As I prefer my salads with tangy dressings instead of heavier, creamy  dressings, I decided to take a classic salad and experiment with different dressing combinations to see what I could come up with. The recipe below pairs the classic, walnut, celery and apple combo with a sweet and tangy honey, sesame oil dressing. Topped with shrimp and toasted sesame seeds it has already become one of my new favorites.

Waldorf Salad with Shrimp and Honey Sesame Dressing (serves 2)

1 Gala  apple
2 stalks celery
1/2 cup toasted walnut halves
4 tabs rice vinegar
2 tab lime juice
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon minced ginger
Salt to taste
4 leaves butter lettuce
8 cooked shrimp
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

Cut apple into small chunks and place in medium bowl. Finely chop celery and add to bowl with apple. Roughly chop walnut halves and add to bowl. Pour rice vinegar, lime  juice, sesame oil and honey into a small jar. Add minced ginger. Tightly close lid on jar and shake vigorously until ingredients are blended. Add salt to taste. Pour dressing over chopped salad. When ready to serve, place butter lettuce on two plates then spoon salad onto lettuce. Top with cooked shrimp and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

Enjoy!

Looking for something a little different for a week night supper, I created a dish I call Tex-Mex Baklava, my attempt at fusion cuisine. Crispy filo pastry, often used in mediterranean dishes, is delicately brushed with Bertolli Classico Olive Oil and deliciously sandwiches spicy chicken, creamy cheese and beans that are popular ingredients in Tex-Mex cuisine. This meal quickly became a family favorite. Here's the recipe in case you'd like to try it.
Ingredients

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons Bertolli Classico Olive Oil, divided

2/3 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

½ yellow onion, sliced

½ red pepper, sliced

½ teaspoon minced garlic


1 chipotle pepper in Adobo sauce, chopped

4 tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto

15 oz can black beans, drained

1 ¼ cup grated Manchego cheese, divided

½ teaspoon ground cumin

12 Filo pastry sheets, 13” x 17”

 Instructions

 Pre-heat oven to 350F.

 In a medium saucepan heat 2 tablespoons Bertolli Classico Olive Oil. Cut chicken breast into thin strips and add to oil. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until strips are cooked through. Add sliced onions and red peppers to pan and cook for a further 4 minutes until soft. Add minced garlic, chipotle pepper and pesto and mix well. Set aside.

In a small bowl mix beans with cumin and 1 cup Manchego cheese. Set aside until ready to assemble dish.

Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 ½ ‘‘ x 6 ‘‘ baking dish. Cut pastry sheets in half. Lay one half sheet inside dish. Pastry should cover bottom and sides of dish. Using a pastry brush dab Bertolli Classico Olive Oil evenly and lightly over pastry sheet. Cover with remaining half sheet. Repeat layering and dabbing process with 3 more full sheets (you will now have a stack of 8 half sheets in baking dish). Spoon bean mixture evenly over final layer. Top with a half sheet of pastry and repeat the layering and dabbing procedure, using up 4 more sheets. Spoon chicken mixture on top of top pastry sheet. Press down gently then top with a half sheet of pastry. Repeat layering process until final 4 pastry sheets have been used up. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of pastry and cook in oven for approx. 25 minutes or until pastry is a rich golden color.  Serve with sour cream and avocado.