Caesar chopped salad

We're just gonna truck right on through the Thanksgiving food, alrighty? It feels like Thanksgiving was an eternity ago, we've had so much going on and Christmas is right around the corner. 'Tis the season, ya know?! Pretty soon it's going to be January, which usually displeases me, but this year my January is rocking so I'm not even dreading it like normal. How can you dread a 7 day honeymoon cruise, along with a weekend in KC with my lady friends (with nobody pregnant for once!) and other various social events that I plan on attending in the chilly month that I usually want to pop in the face (if it had a face)...

 

Enough rambling...let's cut to the chase, and by chase, I mean salad. Caesar salad to be exact. Mi favorito (my espanol is rusty). When I first discovered salads when I was younger, Caesar was my love...my one and only, I never strayed from ordering a nice creamy Caesar dinner salad. Until someone told me about the calories in that stuff. A lot of Caesar salads are as calorie laden as a cheeseburger, so you may as well indulge in the greasy burger and fries if you're drowning in fat...nobody wants a fat kid salad, I'm telling you.

 

So I rarely get them in restaurants anymore, because I cringe when I think of the yummy dressings they use and how many calories can actually be in that stuff. Ohhhhhh, it's SO good! Alas, I have found a few skinnier versions of Caesar dressing that I actually really like and don't feel like slitting my wrists from the guilt after consuming. So I go with the reduced fat/calorie brands when I make it at home and have gotten used to them throughout the years. You can't switch back and forth though, people...trust me on this. If you want to like the light versions, you can't be having the full fat versions for treats or you'll never be ok with the light stuff. Same with sour cream, soda pop, and ranch dressing. It just doesn't work...

 

Anyway...I had a craving for some Caesar for Thanksgiving. I thought I would add some pasta to it to make it a little more hearty. Most people don't want salads for Turkey day. And this really worked as a stand alone meal too. Very filling! So here's what I did:

 

1 package organic romaine hearts

1/2 package boiled and chilled cavatappi noodles (these are my fave right now)

fresh shaved parmesan cheese

package roasted chicken breast, diced up

roma tomatoes, diced up

fresh cracked pepper

caesar dressing of your choice

croutons if desired

 

I had all ingredients except the dressing and the croutons mixed up and in the fridge the day before to prevent extra work the day of Thanksgiving.

  

When it's party time, throw in the dressing and croutons and serve! I ate these leftovers at work for lunch that following week and it was delicioso. See how I've spoken like 3 languages in this post? Multi-cultural, that's me. I know one word of a lot of languages...too bad that doesn't count for much in real life. In my imaginary world, it makes me extremely cool though :)

Spicy italian pasta salad

This is an old one that I've had queued up to post for quite some time. I didn't make it myself so I kept forgetting to post it. After yesterday's post of the mostphenomenallasagnaever by Iowa Girl Eats, it reminded me that I had been meaning to post her pasta salad recipe that Leslie made for her birthday get-together a couple of months ago. This stuff was go back for more because you have no choice good. It had a definite kick to it...mainly because Leslie added a good amount of crushed red pepper accidentally...but it was one of those happy accidents that actually work type of things.

We all know everyone needs a go-to pasta salad for this time of year when potlucks are upon us and we would rather be put to death than eat a hot side dish.  I tend to gravitate toward my friend Melissa's recipe, the always loved pasta salad that I got from her a couple years ago and haven't found one to top it yet....but this one gave it a run for it's money. I may have to begin making 2 pasta salads if I go somewhere...

Ingredients (serves 6-8)

• 1 lb fettuccini
• 1/2 bottle Zesty Italian dressing (I would use fat free)
• 1/2 bottle McCormick Salad Supreme seasoning (Leslie used Italian seasoning instead)
• 2 T crushed red pepper (or more if you like the heat)
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded & chopped
• 1 small package round turkey pepperoni
• 3 Roma tomatoes, seeded & chopped
• 1 small can sliced olives, drained

Instructions

• Cook fettuccine in salted, boiling water. Drain, then rinse under cold water.
• Combine fettuccine in a large bowl with remaining ingredients. Toss to combine, then cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

Happy Friday, all! If you have a gathering to hit this weekend, I'll just say you're welcome now for making you the favorite guest...

