Eight Layer Salad Recipe with Artistry

Presenting for my readers enjoyment, it is my Eight Layer Salad : A Delicious Side Dish Recipe with Artistry! Over the years, this has been a much requested, hearty specialty salad of mine. Have you tried an Eight Layer Salad yet?

I've been refining my personal recipe for Eight Layer Salad for a few years and have finally hit on a winning recipe that I am now sharing. It is my best-ever recipe that is oh so delicious! My Eight Layer Salad recipe has an extra layer to the traditional seven layer salads that you can find on the internet.

I've got a couple of 'secret' ingredients that give my layered salad more zip and a zestier taste. Depending upon the occasion, I might increase one of two of the seasoning ingredients. In this lens, you'll learn how to make this salad that's bound to be a hit with your family and friends! I sure do love the artistic appearance and delicious taste of this side dish.

So, what are you waiting for? Why not create your own work of art and make a mark with a hearty and artistic layered salad? An Eight Layer Salad which proves that food can be art, ah salad art! Presentation is important too for showcasing the various artsy levels of your layered salad -- experiment with different "see-through" salad serving bowls.

I've presented several fabulous serving bowl suggestions from which to choose. To me, there is nothing prettier than a beautiful work of art of a layered salad. All those pretty colors and layers ... why, people will all be clammering to dig into your delicious and tasty dish! Ah, I'll have some of that artistic comfort food please.

Folks, this is the perfect salad recipe for holidays and get-togethers. I always make mine for Thanksgiving and Christmas and for football parties too like Super Bowl Sunday. It's a great artistic side dish to bring to a potluck dinner. Get my delicious recipe here!

Photo Credit: Delicious Eight Layer Salad Copyright by JaguarJulie. 

The Layered Salad Poll
Please answer this poll. Don't you just love layered salads? Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven! Which of these fits your tastes?

1. I love layered salads!
2. I've never had such a dish.
3. I'll be making this side dish after reading this page.

My Confession : I Love Eight Layer Salad!

You probably guessed that by now.

"OMG! My Hearty Eight Layer Salad Recipe has surely changed my creative and artsy life forever. I find having a normal salad, these days, that I feel I am seriously missing out on all the creative layers. How about you?"

What I find interesting, is the power of the internet. When I originally created this page in September 2008, you just couldn't find another recipe or picture for any kind of eight layer salad. Today I am seeing more experimenting chefs celebrating their own hearty recipes for this artistic salad. It is amazing just how many others are now preparing eight layer salads of their own. The power of word of mouth ... great taste! Yumm!

What is particularly amazing, a lot of those other recipes are really more like dinner food than a side dish. I personally prefer a salad every once in a while.

I have found it quite amazing the power of the internet. Today, I can find quite a few other people writing about this type of artistic side dish. Just a few years ago, it seemed that it was only my recipe with those keywords. Today, a lot of people are celebrating this side dish in beautiful pictures.

Have some of this delicious comfort food for yourself. And? Make it pretty please. --The Brand Ambassador JaguarJulie! P.S. I was the Official Squidoo Comfort Foods Contributor! Did you know that? Well, you probably guessed it.

Beautiful Top View of my Artistic Eight Layer Salad
You can almost smell and taste this delicious side dish!

The Layer Ingredients List for My Eight Layer Salad 

Ingredients:
3 romaine hearts
16 oz. frozen baby green peas
2 bunches of green onions / scallions
12 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
16 oz bacon
6 hard-boiled eggs
Seasonings:
salt
pepper
garlic salt
cayenne pepper
paprika

Eight Layer Salad Green Ingredients
Thinking Green and Healthy - Adding color and crispness to this side dish! 

Eight Layer Salad Colorful Ingredients
Adding a Little Color With Ingredients - We have chopped bacon, chopped hard-boiled eggs and shredded cheddar cheese!

The Magical Topping of my Artistic Eight Layer Salad
Once you mix it up, you will want to have a taste of this topping! Yumm, I say.

Topping Ingredients
Blend the following ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

1-1/4 cup Kraft Miracle Whip
1/4 cup sour cream
3 Tbsp. creamy horseradish sauce
3 sweetener packages
Dash of garlic salt
1/2 tsp. of cayenne pepper

My Secret Ingredients
Cayenne Pepper -- Spice it up!
Creamy Horseradish Sauce -- Zest it up!
Sour Cream -- Add a little zing!

Preparation of the Ingredients

The bacon and eggs are 'cooking' with the frozen green peas in a dish to thaw while I am chopping the romaine hearts.

Bacon: My tip for preparing the bacon is to cut the slices into strips before frying slowly to be crispy and easy to crumble. Drain the bacon and when it has cooled, crumble into tiny pieces.

