Davey Dad’s Thanksgiving Dressing

About 10-12 cups dried bread cubes or stuffing mix (I use homemade bread, cubed and dried in the oven or 2 bags of 365 Organic traditional stuffing mix)

6 ribs of celery, chopped

1-2 cups chopped yellow onion

1 pound hot Italian sausage or sage sausage, cooked and drained

1 large or two small apples (tart is best), peeled and chopped

Fresh sage leaves (large handful), chopped or dried sage if you  don’t have fresh

Big bunch of fresh parsley (chopped)

2 large cloves garlic, minced

Large pinch red pepper flakes (more if you like spicy)

Salt and pepper (adjust once it’s finished)

Fresh thyme leaves (small handful), can substitute 1tsp dried

1 1/2 sticks butter - more if you need it for frying the veggies 

4-6 cups unsalted or low sodium or homemade chicken broth (more if needed)

Melt butter in a large stock pot. Add celery, onion, and apple. Cook over medium heat until soft. Add garlic and cook another minute or two. Add herbs, cooked sausage, spices and stir well. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Now add bread cubes or stuffing mix. Mix until combined. Add more broth to completely soak the bread (you may need more broth than recipe calls for). Stuffing should be moist and a bit mushy. Cover and let sit for 5-10 minutes off the heat. Uncover and adjust salt and pepper. If dry, add more broth. 

Heavily butter or spray a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour stuffing evenly into the pan. Cover with foil and bake in 350 oven (or lower) for at least 30-45 minutes. Uncover and move to top rack of the oven. Cook in a hotter oven if you can until stuffing is crispy and brown. 

This makes enough for a large family gathering (10-15 servings). Makes great leftovers. Serve with gravy on top. 

Note: ingredient measurements are flexible. Use as much herbs and spice as you like. You can leave some out or add different herbs like rosemary and marjoram. You can add chopped pecans, walnuts, or roasted chestnuts to make it nuttier. You can use hamburger instead of sausage or leave out meat for a meatless dressing. Cut it in half for a smaller crowd. This is a staple for Thanksgiving and Dave always adds tons of celery so don’t hold back on that ingredient! 

White Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 Tbsp honey

1Tbsp Dijon mustard 

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper 

1 large garlic clove, pressed in garlic presser

1/4 cup while balsamic vinegar 

3/4 cup EV olive oil

Mix all ingredients except oil in a jar or measuring cup. Slowly drizzle oil into the mixture, stirring rapidly with a tiny whisk until emulsified. This will keep in your refrigerator for a week or longer. If you put it in a mason jar, you can shake it to reincorporate the ingredients. 

This recipe works with any vinegar, including dark balsamic vinegar. It’s quick, easy and delicious! 

Grapefruit, Avocado, Fennel Salad

1 large pink grapefruit, peeled and cut into slices 

2 small or 1 large avocado, sliced 

1 small fennel bulb, sliced

1 small box arugula

Pistachio nuts

Place all in a salad bowl and toss with white balsamic vinaigrette (see recipe link)

Chimichurri

1 small bunch flat leaf parsley (about 1 cup), finely chopped 

3 large cloves garlic, minced (adjust if you want less garlic flavor)

1 Fresno chili, small dice

1 tsp dried oregano or 1 Tbsp fresh oregano 

2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar 

1/2 cup good olive oil

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl at least 15 minutes before eating. Make sure all ingredients are submerged in olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Make up to 24 hours before eating. The sooner you eat it, the fresher it tastes. No need to refrigerate unless storing longer than 24 hours. Bring to room temperature if you refrigerate it.

Use as a condiment for meats, especially grilled steak/beef, but also good on any meat or fish or as a topping for a Buddha bowl or as a dressing for pasta or rice. 

This isn’t spicy, but if you want some spicy hot flavors, add a few pinches of red pepper flakes or some cayenne pepper. Do not chop in a food processor. Hand chop/dice all ingredients for best results.

Yummy Tahini Sauce for Buddha Bowls

1/4 c tahini

1 medium lemon, juiced (about 2 Tbsp)

1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper 

1 tsp mirin wine

1/2 to 1 Tbsp maple syrup

Warm water to thin

Mix all ingredients except the water. Add warm water just to make it thin enough to pour (like a salad dressing). Adjust sweetness to your own taste. I like it less sweet on Buddha bowls containing sweeter ingredients. 