Broccoli and bacon salad

Since I posted such a flop yesterday (thanks for all the tips by the way, I will be trying the kale chips again thanks to you guys), I figured I should share a winner today....and this is it! This stuff was sooooo addicting, I tore through the leftovers for lunches at work and wasn't even mad about it. I have a love of broccoli that runs deeeeeep, my friends. I steam it and cover it with fresh cracked salt and pepper, and sprinkle some parmesan cheese on it for our standard side dish all the time. I call it "death by broccoli" because Main Man and I kill a whole head of broccoli in one sitting.  No big D.

This stuff though...the cranberries give it a chewy sweet aspect, the onions a tiny bite, the almonds and sunflower seeds give some salty with some crunchy....gaaaahhhhhh. You will be the talk of the party if you bring this to your next summer potluck. You can trust this not so skinny cook :)

2 heads fresh broccoli, washed and cut into bite size florets

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/2  cup roasted sunflower seeds

1/2-1 cup crumbled bacon (approx 12 slices for 1 cup...I used turkey bacon)

1 cup mayo (I used greek yogurt)

3 T white vinegar

1/3 cup sugar (I used stevia so I used a little less)

1/2 t ground black pepper

Mix all of the top group together in a bowl, and mix all the second group together in a smaller bowl. I didn't want it to get soggy as this was a side dish I brought to the lake, so I didn't mix the dressing with the broccoli until I served it....but just kept both refrigerated until that point. YUMMMMMM!

It said this serves 8-10 people, but we had 4 eating on it for two meals and I think I got four lunches out of it when I brought it home. It actually stayed pretty well and didn't get soggy with the dressing on so you could mix it all together beforehand if the feeling hits you. The best part is once you buy all the ingredients, you will have all the ingredients on hand again to make another batch (nobody sells a half a cup of anything). Also, with the substitutions to the game (turkey bacon, stevia, greek yogurt) this isn't going to kill the waistline either so get out of the pasta salad line and get on the broccoli train! You'll thank me later! Happy Thursday, peeps!

I hope no one noticed I spelled broccoli two different ways throughout this post...back and forth, back and forth, between "broccoli" and "brocolli". I don't know why it's one of the words that always get me...I never remember if it's 2 c's or 2 l's or 2 of both!? Anyway, I fixed it...forgive me, it's a little embarrassing for the fourth grade spelling bee champion to mess up such a common word.  Guess I'm out of practice...

Cabbage salad

I've always loved the asian tasting cabbage salad they have at Palmer's Deli, but have never really thought to try to make it myself. Then, low and behold, Mern brought it's salad twin to Leslie's birthday party a few weeks ago (my contributions were the strawberry angel food kabobs and the loaded baked potato dip....and I couldn't get it off my mind. I'm not ashamed to text someone for a recipe now and then...and Mern delivered! So I made me a big ol' batch for Father's day weekend and enjoyed every last ramen noodle....thanks Mern!

1 head cabbage
green onion
1 packet chicken ramen noodles
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup slivered almonds

Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar (I use a little more rice vinegar)
chicken packet from ramen
sugar to taste

Cut cabbage into thin slices and then chop the slices. Dice the green onion. Smash the package of ramen noodles and add to cabbage, onion, almonds, and sunflower seeds. Mix the dressing together and cover the salad.

Palmer's spinner salad

I went to Palmer's a few weeks ago with Justin, to stop in for a quick lunch and get a salad fix.  You  read that right...a salad fix. This is hands down, no contest, not even a contender in sight, my favorite salad in the universe. No exaggeration there at all!

I discovered Palmer's when Brother Ben worked there for a couple of years (the Ankeny one beats all the others in my opinion, but they're all good) and I would visit him there occasionally to have a meal. Their sandwiches are phenomenal, their soups are fantastic, their pasta salads (the pasta primavera in particular) have me drooling here just typing about them, and there aren't even words to describe their brownies. When I moved to Ankeny, in the back of my mind, being closer to Palmer's was a selling point.

The salad below is a version of the salad I get when I get to actual Palmers...it's easier for them to keep everything on hand then it is for me. This salad includes cherry tomatoes, reduced fat feta cheese, turkey bacon crumbles, romaine lettuce, and candied walnuts. I usually skip the candied walnuts and have hard boiled egg, diced cucumber, and brocolli added in but since this is at work, I didn't have access to all my ingredients.

