Pepperoni, Mozzarella & Broccoli Pasta Salad

I have been making this for a very long time and can't believe I haven't blogged it before. My family got this recipe when my sister Heather made it in Home Ec or Foods class at school and then she made it for us at home and we loved it. Now I make it for my family.

The dressing has the right amount of tang and the veggies give it a nice crunch. This is one of my favorite pasta salad recipes and now it can be yours.

Pepperoni, Mozzarella & Broccoli Pasta Salad

Dressing:

1/3 c. oil

2 T. lemon juice

1 T. cider vinegar

1/2 t. salt

Pepper to taste

1/2 t. dried oregano

Salad:

1/2 lb. rigatoni (or other pasta)

1 1/2 c. broccoli florets

6 oz. pepperoni, cut into pieces

3/4 c. green pepper, chopped

3 T. black olives, sliced

1/4 c. red onion, chopped

1/4 c. carrot, chopped

3 oz. mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

2 T. Parmesan cheese, grated

Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain; rinse with cool water. 

Break broccoli into small pieces. Place in microwaveable dish and add 1/2 cup water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on HIGH for about 3 minutes. 

Put pepperoni, green pepper, olives, onion, carrot and mozzarella in a large bowl. Add broccoli and pasta and toss to combine.

Whisk dressing ingredients together. Add to salad and toss to blend. Serve immediately or refrigerate to serve later. 

Roasted Carrot Salad

I love roasted veggies. And I love these roasted carrots with fresh greens and the crunch from the almonds and the yummy dressing. It's all so good together. I found this at Your Homebased Mom.

Roasted Carrot Salad

10-12 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced. About 5 cups
1/2 c. slivered almonds
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 t. honey
1 T. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. dried cranberries
2-4 c. arugula

Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine carrots, almonds and garlic in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper. 

Spread in single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until carrots are tender, not mushy. Remove and allow to cool to room temperature.

Mix together honey and vinegar and drizzle over cooled carrots. Add in cranberries and more salt and pepper to taste.

Honey Chipotle Chicken Bowls with Lime Quinoa

I know this list of ingredients is long, but most if it consists of things you already have in your kitchen and none of the steps are at all difficult. It is soooooo worth it! Delicious, healthy and filling.
Thanks to Viance for the recipe.

Honey Chipotle Chicken Bowls with Lime Quinoa

Honey Chipotle Chicken
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 c. olive oil
3 T. adobo sauce, from a can of chipotle in adobo
2 T. honey
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. honey mustard
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro
4 garlic cloves, minced
Salad
6 c. spring greens
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 c. torn fresh cilantro
4 green onions, sliced
1 avocado, sliced
1 lime, juiced
1 T. olive oil
1/2 T. honey
Lime Quinoa
1/2 c. uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1 c. low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1 T. coconut oil
1 lime, juiced and zest freshly grated
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Add the chicken breasts to a baking dish or sealed bag and season with salt and pepper. In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, adobo, honey, mustards, cilantro and garlic. Pour the marinade over the chicken, covering it evenly. Place it in the fridge and marinate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

After marinading, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tiny bit of olive oil and add the chicken, then cover the skillet and cook until the chicken is deeply browned on both sides and cooked in the center, about 6 minutes per side.
To make the salads, add the greens in a large bowl and toss them with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Add the chicken on top along with the quinoa, the tomatoes, cilantro, green onions and avocado. Drizzle the bowl with the lime juice, olive oil and honey just before serving. 

Lime Quinoa
Add the quinoa and stock to a saucepan over high heat and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Stir in the coconut oil, lime juice, zest, salt and pepper.

Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac)

This is a great dish with juicy, flavorful beef that you can serve alone or with rice. Skinnytaste explains that the shaking in the name comes from the fact that you toss the beef in the wok after searing it. 