Makes enough for 4, using 2 Tbsp sauce for each serving. Double it if you want more for your bowls. 

 

Tahini sauce tops this tofu Buddha Bowl

 

Dilly Potato Salad

This gets better when it is chilled and marinates the potatoes.

2 pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes (whole)
4 hard-boiled eggs
1/2 cup green onions (including tops), thinly sliced
3 heaping Tbsp fresh dillweed, chopped
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Dressing
3/4 c. mayonnaise
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard

Boil potatoes until just tender. Cool under water and drain (inside of potato will still be warm). Cut potatoes into a small dice (leave peels on, but you can peel the potatoes if you don't like the peels). Chop up eggs. Place potatoes, eggs, onions, dill in a large glass bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Mix all dressing ingredients in a separate bowl until well-blended. Add more milk so that the dressing is pourable. Pour dressing over the salad and gently stir to mix ingredients.

Refrigerate potato salad for at least an hour. Dressing will thicken as it cools. Be sure the salad is cold before serving.

Great leftover. Makes enough for about 6 servings.

Steak sauce

This is a great way to make homemade steak sauce that honestly tastes much better than A-1 Steak Sauce. It's easy to make in a small batch too so you don't have a bottle of this stuff sitting in your refrigerator for months at a time.

1/4  heaping cup ketchup
1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
1 heaping tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 heaping tsp hot sauce

Whisk all ingredients together. Refrigerate any leftovers. Use on steak sandwiches or if you like it on steak, on top of your steak.

Homemade Buffalo Sauce (Two Recipes)

I love making my own sauces and spice mixes. This one is so simple, you can make it and store it in a mason jar for at least a month. Use it on wings, or make buffalo chicken sandwiches by marinading boneless skinless chicken breasts and grilling them, brushing the chicken while it is grilling. Use this sauce for a buffalo chicken pizza (in place of my homemade pizza sauce). Don't forget to check out my gorgonzola sauce when serving buffalo chicken.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup Frank's red hot sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (less if you prefer less spicy sauce)
1/2 tsp white pepper (or black pepper if you don't mind the black specks)
1/2 tsp celery salt (make your own with celery seeds and salt)
1/2 tsp granulated garlic

In a saucepan, melt butter. Add remaining ingredients and whisk to combine. Bring just to a boil, but do not boil. Take off burner and cool in the pan. Use right away or store in a Mason jar in the refrigerator, mixing before serving.

For a spicier version, add hot sauce or ghost pepper flakes. For less spice, do not add cayenne pepper and substitute black pepper for the white pepper because white pepper is spicier.

Another Recipe:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup Frank's Hot Sauce
• 1 Tbsp hot sauce (like Tabasco)
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar

In a small saucepan, melt butter. Add remaining ingredients and whisk until combined. Remove from heat and refrigerate in an airtight jar for up to a week.

Vinegar (not creamy) Coleslaw

1/2 head (about 10 cups) green cabbage shredded ( or 16 oz.bag)
1/2 small head (1-2 cups) purple cabbage shredded
2-3 larger carrots shredded
2-3 green onions, thinly sliced (with green tops)

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Mix the vegetables in a very large bowl. Whisk dressing ingredients together. About 15 minutes before eating, toss the dressing with the veggies and mix well.

This coleslaw tastes great (and crunchy) even if it sits in the dressing for awhile. It tastes good leftover and will last 4-5 days in the refrigerator.

This is the best vinegar-based recipe I've made.

Spicy Tofu Rice Bowl with Roasted Veggies and Peanut Drizzle

I love bowl meals! I created this using leftover veggies from my fridge, so you can use just about anything for the roasted veggies and it will be delicious. The peanut sauce is to die for! If you want additional sauce, double the recipe. Leftover sauce would make an awesome salad dressing.

