It’s going to be another hot weekend with lots of activities planned, including hitting the early morning farmer’s market, cleaning the house, doing laundry, and going to see Riverdance at a local venue. So I’m making simple meals that include my easy Lemon Balm Pesto Chicken and this Spinach Raspberry Salad. I hope you all have a great weekend!
KINGSMILL FOURTH OF JULY DINNER MENU SERIES
Welcome to my Kingsmill Fourth of July Dinner Menu series inspired by the fictional Fourth of July event in my two new stories, Their Forever Summer (from Summer Heatwave Anthology) and Her Reckless Outlaw (from Mending Hearts Anthology) This blog series brings the charm of small-town Kingsmill to your summer table.
Both love stories unfold in the heart of the Virginia mountains. Their Forever Summer features a Fourth of July party held near the town’s historic 18th-century mill, along the Shenandoah River. Her Reckless Outlaw takes place in the aftermath of that party. For the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing the seasonal recipes from that riverside celebration.
Spinach Raspberry Salad
Ingredients
- 2 medium oranges divided
- 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 shallot minced
- 1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¾ cup walnuts or pecans chopped (optional)
- 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin olive oil
- 1 medium avocado peeled and chopped
- 1 6 ounce pkg fresh raspberries washed and dried
- 1 5 ounce pkg baby spinach washed and dried
Instructions
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Remove the skin and pith from one of the oranges and separate the segments. Put them in a bowl and set aside. Using the second orange, zest it until you get 1/2 of zest. Juice that orange and try to get at least 1 1/2 Tablespoons of juice out of it. In a small bowl, whisk together the zest, juice, minced shallot, Dijon mustard, and salt. cover and let the dressing stand on the counter for 15 minutes.
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In a small skillet over medium heat, toss the chopped nuts (if using) until they are heated through and fragrant. This will take between 4-5 minutes and make sure they don't burn.
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Going back to the dressing, whisk the dressing and then slowly stream in the olive oil until it is emulsified–fully combined and thick and smooth. Pour the dressing into a large bowl and stir in the avocado, raspberries, spinach, and orange segments. Toss gently and divide the salad onto 4 plates. Top each salad with the toasted nuts.