Vietnamese Shaking Beef Salad (Bo Luc Lac)

Marinade:
1 1/2 lbs beef top sirloin, fat trimmed and cut into 1″ cubes
5 cloves crushed garlic
1 T. agave or sugar
1 T. oyster sauce
1 T. fish sauce
1 t. sesame oil
1 t. thick soy sauce (or use low sodium soy sauce)

Vinaigrette:
1/2 c. rice vinegar
1 1/2 T. agave or sugar
1 1/2 t. kosher salt

Dipping Sauce:
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. fresh cracked pepper

Salad:
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 c. watercress leaves or mixed baby greens
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 T. canola oil, divided

Marinate steak at least 1 hour before cooking, or overnight for best results. Combine garlic, oyster sauce, agave or sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil with the beef.

For the vinaigrette combine rice vinegar with salt and sugar. It should be a balance of sour, salty and sweet.

Thinly slice the red onion and use about 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette to pickle and set aside covered in fridge for about 10 minutes. Prepare bed of greens and tomatoes in a serving platter and set aside.Make dipping sauce by squeezing lime juice over salt and pepper in a small ramekin. 

Heat a large wok or pan over high heat. When very hot add 1/2 tbsp oil and when it begins to smoke, add an even layer of beef (half) and allow to sear for about 2 minutes, before “shaking” to sear the opposite sides for about another 1-2 minute more to brown all the sides.  Repeat this with the second batch of meat using the remainder of the oil.

Transfer beef to bed of watercress and tomatoes. Drizzle remainder of the vinaigrette over the beef and greens and top with pickled red onions. Serve with lime dipping sauce.

Strawberry Cucumber Salad with Preserves Balsamic Dressing

I made this a few weeks ago after seeing it on Reluctant Entertainer. I added avocado and nectarine, and used pecans instead of pistachios. Also, I used grilled chicken. Lots of flavor and the dressing is unique.

Strawberry Cucumber Salad with Preserves Balsamic Dressing

8-10 c. baby spinach leaves
2 c. cooked chicken, chopped 
2 c. fresh strawberries, chopped
2 green onion, chopped
1 c. English cucumber, seeds removed, chopped
1 c. pistachio nuts
1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. preserves 
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/2 c. red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1 c. canola or olive oil
Salt and pepper

In a small saucepan, bring the balsamic vinegar, shallots, and sugar to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, until liquid is reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Add the preserves and cook 1 more minute.

Transfer the mixture to a blender; add the oil and red wine vinegar and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Chill.

Place the spinach on a large platter or in a large salad bowl. Add the chicken, strawberries, green onion, cucumber, and pistachio nuts. Drizzle the dressing; toss and serve. You can also plate the salad and then drizzle the dressing on to individual servings.

Loaded Chicken Taco Salad with Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing

This is a super combination of ingredients and the dressing takes it over the top. I love the crunch from the tortilla chips too. Averie at Averie Cooks used Doritos so you can choose which you like better-- tortilla chips or Doritos. And we don't like our chips to get soggy so I served them on the side so we could put them on our plates individually. 

Don't be intimidated by the length of the ingredients list. It's a very easy salad. The recipe calls for a packet of taco seasoning, but I make my own and sprinkle it on to taste. That recipe follows the salad recipe in case you'd like to make yours too.

I really like variety in my menus (if you couldn't tell by the number of different recipes I make), but I'd be happy to eat this often.

Loaded Chicken Taco Salad with Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing

2 T. olive oil

1 1/4 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 (1.25-oz.) packet taco seasoning, divided

4 c. romaine lettuce

1 or 2 med. tomatoes, diced

1/2 c. corn, drained (canned or frozen)

1/2 c. canned black beans, drained and rinsed

1 med. avocado, peeled and diced

1 c. shredded cheese

1 c. seasoned tortilla chips, crushed

1/2 c. mayonnaise

1/4 c. sour cream or plain yogurt

3 to 4 T. lime juice, or as necessary for flavor and consistency

1/4 c. cilantro leaves, minced

1/2 t. granulated sugar, optional and to taste

To a large skillet, add the olive oil, chicken, evenly sprinkle with 1 heaping tablespoon taco seasoning, and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes until browned on all sides and cooked through. Remove pan from heat and allow chicken to rest in pan while you assemble the salad.

