Too Hot to Cook! - A Cool Salad for Hot Weather

It is TOO hot to cook tonight, even outside on the grill, so I made a refreshing cool salad for dinner using my Cranberry Orange BBQ Sauce as a dressing.  It is so good, needs no additions, right out of the bottle.  Think of it like a spicy, slightly thicker, and more flavorful French Dressing. 

On the way home I picked up a rotisserie chicken from the store, and grabbed a few garden essentials.  This sauce pairs well with red onion, peppers, and cheddar cheese, so of course I had to add some 4 year from Widmer's.  Once home, I shredded the chicken, and added it to the other ingredients.  Play around with what you might like.  The corn in this salad was a really nice addition.

Other ideas for ingredients are deli ham, turkey, cucumbers, hard boiled egg, and/or broccoli. 

See here for other salad ideas using Howling Wolf Sauces and Rubs.

Chili Lime Vinaigrette

1/2 Cup Lime Juice Aprox: 1-2 limes

2 Tbs Dijon Mustard

2 Tbs Howling Wolf Seafood Rub

1/4 Cup Peanut Oil Or Light Oil

1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Place first 3 ingredients in medium canning Jar. use a stick mixer and blend while slowly adding the oil. If a stick mixer is not available, this can be done with a bowl and a whip.

GRAPEFRUIT AVOCADO POMEGRANATE SALAD

Howling Wolfe Cranberry Orange BBQ Sauce

Festive and refreshing.

A salad that will complement any entrée.

Serves 8

3 grapefruit
3 avocados
1 pomegranate
2 tablespoons butter
Splash of olive oil
2 cups slivered almonds
2 heads of Boston lettuce
1 cup Howling Wolf Cranberry Orange BBQ Sauce

Working over a bowl to catch juices, cut grapefruit into supremes (sections without any membrane.) Peel and slice the avocados and put into the bowl with the grapefruit juice. This will prevent darkening. Remove seeds from fresh pomegranate and set aside to top the salad.

Melt the butter in skillet and add olive oil. Add the slivered almonds and toast briefly until just starting to color. Drain.

Arrange lettuce on individual plates or platter. Alternate slices of grapefruit and avocado in a fan shape. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds and toasted almonds over the top.

Drizzle with Howling Wolf Cranberry Orange.

This can be served as a first course on individual salad plates, or presented on a large platter for buffet service. It’s strikingly beautiful either way.

SALMON (or Chicken) SALAD ENTRÉE

Howling Wolf Cranberry Orange BBQ Sauce

Iceberg lettuce is elegant? Oh, yes.

Serves 6

1 head iceberg, chopped
1 bunch romaine, chopped
1 large red onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced into rounds
1 pound cooked salmon, flaked
1 cup Howling Wolf Cranberry Orange BBQ Sauce

On a bed of the lettuces arrange rings of red onion cucumber and red bell pepper. Mound salmon on top. You may substitute with grilled chicken if you wish. Drizzle with Howling Wolf Cranberry Orange.

This is designed as a main course. It might be served with hot rolls and a cup of Earl Grey tea. Très elegant!