Mixed Greens with Fresh Strawberry-Herb Dressing

If you have plans for a Mother's Day get together this weekend, I have a recipe for you.  A GREAT recipe.  It's so good that everyone will fall all over you asking for the recipe--just like my extended family did when I made it for them last year.  Fresh Strawberry-Herb Dressing.  It is an easy favorite of mine.  And I'm excited to make it again and again this year.  The salad and the dressing.  It's good enough to eat by the spoonful and I bet when no one is looking, you'll take a little swig from the jar even.

I confess Mother's Day is not my favorite holiday.  (Design Mom said it perfectly.)  I'm on the guilt end of the spectrum.  (But we'll save that for another day.)  I am enjoying the sweet homemade cards and painted styrofoam cups full of soil and flowers.  I'll be spending the day tomorrow in Heber at a beautiful farm learning to make mozzarella with some of my besties.  And I think that is probably the greatest gift I could give myself--a day out with my girls, a beautiful drive through the canyon and up to the farm, and learning something I've always want to know how to do.  Prepare yourselves for fresh mozzarella recipes. :)

I was out in my garden this morning looking at strawberry blossoms.  Over the last month, I've taken a few pictures of the first few blossoms peeking out among the green leaves.  I always get excited to see the blossoms because I know it means fresh strawberries are just a few weeks away and that I need to get off my duff and get outside and weed.  I had totally planned on doing that today, but I got a little sidetracked.  (I won't say with what. *cough* Grey's Anatomy.)  I also stayed inside and planned out my garden a little better.  Last year I thought for sure we would be moving and didn't really do much planting.  I let the plants that reseeded grow back and had an awful harvest of everything except for the prolific kale.  Not this year!  This year I'm making sure to plant everything just the way I want it.  So, first the strawberries will be ready, and then everything else will follow.

Monday the forecast says it's going to be near 90 degrees.  I. cannot. wait.  Summer is finally here.  Make this salad dressing. Then come back and tell me what you thought of it.  (You're welcome in advance.)

Mixed Green Salad with Strawberry-Herb Dressing

Ingredients:

For dressing:

1 1/2 cups strawberries
2 tablespoons sugar (or your sweetener of choice), or to taste
1/4-1/2 tsp. each: dried rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano (if using fresh, use more, to taste)
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch black pepper
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

For salad:

8-10 oz. organic mixed baby greens
1/2 to 3/4 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped (almonds are also really good)
a few green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
shavings of parmesan or other salty cheese (optional)

Instructions:

For dressing:

Put all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Yields about 1 1/2 cups of dressing.

For salad:

Toss mixed greens with sliced strawberries, toasted pecans, green onions and cheese, if using. Drizzle with dressing and serve.

{This was originally posted at Mrs. Moriarty.  Head on over and check it out!}  Print this post