To a large platter, add the lettuce, and evenly sprinkle with the tomatoes, corn, black beans, avocado, cheese, tortilla chips, and chicken; set aside.

To a small bowl, add the mayo, sour cream, lime juice, 1 heaping tablespoon taco seasoning, and whisk to combine. Add the cilantro and stir to incorporate. Add additional lime juice to thin out dressing if desired. Taste dressing and depending on how much lime juice was used, add sugar to taste.

Evenly drizzle dressing over salad. Extra dressing will keep airtight for up to 5 days in the fridge and makes a great veggie dip.

*Taco Seasoning (from Allrecipes)              

1 T. chili powder

1/4 t. garlic powder

1/4 t. onion powder

1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 t. dried oregano

1/2 t. paprika

1 1/2 t. ground cumin

1 t. sea salt

1 t. black pepper

In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container.

Cranberry Avocado Spinach Salad with Chicken and Orange Poppy Seed Dressing

Today I went to California Pizza Kitchen for the first time. Yep, the first time. And I got to sample several dishes since the ladies I went with all shared family style. Two of the dishes were salads, very different from each other. One with watermelon and strawberries and the other was a Thai salad. They were both super yummy and I hope I can have them again sometime.

It reminded me that I made a new salad last month that I never posted on my blog, so here is the salad from Cooking Classy, which has an orange dressing to kind of go along with the orange theme from the last post (Orange Bars). As you can tell by the photos, I threw some oranges into the salad, but the dressing has a fresh citrus flavor so you don't need to if you don't want to.

Cranberry Avocado Spinach Salad with Chicken and Orange Poppy Seed Dressing

Dressing:

1/4 c. olive oil

1/4 c. canola oil

2 t. orange zest

1/4 c. fresh orange juice

2 T. fresh lemon juice

2 T. honey

2 t. Dijon mustard

1/4 t. salt

1 T. poppy seeds

 

Salad:

1 lb. chicken, grilled

9 oz. baby spinach

2 medium avocados, cored and diced

1 c. crumbled feta

3/4 c. sliced almonds, toasted

3/4 c. dried cranberries

 

Add olive oil, canola oil, orange zest, orange juice, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard and salt to a blender. Pulse until well emulsified. Pour into a jar and stir in poppy seeds. Refrigerate until ready to use.

 

Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl. Pour dressing over top and toss to evenly coat. Serve immediately.

 

Potato and Green Bean Salad

Here's a quick, flavorful side dish from Martha Stewart. I added olives to it and really liked it.

Potato and Green Bean Salad

6 oz. green beans

2 lb. peeled small potatoes

1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

4 t. lemon juice

4 t. whole-grain mustard

2 t. chopped thyme leaves

1/2 c. thinly sliced red onion

Coarse salt

Simmer green beans in salted water until barely tender and bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon or wire-mesh skimmer, and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Drain, and pat dry. Add potatoes to the same pot of salted water, and simmer until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes, and halve them. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, and thyme in a large bowl. Add potatoes, beans, and red onion. Gently toss. Season with salt.

Quinoa Salad with Spinach, Strawberries, and Blueberries

This salad from Julia's Album with its balsamic dressing is beautiful and colorful and tastes great too. Vitamins, protein and fresh flavor. Such a perfect meal on its own or as a side dish and it is really easy to throw together. I put just a little of the dressing in the salad and tossed it and then served the rest of the dressing on the side.

Quinoa Salad with Spinach, Strawberries, and Blueberries

Dressing:
1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
3 to 4 T. brown sugar
1 1/2 t. garlic powder
1 t. mustard powder
1 t. onion powder
Garlic salt or garlic powder
Salt and pepper
Salad:
1 (10-oz) pkg. fresh spinach (about 10 c. of torn leaves)
2 c. sliced fresh strawberries (cleaned and hulled)
1 c. blueberries
1 c. mandarin orange slices
1 c. sliced peach
1/4 c. sliced green onions
1 c. cooked quinoa

In a medium bowl, combine the dressing ingredients, and whisk together well. Add salt and pepper to taste. You can serve the dressing immediately or cover it and chill for an hour.