Eggs: Boil them to be hard-boiled - I probably over-boil, but I like really hard eggs. Chop into small pieces.

Romaine Hearts: Peel off the outer leaves, wash, and dry with paper towels. Chop into small pieces and set aside in a bowl.

Green Onions/Scallions: Wash, dry with paper towels, cut off roots and upper tips. Cut into tiny slices.

Beautiful Side View of my Artistic Eight Layer Salad
Look at the beautiful and colorful ingredients making up those layers!

Layering the Ingredients for Eight Layer Salad

The key part to your salad is the layering -- It's all in the layering! I like to use a large acrylic bowl to display the layers of the salad.

1. Use about 1/2 of your chopped romaine spread evenly on the bottom of your bowl; lightly season with salt and pepper.
2. Spread the chopped egg; lightly season with salt and pepper.
3. Spread the green peas; lightly season with salt and pepper.
4. Spread the remaining 1/2 of the chopped romaine; lightly season with salt and pepper.
5. Spread the crumbled bacon - do not add salt and pepper as the bacon has enough salt.
6. Spread 1/2 of the chopped green onions; lightly season with salt and pepper.
7. Spread the shredded cheddar cheese; lightly season with salt and pepper.
8. Add the topping and carefully spread evenly as though you are icing a cake! Add the remainder of the green onions. Sprinkle a dash of paprika.

Refrigerate, Toss, and Serve
Refrigerate your salad for 12-24 hours before serving.

This salad makes a pretty presentation on your table. When you are ready to serve, mix your salad so that the topping and layers are distributed evenly. It tastes even better the next day; if there are any leftovers.

Print Recipe for Eight Layer Salad

Eight Layer Salad is All Mixed Up
The Side Dish is Ready to Serve - Take a closer look at all those beautiful and tasty ingredients! Yumm.

Seven Layer Salads

Recipe for a Traditional Seven Layer Salad

Recipe for a Traditional Seven Layer Salad

P.S. I have presented this recipe in a pretty text jpg for you to download and print!

Cauliflower and Parmesan Cheese Seven Layer Salad Recipe

Cauliflower and Parmesan Cheese Seven Layer Salad Recipe

P.S. I have presented this recipe in a pretty text jpg for you to download and print!
Remember the bacon.

My friend Victoria's Personal Recipe
A hint of red color ... Victoria prepares her 7-layer salad a little differently. She uses iceberg lettuce which she tears by hand into mouth-size pieces. Two other ingredients that she uses are chopped celery and a hint of sliced red cabbage for color. She also sprinkled the bacon and cheese on top of the topping.

You will need a clear bowl!

Might I suggest the Prodyne PF-70 Large Salad Bowl for you. It is quite the affordable salad serving bowl!

You'll appreciate this stylish clear bowl which puts the spotlight on your artistic dish! I love clear bowls for presenting your artistic food creations!

These are also great for snacks. Use you creativity and imagination. There are no limits. 10 x 4.5 inch Salad Bowl. Made of durable, unbreakable polycarbonate. Dishwasher safe.

Thanks for visiting!
I love to hear from my readers. Please take a moment to leave a comment. Did you like my recipe? Or perhaps you have a personal recipe with a different ingredient that you'd like to tell me about?

History: Eight Layer Salad : A Delicious Side Dish Recipe was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie on September 29, 2008. On August 25, 2009 this lens earned the Purple Star Award for quality content.

Spicy Potato Salad Recipe

It's Spicy Potato Salad -- A Delicious Recipe! How to make an absolutely delicious spicy potato salad that is both yummy and spicy! Here is yet another yummy recipe that I offer up for your consideration. Trust me, while my grandmother passed down to us grandchildren her traditional Hungarian and Eastern European recipes, this is one that was not grandma's recipe.

This is my special, best-ever recipe unveiling all the secret ingredients in this lens with my delicious spicy potato salad recipe -- oh yumm!

Why not try making some as that special side dish for Halloween, Thanksgiving or even Christmas? That's right! This is not just a summer salad. When throwing that special get-together, try this recipe. Doing a pot luck? It'll work for that too.

Do you know that spicy potato salad is great for so many functions? Try it on picnics with fried chicken or tailgating with hamburgers on the grill or even for Super Bowl Sunday with your guests bringing their favorite accompaniments.

Spicy potato salad is great as a summer recipe that transitions into fall and then winter and even spring. It's a recipe good for all four seasons! You can eat this tasty side dish in the Summer, Fall, Winter or Spring months as it's good any time of year!

Do you seriously want to know how to make an absolutely delicious spicy potato salad that is both yummy and a tad bit spicy! You will be making a mark with the best recipe by far - for something with a kick in the pants hot spice!

