MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - PASTA SALAD WITH COOKED SHRIMP

 

This recipe comes from The New York Times at this link. There is also a YouTube here where you can watch Melissa Clark put it all together. I had saved an almost identical recipe where the link disappeared. I put a search of the title online and it sent me directly to this one. I enjoyed Melissa’s presentation and looked no further. It had the addition of cucumber which I did not add because I had bought all of the ingredients from the store, but it would have been a nice addition, and will have it next time. Gregg also went to Costco later and surprised me with more already cooked large shrimp, too good a deal to pass up he said and he loves shrimp. It was also a very nice addition but you obviously have to like shrimp. Easy enough to leave them off if you don’t. The salad itself was a stand-alone meal.

The dressing we made was also a little different but I will add the other recipe we used at the bottom of this one. You can choose which one you like best. After thinking blogger had resolved the problem with downloading after being able to do so earlier in the day, this evening I couldn’t - I will try again in the morning as I have one more photo I would like to upload (it worked).

Pasta Salad with Cooked Shrimp - Serves 8 to 10 people 

For the dressing:

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, plus more to taste

1 garlic, finely grated or minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 

For the Pasta:

1 pound of short-cut pasta (I am assuming they meant what you buy dried in a box, not home-made - 

we used farfalle, the pretty butterfly shapes)

1 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

8 ounces mozzarella, cubed (or use small mozzarella balls)

4 ounces sliced salami, cut into 1/4 inch ribbons

1/4 cup thinly sliced cucumber

3 tablespoons diced red onion 

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley and basil leaves

• 
  
  
  Combine vinegar, garlic, oregano and a big pinch of salt and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk in oil; taste and add more salt and pepper, or vinegar as needed. Set aside.
  
  
  Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until the pasta is al dente. Drain well, transfer to the large bowl and toss with the dressing while still warm. 
  
  
  Add tomatoes, mozzarella, salami, olives, cucumber and onion to the bowl and toss well; fold in the herbs. Taste and season with more salt, pepper and vinegar if needed to suit your own taste.
  
  
  Drizzle with olive oil and top with cracked black pepper just before serving.
  

  The following recipe is the actual version I tried and wrote things down before the link disappeared.  This is the version I made, slight variations to the above but as we used it, that’s the reason I put it on here.  

  
  

  Pasta Salad 

  1 pound rotini (I used farfalle) - 1/2 pound hard salami, large dice - 1/2 pound fontina, large dice (I used the mozzarella balls) - 1 small red onion, small dice - 2 cups arugula (not a big fan of arugula so I used mixed spring greens) - 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved - 1 cup kalimata olives, halved

   

  Red wine vinaigrette: 

  2/3 cup red wine vinegar - 2 cloves crushed garlic - 2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard - 2 teaspoons salt - 1 teaspoon black pepper - 1 teaspoon sugar - 2 cups vegetable oil (we used extra-Virgin olive oil and I feel it’s important to note that it made a great salad dressing but we didn’t want to pour it all over the salad for maximum saturation. We measured our individual portions of salad at the table and used just enough for our individual tastes). 

  To make the vinaigrette, put all the ingredients, except oil, and blend with a stick blender. We used a whisk. It also suggested you can use a regular blender to mix. Slowly add the oil allowing it to emulsify before adding more. 

  Mix all the salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss with dressing (see my comment in red above). 

  Apparently we are feeding an army again with this recipe. I suggested whittling down the ingredients but my dear other half is confident we can eat this in the next couple of days. Lots of leftovers! We felt on its own it is a total meal. It will be very nice to have something nutritious ready and waiting and not spending a lot of time in the kitchen. It is not as hot as it has been but still quite hot, with showers in the forecast. 

  

  
  

  I have added a few comments made by people on The New York Times recipe.

  
  

  “I make variations of this all the time. One thing I find useful: put half the dressing on the warm pasta then chill the salad a bit then add the rest before serving so that it doesn’t all absorb. It stays bright and the herbs and tomatoes don’t “cook” in the vinegar. I have also gilded the lily with a little balsamic and a sprinkle of parmesan right before serving. Delish.”