In a large bowl, combine all of the salad ingredients. Right before serving, add the dressing to the salad and toss.

Grilled Steak Salad with Tomato Vinaigrette

This salad recipe is from Bon Appetit, but it was a little too plain for me. I love salads that are loaded with goodies so every bite is different and you never know just what will be that next forkfull, bursting with flavor.

The tomato vinaigrette is genius! I took a short cut and just threw some cut up tomato into a mini-food processor, skin and all, and I didn't remove the seeds. Then I added all the other vinaigrette ingredients. I used parmesan ciabatta rolls and cut them up and grilled them for the croutons and they were delish. I gotta do that with other salads too.

I used red onion since I couldn't find scallions at the grocery store where I was shopping. I added dried cherries and roasted red peppers to the whole salad that weren't in the original recipe. I like the cherries, but next time I might use blackberries instead. Mmmm. Blackberries in my salad. Then just to mine I added feta and candied pecans since I love both of them. You can see how to caramelize nuts on this other really delicious salad recipe post.

Wow!!! Crunch, flavor, vitamins, freshness, protein, so many good things packed into one salad.

Grilled Steak Salad with Tomato Vinaigrette
1 lb. hanger, skirt, or flank steak
1 t. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 medium tomato (about 6 oz.), halved
1 T. minced shallot
1 t. apple cider or red wine vinegar
1/4 c. plus 5 t. olive oil, divided
4 spring onions or 6 scallions, bulbs halved, dark-green parts discarded
5 (1/2-inch-thick) slices ciabatta
8 c. mixed summer lettuces (such as mizuna, baby mustard greens, and tatsoi)
3/4 c. fresh basil leaves, torn into 1/2-inch strips
1 c. roasted red pepper, chopped
1/2 c. dried cherries or fresh blackberries
1/2 c. candied pecans
1/2 c. feta cheese, crumbled 

Season steak with 1 tsp. salt and pepper; set aside. Grate cut sides of tomato on coarse holes of a box grater into a medium bowl down to the skin; discard skin. Add shallot and vinegar; whisk in 1/4 cup oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside. Tomato vinaigrette can be made 1 day ahead. 

 

Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to high. Toss spring onions in a medium bowl with 1 tsp. oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill onions until just tender, 2–3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 2-inch pieces.

 

Grill steak until seared and cooked to desired doneness, 3–5 minutes per side for medium-rare, depending on steak's thickness. Transfer to a cutting board. Let rest, about 10 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, make croutons: Brush both sides of bread slices with remaining 4 tsp. oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill bread until dark golden brown and nicely charred in spots, about 2 minutes per side. Set toast aside until cool enough to handle, then break toast into roughly 1-inch pieces.

 

Thinly slice steak against the grain. Toss lettuces, basil, spring onions, croutons, roasted red peppers, cherries, pecans, feta, and some of the vinaigrette in a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add steak and toss gently to coat. Serve with remaining vinaigrette alongside.

Nectarine and Avocado Salad with Ginger-Lime Dressing

I love salad and fruit in salad and crunch in salad and flavorful dressings on salad. This salad from Oh My Veggies  has all of that! The crunch comes from wheat berries. I actually used spelt berries instead since that's what I found at the store. I bought plain tofu, but then marinated the tofu pieces in the dressing before adding to the salad.  Really, really fresh and good!

Nectarine and Avocado Salad with Ginger-Lime Dressing

1 (5-oz.) pkg. spring mix salad greens
2 nectarines, pitted and sliced
1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced
1 cup wheat berries, cooked according to package instructions and cooled
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 (8-oz.) package marinated tofu, cubed (optional)

Ginger-Lime Dressing:
1/4 c. lime juice
2 T. honey
2 T. tamari
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
2 T. minced cilantro
2 T. minced fresh mint
2 t. lime zest
2 t. minced ginger
Salt and pepper to taste

Divide the greens into 4 large bowls. Place the nectarines, avocado, wheat berries, sliced onion, and tofu on top of the greens.
 

Whisk together the dressing ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing onto the salads and serve.

