Hello again. I want to talk to you about the salad in a jar again. I've been fixing thise for about 5 weeks now, and I want you to know that (in my opinion) this is the best prepare your food ahead idea I've come across.
I use the quart wide mouth canning jars. Either make your own salad dressing (refer to my previous blogs for salad dressing recipes) or buy a good quality salad dressing if you need to save some time.
Prep your vegetables using a sharp knife.
Use a variety of peppers, green, yellow, orange, or red. Stand the pepper on it's end and cut down on the side from the top to the bottom. That will help remove the membranes and seeds. Cut the sections of pepper in strips, and then cut across the strips to make smaller pieces. I mix all my colors together, but you can keep them seperate if you wish.
Cucumbers. I peel if they are waxed. Cut the cuke in half, then in half lenthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and watery membrane. Then cut into strips, and then pieces. Set aside.
Radishes. I prefer using the radishes that come with the tops. Cut off the tops and bottoms, then slice across. I dice these too, but you may leave them in slices. Set aside.
Celery. Cut off the end. I usually cut about 2 inches or so of the end. I cut the top sections with the leaves off and place these in a saucepan. I then dice the remaining celery and set aside. I usually buy 2 stalks of celery, using one for the salads and any cooked dishes, and the other is cut for snacking.
Carrots. I like to shred some to add a nice crunch to the salads.
Tomatoes - I like to use grape or cherry tomotoes and leave them whole I usually put the whole tomotoes in right after adding the salad dressings
You can use any variety of vegetables such as zucchini, cabbage, broccolli, cauliflower.
Lettuce - I use green or red leaf lettuce, or romaine. Wash, tear into bite size pieces and then spin dry or put the lettuce in a pillowcase and roll and squeeze dry.
Avocado - I usually try to have these available during the week that I make the cobb or taco salad, slicing them and adding them right before serving my salads.
Before I start cutting up my veggies, I cook whatever meat I will be using in the salads for that week. I like to bake my chicken breasts that are on the bone because I believe that gives the meat a better flavor. It is very easy to debone the chicken after it has cooled.
When I am making a taco salad, I brown the ground beef before draining. While I drain the beef I add the taco seasoning (check previous blog for that recipe) to the hot skillet and toast it slightly before adding the meat and some water back into the skillet. Cook until the water is absorbed, then cool completely.
Taco Salad in a Jar. Layer in this order
Ranch dressing - about 2 to 3 tbls
Salsa - about 1/4 or 1/3 cup
Peppers - 1/4 cup
radishes 1/8 cup
Cucumbers about 1/8 cup I like cucmbers in anything
Taco flavored meat - 1/2 cup
Shredded cheddar cheese - 1/8 cup
Then add the lettuce to about 1 inch from the top.
Put the lid on and place in the refridgerator.
Chef Salad
Dressing of your choice, about 1/8 cup or so
Assorted veggies, about 1/8 to 1/4 cup each
Assorted meat about 1/2 cup
Shredded cheese, about 1/8 cup
Finish with lettuce, cover, seal and refrigerate
Cobb salad
Blue cheese dressing
Gluten-free blue cheeses:
- BelGioso gorgonzola – verified via website that all their cheeses are gluten-free
- Marin French Cheese Factory blue cheese – verified via phone
- Maytag blue cheese – verified via phone (it used to contain gluten, but now does not)
- Montforte blue cheese and gorgonzola – verified via phone
- Pt. Reyes blue cheese – verified via phone and website
- Rosenborg blue cheese – verified via web
- Paladin MonSalvat blue cheese – verified via email
Obtained from surefoodsliving.com
Tomatoes
cucumbers
Actually, this is pretty much just like the chef's salad, except for the addition of bacon and blue cheese.
