Farro Salad with Asparagus and Parmesan

Farro Salad with Asparagus and Parmesan
Allrecipes – Duncan

“A light and delicious way to get your whole grains. Perfect salad for picnics, baby or bridal showers or just because!”

Original Recipe Yield 12 servings

2 cups farro
3/4 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed
1 cup red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup chopped fresh chives
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette, or to taste
1 cup shaved Parmesan cheese, divided

Soak farro in a large bowl of water for at least 12 hours. Drain.

Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the drained farro, and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, then cook the farro uncovered, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and continue simmering until tender, about 30 more minutes. Drain and allow to cool.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus, and cook uncovered until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain in a colander, then immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes until cold to stop the cooking process. Once the asparagus is cold, drain well, and chop. Set aside.

Place farro, asparagus, tomatoes, walnuts, cranberries, parsley, and chives in a large bowl. Drizzle the balsamic vinaigrette over and sprinkle about 3/4 cups Parmesan cheese, then toss. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Serve at room temperature.

Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 223 | Total Fat: 9.1g | Cholesterol: 6mg

Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette

Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette
Emeril Lagasse

Total Time: 10 min
Prep: 10 min
Yield: about 1 cup

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar, optional*
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup olive oil

Beat the vinegar in a bowl with the optional sugar, garlic, salt and pepper until sugar and salt dissolves. Then beat in the oil by droplets, whisking constantly. (Or place all the ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake to combine.) Taste and adjust the seasonings.

If not using dressing right away, cover and refrigerate, whisking or shaking again before use.

*If using a good quality balsamic vinegar you should not need the sugar, but if using a lesser quality you might want the sugar to round out the dressing.

Sunny Orange Lemonade (with Rum!)

Sunny Orange Lemonade
Allrecipes – Martha Schwartz

“Here’s a beverage that’ll really hit the spot. Filled with tangy goodness, it’ll quench your thirst any time of year. ‘I like to use tree-ripened lemons and oranges that are so abundant here in Florida,’ notes Martha Schwartz from Sarasota. ‘It’s a must for beach picnics.'”

Original Recipe Yield 6 servings

4 1/4 cups water, divided
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
ice cubes
Lemon slices

In a saucepan, bring 1-1/4 cups water and sugar to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes; cool. Transfer to a pitcher; add lemon and orange juices and peels. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Stir in the remaining water. Serve over ice. Garnish with lemon if desired.

Dino’s idea – add rum!!