  
  

  “Artichoke hearts would be a good addition.”

  
  

  1. “I grated the garlic into the red wine vinegar and let it sit for an hour. Then I strained the garlic solids out and used the garlic infused red wine vinegar which was perfect.”

     
     

     
     

     
     

     Time to pack this machine up for the night. If you have any questions, let me know in the comment section and I will do my best to answer them. 

     
     

     Have a great week everyone and thanks for stopping by. 

     

     
     

     
     

  
  

  
  

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - SUMMER SAUSAGE AND PASTA SALAD

Another old one made first in July 2011. Once again, I haven't put together any new recipes this week but as I wouldn't mind making this again, I thought I could add it here for you to take a look. 

The weather returned to the low 90s again. It's not letting go of us just yet. I am looking forward to Fall now, always am at this time of the year. I hope by now the weather has been kinder in your part of the world. I have been hearing horrendous stories and am keeping fingers crossed for all of you out there. 

I had been browsing through food blogs online. Unfortunately, the links are no longer available, so there is nothing for you to look up today. At the time I wrote that "this was one of the most flavorful and delicious pasta dishes I have ever had, and you've just about got everything you need in one pot." 

Now to what I wrote in 2011.

You will need a very large pot or mixing bowl to mix all the ingredients. I ended up using the largest stockpot I had and when Gregg came home and saw how much I had made, he asked me which army was coming for dinner! I probably should have made half the recipe, there being only the two of us, but I don't do anything by halves apparently. It was nice to be able to take various friends an evening meal the next day, and they seemed to enjoy it too.  We still had enough for several meals and in the end, I decided to freeze some as an experiment. It thawed out quite nicely and we enjoyed it again a couple of weeks later. You can make it the day before so that the flavors have time to work their magic.

1 16 oz. jar of Zesty Italian Dressing

1 lb. box of Rotelle pasta, cooked, drained and rinsed (I used elbow macaroni because I had a box already in the pantry)

1 medium yellow onion

8 medium celery stalks, thinly sliced

16 oz. package CoJack cheese, cubed (see note below)

16 oz. tube summer sausage, cubed

3 13.75 ozs. quartered artichokes, drained

2 6.5 ozs. cans pitted black olives, drained

2 8.5 ozs. jars julienned sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I forgot to buy fresh Parmesan cheese and used the kind that you keep in your fridge in the green container)

Mix all ingredients well and allow to marinate overnight. You can play around with the ingredients to suit your own taste. Fortunately, we liked everything used.

I would definitely make this again. It would be a great dish to take along to a potluck. Gregg actually had three helpings. He has seconds sometimes but rarely thirds. 

Because I take note of such things, I calculated all the calorie item by item. One cup was approximately 300 calories.

I am not sure if this particular cheese is made overseas, but it looks like this. 

Co-jack is short for Colby-Jack, an American semi-hard marble cheese made by blending orange Colby curd and white Monterey Jack curd together. I know there are other wonderful and delicious cheeses around the world that you can substitute this for. 

That's about all but if there is anything I didn't make clear, let me know in the comment section and I will do my best to answer.

Thanks for looking, have a great week 

and...

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - CREAMY CUCUMBER SALAD

 No link for this one as it was done by Gregg who asked online for a simple salad for cucumbers. The search engine came up with this one. It was refreshing and very tasty. It had been a long time since we had a cucumber salad, and it fit perfectly for a hot summer day.

Creamy Cucumber Salad

1 hot house cucumber, sliced

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt 

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix the yogurt, lemon juice, dill, garlic powder, salt and vinegar. 

Fold in the cucumber slices.

Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before serving.

We will be making this one again. We used what we had left in our supplies and served them with a fried egg sauteed in a little avocado oil, boiled new potatoes, broccoli flowerets cooked for about 4 minutes in simmering water, all seasoned to taste.