Tortellini Primavera Salad

I took my son (who just graduated from high school Wednesday) to get his wisdom teeth removed today. He recorded himself talking non-stop all the way home and then his sisters took over until he fell asleep. He wasn't as out of it as I thought he would be, but there were some silly moments. By the time I got his prescriptions, got him home and gave him medications and put him into bed, I didn't have much energy for making dinner. I was so glad that I had planned this easy salad.

I just chopped up some veggies, boiled the tortellini and mixed it all together. I left out the peas and thyme. I really like the fresh flavor that the orange peel and fresh basil added. I forgot to buy non-fat plain yogurt, which I was going to substitute for the mayonnaise, but I'll do that next time. This was a filling meal, which I served with a baked potato, and I'll be making it again for sure. You can make it meat-less like I did or add turkey or ham or whatever to it if you'd like.  Thanks to Good Dinner Mom for posting this super recipe.



Tortellini Primavera Salad
8 oz. pkg. refrigerated tortellini

2 c. broccoli florets

1 c. sliced carrots

½ c. chopped green onions

½ c. chopped red bell peppers

½ c. chopped green bell peppers

½ c. fresh baby peas (or thawed from frozen)

¼ c. diced jalapeno pepper (optional)

Dressing:

1 c. mayonnaise

2 t. grated orange peel

2 t. dried basil or 1 T. plus 1 t. fresh basil, chopped

1 t. dried thyme or 2 t. fresh thyme, chopped

1 t. salt

½ t. black pepper

½ c. shredded mozzarella cheese

 

Cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain well.

Steam broccoli florets and sliced carrots just until tender-crisp. Cool under running water.

 

Combine tortellini, broccoli, carrots, green onions, bell peppers and jalapeno in a medium bowl. Place in refrigerator while making the dressing.

 

In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, orange peel, basil, thyme, salt and pepper. Add about ½ of the dressing to the salad ingredients and then taste. Add more as desired (3/4 cup seems perfect for us. If adding chicken, use all the dressing).

 

Note: You can serve the salad immediately if you must, however, the flavors are bolder if allowed to incorporate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.

 

Spoon individual portions of salad on plate and top each portion with shredded mozzarella, or add all the mozzarella into large bowl of the salad, toss and serve family style.

Berry Summer Salad

This fresh salad recipe comes from The Primitive Foodie. I love the bursts of flavor and color from all the ingredients. I added nuts and vinaigrette to mine. I made this a couple of weeks ago. I'm trying to hold onto summer as long as I can because I don't like the cold!

Berry Summer Salad
 1 c. rasperries
1 c. blackberries
Avocado
Several sliced mushrooms (optional)
6 c. fresh spring mix or spinach
1/2 c. goat cheese or Feta cheese
3 T. olive oil
2 T. balsamic vinaigrette
Dash of salt

Toss greens in a bowl. Toss on top the rinsed fruit and diced avocado. Add cheese. In a small bowl, mix olive oil, and balsamic, and salt. Add to salad.

 

Grilled Peach Salad

I love peaches, but grilled peaches are divine! They are addicting. And this salad is simple, but so good. The recipe came from Feasting at Home, but the recipe had a much longer name. Since I didn't use most of the ingredients in the name, I just shortened it here. I didn't find purple basil or nasturtiums, and used feta cheese instead of goat cheese. You can throw in whatever delicious ingredients you like. I wish I had more peaches so I could make this again.

 

Grilled Peach Salad

3 Ripe, delicious smelling peaches, halved
6 o.z arugula (or other favorite green)
Slightly firm, mild sheep’s milk cheese, chèvre, or fresh goat cheese, or even queso fresco or fresh mozzarella (nothing too salty like feta)
1/8 c. Toasted slivered almonds
Purple basil leaves
Nasturtiums

White Balsamic Vinaigrette:
2 1/2 T. white balsamic vinegar
1 T. honey or agave
4 T. olive oil

Pinch salt

Cracked pepper
1. T fresh orange juice

Mix the vinaigrette ingredients together in a bowl or jar.