Photo Credit: Delicious Spicy Potato Salad prepared by JaguarJulie.

Cast Your Vote Please!

Once you try my recipe, you won't want to go back!Have you ever tasted SPICY potato salad?

• Yes, I actually have a great recipe to share!
• Yes, but no recipe to share.
• No, not yet

My Spicy Potato Salad Recipe

On the ingredient list for my Spicy Potato Salad recipe, you will note some surprise ingredients go into making my recipe -- ah, revealed finally.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Brand substitutions will work just fine, especially if you happen to have a particular brand(s) that you love! I also will make another variation of this potato salad with new potatoes; i.e., red-skinned potatoes! BUT, my ingredients basically STAY THE SAME!

Ingredients

48 oz. Publix deli southern style potato salad
16 oz. Publix hot all natural chunky salsa
5.75 oz. can Lindsay sliced green pimiento olives
2.25 oz. can Lindsay sliced black olives
4 hard-boiled eggs
1 large Vidalia onion
4 Tbsp. Kraft creamy horseradish sauce
Dash of Spice Islands cayenne pepper
Dash of Lawrys garlic salt
Dash of McCormick fancy paprika
Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Eggs: Boil the eggs for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Chop into small pieces.
2. Onion: Chop into small pieces.
3. Green Olives and Black Olives: Drain off the liquid.
4. In a large mixing bowl, add the deli potato salad, chopped eggs, chopped onion, salsa, green olives, black olives, creamy horseradish sauce, cayenne pepper, and garlic salt. Blend all ingredients well.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste and additional cayenne pepper, if needed.
6. Transfer to serving dish: I like to use a large acrylic bowl or glass dish that will show off the pretty colors of the spicy potato salad.
7. Sprinkle lightly with paprika. Refrigerate. It is best served chilled.

The Ingredients That Make the Salad!

Publix hot all natural chunky salsa. For my spicy potato salad recipe, I like the hottest and chunkiest salsa! This is probably THE secret 'killer' ingredient in my spicy potato salad. I generally use the HOT rather than MEDIUM strength -- again, it is a preference! This is the ingredient that gives my spicy potato salad the nice 'pinkish' color. I opt for the Publix generic brand as I couldn't pick from all the other killer brands of salsa. If you've got a favorite salsa, then this would be the recipe to use it!

Kraft creamy horseradish sauce. This is rather a secret ingredient for my recipe of spicy potato salad! This particular horseradish sauce is another of the 'secret' ingredients that keeps my friends guessing as to its identity. I can't tell you how many times I've been asked, "What is THAT I'm tasting in your potato salad?" P.S. Depending upon the group that will be eating my spicy potato salad, I might actually increase the amount of this ingredient!

Lindsay sliced black olives. The black olives give a special exotic taste to my spicy potato salad! These black olives are a product of California. To me, it is a preference whether or not the chef opts to add black olives to food dishes. I personally use black olives in most dishes that benefit from this savory and distinctive taste.

Lindsay sliced green pimiento olives. I find that green olives compliment black olives in my spicy potato salad recipe! These green pimiento olives add a nice 'bite' to my spicy potato salad along with color. They are a product of Spain -- giving your American potato salad a international, European flair!

Vidalia onions.THE onion of choice for my spicy potato salad recipe! The Vidalia onion is my #1 choice of onions over all other onions. When that product of Georgia is not available, I've both onions from Chile, Costa Rica or Peru, I think. If I can't get any of those particular onions, I'll opt for a Spanish onion.

Another Secret Ingredient. Today's recipe used red 'new' potatoes and the addition of 3 Tbsp. of light sour cream! Instead of sprinkling paprika on top, I opted for cayenne pepper!

Mixing up another batch of Spicy Potato Salad
With red potatoes - I love those new potatoes!

Cost per Plate for MY Spicy Potato Salad Recipe!
It's well worth the price. My spicy potato recipe yields just over 72 oz. which is enough for at least 15 servings! That's about $1.00 per serving.

Get a Clear Acrylic Serving Bowl!

Looking for a clear acrylic bowl similar to mine, I found the Prodyne SB-3-C Acrylic Salad Bowl with Servers.

This bowl has carved artful designs along with accent legs.

It is a fairly larger size and can accommodate 6 quarts of salad of any kind including hot and spicy! A plus for you is that the acrylic servers are included.

Hot and Spicy : Why Not?
You control it. "You haven't tried potato salad until you've kicked it up a notch with Spicy Potato Salad! Try it ... you'll like it!" --The Brand Ambassador JaguarJulie!