If you are an Iowa resident, you HAVE to try Palmer's spinner salads...and if you're not, keep a lookout for this dressing or something similar in the stores, you won't regret it! I made this for Justin's mom a couple weeks ago and she liked it so much that she went and bought the dressing too...except she bought a gallon of it! If they don't have it for sale in the small bottles at the location you go to, they will sell you the economy sized bottle it turns out....so she did! I'm so glad when other people get as obsessed with something as I do, it makes me feel not so crazy for loving this salad so much!

Cobb salad

I originally had this labeled "killer salad" instead of "cobb salad" but I thought more people would get the gist of it if I used a known term.  This is my variation of a cobb salad, I suppose....isn't a cobb salad just one that includes turkey or chicken, egg, bacon, and tomato...and then whatever else you want to throw in there?  That's what I think of when I hear cobb salad anyway...

I think I've pinpointed exactly why I'm addicted to this salad (I've eaten at least one per day for the last 5 days and just stocked up on ingredients)...and that is the dressing.  I guess it's not really a dressing I use, but just plain old olive oil and vinegar.  I've used red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and this phenomenal fancy pants white balsamic vinegar (to DIE for) that Mama K got me for Christmas. I think that vinegar may have something in it that gives you a physical reaction, because I seriously want another huge salad right after I finish one.  I love that acidic kick it gives everything that it soaks into...I have trouble not drinking the leftover juice out of the bottom of my bowls to be quite honest with you.

Anyway, this bridal boot camp has kicked into action so I've started Kosama this week and I have some goals to hit this year before getting into a wedding dress. It's really not too hard to go healthy when healthy tastes like this though. And how flipping pretty is that??  Oh my, it's 9 am and I want my lunch :( 

This salad is very versatile and just includes whatever veggies I have in the house but when it's perfect, it includes:

spinach and romaine lettuce

cherry tomatoes (halved so they soak up the oil and vinegar love)

cucumbers

reduced fat feta cheese (this is my shit)

1 hard boiled egg

2 pieces bacon, crumbled

fresh cracked pepper

1 T good extra virgin olive oil

3 T red wine, balsamic, or white balsamic vinegar

turkey or chicken (which I left out because I didn't have any cooked)

croutons (which I left out because I ate a few of these chips while I was cooking my egg and bacon..I didn't have any dip though)

Go ahead and enlarge that picture and tell me your mouth isn't drooling....

Toss that shizz together and get ready to get punched in the mouth with flavor! I seriously thought I wouldn't eat all this salad because it was ginormous.....but as you can see:

...the hand that was running my fork had other plans.  I did not slurp the juice though, as much as would have enjoyed it. Choose your battles, right? This salad clocks in at under 500 calories in a HEAPING portion, I was in a food coma heaven afterwards. AND olive oil does have a certain amount of fat, but it's the good fat like you would get in fish, that your body needs anyway...so win-win, right?  I think I'm done with normal dressings, folks...it's way easier and way healthier to go with this option....give it a shot!

Mom's pasta salad

This is a tuscan pasta salad but it's Mama K's favorite thing to bring to pot luck events now, and I know why. She made this for our big Thanksgiving but with so many choices for food, nothing really got finished.  She left the leftovers here, and I ate them. When I say I ate them, I mean to tell you that I ate all of them...I ate the. whole. bowl. This stuff is right up my alley with pepper and garlic, olive oil and red wine vinegar...mmmmmm!  This is now up my sleeve as a go-to...will be great for summer parties where a cold pasta salad is needed. I always go with the same pasta salad in the summer, and it's great, but it's always nice to have a little variety...

Here's what you need:

3 cups bowtie pasta

4 oz hard salami, sliced into thin strips

1 medium red bell pepper, diced

1/2 medium red onion, diced

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 t cracked black pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

6 cups torn romaine

1/2 cup shredded parmesan

Cook the pasta according to packag directions and then drain. Add all ingredients to large mixing bowl except for the romaine and parmesan. Stick in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours....should look like this:

After the flavors all meld together beautifully, mix in the romaine and toss evenly and sprinkle with parmesan to serve.  You can add more of the vinegar and olive oil if you like it a little less dry (we did)...

