POTS AND PANS CITY BLOG

• ½ medium eggplant, cut into large chunks
• 2 med-small zucchini, cut into large chunks
• 3 red peppers, cut into large pieces
• 1 tsp. Cajun spice
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• Salt & pepper
• Red Leaf lettuce
• Romaine lettuce
• 10 olives cut in half
• ¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled

DRESSING:

• 3 TBSP. olive oil
• ½ tsp. dried basil
• ½ tsp. dried oregano
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• 3 TBSP. Balsamic vinegar
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Place cut vegetable chunks on hot BBQ rack.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper & spices.  Grill vegetables over med-high heat on BBQ grill, turning to get those great grill marks (about 5-7 minutes per side) until vegetables are tender but still a little firm.  Vegetables should be tender when pierced with a fork, but not really soft. Remove and let cool.

In large bowl, tear up lettuces and add olives.  Add cooled b-b-q’d vegetables.  Mix together gently.

Place dressing ingredients in jar and shake together thoroughly.  Pour over salad.  Gently mix in feta cheese.

This great tasting vegetable dish adds some crunch to your holiday table.  This delicious Creamy Broccoli and Cauliflower salad can be made ahead, covered and refrigerated for up to 2 hours. 

Creamy Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad

Ingredients:

• 5 cups broccoli flowerets (2 bunches)
• 4 cups sliced cauliflower flowerets (about 1 head)
• 3 spring onions, or one small red onion thinly sliced
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 TBSP. sugar
• 1 TBSP. white vinegar
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• Dash of Worcestershire sauce
• Sprinkle of Paprika

Combine broccoli, cauliflower and onion in a large bowl.  Mix together the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and combine well.  Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss until well coated.  Just before serving, sprinkle the salad with a little paprika.

If you want a lighter main course, or if you have leftover turkey, this Turkey Rice Salad is a good choice.  If you want to use this as a main course, the turkey can be cooked a day ahead and the rest of the salad made and assembled on the day of the feast.  Using a breast of turkey (instead of roasting a whole turkey) can be an easier way to go, while still supplying that traditional bit of turkey for Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner.

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cups brown rice
• 1 cup wild rice
• 2 crisp red apples, peeled, cored and chopped into cubes
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 1 cup seedless grapes, cut in half
• 3 TBSP. orange juice
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 12 oz. cooked white turkey meat, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• Salt and pepper
• Red leaf lettuce

Combine the brown and wild rice and cook in a pot of boiling salted water for 25 minutes or until tender.  Drain the rice water out in a colander and rinse the rice under cold water.

Transfer the well-drained rice to a large bowl.  Add the apples, celery and grapes.  In a small bowl or a large measuring cup, mix the orange juice into the mayonnaise.  Spoon the mayonnaise mixture over the rice and fruit. Add the turkey.  Season with salt and pepper and mix well to coat the meat and fruit.

Arrange the rinsed red leaf lettuce leaves around the sides and bottom of a large serving dish or bowl.  Spoon the turkey salad into the centre.