P.S. I WAS the Official Squidoo Comfort Foods Contributor! Did you know that? Well, you probably guessed it. You know potatoes are probably one of the first comfort foods in history? Thanks for checking out my comfort food recipe today.

Do you make spicy potato salad? Have a special recipe or secret ingredient you'd like to share? Well, what are you waiting for ... let me hear from you!

History: Spicy Potato Salad : A Delicious Recipe was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie on May 11, 2008.

I Love Cucumbers and 5 Recipes

I love cucumbers plain and simple and have found 5 delicious recipes to tempt you! I've been loving cucumbers since I was knee high to a grasshopper in Cleveland in Northeastern Ohio. That's a long time, you know, to be professing love for this green vegetable-like-fruit known as cucumber!

My favorite recipe for cucumbers involved either sour cream, vinegar, or onions! Ah, the delicious taste of cucumber salad. My grandmother, Julia Nagy, always seemed to make cucumbers the best. Then mom learned how, from grandma ... and then mom taught me how to prepare delicious cucumber recipes. Oh how I love cucumbers!

Would you believe? When my hubby [oh gosh, now the ex!] and I traveled to Hungary and Romania a couple of years ago, we were delighted to see cucumbers served so frequently with our meals!

Cucumbers also have a lot of other applications other than food; e.g., to reduce eyelid swelling or as a soothing facial mask, among other great uses! Get it all here! Recipes for delicious cucumbers and cucumber products to make you cool as a cucumber!

I love cucumbers you all. Did you know that 'cool as a cucumber' isn't just a catchy phrase as the inner temperature of a cucumber can be up to 20 degrees cooler than the outside air! Cool your jets and try some cucumbers today. I sure do love cucumbers; you know? Check the url of this page for further proof on the cucumber love of JaguarJulie!

Photo Credit: Cucumbers Fresh Splash by Steve Gadomski.

Do You Love Cucumbers Too?
How do you honestly feel about them? Either or ... there's no gray area with cucumbers!

• Love 'em
• Hate 'em

My Confession : I Sincerely Love Cucumbers

I love cucumbers prepared a number of ways! "I've been loving cucumbers thanks to my grandma Julia Nagy! She made the very best cucumber salad, Hungarian style. I love that I got to try Hungarian style cucumber salad when we traveled to Hungary. Try it; you'll like cucumbers too!"

Cucumbers are great by themselves, all dolled up, in a salad. Or, cucumbers can be a garnish on a tossed salad or in a cucumber sandwich for tea time! Don't forget pickling little cucumbers! There's also cucumber slices to place on your tired eyes and lots of other cucumber beauty products! Ah, I like that!

P.S. I just created a new recipe for my sliced cucumbers with onions and a little Asiago Peppercorn Dressing as the cream sauce. Check out my recipe from my blog! --The Brand Ambassador for Cucumbers, JaguarJulie!

Cucumbers : Cucurbitaceae
Cucumbers are in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae, which includes squash! Oh My!


#1 Cucumbers in Sour Cream Recipe

 Yumm yumm ... definitely my favorite cucumber recipe!

1 tbsp. sugar or splenda
1 cup sour cream
2 tbsp. vinegar
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 large onion
2 cucumbers and onions

Blend together the sugar or splenda with salt, vinegar and sour cream. Finely chop the onion. Peel and thinly slice the cucumbers. Add cucumbers and onions to the sour cream mixture. Refrigerate for one hour and serve.

#2 Creamy Dill Cucumber Recipe: without Sour Cream

3 tablespoons mayonnaise or Kraft miracle whip
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sugar or splenda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of dill
1 cucumber

Blend together the mayonnaise or Kraft miracle whip, milk, vinegar, sugar or splenda and salt in a small mixing bowl. If using miracle whip, you won't necessarily need sugar. Blend until smooth. Peel and thinly slice the cucumbers. Add the cucumbers to the sauce mix. Add a dash of dill to suit your taste. Refrigerate for one hour and serve.

#3 Chilled Cucumber Soup Recipe

5 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded and quartered
1/2 cup finely chopped mild onion
1-2 cloves minced garlic
3 cups nonfat buttermilk
1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/3 cup fresh dil
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
dash of cayenne pepper

Add the onion, garlic and dill to 1/2  cup of buttermilk. Blend until you have a smooth puree. Pour into large container that will hold the entire mixture. Blend the remaining ingredients together until a thicker puree. Mix with the first batch. Add your salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste. Refrigerate 2-3 hours and serve. Good the next day too!

#4 MaryJose's Recipe: Chicken salad with Cucumber -- Part 1

Get the rest of the recipe! MaryJose's Recipe: Chicken salad with cucumber part 2.