Roasted Veggies
2 medium Garnet sweet potatoes (about a pound), cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1-2 sweet red peppers, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 sweet onion, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
3/4- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, cut in half
Cooking spray

Tofu
1 Pound extra firm Tofu
1/2 c. minced onions
2 green onions, chopped (tops included)
3 Tbsp cooking oil (I used grapeseed oil)
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp hot pepper flakes
1 Tbsp Mirin (rice) wine
1/2 cup water or vegetable broth

Peanut Sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp peanut butter
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp chili garlic hot sauce (we used Pepper Palace Ghostly Garlic)

2 cups cooked brown rice

Garnishes
Shredded carrots
Shredded daikon
sliced radishes
chopped cilantro
dry roasted peanuts

Heat oven to 425, place all the veggies on a large sheet pan and spray with cooking spray to coat. Salt and pepper as you desire. Roast veggies for about 20-25 minutes while preparing the rest of the meal.

Drain tofu paper towels. Cut tofu into quarter inch slices going the long way. Then cut each slice into thirds. You should have about 45 pieces of tofu. Make sure tofu is dry.

Heat oil in a large skillet and place tofu in a single layer. Fry on one side until it begins to get brown, then flip and brown the other side. Drain tofu on a paper towel. You may need to do this in two batches, but only use half the oil for each batch if you do.

Once the tofu is fried and drained, place the chopped onion, green onion, and garlic in the pan with the oil that's remaining. Cook the onion and garlic until it begins to brown.

In a separate bowl, mix 1 Tbsp soy sauce, salt, sugar, hot pepper flakes, wine and water or broth. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add mixture to the pan, scraping up any bits of tofu left on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil and boil for a few minutes to thicken the sauce. Place the tofu back into the pan and stir to coat the tofu. Continue cooking on low heat until sauce is fairly thick and it sticks to the tofu.

Make the peanut sauce and place in a small bowl.

Now assemble your bowl by placing a half cup of rice, 1/4 of the roasted veggies, 1/4 of the tofu in a bowl. Add your garnishes (be liberal) and top with just a few peanuts. Then drizzle the peanut sauce all over everything.

Makes 4 generous helpings.  About 600 calories for each bowl.

Watermelon, cucumber, feta and mint salad

4 cups seedless watermelon, cut into small chunks
2-3 cups seedless cucumber, cut into small chunks or slices
1/4 - 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
2-4 cups arugula (I used about 6 cups)
1/2 cup fresh mint, thinly sliced (add more if you love mint)
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (toasted or raw)

Dressing
3 Tbsp lime juice (about 1-2 limes)
2-3 Tbsp olive oil (use less if you want fewer calories)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Chill watermelon until very cold. When ready to serve, place all ingredients except the mint, feta and walnuts into a large serving bowl.

Toss salad with about half the dressing to start. You just want to lightly coat the ingredients with the dressing. Top with the mint, feta and walnuts and toss slightly, but keeping them mostly on the top. Serve with leftover dressing or save the dressing for another day.

This salad can become very watery, so don't assemble this until right before you want to sit down to eat it. You can also leave out the arugula or substitute spinach for the arugula.

Another variation is to add some chilled quinoa and some grilled chicken strips to make this a main-dish salad.

Tastes very refreshing and summery. The mint really sends this dish over the top, so don't skip it!

(Nathaniel didn't really care for this, but the rest of us thought it was refreshing and delicious!).

Creamy Low-fat Poppy Seed Dressing

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used full-fat, but 0% fat will lower the calories)
3 Tbsp water
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp Maple syrup (or honey)
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp poppy seeds
pinch salt

Mix ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth. Might need up to 1 Tbsp water to make it thin enough. Add more sweetener if you like it a bit more sweet or a little more vinegar if you like it tangy.

Makes a great dressing for spinach, strawberry salad. Very light and refreshing.

Makes about 1 cup of dressing.

Chopped Cabbage and Kale Salad

6 cups chopped green cabbage
3 cups packed, de-stemmed and chopped kale
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dried sour cherries
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
2 Tbsp olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Black pepper to taste

Combine cabbage, kale, red bell pepper, walnuts, dried cherries, and feta cheese in a  large salad bowl.

In a small bowl,  whisk oil, lemon juice, zest, salt and pepper. Might need to add a little more oil if you have a large lemon. If you like it a little sweeter, add some maple syrup or honey.

Combine dressing with cabbage and toss to coat. Chill until ready to serve.

