Guest Cook: Kamryn--Santa Rosa Valley Salad

Did you happen to catch Kamryn's Guest Cook post of her Pear Delight last week?

We're very fortunate that she also made her Santa Rosa Salad to share here on FOODjimoto.com.

Once again, Kamryn's doing the cooking and her friend Lauren is taking the photos.

This looks so delicious I can't wait to make it!

My cousin Kathy (that's Kamryn's mom) said she got the recipe for the Santa Rosa Salad from her friend, June Kuramoto.

Some of you may know June, she plays the koto in the band Hiroshima.

Kathy also plays the koto, but not professionally.

Here's what you'll need for the Santa Rosa Salad:

Ingredients:

1 box Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice Mix, cooked with seasonings according to package directions

3 chicken breast halves, cooked and diced (add less if desired)

4 green onions, chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 large package (2 lbs.) green beans, strings removed

2 medium avocados, diced

juice of 1 lemon or lime

romaine leaves for garnish, cut into squares

dressing:

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon sugar (or slightly more)

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

 

Make the dressing first--mince 2 cloves of garlic and add 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon sugar (or slightly more), 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar and 1/3 cup vegetable oil.

A mason jar works well for this.

 

Here it is with all the ingredients added--cover and refrigerate.

Aren't Lauren's photos nice?

Of course  you'll want to shake the dressing before pouring it over the salad.

(And I want to include as many of Lauren's photos as I can.)

 

Make the Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice Mix according to the package directions.

I think the Trader Joe's Brown Rice Medley would be good in this salad too.

 

Slice the green onions thinly.

 

Chop the red bell pepper.

 

Remove the strings from the green beans.

If you line them all up, you'll only have to make one cut.

Protect your fingers by curling them back.

Saute the green beans in a little bit of olive oil until they turn bright green.

Add salt and garlic powder.

Remove from pan and set aside.

Nice shot, Lauren!

Dice the cooked chicken.

Put everything except the romaine, avocados and lemon or lime juice, into a big bowl.

Combine salad and dressing, toss lightly and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours.

Serve by placing salad on a bed of chopped romaine leaves.

Before serving, dice the avocado and toss lightly with the lemon or lime juice before adding.

Lime juice is excellent in keeping the avocado from turning brown.

Most of the salad can be made a day ahead of serving.

Thank you, Kamryn and Lauren, the Santa Rosa Valley Salad looks so delicious!


Itadakimasu!




***



My cousin Kathy--her family nickname is Channie--is very creative.

When we were little and had family dinners at Bachan's house, she would have crafts for the rest of us cousins to do to keep us busy.

You can see a little of that in my Stuffed Mushrooms post after the recipe.


Over the years, she's been creative with her Christmas cards.

Here's a sampling:

 

This is one of my favorites.

It's very simple, but I remember the kick I got out of it when I opened it--and how clever I thought it was because everyone with little ones was sending a photo card that included the kids' ages--and Chan and David didn't have Kamryn yet.

 

Then Kamryn came and the creativity continued.

"Dash away...dash away...dash away...All!"

"Season-ings Greetings!"

Ho! Ho! Ho!

 

 

Kammie's a tennis player.

"After three hours of trying to get the perfect Christmas card picture..."

This photo reminds me of trying to get The Perfect Picture of my two--and how one year I resorted to paying $0.10 a shot--because that was the only way I could get Rick to co-operate and look happy.

More about that in a post to come.


I look forward to Kamryn's family holiday card every year!



Thank you again, Kamryn and Lauren.

I hope you will cook for us again in the future!



***

 

  

Santa Rosa Valley Salad

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 box Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice Mix, cooked with seasonings according to package directions

3 chicken breast halves, cooked and diced (add less if desired)

4 green onions, chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 large package (2 lbs.) green beans, strings removed

2 medium avocados, diced

juice of 1 lemon

romaine leaves for garnish, cut into squares

dressing:

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon sugar (or slightly more)

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Combine dressing ingredients. Cover and refrigerate.

Saute the green beans briefly in a small amount of olive oil. Add salt and garlic powder to taste. Remove from heat and set aside.

Mix all salad ingredients together except avocados and lemon or lime juice. Combine salad ingredients with dressing and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours. Before serving, carefully add avocados that have been tossed gently with lemon/lime juice to keep them from turning brown. Place salad mixture on chopped romaine leaves.

NOTE: Most of the salad may be made a day ahead. Add avocados and lemon juice prior to serving.