I did not get a photo of this dish fully prepared. I really wish I did because it was gorgeous...but I had a bit too much going on with food coming out and 30 people in the house...I'll get better at this whole process someday, I promise :)  Meanwhile...try this and enjoy it, you'll thank me later!

BLT pasta salad

I think I'm finally back in the swing of things cooking wise. I was so burnt out from all the holiday food we had been eating out quite a bit since Thanksgiving. I'm proud to tell you we had a great home cooked meal last night, one of my faves!  I made Spicy spinach stuffed chicken and roasted brussel sprouts for dinner and it sure did hit the spot :)  But on with my Thanksgiving menu recipes...with the BLT pasta salad!

I have to be honest with you and tell you that I didn't even get to try this. I made it for our first hosting Thanksgiving and we had over 30 people in the house, with enough food to feed 3 times that! I literally couldn't get everything on my plate, let alone into my stomach! It looked really good though, and I would probably make it again as everyone who tried it said they enjoyed it.

Ingredients

12 ounce corkscrew shaped pasta
1/2 cup milk
12 ounces lean bacon (could use turkey but I'm trying to get rid of Wilbur in our deep freeze)
3 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup mayo (I used the light olive oil mayo)
1/4 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons chopped chives
5 cups chopped romaine hearts

Directions

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water as the label directs. Drain and toss with the milk in a large bowl; set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Discard all but 3 tablespoons drippings from the pan. Add the tomatoes, thyme and garlic to the pan and toss until warmed through; season with salt and pepper. Crumble the bacon into bite-size pieces; set aside 1/4 cup for garnish. Toss the remaining bacon and the tomato mixture with the pasta.

Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream and 3 tablespoons chives with the pasta until evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper. Add the lettuce; toss again to coat. Garnish with the reserved bacon and the remaining 1 tablespoon chives. Serve at room temperature. I didn't get a photo of this, but let's get real...the photo on pinterest from A Bird and a Bean is way better anyway...so this is why my mouth was watering for this salad!

Southwest salad

Aunt Kris, you are saving my life with your recipes when I don't have time to be cooking or am on vacation! Everything you post for me looks so yummy, I'm sure people will find your recipes as appealing as I do! Here's the next edition from the kitchen of my Auntie Kris! :)

Here's the recipe: one 16 oz bag frozen corn- thawed and drained, one 15 oz can black beans- rinsed and drained, 1/2 cup diced black olives, 3/4 cup fresh salsa (refrigerated kind- I drain the excess juice before adding it, otherwise it ca...n dilute the vinaigrette), 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro- chopped, 1 & 1/2 to 2 teaspoon garlic red wine vinegar, 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil (I lightly drizzle this, so this is a pretty good gestimate, but it doesn't take very much- just enough to create a light vinaigrette with the vinegar, not drown it in oil- I'd err on the side of less than more), 1 teaspoon cumin, salt and pepper to taste. Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate overnight or at least 2-3 hours before serving. You can control the level of heat by the salsa you choose. I'm not a fan of super spicy foods that burn my tongue so I generally use mild, medium at the most, but you may like it hotter. Enjoy!

Chicken taco salad

I've been busy lately, with not much time to cook.  I see other blogger's who have people guest post when they don't have anything to share at the moment...enter my Aunt Kris!  She doesn't even know she's guest posting :)  Since the birth of my blog, my Aunt (who lives in AZ) has enjoyed posting her yummy healthy eats for me on facebook with recipes included for me to try...one of my faves being the stuffed shells. She's an RN so she's knowledgeable in the healthy cooking area plus she's a Kratoska so she loves food that tastes yummy!  Anyway, here is a simple weekday recipe that I plan on trying very soon...

