Red Leaf Lettuce with Citrus Dressing and Toasted Pine Nuts

I like eating salad with my meal, when it's done rightly, it provides contrasting texture and flavor to the meal.  In fact salad could become my main meal during the day especially on weekdays when I don't eat lunch at home.  Sometimes my salad is lavishly garnished with plenty of other things especially when it's a meal by itself.  A plate of salad with protein will satisfy me just fine as with any other type of meal.  Other times, salad could be a side dish that's simple and yet refreshing.  The dressing in this salad is just lemon and orange juices, the zests, a good quality of extra-virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper; toasted pine nuts and cut radishes are added for some crunch.  It is easy and it compliments well with rich dishes, or eat this to end a meal.

Red Leaf Lettuce with Citrus Dressing and Toasted Pine Nuts

Serves 4



1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

Rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt

Rounded 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 large head red leaf lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces

6 radishes, cut lengthwise into wedges

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted



Whisk together oil, zests, juices, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until salt is dissolved.  Add lettuce and radishes and toss until well coated, then sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.



Source:  Gourmet Today

Honey Citrus Chicken

Okay, even though it's still raining, cloudy, and cold in Oregon, I wouldn't let them stop me from grilling food outside.  The weather was much better weeks before; this week is definitely wetter.  I made this Honey Citrus Chicken at the end of February and was pleased with the recipes.  The chicken was marinated with pineapple, orange, and lime a day before.  The marinade was then mix with honey to be used for brushing the chicken while they're grilled.  The remainder of it was reduced to make a sauce.  I didn't put the jalapeno in the marinade because my son wouldn't be able to eat it; instead, I sliced it thinly for my husband and I.

This was paired with Orzo Salad with Vegetables and Herbs; an unapologetically refreshing combination and a sign that I couldn't wait for the spring to come.

Honey Citrus Chicken

Serves 8



3 large oranges

2 limes

2 cups diced pineapple

1 3-inch jalapeno pepper, seeds and membranes removed

1 teaspoon minced garlic

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons honey

8 6- to 7-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, trimmed of excess fat

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Kosher salt

Vegetable oil for oiling grill rack and for brushing chicken



Grate enough orange peel from oranges to yield 1 teaspoon and then juice them to yield 1 cup.  Grate enough lime peel from the limes yield 1 teaspoon and then juice them to yield 1/2 cup.  Set aside both zests and juices.

Combine diced pineapple, jalapeno, and garlic in a food processor in a food processor or blender and process until mixture is almost smooth.  Pour marinade into a large, nonreactive shallow dish, and add orange and lime zests and juices, soy sauce, chopped cilantro, chopped basil, and 1 tablespoon black pepper.  Stir to blend.  Remove 1/3 cup of the marinade to a small nonreactive bowl and whisk in honey.  (Cover and refrigerate the honey mixture until ready to grill chicken.)  Add chicken to dish and turn to coat in marinade.  Cover and refrigerate 4 to 5 hours, turning several times.

Remove chicken from marinade and using a rubber spatula, scrape excess marinade from breasts.  Strain marinade into a heavy, medium saucepan.  To make sauce, boil marinade in saucepan until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes.  Whisk in butter and season with additional pepper and salt if desired.

Oil a grill rack and arrange 4 to 5 inches from heat source.  Prepare grill for a hot fire (high temperature).  Brush chicken with oil and grill, turning several times and basting with reserved honey mixture, until chicken springs back when touched with your fingers and juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a sharp knife, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Arrange breasts on a serving platter with sauce.



Source:  adapted from The Big Book of Backyard Cooking by Betty Rosbottom