Instead of plain Greek yogurt, you can use sour cream. We used the yogurt as we always keep a large container in the refrigerator. I often have a scoop in the mornings for breakfast with berries. 

You can also substitute vinegar for the lemon juice. We like the flavor of lemon and that was our choice.

We made enough new potatoes and broccoli for leftovers, and they were great for snacking the next day. We both enjoy them cold.

Thanks for looking and I hope

your week is a great one.

Bon Appétit!

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - TOFU, CUCUMBER AND SPRING ONION SALAD WITH SESAME MISO DRESSING

 

My salad comes from Hungry and Frozen which can be found at this link.  Laura, its host, has wonderful recipes. Gregg made this one for the first time in April 2015. I checked recently and the link no longer works. Fortunately, Hungry and Frozen is still current. Laura has other wonderful meals that I look forward to trying. 


Tofu, Cucumber and Spring Onion Salad with Sesame Miso Dressing - serves 1


100g (3.53 ounces) firm tofu 
Half a cucumber (I always use a Hot House Cucumber which doesn't have to be deseeded)
1 Spring Onion
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 or 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 heaped teaspoons white miso paste
A pinch of caster sugar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Make sure your tofu and cucumber are well-chilled.  
Dice tofu into small squares, the same for the cucumber. 

Finely slice the spring onion, reserving some of the green for garnish.

In a bowl whisk together the vinegar, soy, olive oil, miso and most of the sesame seeds until it comes together as a smooth dressing.

Mix in the tofu, cucumber and spring onion, stir to cover.  

Transfer to your serving bowl and garnish with the remaining sesame seeds and sliced spring onion.

Enjoy!

This is a favorite for the warmer months.  

The dressing reminds me of the one they serve on the salad at our local Japanese Steakhouse.  The different taste I experienced must have come from the miso paste.

Laura suggests serving this with Roast Chicken and Rice. No recipe and again I couldn't find a link to one but there are plenty of them around if you want to do a search. You probably have your own favorite version.

Not everyone likes tofu so you could leave this out. It would be very nice as a cucumber and green onion salad. The dressing alone is worth a try. You could add any of your favorites. If you want a meatless meal, beans would give it a little protein.

You can copy and paste the address below to visit Laura's blog.

https://hungryandfrozen.com/

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - THAI CHICKEN SALAD WITH SPICY PEANUT SAUCE

One of those weeks of no fixing new recipes so I am relying on my archives. I found this one which I remember liking very much. Not the prettiest presentation but if you care to look at the food blog where I got it from, the link is below and it will give you a better idea of what it should look like. Everything else on here is from June 2014.

I felt it was time for a main dish salad and found this delicious recipe at My Kitchen Escapades, recipe index at this link.  You can click here to go to see the original recipe.  If you enjoy food sites there are other wonderful dishes for you browse through.

Thai Chicken Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Serves 8

Chicken Marinade:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons vinegar

1/4 cup sugar or 2 tablespoons Truvia or sweetener you prefer in equivalent measure

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 lime, juiced

Dash of salt and pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 2-1/2 pounds total

Salad:

2 hearts of romaine, chopped

1/2 large head of Napa cabbage, chopped

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

2 carrots, shredded

1 red bell pepper, chopped

5 green onions, chopped

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 cup salted peanuts

Dressing:

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup Thai sweet red chili sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon sugar or Truvia

Pinch of salt and pepper

Peanut Sauce

1/4 cup natural peanut butter

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon Thai sweet red chili sauce

2 tablespoon water

In a Ziploc bag combine all the ingredients for the chicken marinade. Squeeze the bag a few times to blend together really well. Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours.  

Cook the chicken either on a hot grill, 6 to 8 minutes on each side, or in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. Allow it to cool a bit, then chop up all the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Combine all the salad ingredients in a large bowl, except for the peanuts, then add the chicken.  

Combine all the dressing ingredients then pour over the salad. Toss until the salad is evenly coated with the dressing. Put into individual salad bowls to serve.