Lettuce, whatever kind you like- sometimes I use a couple varieties mixed together
Fresh Cilantro, cleaned and chopped (this makes the salad, in my... opinion)
Light Ranch Dressing (Maries Refrigerated is the best)
Powdered Taco Seasoning
Organic/Whole Grain Taco Chips (I use whatever I have on hand), crumbled (if you want to be fancy you can buy taco strip salad toppings)
Whatever else you want to top with- Typically I use:
Shredded chicken or carne asada, warmed (the chicken is lower in fat and calories)
Canned, rinsed pinto or kidney beans
Frozen corn, thawed or canned Mexi-corn, drained
Onion, diced
Tomato, diced
Avocado, diced
Black olives, diced
Shredded cheddar or 2% or part skim shredded cheddar

Mix the lettuce with the cilantro to taste (I use a goodly amount of cilantro) in a large bowl if you’re serving several or just on your plate for one serving. After you plate the lettuce mixture, top with warmed shredded meat (I used chicken here) and whatever other toppings you prefer. Finish the salad off with a little shredded cheese and crumbled taco chips. Finally, top with taco seasoned dressing (see below).

Dressing: Pour whatever amount of ranch dressing you will need into a glass bowl or Tupperware container and mix with powdered taco seasoning to taste. Add just a little for mild heat or a lot for more heat.
 
This works great for a crowd. Easy to prep and everyone can top with what they like. I also make it and just store all the ingredients in snap top containers and then I can have a quick lunch or dinner for several days in a row- easy smeasy....

The key to keeping it healthy is to use quality ingredients and moderation in the amount of toppings you use. Go easy on the cheese and taco chips; you don’t need a lot to get the flavor or the crunch.

The brand of chips I show in the picture, Food Should Taste Good, is my favorite if you can find them in your area - they come in lots of varieties of flavors and are made with whole grains & are low in healthy fat and taste great- my favorite is their sweet potato chips. Maries Light Ranch Dressing is the best I’ve found in terms of healthy ingredients without added chemicals/preservatives and has good flavor. You can’t even tell you’re eating a light dressing once you add the taco seasoning. (Usually I don’t like reduced fat or calorie dressings. They’re usually full of more sugar and artificial chemicals and aren’t very good for you… and they don’t taste very good anyway. I’d rather have a smaller amount of the real thing than more of the other stuff, but in this case I can’t tell the difference, as long as it’s the Maries brand.)

 

Tomato cucumber salad

This is my all time FAVORITE salad to make in the summer (#obsessed), I'm actually upset I didnt have many cucumbers till now so I can keep a container of it in the fridge at all times.  I have this thing about buying veggies from the store when I know I will have some coming up in the garden...can't do it.  So I wait.  And wait.  And wait.  But now the waiting is over and I won't be without my salad for a few weeks at least!

Mama K made this for me last summer when they came for the RAGBRAI reunion ride and we grilled at our place afterward.  I was in love. I am a vinegar freak, love the acidity of it especially when it cuts with the olive oil.  I do this a little different than the recipe calls for, I don't think its supposed to be literally doused in the dressing like I do it, but that's the joy of being the one who makes it...do it how you like it!  Here is the original recipe:

• 1/2 pound country bread, cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 large beefsteak tomatoes, cut into 3/4-inch dice (about 4 cups)
• 1 cucumber, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice (about 2 cups)
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil, torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper

1. Heat grill to medium. Brush bread slices on both sides with 2 tablespoons oil. Grill until lightly charred on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Let cool slightly, then cut into large cubes.
2. In a large bowl, toss bread cubes with tomatoes, cucumber, and basil. Drizzle with vinegar and remaining 1/4 cup oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine, and serve.

Here's my recipe:

I don't grill the bread, and I just cut a hard baguette into bitesized pieces to throw into the salad. I use equal parts olive oil and red wine vinegar...more like 3/4-1 cup of each. I don't add the breadcrumbs to the salad until about 10 minutes before serving so they are soaked in all the goodness but not soggy and gucky. I used roma tomatoes this time because it's all I had.  I also added 3 minced garlic cloves to the mix before stirring it all together to mix. And it turned out greeeeaaat.  Like I would drink the oil and vinegar if it was socially acceptable. 

This is also one of those things that is better each day after it's been sitting so the veggies can marinate in the love for as long as possible.  Oh my, my mouth is watering heavily just looking at this picture! So colorful and sooooo vinegary!  Oh and some of the cucumbers have yellow skin, I'm not quite sure why this happens but I think it's the ones who overgrow (like I don't get them off the vine in time when they are ripe), but they taste the same and add even more color so whatev.

By the way, the zucchini flood of 2011 is over but we are now being overrun with cucumbers...anyone have any good recipes for cucumbers to share?  Besides pickles, I just canned 16 pints of pickles this weekend, that's more than enough for the year! OK, GO!

