Sesame Dressing

We have a “house salad dressing” that makes everyone happy. It’s a sesame dressing with a little bit of this and that to give it both a sweet and tangy finish. It keeps for a long time in the fridge so it’s almost always on hand when needed.

Because you just shake it up in a jar – it’s so easy that even a kitchen challenged person can sometimes pull it together. (I have tried this with my own kitchen challenged husband and it worked – but required more patience than I was prepared to part with.) The best part is that it’s good on almost any salad you can think of. But right now, when Tennessee strawberries are at their peak, it’s silly to not let them be the star of the show.

I like a strawberry and spinach salad – but to me the real kicker is to add a nice blue cheese with a little bit of bite. How good is it? Well, my son requested it for his upcoming birthday dinner before he even got around to asking for a nice steak and some birthday cake! That’s a ringing endorsement. This is a great company salad or potluck dish because you just throw everything in a bowl and mix in the dressing when it’s time to serve. Nuts are a nice addition. Toasted pecans or walnuts are favorites, but use what you have on hand. This salad is obviously a popular choice when the berries are home-grown, but on a cold dark day in January when you spy strawberries at the grocery store you might find that this salad is just the thing to brighten up the corner where you are. Enjoy!

We are all strawberry crazy this time of year. Tune in to Talk of the Town this Friday when I’ll be making Peanut Butter and Jam Blondies with Homemade Strawberry Jam. It’s a perfect treat for your Memorial Day celebration!

Sesame Dressing

In a jar combine the following ingredients. Give it a good shake before using.

½ cup rice wine vinegar

2 Tbsp canola oil

2 Tbsp mirin (Japanese wine – in Asian products section of grocery)

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

3 Tbsp sugar

¼ tsp salt

1 Tbsp sesame seeds

Strawberry, Spinach, and Blue Cheese Salad

In a large bowl toss 1 pre-washed bag of spinach, 1 pint strawberries – rinsed and sliced, 2 oz crumbled blue cheese, ¼ cup toasted pecans or walnuts.

Add dressing and toss right before serving.