Stir together the ingredients for the peanut sauce in a small bowl. If the sauce is too thick to drizzle, add a little more water.  Generously drizzle peanut sauce over each serving of salad, then top with the peanuts.  

What did we think of this dish?  Very much enjoyed. The flavors in this recipe are subtle and delicious.

I always use a hot-house cucumber, the kind you don't have to seed.  I prefer it to regular cucumbers.  

There was quite a bit of preparation but I started early. It helps to get all the ingredients chopped up and everything measured out before you start putting the recipe together. I learned this late in life!  

Lots of leftovers.  We will be eating this again tomorrow, and probably the next day.  

I thought of halving all the ingredients next time as there is just the two of us, unless we are having people over.  But my dear other half feels confident that he can eat this for the next three days.  I guess we have a winner.

I wish you all a great week and

thanks for stopping by.

Bon Appetit!

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - COBB SALAD

Last week I didn’t make any new recipes but I found an old one to share. A bit jumbled up in the photo, but it was very tasty. It has been years since I published the original recipe. The link is no longer working and the website where I found it has disappeared. 

Cobb Salad

Serves 6

1 boneless and skinless chicken breast half
2 large eggs
3 slices turkey bacon
1 head romaine lettuce, stalk and tough out leaves removed and sliced crosswise into 3/4-inch wide
strips (about 6 cups)
1 cup chopped fresh watercress
3 tomatoes, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1-1/2 cups)
1/2 small ripe Hass avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1 ounce blue cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil.  Add chicken; cook at a bare simmer until it is cooked through, about 15 minutes.  Transfer to a plate and cut into 1/2-inch cubes; set aside.

Place eggs (still in their shells) in a small saucepan; fill with enough cold water to cover by 1 inch.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; turn off heat.  Cover; let stand 11 to 12 minutes.  Transfer to a small bowl and cover with cold water; let cool and peel.  Slice eggs in half lengthwise.  Discard one yolk and pass the other through a fine sieve into a small bowl; set aside.  Slice each egg white into six wedges; set aside.

Cook bacon in a medium sauté pan over medium-low heat until browned and fat is rendered, turning once, about 3 minutes per side.  Transfer to drain on paper towels.  Let cool; roughly chop.

Spread lettuce on a service platter.  Arrange chicken, eggs, bacon, watercress, tomatoes, avocado, parsley and chives in separate rows.

Make the vinaigrette: in a small bowl whisk together cheese, vinegar and mustard.  Slowly whisk in the oil.  Season with pepper.  Drizzle vinaigrette over salad and serve immediately.

(Chicken breast and turkey bacon was used for a leaner version of this salad.  If you prefer you can use roasted turkey breast instead of poached chicken.)

Added note: this is a great main dish salad and I thought it was excellent.  The dressing I have used on other salads.  Easy enough to do as it's one of the simplest I have made.  Instead of mixing the blue cheese in the dressing, I put it on the salad.

I couldn't find watercress in our local supermarket. They had some really good baby butter lettuce which was a good substitute.

I didn't use the hard boiled eggs as one of us can't abide the smell of them cooking, texture or the taste.  It was easy enough to leave them off as there were plenty of other ingredients to enjoy. This is a great recipe for you to add your favorite veggies and replace the not so favorite ones.

Not strictly a Cobb Salad by the traditional sense but excellent and one that went into the make-again folder. 

Thanks for looking and 

wishing you all a great week ahead.

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - CHICKPEA, FETA CUCUMBER SALAD

 We wanted a salad to go with our meal tonight. This fit with our idea of wanting something a bit different than the usual mixed greens. I have no complaint about mixed greens, just wanted to vary things a bit.

The recipe came from 'Thyme and Joy' hosted by Valerie, and the original recipe can be found here. Valerie's bio: "I am a trained natural foods chef ready to help you with meal prep. On Thyme & Joy I share kitchen tips and recipes that use the air fryer, instant pot, slow cooker and more, to make healthy food fast." I have been enjoying looking through Valerie's recipes and will make more of them as time goes on.

