Citrus Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

Summer’s not the only season for fresh produce-packed salads. There’s plenty of cold weather produce to enjoy in the winter. From tangy cranberries and citrus fruits to robust greens and hardy root vegetables, you’ll be surprised by how many foods truly are “in season” right now.

Cooking Light has a great seasonal produce guide that you can check out here:

If you love fruit, there’s not much you can complain about in this citrus salad.

Sliced pears, sectioned oranges and grapefruit, and plump seedless grapes make up all the wonderful fruits in this salad. Add a handful of walnuts or pecans for crunch, and a sweet, citrus orange vinaigrette, and you’ve got yourself the perfect salad.

I actually made this for Christmas dinner this year. Everyone loved it. Plus, it pairs well with just about any main course from juicy steaks to grilled chicken to pork chops and even ham.

Enjoy!

Citrus Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

Recipe Type: Side

Cuisine: American

Serves: 6

Ingredients

1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tsp. orange zest
3 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. chopped walnuts or pecans
1 (5 oz.) bag mixed baby greens, thoroughly washed
2 navel oranges, peeled and sectioned
1 large grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
1 pear, peeled and sectioned
1 cup seedless red grapes

Instructions

FOR THE VINAIGRETTE: Whisk together first 6 ingredients (white wine, orange zest, orange juice, sugar, salt and pepper) in a small bowl; add oil in a slow steady stream, whisking until blended.
FOR THE SALAD: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake nuts in a single layer in a shallow pan 6-8 minutes or until toasted and fragrant.
Place greens in a large bowl. Add orange sections, grapefruit sections, sliced pear, and grapes. Drizzle with 1/4 cup Orange Vinaigrette, tossing gently to coat. Sprinkle toasted nuts over salad, and serve immediately with remaining vinaigrette.

Notes

Source: “Farmers Market Cookbook: A Fresh Look at Local Flavor” by Southern Living

Paula’s Passionate Punch

Got plans for Memorial Day yet? If not, making this fruit punch recipe should be one of them! Earlier in the week, I went over to my in-laws to try some punch. As the “Resident Recipe” columnist for our neighborhood’s monthly magazine, I needed some photos taken of Paula’s passionate punch, a refreshing drink that I’m writing about for the July issue of the magazine.

As my blog readers, you get a sneak peak of my article, photos of the drink, and the best part…the recipe! Now make your grocery list and head to the store tomorrow so you can make this fabulous punch for Memorial Day!

Now for the story behind this punch:

The “Paula” referred to in this recipe is NOT Paula Deen. However, like the Food Network star, this Paula loves butter, is from the south, and also coins the phrase “ya’ll”. My mother-in-law, Paula, is the creator of this fabulous passionate punch recipe. Growing up Paula and her friends would spend hours playing ping-pong at their house in Paris, Texas. Back in her day, it wasn’t customary to offer a coke for someone to drink as they weren’t massed produced like they are now. Instead water, milk or Kool-Aid were the refreshment options.

In order to attract the kids to their house (so that she could keep a watchful eye on them), Paula’s mother Martha, would always keep a container of punch in the freezer. The kids absolutely loved the punch and Paula’s house became the “hub” for neighborhood get-togethers. Years later, Paula continued her mother’s tradition by keeping punch (and now soft drinks) available to her kids and their friends. Generations later this punch recipe is just as popular as it was in Paula’s day.

Paula and me sipping punch.

My husband, Matt and me.

Paula’s Passionate Punch

Ingredients

1 large (6 oz.) strawberry Jell-O

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 large can (48 oz.) can orange juice

1 large can (48 oz.) pineapple juice

1 can frozen passion fruit concentrate

1 pkg. pink lemonade Kool-Aid

Ginger ale

Fruit for garnish

Directions

1. Dissolve Jell-O into 4 cups hot water.

2. Bring 2 1/2 cups sugar and 2 cups water to a boil. Add the juices, Kool-Aid and 1 1/2 – 2 quarts water. Freeze mixture in a large container.

3. When ready to serve, let mixture thaw so that you can scrape out slush. Pour ginger ale over slush in individual glasses and serve.

* Note – the slush takes the place of the ice.

Recipe from: My mother-in-law, Paula.

Mango Delight Smoothie

Here’s a healthy smoothie you need to try on a hot summer’s day here in Dallas! My mom made this the other night for dinner in her brand new Vitamix blender. The recipe came with the instruction book in her new blender.

This Mango Delight Smoothie was cool, delicious, slightly tart, and overall sweet in flavor. My favorite fruits are actually apples and mangos, so this smoothie is right up my alley! I would have loved to have this smoothie after our kickball game this evening when it was 95 degrees at 7:00 pm at night! What a cool and healthy treat I would have loved sipping on after our 7-6 win over an undefeated team that has not lost a game in 7 years! Our kickball team broke their winning streak!

Enjoy

Mango Delight Smoothie

Ingredients

1 medium orange, peeled, halved
1/2 medium banana, peeled
1/2 mango, peeled, pitted
1/2 medium apple
1 cup ice cubes

Instructions

Place all ingredients into the Vitamix container (or blender) in the order listed and secure lid.
Blend for 45 seconds, or until desired consistency.

Notes

Yield: 3 1/4 cups Source: Vitamix recipe book