Chino Chopped Vegetable Salad (Wolfgang Puck)

 Ingredients:

• 1 cup diced carrots
• ¾ cup fresh corn kernels (from about 1 medium ear)
• ½ cup diced green beans
• ½ cup diced red onion
• ½ cup diced radicchio
• ½ cup diced celery
• 1 small vine-ripened tomato, peeled, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch dice
• 2 cups mixed baby salad leaves of your choice, several small leaves reserved for garnish
• 4 tsp grated Parmesan
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
• Dijon-Balsamic Vinaigrette (makes ½ cup)
  • ½ tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 ½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp safflower oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. For the Dijon-Balsamic Vinaigrette: In a bowl, whisk together the mustard, balsamic vinegar, and sherry vinegar. Whisking continuously, slowly drizzle in the oils to form a smooth emulsion. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice cubes and water. Put the carrots, corn, and green beans in a wire sieve, lower it into the boiling water, and cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Plunge the sieve into the ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain well.
3. In a large bowl, combine the blanched vegetables, onion, radicchio, celery, and tomato. Put the salad leaves in a separate bowl.
4. Drizzle about two-thirds of the vinaigrette over the chopped vegetable mixture and toss well. Sprinkle in the Parmesan and toss again. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the salad leaves and toss well.
5. Arrange beds of salad leaves on four chilled salad plates. Mound the chopped vegetable salad on top. Top the vegetables with the reserved salad leaves. Arrange cherry tomato halves around the base of the salad. Serve immediately.

Meg's Cranberry Chicken

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 6 boneless chicken thighs (you can use breasts)
• 3 TBS of butter
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• dash of ground nutmeg
• 1 TBS of red wine vinegar

DIRECTIONS: 

In a shallow dish, dredge chicken in flour and pepper.

In the skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Brown chicken on both sides. Remove and keep warm.

In same skillet, combine water, cranberries, brown sugar, nutmeg, and vinegar. Cook and stir until berries burst, Return chicken to skillet. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes until chicken is tender. Serve over rice.

 

For the rice: cook white rice, (add: butter, chopped pineapple, and shredded coconut)