t really like passable potato salad. I have had it with hunks of onion in it that were the size of quarters, so dry it was hard to chew, and so bland I could have been eating cardboard salad and not known the difference. Potato salad with so much pickle relish in it that it should have topped a hot dog! And potato salad that was actually sweet! As in, with the addition of sugar! For shame! We’ve all been there and I know that you know what I mean!
Good potato salad is not hard, people! It isn’t complicated or tricky. It has few ingredients and should be straight up, classic, and American. If I could insert a little electronic image of a flag waving in the breeze here and a recording of me singing the National Anthem, I would. You can vary it a little, but potato salad shouldn’t be scary; nor should you have to play ‘guess the ingredient’ when eating it. Just simple. Just basic. Just good.
And I swear that if you hum ‘Hail To The Chief’ whilst whipping this up, it will taste even better.
One Year Ago: Baked Oatmeal
Two Years Ago: Rum Raisin Rice Pudding & Garden Salsa
Classic Potato Salad
There are a few additions that I consider acceptable when making a classic potato salad. Finely diced sweet bell pepper, a small amount of minced onion, and/or a bit of finely diced celery. Anything more than that and you are too far out of ‘classic’ territory and you are into something else entirely. That is fine, just as long as you recognize it as such. This potato salad, for example, isn’t trying to be classic but instead is putting its differences front and center. Bottom line? Classics are that way for a reason, but don’t be afraid to try something new.
3-4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite sized chunks
2 T red wine or apple cider vinegar
2 T extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
3/4-1 c good mayo
1 T yellow mustard
3 hardboiled eggs, diced, plus more for garnish, if desired
1 T snipped chives
1/4 c minced dill pickle
In a large saucepan, cover the potatoes with an inch of water and simmer gently until cooked through and a fork pierces easily, but the potatoes do not fall apart. Drain them gently, splash the vinegar and olive oil evenly over the potatoes, season them with salt and pepper, stir gently, and chill. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP! This is what gives all potato salad incredible flavor! You won’t taste the vinegar and oil specifically, but it means the difference between flat, bland potatoes, and a salad that is addictively good! Once chilled, add the rest of the ingredients, stirring carefully so as not to break up the potatoes. If your salad seems a bit dry, add a bit more mayo, or a tiny splash of milk. Taste for seasoning. Garnish with sliced egg and sprinkle with paprika if desired.
Love a Good Recipe?
Then you’ve come to the right place! I’m Brittany, and I share tested, trusted recipes you’ll love. I prepare & photograph food, obsess over the perfect recipe, and enjoy grins of delight when I serve up something awesome. Enjoy!