BLT salad with buttermilk dressing

Easy as pie and quick as arithmatic.  Well, this recipe also told me to make my own croutons and I nixed that idea since it was 8 pm when we got done with our appointment to get the windows measured and decide on blinds for the house.  Justin threw some steaks on (ribeye for him, filet for me...we still have a whole bunch left from when I posted THIS) when the lady left, and I wanted to veer away from the macaroni and cheese side that he started, so I made myself a good lookin' little salad for my side. 

I had this recipe laid out because I had a ton of extra buttermilk from making a ranch sauce the previous week so I wanted to use as much of it as possible before it went bad.  We had picked a ton of lettuce from the garden, and I always have bacon on hand, so my only problem was that I had no tomatoes.  Don't fret...I found some.  In the potato salad I made last week.  Yep, I dug them out, rinsed them off (read: licked the potato salad off of them), and put them in my salad.  Justin was highly amused when he asked for some for his salad and I told him how I got them. You gotta do what you gotta do....

8 strips bacon (I used 6 pieces of turkey bacon)
1/3 cup buttermilk
3 T mayo (I used fat free)
2 T cider vinegar
1 scallion, thinly sliced
lettuce
cherry tomatoes
croutons (I used fat free garlic but if you want to make your own use 1/2 a baguette sliced up, toss it with 2 T olive oil and freshly ground salt and pepper before baking until golden brown)

Cook bacon as normal and pat dry. 

Whisk buttermilk, mayo, vinegar, and scallion together.  Or use one of these handy dandy dressing mixer dealies that my mom got me a few years ago.  Its got a whisker thing on the bottom to pull up and down that churns and mixes your ingredients for any dressing you want to make.

It's even got directions around the side that give you levels to fill ingredients to in order to make italian, french, caesar, etc. NEATO!!

OK, now you want to toss your lettuce, bacon, tomatoes, croutons, and dressing together and flavor with ground pepper....and you've got yourself a couple of nice little side salads, or a very large dinner salad!

Fat Stats (this makes 4 servings):
355 calories
17 g fat
11.9 g protein
38.4 g carbs

These fat stats are for the original recipe which uses full fat bacon, homemade oiled up croutons, and full fat mayo in the dressing.  I would say this contained more like 200 calories and 5 g of fat with the modifications I made.

Bacon ranch potato salad

I found this recipe a while ago and REALLY wanted to make it for the 4th of July but I had enough food on the list to feed an army already.  So I waited to make this for my contribution for our trip to WeFest in Twin Lakes, MN.  I needed a special occasion to make this so that I wasnt found in the fridge with my face buried in the bowl of leftovers for a week.  Me and potato salad have a thing...well, me and potatoes have a thing.  It's not something to be messed with, and it's been with me all my life.  My dad used to call me "potato ass" when I was younger...I think it was because I would pass up ice cream and sweets for potatoes served any style...I hope it wasn't a reference to my actual tushy as that doesn't sound very flattering. 

Anyway, I've made the standard potato salad a lot and loved the idea of this one when I saw it.  Who doesn't like bacon? Who doesn't like ranch?  Point made. Anywho...from one potato ass to another...try this.  You will not regret it.

2 lbs red potatoes, unpeeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 T salt
1/4 cup mayo (I used fat free)
1/4 cup sour cream (I used fat free)
2-3 T chopped chives
2-3 T chopped parsley
1 small green onion
1 clove minced garlic
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup buttermilk
black pepper
4 slices thick cut bacon, cooked to a crisp (turkey bacon would work but I used Wilber since we had some thawed from Justin's man breakfast in bed he made me last weekend after RAGBRAI)

Throw your taters in a pot....I doubled the recipe so this should look like twice the amount you have if you are following these instructions.

Cover with 1-2 inches cold water and add 1 T salt.

Whisk mayo, sour cream, chives, parsley, green onion, garlic, lemon, and buttermilk together in a small bowl...salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate until ready to use....should look like so:

Bring taters to a boil and reduce heat to medium, cooking until they are fork tender (8-10 minutes).  I cooked my bacon while they were boiling.  Drain them and transfer them to a serving bowl to cool.  Let them cool for 5-10 minutes (they should be warm but not steaming hot). 