Cucumber Pickling History

First pickled a really long time ago ... Some 4400 years ago in Mesopotamia! Cucumbers were probably first pickled 4400 years ago in Mesopotamia. In India, pickles were well known by the Vedic period.

The pickling process was also known to the Ancient Greeks. Aristotle is reported to have praised pickled cucumbers for their healing effects. Julius Caesar's soldiers ate pickled cucumbers as health aids; many other brine-soaked foods were part of daily life in Ancient Rome. Cucumber pickling remained widespread across the Levant and Maghreb regions, where it is still very popular today.

Pickled cucumbers became popular in the United States due to the influence of the cuisine of Eastern European immigrants.

Pickled Cucumbers Poll

How do you take your pickled cucumbers? Got a preference? Why not try some Cucumber Boston Pickling Great Heirloom Vegetable 300 Seeds Packed By Seed Kingdom!

• Hot
• Dill
• Sweet

#5 Cucumber Avocado Facial Mask Recipe

1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup chopped avocado
1 egg white
2 teaspoons powdered milk

Peel the cucumber and cut into pieces. Add to the chopped avocado, egg white and powdered milk in a blender and puree into a smooth paste. Refrigerate for one hour before use. Makes a great face and neck mask. Use as you normally use your face mask. Let dry and wash with tepid water to remove.

Grow Your Own Cucumbers!

Check out the wide array of cucumber seeds for planting at Amazon.

Do you LOVE Cucumbers?

Do you love cucumbers as much as I do? Got a favorite recipe? Love 'em with sour cream? How long have you been eating cucumbers? Had them in Eastern Europe yet??

History: I Love Cucumbers : 5 Delicious Recipes was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie on January 12, 2008. On July 24, 2013 this lens earned the Purple Star Award for quality content. Highest lensrank ever achieved: #1,121 overall. Lens #239 in the quest for Giant Squid 300 Club.

Balsamic Vinegar and 8 Delicious Recipes

I sincerely adore Balsamic Vinegar. Learn all about the history behind this delicious liquid. Find out nearly everything there is to know about it. Get the most delicious Balsamic Vinegar recipes here -- In fact, 8 delicious recipes to be precise! I've been loving Balsamic Vinegar and all its delicious recipes for years!

We have 8 fabulous recipes showcasing the delicious taste of Balsamic Vinegar. Something that I found amazing to learn when writing this page is that Balsamic Vinegar really wasn't all that popular in North America until the 1980s! The credit for popularizing this food product is attributed to the Italian food writer, Marcella Hazan. Did you know that?

I found several brands of Balsamic Vinegar at our local Publix supermarket and opted for Gia Russa Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, a product of Italy aged in wood, in a 16 oz. bottle. There are 5 calories for a 1 Tablespoon serving with 2 grams of total carbohydrates as sugar.

Here's my pick today: Maletti 6 year aged Balsamic Vinegar in a 250 ml decorative bottle! I love the bottle and would stick a candle in it after all the balsamic vinegar is gone! Ah, balsamic vinegar has got the best taste ... I've been loving it and all its delicious recipes for years! It's time you tried some for yourself.

Photo Credit: Mussini 14 Year Balsamic Vinegar, Riserva di Famiglia.

Quick, Are You a Fan?
Please register your important vote! How do you feel about the taste of balsamic vinegar?

• I love, love, love it!
• It's OK, I can take it or leave it.

My Confession : I Truly Love the Stuff!

I surely appreciate the richness of balsamic vinegar! "When I first joined Jenny Craig, I had been enjoying Balsamic Vinegar Dressing NEARLY each and every day on my lunch spinach salads! That's a lot of Balsamic Vinegar!"

Spotlight on Villa Manodori Balsamic Vinegar. It is a popular item on Amazon.

Have you tried it yet? Oh my, but it is like having a fine wine with dinner! I have not found another vinegar that I enjoy as much as this variety. It has a richness and depth of taste that resonates on your taste buds. Why not give it a try! You can surely find it available in a variety of ages and prices to suit every one's taste. Have you noticed that balsamic vinegar has been showing up in more foods as a flavor ingredient? I love that.

Dear readers! Thank you for taking time to check out my page on balsamic vinegar. When I think about the delicious taste and recipes, I realize there is no limit to what we can do with it. Just the other night I was marveling at a particular flavor of the stuff on the TV show, Chopped! I hope you've had the opportunity to try some of it for yourself. You will surely love the zesty taste. --The Brand Ambassador JaguarJulie!

A Brief History

The first written documents date back to the XI century when in a chronicle of the benedictine Donizone, something is said about a small barrel of vinegar given as a present by Marquess Bonifacio, Sir of the Canossa castle and Matilda's father, to the King and future Emperor Enrico II of Franconia in the year 1046.

