Festive Fruity Salad

I was asked to bring a green salad as my contribution to a Christmas potluck party hosted by a co-worker of mine and I thought to myself, “Hey self. You’ve gotten off pretty much scot-free on this potluck thing. Making a salad is going to be no problem!”

I was feeling really good about it right up until the day of when I popped into the grocery store to pick up the ingredients. Just scanning up and down the vegetable aisle kind of threw me into a wild panic. How on Earth was I supposed to come up with a crowd-pleasing salad that was relatively cheap and easy to make?

Here’s what I came up with:

It’s not exactly a salad in five, but it can definitely be done in fifteen minutes. Just save the dressing in a tupperware container to bring to the party so you can drizzle it over your salad at the last minute. (Because no likes a soggy salad!) It’s a fun and easy contribution to any of your upcoming holiday parties, and the colors and flavor just seem kind of…festive. Hence, the festive fruity salad title. Gosh, I’m so creative.

Festive Fruity Salad

1 1/2 heads of romaine lettuce

1/2 English cucumber

1/4 red onion

113 g. goat cheese crumbles (plus more to taste)

1 pkg.  (142 g) Craisins (or any other dried cranberry)

540 mL mandarin wedges packed in light syrup

Rinse and pat dry romaine lettuce and twist into smaller, bite-sized pieces. Add cucumber, sliced into thin rounds, and red onion, sliced into small matchsticks. Drain mandarins through a sieve; reserve some of the liquid. Pat dry using paper towel or a dry, clean dishtowel. Add to mixture. Add Craisins and goat cheese crumbles. Toss until all ingredients have been liberally coated with cheese.

To make dressing, combine 3 tbsp each balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and 1 tbsp mandarin orange liquid. (You can use lemon juice or orange juice in case you forgot to reserve some, or you were awesome and bought your own mandarin oranges.) Whisk together in a small bowl with a dash each salt and pepper. Dress the salad at the last minute, making sure to evenly coat.

The end result is delicious- the vegetables are crisp counterpoint to the creamy goat cheese and the tangy/sweet mandarins pair perfectly with the cranberries to make the salad seem festive and fun. Plus, it goes really well with chicken! Crisis adverted.

A whole slew of holiday parties are just around the corner. I’d love to know what you’ve been cooking up in your kitchen. Drop me a line at thetwentiesproject@gmail.com

Still need more potluck inspiration? Check out our recipe page for more ideas on entrées and entertaining.

home comforts: bread

There is something about grey, gloomy days that makes me want to just drop everything I need to do and abandon all responsibilities so I can stay inside and bake. The heat from the oven, the inviting smells, the distant beat of rain against the roof and windows. These, to me, are essential elements that make a house a home- a warm, inviting place where friends and family feel welcome and at ease. And what better way to say “welcome home” than with freshly baked bread?

I’m going to let you in on a little secret but you cannot tell anyone I shared it with you. Ready?