 

Half the peaches, scooping out pit. Brush with a little of the vinaigrette and place on a grill preheated to medium. Let grill for 4-6 minutes uncovered until they have noticeable grill marks. Using a metal spatula gently turn over and grill one more minute. Try to keep peach in tact. Cut peaches into wedges.

Toss greens and purple basil leaves and slivered almonds with some of the vinaigrette. You will have some left over. Make a bed of greens, and place grilled peaches on top and bits of cheese. Sprinkle witih purple basil and nasturtium petals

Harvest Chicken Chopped Salad with Creamy Honey Balsamic Dressing

As soon as I saw the photo of this salad from Lilikoi Joy, I knew I would love it since salads with a of veggies, fruits, berries and nuts are my favorite and the dressing sounded so good too. Oh, it was! I halved the recipe, but will make a full recipe next time so I can keep eating it for days. I left out the cheese and green cabbage in the salad and the fresh herbs I used in the dressing were basil and parsley. Love how you can grill up some chicken for this or use leftover or even rotisserie chicken.

And I will have a giveaway on my blog coming up next week, so stay tuned, any readers I may still have after my blog posting has gone way down. I still love y'all.

Harvest Chicken Chopped Salad with Creamy Honey Balsamic Dressing

Dressing:
3/4 c. mayonnaise
2 T. balsamic vinegar
2 T. honey
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1-2 T. fresh herbs, minced
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Ingredients for salad:
4-6 c. chopped romaine lettuce
1 c. chopped green cabbage
1 c. chopped red cabbage
2 c. cooked chicken breasts, cooled and cubed (about 2 breasts)
1/2 c. chopped red onion
1 medium apple, cored and chopped (tip: add 1 Tablespoon lemon juice to apples to reduce browning)
1/2 c. dried cranberries
3/4 - 1 c. hazelnuts, walnuts or pecans, toasted in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes, then roughly chopped 
4 oz. gorgonzola or other bleu cheese, crumbled
4-6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1/2 c. fresh blueberries

Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, and fresh herbs and whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If too thick, add 1-2 teaspoons of water to thin it down.

Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, cabbages, chicken, red onion, apple, dried cranberries, hazelnuts, gorgonzola cheese, and bacon. Add about 1/2 the dressing and toss to combine. Keep adding more dressing until the flavor and creaminess level is right for you. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently fold the blueberries into the salad at the end so they don't break up during the mixing process. Serve.
Yield: 4-6 servings

Thai Style Melon Beef Salad

I know some people don't like fruit with their savory meal, but I do. Perfect for summer, I love the bright colors of this fresh, healthy salad that I found at Eating Well. (I forgot to add the cucumbers before taking the photo.)

I have to admit that I was very hesitant to add fish sauce. I have seen it in many recipes, but always left it out because it scared me, but I decided to try it finally. In case you've never had it, it doesn't taste anything like fish. It adds umami flavor, which I have heard of on the Food Network lots of times. I only added 2 tablespoons instead of 3. It gives it a distinct flavor and I really liked it. It was a little strong for Sabrina and she ate one bite and then wouldn't eat any more so next time I use it, I'll add a little less and see if she'll eat that.

This secret ingredient is still a secret at my house, so it's a lucky thing they don't read my blog. I will probably tell them after I try it on one more recipe and see if they like that. Do you like fish sauce?

Thai-Style Melon Beef Salad

12 oz. beef sirloin, or other boneless steak, about 1 inch thick, trimmed

1/4 t. kosher salt

1/4 t. freshly ground pepper

1/4 c. lime juice

3 T. fish sauce

2 t. sugar

1 clove garlic, grated or minced

1 t. crushed red pepper

1 medium-to-large firm ripe melon

1 small green bell pepper

1 small red bell pepper

6 c. lightly packed torn Boston lettuce, (about 1 head)

1/2 c. slivered red onion

1/2 c. thin cucumber slices, halved

1/2 c. lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves

1/2 c. lightly packed torn fresh mint leaves

 

Preheat grill to medium.