Pour half of the ranch dressing you set aside over the potatoes and toss.  Refrigerate for about an hour, until cold and then toss with remaining dressing and crumbled bacon.  I also added cherubs so it has a BLT flavor...and it turned out pretty well, although its not too pretty to look at since I plan on throwing it in the RV and not putting it in a pretty serving dish.  You lose. 

Anyway, it's pretty good...and is a good change up from the traditional potato salad if you're sick of that by this time in the Summer since it's a staple in most picnics or get-togethers.  You could add some eggs in there as well, the recipe didn't call for it but I will next time and I'm sure it will be delish (but we have an egg-hater in our midst this weekend so I didn't want to scare her away). 

No posts again until next week, Im planning on enjoying some country music and trying to get rid of my permanent biker shorts tan from RAGBRAI!

Taco salad

This is one of my all time favorite recipes to bring to parties, I have been making this since high school so it's one of my oldest recipes too.  I got it from my high school boyfriend's mother, actually...and it was served at my high school graduation, my college graduation, and lots of events in between.  It is also super simple to make before hand and not too bad for you as party food goes usually....

1 lb hamburger (I always use the leanest I can find even though it's more expensive, I can't handle the grease anymore)

1 packet taco seasoning

2 large heads of romaine lettuce

package cherry tomatoes

2 cups 2% mexican cheese

fat free french/catalina dressing

Prepare your hamburger with the taco seasoning, just as you would do if you were making tacos.  Put in it's own bowl to store until ready to serve because the meat will make the lettuce soggy if you leave it together in the fridge for long....and you want the meat to be cold, this is not a warm salad.

In another bowl, cut up the lettuce and add the cheese and tomatoes to the mix before storing it in the fridge as well. 

When it's time to serve, add the meat to the lettuce as well as however much dressing you would like (usually a half a bottle or a little more for us) before tossing your salad to mix.  I have even made this as a meal and I can't seem to get enough of it! Again, I didn't get a good pic of this before it was served and destroyed at the 4th of July party...I guess it's always a good thing when there's not a scrap of food left at a party though! 

Strawberry poppyseed salad

This is another recipe I got from my friend Maggie, who got it from someone at her wedding shower.  Some of those recipes (like this one) are included in my repeat list, so thanks to whoever added this one!  I never used to be a "fruit in the salad" type of person but this just works perfectly as a fresh side dish, and if I add chicken or turkey to it, we've even done this as a full meal.

Romaine (Use whatever lettuce you want but I love romaine, I also added arugula to this one since I had some leftover in the fridge)
quartered strawberries
reduced fat feta cheese
seasoned almonds
Kraft creamy poppyseed dressing

The best part is that there are no amounts so you can mix it how you would like, I just throw what I've got in there until it looks good.  I also mixed everything ahead of time, threw it in the fridge, and waited till just before serving to add the dressing and toss it evenly. 

This was one of the sides I served for our big Father's day meal.....but go ahead and add some chicken to it if you want some protein to make it a full meal!



Creamy pesto pasta salad

I have a new favorite appliance and I never saw it coming.  I bought a new Cuisanart food processor and it might be the coolest thing I've ever bought for the kitchen....I realize I'm really flying my freak flag to show the excitement I have for this thing but I'm not sure I care!   I wanted one originally to make spagetti sauce at home and to try to thicken my salsa up a little when I make it next time.  But I saw this recipe for homemade pesto and really wanted to try it as I didn't want to bring my normal pasta salad to the birthday party this weekend, I was ready to debut something new....

Here she is....what a beaut!  It even has a blender attachment....Score!

Anyway, I found this recipe while cruising online and I was a BIG fan of it...I've been killing all the leftovers (as has my boss since I brought a bunch to work).  So I'm glad someone besides me really liked it, since Justin was not really a fan and I know Brandy left a platefull at the party.  Don't worry, Im not that weirdo who watches if people eat my food or not...Justin was the one that pointed it out that she left a bunch so he didn't feel like a jerk telling me it wasn't his fave, haha!  I might try to make it again and not leave it in the fridge over night so the pasta is less dry, maybe add some chicken or something to make it a full meal? Anything to give him another chance to like it so it gets on our "make again" list!  Anyway, this was surprisingly easy with a food processor, it didnt take long at all.

