Dressing:
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon fresh basil, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste

Bacon & Peach Pasta:
Cook pasta according to directions on box. Set aside.

In a skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Let drain on a paper towel. When cool, crumble the bacon into bite-size pieces.

In a large bowl, combine the pasta, bacon, peaches, onion, and parsley. Set aside.

Dressing:
In a small jar or bowl, combine the vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, basil, thyme, salt and pepper. While whisking, slowly pour in the oil. Pour over the pasta and toss to coat.

Yields 2-4 servings.

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
6 ounces fresh mozzarella (ciliegine), halved
1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Serve chilled.

Yields about 4 servings.

I asked my boyfriend to help me think of some side dishes for Thanksgiving. He first suggested a carrot casserole, which I’ve never had before and didn’t sound too appealing. That lead me to think of green bean casserole, which is a common holiday side dish. Wanting to do something other than a casserole I decided that a French green bean salad was the way to go. Bacon, cheese and pecans are personal touches that make this dish super crazy delicious.

4 cups fresh green beans
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 shallots, very finely sliced
5 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
3/4 cup pecans, rough chopped
3 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a medium saucepan, bring salted water to a boil and add green beans. Cook for about 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a serving dish.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, thyme, parsley, mustard, oil and red wine vinegar until an emulsion forms. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over green beans. Add shallots, pecans, cheese and bacon. Toss.

Yields 6-8 servings

Salad:
1 chicken breast, cooked and cubed
2 hearts of romaine, chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and diced
Feta cheese crumbles
Dried cranberries

Dressing:
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon honey
Salt and pepper, to taste

Salad:
In a medium bowl, toss together the romaine, chicken and apples. Top with feta cheese and dried cranberries.

Dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients until the lemon juice and olive oil are fully incorporated. Drizzle over salad.