Most probably already about the year 1228, at the time of Obizzo II, at the court of the ducal family of Este, barrels of vinegar were preserved. The diffusion of the balsamic started in the 1598 when the Duke of Este moved from Ferrara to Modena, that became the capital of the dukedom; there are documents of this period that confirm the particular attention that the ducal court had for this product that was usually reserved for the ducal family or as a present for very important people.

In the 1700s, the balsamic is already known in Europe; archive documents testify that an English merchant and the Count Michele Woronzon, high chancellor of Moscovia, asked the balsamic vinegar to the Duke Francesco III. --Balsamic Vinegar History

The Best Varieties -- Only Grapes, Nothing Else!

The best balsamic vinegars have nothing else added to them - only the grapes. Lesser ones will add brown sugar or caramel to mimic the sweetness of the better ones. If a company produces a "traditional" balsamic vinegar, they will also produce a less expensive, but high quality vinegar as well. This is the same vinegar with the same heritage but not aged as long. You can have confidence in purchasing these selections.

There is a lot of confusion about balsamic vinegar as on grocery shelves you often find $3.00 bottles next to $25.00 bottles with $3.00 bottles sometimes having fancier labels. But, not all balsamic vinegars are what they appear to be.

True aceto balsamic vinegar comes in 3.4 ounce bottles and sells from $50.00 to $500.00 per bottle. It must be aged a minimum of 10 years.

The better balsamic vinegars are aged 25 to 50 years; these are not to be poured, but used by the drop. Find a good-quality medium priced one to use in your cooking. --Balsamic Vinegar
 
How It's Aged

Balsamic vinegar is an aged reduction of white sweet grapes (Trebbiano for red and Spergola for white sauvignon) that are boiled to a syrup. The grapes are cooked very slowly in copper cauldrons over an open flame until the water content is reduced by over 50%.

The resulting "must" is placed into wooden barrels and an older balsamic vinegar is added to assist in the acetification. Each year the vinegar is transferred to different wood barrels so that the vinegar can obtain some of the flavors of the different woods.

The only approved woods are oak, cherry, chestnut, mulberry, a cacia, juniper, and ash. The age of the vinegar is divided into young - from 3 to 5 years maturation; middle aged 6 to 12 years and the highly prized very old which is at least 12 years and up to 150 years old. --whatscookingamerica.net/balsamic.htm

Produced in Modena & Reggio, Italy

The same country that brought you such notable artists as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, as part of the Renaissance, also provides a culinary artistry that offers incomparable quality and taste - the wonderfully adaptable aged balsamic vinegar, aceto balsamico di Modena.

Balsamic vinegar can only be produced in the regions of Modena and Reggio in Italy. See this label? It shows that the Gia Russa Balsamic Vinegar is from Modena and aged in wood.

The many uses of Balsamic Vinegar

• ... liquid garnish on serving plates
• ... vinaigrette dressing for salads
• ... tasty accent for fruits and vegetables
• ... accent ingredient for breads and bruschetta
• ... cooking accent ingredient for meats
• ... accent ingredient for dessert recipes

#1 Recipe: Chef's Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup virgin olive oil

Add the vinegars, mustard, sugar, herbs, salt, and pepper to processor and combine. Slowly add, with processor running, the vegetable oil and virgin olive oil. As prepared by Philip Mastin, CEC, chef at The Lodge at Smithgall Woods, Helen, Georgia. --Cruets.com

#2 Recipe: Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette
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 tablespoons olive oil
Mesclun salad mix or favorite greens, for accompaniment
Assortment of salad ingredients, such as cherry tomatoes, chopped carrots, sliced red onion, chopped celery, diced cucumbers, walnuts
Blue cheese, for garnish

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. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Toss a few tablespoons of the dressing with the salad mix and desired salad ingredients, top with blue cheese and serve immediately. 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. --Cruets.com

#3 Recipe: Balsamic Vinegar Chicken Thighs
2 lbs. skinless chicken thighs
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
cooking spray

Spray large frying pan, preheat. Rinse and pat dry thighs. Season with salt and pepper. Brown well on all sides. Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook for approximately 25 minutes, or until thighs are done depending on size.