Mexican Street Corn Salad with Yogurt-Lime Dressing

4 cobs of sweet corn
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
Salt and pepper
1 medium red bell pepper
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup crumbled Mexican cheese (such as cotija or queso fresco), divided

Dressing
5 oz zero fat Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp Hellman's mayonnaise
1 small clove garlic, pressed
1 tsp honey
1 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp smokey paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees and place corn in oven with husks on. Roast about 20 minutes or until corn is soft, but still firm. Cool corn while you chop the ingredients for the rest of the salad. Cut corn off husks and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with lime juice and salt and pepper. Add the red bell pepper, onion, black beans, cilantro and 3/4 cup of the Mexican cheese.

Mix all of the dressing ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Taste to adjust seasoning. If you want it more spicy, add additional cayenne pepper - if less spicy is your thing, don't add it at all.

Gently toss all of the salad ingredients together, pouring the dressing on top to incorporate. Top with 1/4 cup of additional cheese and refrigerate until ready to serve. This salad gets better as it blends and I like it cold, but it can be served at room temperature right away.

Eat as a side dish with enchiladas or tacos or just dig in and eat it as a "dip" with tortilla chips. This stuff is addicting!

NOTE: You can grill the corn, slightly charring it instead of roasting it in the oven. This will give the corn a smokey flavor and it will be a bit crispy.

NOTE: If you can't find Mexican cheese, you can substitute Feta cheese instead. Mexican cheese is much milder and has less salty flavor.

Cabbage, Brussels Sprout, Apple Slaw with Maple Sweetened Vinaigrette Dressing

"Oh yum!" That's all I could say after making and eating this coleslaw. A wonderful fall side dish, it's addicting to the soul! Give it a try. It really makes a colorful side dish to brighten a fall plate.

1/2 of a medium head of red (purple) cabbage, shredded (about 10-12 oz or 8-10 cups)
8-10 Brussels Sprouts, thinly sliced (about 6 oz)
1 medium apple (I used Honey crisp), cut into matchsticks
1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup pecans, chopped roughly

Maple Sweetened Vinaigrette Dressing
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. maple syrup (plus more if you want it sweeter)
1/4 cup unfiltered raw apple cider vinegar (I use Bragg's)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large glass bowl (bigger is better so you can toss the salad), place the cabbage, Brussels sprouts and apple.

To make the dressing, whisk together the first 3 ingredients and then slowly stir and whisk in the oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Toss the dressing with the cabbage mixture. Sprinkle the nuts on top and give it a good stir just before serving. This will keep the nuts/seeds crisp. This can be made in advance and it still tastes great a day later!

See how colorful it makes the dinner plate?!

Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad with Tahini-Miso-Maple Syrup dressing

Dave and I had this salad at a local restaurant this weekend, so I decided I needed to make it at home. It turned out better than the overpriced one at the restaurant. I'm really digging tahini and maple syrup together in a salad dressing.

1 big bunch of kale (6-8 cups)
1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, rinsed and ends snipped off
Salt and Pepper
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Cut kale into bite-sized pieces, removing the hard stem. Massage kale while rinsing under water and spin dry. Kale should turn bright green. Shave or thinly slice Brussels Sprouts and add to the kale. Salt and pepper salad.

Next, make dressing.

Tahini-Miso-Maple Syrup Dressing
1/4 cup tahini
2 Tbsp. white Miso
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp Maple syrup
Small garlic clove, pressed through garlic press
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1-2 Tbsp warm water (to thin)

Using an immersion blender, blend tahini, Miso, 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar and Maple syrup (cover with hand or use a deep dish to do this because it will splatter) until smooth. Check for sweetness -- if too sweet add another tablespoon of vinegar. With a spoon, add garlic, cayenne, black pepper and check for consistency. If too thick, add 1 Tbsp warm water and stir well. If still too thick, you can add more water. Taste for sweetness or tartness, depending upon your liking.

When ready to serve, add almonds, cranberries and dressing to the kale-Brussels sprouts salad. Serve immediately.