Chickpea, Feta and Cucumber Salad 

2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

8 ounces Feta Cheese

1/2 cup Red Onion, diced

1 piece English Cucumber, diced

1/2 cup olive or avocado oil

2 tablespoons Lemon Juice

1 tablespoon Lemon Zest

1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

1/4 cup fresh herbs:

chopped basil, dill, mint 

(optional)

1 teaspoon dried oregano 

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried parsley 

1/4 teaspoon salt, to taste

1/8 teaspoon black pepper, to taste

Make the red wine dressing by adding all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl (or mason jar) and whisking until fully combined.

Drain and rinse the chickpeas, fully removing as much moisture as possible, and pour them into the bowl with the dressing.

Add the diced cucumber, red onion, crumbled feta and fresh herbs, if using. Toss together until all ingredients are fully combined.

For best results chill covered in the fridge for at least two hours before serving. Enjoy!

We liked this a lot, very yummy.

We had no fresh herbs this time but will be sure to put them on the shopping list for the next, as we intend to make it again. Better still I am going to pop down to the garden center and buy seeds to grow them. We didn't miss them, I just like the idea of having fresh herbs.

There was a sweet red pepper in the fridge. I not only like how they taste, but I wanted to add a little more color.

Our sides were Jasmine rice and roasted chicken thighs. 

I sprinkled sesame seeds and then turmeric powder on top of the rice just to make it look less plain, a little white pepper too though it is hard to tell. You probably should see if you like the taste before you use the turmeric before trying it yourself. If anyone out there uses turmeric, I would enjoy knowing how you use it.  Always looking for ideas. 

Below is the full address to today's recipe, which I have added for those who prefer to copy and paste rather than use the link at the beginning.

https://thymeandjoy.com/chickpea-feta-cucumber-salad/

Thanks for dropping by, enjoy your day

and Bon Appetit!

WILD RICE SALAD FROM THE AMERICAN INDIAN MUSEUM IN WASHINGTON DC

Several years ago Gregg and I went to Washington DC to visit the United States Botanical Garden. From there we walked over to the National Museum for the American Indian. It is only a very short walk away, on the next block. We were lucky to visit the museums often back in those days (we live approximate 25 miles away as the crow flies). This particular day, after browsing through The American Indian Museum on the first floor, we were ready for lunch. 

Since the museum opened, we enjoyed trying the various dishes offered in the Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe. It is a fun experience as we are able to choose native dishes from all across the United States. Online I read that the name "Mitsitam" means "Let's Eat" in the language of the Delaware and Piscataway peoples. 

We enjoy all their dishes but the traditional Fry Bread and the Wild Rice Salad were two favorites, most definitely. Gregg said he wished we could make the wild rice dish at home and not really thinking I would be able to get the recipe, I did a search online. Much to my surprise it was easy to get and I made it for an evening meal.

This is Gregg's plate when we were at the museum.  He had the turkey on a roll with some kind of grainy mustard and you can see the Wild Rice Salad that I will be giving the recipe for below.

My dish was the turkey on a roll, and I ordered a side of wild onions with corn and a crabapple and cranberry relish. I will study the menu before we go next time. There are so many choices, and I have a hard time deciding while waiting in line. 

Wild Rice Salad
(Native Recipe from Mitsitam Cafe, National Museum of the American Indian.)

You can find the recipe here.  This will take you to a page where you will meet the Executive Chef for the museum.  Lots of interesting information. Scroll down a ways for the recipe. There are others on this page.

1/2 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
6 cups chicken stock
1-1/2 cup wild rice
1 carrot, cut into half-inch long matchsticks
3 tablespoons dried cranberries
1 Roma tomato, finely diced
4 or 5 scallions (green onions), finely chopped
3 bunches of watercress

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spread the pine nuts and pumpkin seeds in a small baking pan and toast them in the oven for about 10 minutes, until they are golden brown.  Let cool.

