Asian Noodle Salad

This week I went to a Summer Salad Soirée and I wanted to bring a salad that was new to me and my friends. I was feeling like maybe a pasta salad, something with noodles and vegetables. I had been wanted to make an Asian salad, I just needed to find a dressing. So I searched around and ended up using the dressing from Pioneer Woman's Asian Noodle Salad. I included a lot of the same vegetables as she did, but in fewer quantities. I had read a lot of her comments and everyone said the salad made a ton! I wasn't looking for quite that much so I cut back on my vegetables and left some of hers out. You could definitely add more of whatever you like and less of what you don't. There are very few vegetables I think wouldn't be good in this salad. I tried to think of the most colorful ones! My produce department didn't have orange bell peppers, so I used green instead. I cut the original dressing recipe in half because, like I said, I didn't want to make mass amounts of salad. Double what I listed below for more, but I had plenty of dressing to generously coat the salad. A quick tip on the ginger for the dressing: to peel the ginger, just scrape it with a spoon. The skin comes right off. I used my Microplane to grate the ginger, super easy! In the end I thought it was a delightful, light, perfect summer salad. This is the kind of salad my mom would love, so I'll have to make it for her next time she's in town! Enjoy.

Asian Noodle Salad

Salad Ingredients:
1 package Linguine Noodles, Cooked, Rinsed, And Cooled
1 cup sliced purple cabbage
1 whole red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 whole yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
1 whole green bell pepper, sliced thin
1/2 bag bean sprouts
3 whole green onions
1 whole cucumber, peeled and sliced
Handful of pea pods
1/2 bunch chopped cilantro

Dressing Ingredients:
1 whole lime, juiced
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
4 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh grated ginger
1 large clove garlic, chopped
chopped cilantro, to taste

Mix salad ingredients together. Wish dressing ingredients together and pour over salad. Mix well with tongs. Note: Dressing will keep for up to three days in fridge before serving, without cilantro.

Source: Adapted from Pioneer Woman

Candied Pecans

Have you ever had candied pecans? They are so addictive. I've been making them to put in salads to add an extra crunch, but while I'm waiting to eat my salad, I'm chowing down on the pecans just like they are candy. So, I thought I'd share how I candy my pecans. I researched a lot of recipes and many of them use egg whites, and a variety of spices but I've found a simple one to one ratio of sugar and water, with a dash of salt works like a charm. I just mix the water and sugar in a shallow pan on the stove top and heat it until it comes to a boil, then add the pecans. Cook them on low. The mixture will still be watery, but the more it cooks, it will eventually turn into a syrup. This could take up to 30 minutes. So low and slow for these guys, I've burnt my fair share trying to speed up the process. When they mixture turns to a thick syrup I move the pecans to a cookie sheet and let them cool. I like to dust them with a tiny bit of sugar while they're still hot. Once they cool, break them up and add them to just about anything, or eat them plain for an oh so tasty snack. If you happen to have some left over, just put them in the freezer, they are so good cold. And they are always great to have on hand.