The dressing is so tasty -- I could eat it with a spoon! :)

Greek Pasta Salad with Grilled Chicken

16 oz Orecchiette pasta cooked al dente
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 small English cucumber, cut into half moons
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup Greek olives, cut in half
15.5 oz can chickpeas (Garbanzo beans), drained
2 cups (about 2 large handfuls) of greens, such as chopped romaine lettuce or spinach or a combination of both
8 oz. Feta cheese, crumbled

Greek-Style Dressing
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1 glove garlic, pressed through garlic press or finely shopped
1 tsp. dried oregano (crumbled)
1 tsp salt
1/2-1 tsp freshly ground pepper

Mix well or shake in a jar to combine

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, marinaded in Italian or Greek Dressing (make another batch of the dressing listed above for this) for at least 4-6 hours, but not more than 24 hours

Directions
Right after cooking the pasta, rinse pasta with cold water to stop it from cooking. Drain well and place in a very large serving bowl (this recipe will feed about 8 people) add the olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking together. Refrigerate pasta to cool it completely.

Stir the next 9 ingredients into the pasta, mixing well. These amounts are very forgiving, so it's fine if the amounts are more or less than listed above.

Add the Greek-style dressing to the pasta salad and you can either refrigerate until ready to serve or proceed to grill the chicken,

Pound raw chicken until about 1 inch thick. Grill chicken on high about 10 minutes or until juices run clear, discarding the marinade.

Cut chicken into strips or cubes. Add chicken to the pasta salad or you can serve it on the side and let each person add the chicken to their own salad. You can also add the chicken to the salad and refrigerate until ready to serve if you prefer your chicken cold rather than warm.

Serve pasta salad as a main dish or it can be a side dish. This will feed 8 people a main course or 12-15 people as a side dish. If you want to make it for a main course, you can complete the meal with a fruit salad and a tall glass of iced tea or lemonade.

This salad makes great leftovers too!

Enjoy!

Poppyseed Dressing

This is a tangy sweet dressing. I use it for a spinach-strawberry salad, but it is great with any fruit salad.

1/4 c. white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1.3 oz granulated sugar
1/4 c. grapeseed oil
1/4 c olive oil
1/2 Tbsp poppyseeds

Mix together the vinegar, dry mustard, onion powder, salt and sugar until well mixed. combine the two oils together and mix. Slowly whisk the oil into the vinegar-sugar mixture until well combined. Stir in poppy seeds and chill until ready to serve.

You can use all olive oil or all grapeseed oil.

Chicken Chop Salad

4 chicken breasts, pounded thin
1/2 c. bottled Italian dressing
2 heads romaine, chopped
1 red pepper, cut into 1/4 inch squares
1 English cucumber, cut into slices, then quartered
16 grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/3 cup black olives, sliced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
5-6 slices provolone cheese, cut into small squares
1/2 c sliced pepperoni, cut in half
4 pepperoncinis, sliced

Dressing
1 lemon, zested
8 Tbsp lemon juice (from zested lemon)
 (note, if you don't have enough lemon juice, make up the difference with red wine vinegar)
2 large garlic cloves, pressed through garlic press
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp dried oregano (or 1 Tbsp fresh oregano)
1/3 c. Extra Virgin olive oil

Marinade chicken breasts in Italian dressing at least 4 hours or overnight. Grill chicken until done. Then slice or chop into bite-sized pieces. Place into a bowl.

While chicken is marinading, combine all the other ingredients in a large salad bowl as shown in photo above.

Make dressing by combining all the ingredients together except olive oil. Whisk oil into the rest of the ingredients, until well combined.

Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well. Serve salad with chicken on top.

I also made Italian bread croutons by toasting Italian bread, topped with olive oil, Italian spice and a pinch of salt on top. Toast until crunchy, but not too brown. You can serve the bread on the side or cut up and add to the salad.

This makes 5 generous dinner salads. It is light and delicious.

Gorgonzola Sour Cream Sauce (for buffalo chicken)

1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola
1/2 - 1  tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. celery seeds
Salt & Pepper

Mix together in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Make ahead and refrigerate so flavors can meld. Use this sauce with buffalo chicken or wings.

I make this to top chicken breasts that I marinade in my homemade buffalo sauce, pound breasts to fit on a sandwich. Grill for about 9-10 minutes. Serve on a toasted bun with extra wing sauce, sliced fresh tomatoes and if you're really daring top chicken with Boar's Head Marbled Blue Monterey Jack cheese (I think they discontinued making this. So sad!) melted on top to give it an extra blue cheese flavor.

It's all about the layers of flavors!