Pesto:
3 cups packed fresh basil
1 cup packed fresh parsley (both of these I have in my herb garden)
3 garlic cloves
1 T lemon juice
1 t salt
1 t pepper
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted (these were pretty expensive FYI)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup grated reduced fat parmesan cheese

Salad:
1 lb gemelli or other short pasta (I used wheat)
1 cup plain 2% greek yogurt
2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (I used Nature's Sweet cherubs)

Start boiling your pasta first since it will take the longest.  In the food processor puree everything except greek yogurt, olive oil and parmesan for the pesto.  With motor running, add olive oil and process until a thick paste forms.  Add parmesan and pulse twice. 

Once pasta is done, strain it and run it under cold water so it stops cooking. 

Combine the pesto with the greek yogurt and blend well. 

Add cold pasta and halved tomatoes.  I put it in the fridge to chill at this point because I made it before the party....but if you have time to make it right before I would serve it immediately as it was so much more creamy at this point because the noodles hadnt soaked up all the moisture.  I still liked the flavor of it when it was more dry but that was J's complaint. 

I'm about to go slam the last cup of it I had leftover for lunch....and going to enjoy every last bit of it! :)

Oh and although there is a decent amount of olive oil in this recipe, it's really not that bad for you.  One pound of pasta makes a huge batch, but the recipe gives the yield of this amount as 8 servings.  You would have some big old plates of pasta salad if you split this into 8 servings....I would say it yields more like 20 servings or more!  Anyway, for one huge plate full serving it lists 464 calories....so if you get a normal scoop of pasta salad as a side and not a meal, it would be about 150 calories in my estimation.

EDIT:  I made this dish again, as you can tell I really want people to start liking it so I can have it all the time :)  I just made a plain pesto, took the parmesan cheese out so as not to dry it out, and left out the greek yogurt as well.  It turned out even better!!  AND it's not dry, when you stir it, the olive oil comes back to the top and leaves you with fresh tasting pasta...instead of the dried out pesto taste of the previous batch.  So, you're welcome...I solved the riddle.  I also added fresh mozzerella to the mix to give it a sort of caprese salad taste....nomnomnomnom!!!

Chicken salad

When we were at Indy this year, we ate at Champs one night and Amanda had the most amazing chicken salad sandwich I have ever had...Im sticking with the fact that it was just an outstanding sandwich and not that the margaritas before were contributing to the wonderful taste in my mouth!  Justin absolutely loved it and asked why I never make chicken salad at home...like I never cook.  I honestly didnt know I liked it that much and didnt think it would top his list of faves either, so I have never made it before. 

I do know that depending what you throw in there, it can be a pretty hefty calorie hit.  So I looked up a bunch of recipes online (there are TONS) and tried to form one of my own out of others ingredients.  I stayed pretty plain for this first batch as I didnt want to ruin it, but I think it came out well.  I will probably continue to play around with it in the future until I perfect it....

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup fat free mayo
2 T spicy mustard (pictured below)
2 T apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced onions
crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper to taste

First I seasoned and baked the chicken breast in the oven.  You could throw it on the grill too if you have it running...whatever strikes your fancy.  I used (very liberally I might add) lawry's, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and black pepper to season the chicken before baking.  The oven was set at 425 degrees for about 30-35 minutes.

After the chicken is done and cooled off, I shredded it with a fork and added all the other ingredients.  This mustard I use on everything is this shizz...I literally don't buy any other kind anymore, it add so much flavor to anything. 

Here is the finished product ready to head to the fridge to chill:

I have been making Justin's lunches for work for him for a few weeks so that he doesn't have to eat garbage from fast food joints or gas stations....and he's lost about 15 lbs because of it!  I've been making him ham or turkey sammies but you can't expect a boy to live on those every day all summer, so this was an experimental batch to leave for his lunches and see if he liked it.  I asked him to send me a pic of it when he was eating it the other day and this is what I got...

I guess that means it's good??  :)  He did say he added cheese and it was better without so I would just throw some on a roll and have at it.  Next time I may throw in some hard boiled eggs as well....maybe a little fresh dill or basil from the herb planter?  We shall see.  Sidenote: when did I become a grandmother with my gardens, planters, and making my own recipes?? lol