Add shallots, cook for 2-3 minutes,until they soften. Stir in balsamic vinegar, cook for about 1 more minute, turn chicken to coat thoroughly. Spoon sauce over thighs to serve. --Balsamic Vinegar recipe by mickie49

#4 Recipe: Balsamic Tomato Salad
2 beefsteak tomatoes, sliced
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
4 oz. crumbled gorgonzola
Balsamic vinegar
Virgin olive oil
Freshly ground salt and pepper

Arrange tomato slices on a small platter. Sprinkle with chopped onion, basil, and gorgonzola. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add freshly ground salt and pepper according to taste. --Cruets.com

#5 Recipe: Herb and Tomato Bruschetta w/Balsamic Vinegar
1 1/2 lb plum tomatoes, chopped
1/3 c chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano leaves
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
6 thick slices of crusty bread, toasted

Mix tomatoes, herbs and liquids in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Hold at room temperature. Spoon tomato mix onto toast and serve. --balsamic.com

#6 Recipe: Balsamic Zabaglione Sauce
1 cup heavy cream
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vin santo
1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar

In a medium bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Cover and refrigerate.

In a stainless-steel bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar, vin santo, and balsamic vinegar. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water or transfer to the top of a double boiler and whisk vigorously, using a balloon whisk. Continue whisking over the simmering water until the mixture is thick and foamy.

Remove the bowl from the heat and continue whisking until the zabaglione is completely cool. Gently fold the zabaglione into the whipped cream and chill for 30 minutes. This makes a great dessert sauce to serve with desserts and fruits of your choice; strawberries, pears, etc. --epicurious.com

#7 Recipe: Balsamic-Caramel Sauce over Vanilla Ice Cream
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water, plus more for brushing
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 quarts vanilla ice cream

Bring cream just to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and keep the cream warm.

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, dissolve the sugar with 2 tablespoons of water. As the sugar mixture begins to bubble, watch for crystals developing on the inside of the pan just above the liquid. Using a pastry brush dipped in water, brush the inside of the pan right above the crystals so the water drips down and dissolves the crystals back into the liquid. When the sugar begins to brown, occasionally move the pan to swirl the liquid gently and cook it evenly.

Continue to cook until the mixture is dark golden brown. The total cooking time will be 8 to 9 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

Very carefully add the hot cream to the sugar mixture a few tablespoons at a time. Stir the sauce and cook for 1 minute. Add the vinegar, lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt, mix well. Pour into a heatproof bowl. You should have about 1 1/4 cups of sauce. Serve on top of vanilla ice cream. --foodnetwork.com

#8 Recipe: Panna Cotta with Balsamic Strawberries
1/2 packet unflavored gelatin powder
1 1/2 tablespoons cold water
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
4 cups sliced fresh strawberries
2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated lemon zest, for serving

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin on 1 1/2 tablespoons of cold water. Stir and set aside for 10 minutes to allow the gelatin to dissolve.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup of the cream, the yogurt, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean seeds.
Heat the remaining 3/4 cup of cream and the 1/3 cup of sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Off the heat, add the softened gelatin to the hot cream and stir to dissolve.

Pour the hot cream-gelatin mixture into the cold cream-yogurt mixture and stir to combine. Pour into 4 (6 to 8-ounce) ramekins or custard cups and refrigerate uncovered until cold. When the panna cottas are thoroughly chilled, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Combine the strawberries, balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, and pepper 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving. Set aside at room temperature.

To serve, run a small knife around each dessert in the ramkein and dip the bottom of each ramekin quickly in a bowl of hot tap water. Invert each ramekin onto a dessert plate and surround the panna cotta with strawberries. Dust lightly with freshly grated lemon zest and serve. --foodnetwork.com

Try a Balsamic Vinegar Cookbook!

I picked Balsamico!: A Balsamic Vinegar Cookbook.

This enticing cookbook is the encore to the bestselling "Parmigiano!"

You get some evocative location photography and rustic food photos. Full color photos showcase some 50 recipes for openers, sides, pastas, main courses, and desserts.

I predict you will become a fan ... really soon!

Do you love the taste of Balsamic Vinegar?

What is your favorite brand and year? How long have you been enjoying it? Have any great recipes or food tips? I'd love to hear from you.

Yes, much like Cheryl, I TOO could just about drink it as it tastes that good to me -- and come to think of it, I believe I've had wines that tasted just like it.

History: I Love Balsamic Vinegar : 8 Delicious Recipes was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie on October 12, 2007. On April 4, 2013 this lens earned the Purple Star Award for quality content. Highest lensrank ever achieved: #1,487 overall. Lens #128 in the quest for Giant Squid 200 Club.

Breaded Baked Boneless Skinless Chicken Thigh Salad

Dinner one day; salad the next! Baked chicken on a salad is so tasty! On the first night, I had Breaded Baked Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs as my dinner. Two days later, I sliced up one of those baked chicken thighs and made a creative salad recipe for my lunch! Breaded Baked Boneless Skinless Chicken Thigh Salad to be precise!

I find that you can get very creative with salad recipes!

