Hello world!  I apologize, I’ve been remiss in posting recently.  I’ve been caught up in test driving a few different recipes for a dinner party I cooked for this past weekend!  I had a blast!  My best friend Colleen and her husband hosted the party, and she set such a beautiful tablescape!  Unfortunately, you will all just have to imagine its awesomeness as yours truly didn’t take any pictures.  The above picture was taken at the party, and with such beautiful china, you can only imagine it’s glory!  She finished the party with treats from our childhood–Garbage Pail kids, army men, slap bracelets, pixie sticks, and candy jewelry!

In poking around the internet for ideas to cook for the dinner party, I came across an Italian salad featuring blood oranges, cucumbers, radishes and mint.  I was so excited to try it, and did…and then found myself going back to the drawing board, as…the flavor was not what I was hoping for.  Off to the store with me!  I really loved the idea of using oranges, and cucumbers…but everything else wasn’t hitting me the right way.

After pulling Chef Joann out and away from her football game on a Sunday afternoon, and taste-testing various balsamic vinegars, and oils, taking it home, taste-testing again….  I was satisfied….almost.  A week out from the party, I was toying around in the kitchen again.  I’ve made a raspberry vinaigrette using raspberry syrup–why can’t I do the same thing with maple syrup?  Thus maple vinaigrette was born to my kitchen.  (It may have been born to other people’s kitchens, but this was the first to mine!)

Now, you’re thinking (at least, I was) cucumbers and oranges…  Sounds good..but a little boring.  Need something crunchy…Celery?  Naw, too bitter.  Nuts?  Possibly, but not where I was going.  pomegranates?  YES!  DING DING DING!!  Then I felt, maybe the fancy-shmancy tangerine balsamic vinegar I bought the other day might work…so…TASTE TEST!!

Yep, that was fun.  However, the maple vinaigrette still won the taste test.  Sorry, tangerine balsamic vinegar–you shall be used for science another day!

Orange and Cucumber Salad with Maple Dressing

Ingredients

Salad

• 5-6 oranges and tangerines, I recommend trying 1 of each kind from the supermarket*
• 1 English cucumber (the kind in the saran-wrap), peeled and chopped into 1/2″ pieces
• 1/2-1 cup pomegranate arils

Maple Dressing

• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (feel free to add more for a stronger maple flavor)
• 1/2 cup walnut oil (vegetable oil will also work)

Directions

For the salad, chop up orange and tangerine pieces into thirds or halves, depending on size.  Make sure the oranges are seeded.  Toss in the peeled and chopped cucumber, pretty much looking for a 2:1 ratio of oranges and cucumber.  Maybe even 4:1.  The cucumbers are delicious, but really only there as a crunchy enhancement.  Add in the pomegranate–add as much or as little as you want.  They’re delicious, good for you, and so pretty with the oranges!

(See what I mean?  These are all oranges!!)

For the dressing, in a bowl, stir together mustard and honey.  Constantly stirring, add in the apple cider vinegar.  Once combined, slowly pour in the syrup–again, more stirring.  Now, STOP!  Taste it.  Is it maple-y enough (yes, it’s a word, I said so!), if not, add more!  Slowly drizzle the oil in, constantly stirring, until the dressing is combined.

Pour over the salad and enjoy!

*Note:  I used blood oranges, Cara oranges, honey tangerines, and Valencia oranges.  Feel free to play around with it!!  Just pick up one of every kind, take ’em home and say YUM!