Combine the chicken stock and wild rice in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, reduce to low and simmer, covered, for about 45-55 minutes, until the grains are just opened up and tender. Spread the hot rice on a baking sheet and let cool.

When the rice is cool, scrape it into a large bowl and add carrots, dried cranberries, diced tomato, toasted pine nuts and pumpkin seed mixture, and scallions.

Toss all of the ingredients together with the vinaigrette, refrigerate for at least 1 hour and serve over watercress.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Vinaigrette Recipe

3 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons honey

Place cider vinegar in a bowl and slowly mix in oil. Sweeten with just a touch of honey.

This is what I wrote at the time: I made this recipe just before Gregg walked through the door. I put it in the fridge and we went out shortly afterwards. The weather really has been glorious around here lately and we haven't wanted to waste any of it. By the time we were heading home it was past dinnertime and we stopped off at our supermarket to pick up one of their honey-baked chickens. We also bought potato salad, and that made a really nice meal along with the rice salad. The salad was great. (I shared the recipe with friends and they also loved it). There were a lot of leftovers and the next night we served the rice over a bed of watercress.  We don't eat watercress that often and we were both surprised at the taste, peppery and it almost reminded us of a radish taste. Once combined with the salad they complimented each very nicely.

I was surprised that after cooking the wild rice there was a lot of liquid left in the pot. I am not sure why this was. I had expected it to absorb the liquid like regular rice. I had to drain it thoroughly before spreading it out on the baking sheet.

We found we didn't need a lot as it seemed very filling.

It has been a long time since I bought a cookbook, but when I saw that the museum had one with all their recipes inside, I treated myself and here it is.

It has all kinds of unusual recipes, along with interesting facts about the Native Indian peoples across America. I took photos of a few of the pages to share. If you enlarge them, more details can be read.

This page is a bit blurry for reading but the photos are nice to look at I think.

Here is a map of all the museums on the Mall. We were lucky enough to find a parking space right behind the museum on the Mall side, but this is a rare occurrence. We usually park in an underground parking lot about half a mile away. No so bad and we always welcome a bit of exercise. The road we take for the parking is opposite the National Air and Space Museum on the right-hand side of that road.  

The bottom left you can see the US Capitol, next is the U.S. Botanic Garden and then you will see the National Museum of the American Indian.

That's all for today's post. I hope you found it interesting.

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - ANTIPASTO SALAD

 

An old recipe but not shared on this blog before. I remember wanting a change from the usual salad and found it at "Cook Eat Paleo".  You can find that recipe here.

Antipasto Salad - serves two to four

1 large head or 2 hearts of romaine, chopped
4 ounces prosciutto, cut into strips
4 ounces salami or pepperoni, cubed
1/2 cup artichoke hearts, sliced
1/2 cup olives, a mix of black and green
1/2 cup hot or sweet peppers, pickled or roasted
Italian Dressing to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large salad bowl and toss with Italian dressing.

An easy recipe for Italian Dressing below and original can be found here:

Makes about 1 cup of dressing

1 tablespoon of chopped fresh herbs (Italian flat leaf parsley was the host's choice)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 clove garlic, minced with a garlic press
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil

Add all the ingredients to a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake well until combined.

Taste and adjust seasonings to suit your own taste.

It was an excellent salad.

The green olives I used were stuffed with garlic (a favorite snack of mine so there is always a jar in the fridge).

I added the avocado because we had one that was ripened (they go off fast don't they?), and we love avocados.  

Instead of the prosciutto, we used sliced ham.

I used marinated artichokes, not plain.  There was enough oil from these that I didn't need any more dressing.  

It is hard to tell by the photo but I also have halved cherry tomatoes in the mix. There weren't many of them left.

I sprinkled crumbled blue cheese on top.

I changed this around to suit our own tastes but also to use other ingredients in the fridge while they were fresh. It probably was not a proper Antipasto salad but we enjoyed it.

We had a bottle of beer left in the fridge from a gathering. Gregg and I shared a Newcastle Brown Ale. 

Thanks for looking and I hope your week is a great one.