First, I start with the green stuff as a base and then figure out my main component.

Next, it's the additives or extra complementary ingredients.

Last, but surely not the least, it is the actual salad dressing.

Come along and see what all went into the making of this chicken thigh salad ... scratch and sniff if you like!

All photos and content copyright JaguarJulie.

I Love Chicken!
I will have it at lunch and at dinner too! Chicken is such a versatile protein that can be prepared a number of healthful ways. It's a great meat that tastes even better the next day!

One rather warm day in Jacksonville Florida, I prepared Breaded Baked Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs in my oven. It was one of those kind of days that I got all wrapped up online and didn't notice it was dinner time and I hadn't put the chicken in the oven yet!

Well, not to worry ... chicken cooks pretty fast. Since it was already defrosted, I knew I would bake it that night and have it the next night for dinner. However! I didn't realize that I would be having one of those 6 baked thighs for my lunch on Friday!

I have one more left and will probably consider a sandwich as my fourth meal. That's a lot of mileage from one package. It's important if you are a singular person that you not prepare too much to finish before it spoils! Hey, I was the Comfort Foods Contributor on Squidoo. ~ Jaguar Julie!

The Main Ingredients - It is so easy to make something healthy!

For the longest time, I was buying that package of Publix Romaine. Then, I switched to the variety of packaged salad greens. Generally, I will look for the brand that is on sale when I shop at Publix. Today, it was Fresh Express where you bought one package for $3.99 and then the second was free. You know, BOGO? Buy one, get one!

I love the European Blend too. Sometimes, it's baby spinach leaves. This is the one variable that can change up to customize your particular favorite green stuff!

P.S. Take a look at how much sliced chicken you get from that one thigh! Pretty amazing that you don't realize how big a portion it really is. You also get an idea of how I like to cut it.

Drumroll : The Recipe!

Here it is. By the way, in the end, I opted to switch my salad dressing to something spicy: Chipotle Ranch. After all the photography, I needed something that would kick me in the pants. This easy to prepare and delicious salad takes perhaps ten minutes to put together!

Ingredients

• Breaded baked boneless skinless chicken thigh, sliced
• Lettuce greens to fill your plate, your choice
• 1/4 cup chick peas or garbanzo beans
• 1/4 cup white mushrooms, sliced
• One cucumber pickle, sliced
• Salad dressing, your choice

Instructions

1. Thinly slice one breaded baked boneless skinless chicken thigh; add to luncheon plate.
2. Fill your plate with your choice of lettuce salad greens.
3. Add chick peas.
4. Add sliced mushrooms.
5. Add sliced cucumber pickle.
6. Add your salad dressing!

Spotlight on My Dishes!
Let's hear it for Corelle Bamboo Leaf Square Round 16-Piece Dinnerware Set, Service for 4! I love the Corelle Bamboo Leaf Square Dinnerware.

You might know that I have been talking a lot about those recipes that I love and make. And, I've been talking a lot about my dishes - my dinnerware!

That luncheon plate has shown up many a time in my food photography. I believe giving a little credit where credit is due!

You must know that I love the luncheon plate that you find in this set. The other night I pulled out the dinner plate and almost had a heart attack!

Good grief, that is the biggest plate ... I would think I'm feeding Hulk Hogan or something. But, each to his own ... I would use the dinner plate as a serving plate!

Poll : Do You Love It?
What do you think? Do you love my recipe?

• Yes I do!
• I make something like that.
• I'm a vegetarian, darn it!
• No.

Don't you just love chicken and all its versatility?
I love grilled chicken breasts too and the next day, delicious on a salad or chopped up in chicken salad. So, did you enjoy my recipe? I know! I left out the tomato. Lately, I've been eating Tasti-Lee's but there were too big for this salad ... so I saved them for another day.

I was searching on Amazon for a good chicken recipe book and found 365 Ways to Cook Chicken: Simply the Best Chicken Recipes You'll Find Anywhere!

It got me thinking about the book and movie, Julie and Julia. Did you see that? I was wondering, could you use this book to do something similar, but with chicken? Or, would you find that you were getting tired of eating chicken each and every day? How may ways can you prepare chicken anyways? Hey, it says 365! And, there are 365 days in a year.

Are you up for it? Be careful as I have often heard, "you are what you eat!" Hey, leave me a comment. Tell me what you thought of the recipe.

History: Breaded Baked Boneless Skinless Chicken Thigh Salad was originally created by JaguarJulie on Squidoo on May 9, 2014. On May 9, 2014 this lens earned the Purple Star Award for quality content. Then, on September 4, 2014, the lens was transported over electronically to HubPages. Now, it resides here and here alone.