 

Sprinkle both sides of steak with salt and pepper. Grill the steak about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare and 6 minutes per side for medium. Transfer the steak to a clean cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before thinly slicing crosswise.

 

Meanwhile, whisk lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, garlic and crushed red pepper to taste in a small bowl. Cut melon into enough 5-inch-long matchsticks to make 4 cups. (Reserve any remaining melon for another use.) Cut bell peppers into 2-inch-long matchsticks. Combine the melon and peppers in a large bowl along with lettuce, onion, cucumber, cilantro and mint.

 

Add the sliced beef to the salad. Whisk the dressing, pour it over the salad and gently toss to combine.

Chicken, Spinach, and Blueberry Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

You wouldn't know it by the recipes I post here, but my favorite main dishes are salads. My kids aren't as in love with them as I am, so I don't make them as often as I would like. I spotted this one at MyRecipes.com and have been waiting to make it since. I just gotta say, "Wowza!!!" This salad is so good and so pretty. I'll be trying this vinaigrette on even more things now. I used Feta cheese instead of blue cheese and I added pecans on my plate. So glad we have some left over so I can eat more today. 

Chicken, Spinach, and Blueberry Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

8 chicken breast tenders (about 3/4 pound)

1 1/2 t. coarsely ground black pepper

1/4 t. salt

8 c. bagged baby spinach

1/2 c. thinly sliced red onion

1 c. fresh blueberries

1/4 c. (1 ounce) crumbled blue cheese

Pomegranate Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Heat a grill pan or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken with pepper and salt. Coat chicken with cooking spray, and add to pan. Cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until done.

Divide spinach evenly on each of 4 serving plates; drizzle evenly with Pomegranate Vinaigrette. Arrange chicken, onion, and blueberries evenly over spinach. Sprinkle evenly with cheese.

Pomegrante Vinaigrette

1/2 c. pomegranate juice

3 T. sugar

3 T. balsamic vinegar

1 T. canola oil

1 t. grated orange rind  

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Stir with a whisk until blended.

Sesame Chicken Salad

I made a really fresh and delicious salad for dinner tonight. It's a Better Homes & Gardens recipe. The recipe just called for cooked chicken, but I wanted to add some flavorful chicken so I marinated chicken in a mixture of Teriyaki Baste and Glaze and Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing before cooking in a skillet.

Saucy!

This is similar to Chicken Salad with Spicy Sesame Sauce and Won Ton Salad, but they each have their own unique flavors. We really like this one and I have added it to our files to have again. I like rice vinegar and sesame oil and loved the orange juice in the dressing. We ate the salad with won tons (one of Sabrina's favorite foods), but I didn't get a photo with them. Maybe you'll remember to toast the sesame seeds, but I forgot. 

Sesame Chicken Salad

1 (10-oz.) pkg. torn European-style or Italian-style salad greens
2 cups shredded or chopped cooked chicken
1 (8-3/4-oz.) can whole baby corn, drained and halved crosswise
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 c. sliced radishes
1/2 c. orange juice
1/4 c. rice vinegar or white vinegar
1/2 t. toasted sesame oil
1/4 t. black pepper
1 1/2 t. sesame seeds, toasted*
In a large bowl combine the salad greens, chicken, baby corn, green onions, and radishes.

For dressing, in a screw-top jar combine the orange juice, vinegar, sesame oil, and pepper. Cover and shake well.

Pour dressing over greens mixture; toss gently to coat. Divide greens mixture among 6 salad bowls. Sprinkle with sesame seed. Makes 6 servings.

*Note: To toast sesame seed, in a nonstick skillet cook and stir sesame seed over medium heat about 1 minute or just until golden brown. Watch closely so the seeds don't burn. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl to cool completely.

Broccoli Crunch Slaw

I know it seems like all we eat at my house is sugar, but we really do eat real food. I'm not much of a meat and potatoes kinda girl. I l-o-v-e salads. I made this one for our family dinner at my parents'. Since a few people have allergies, I didn't include the almonds. I was going to put sunflower seeds in instead, but wasn't sure who would like that. So I just julienned a carrot instead. Thanks to Everybody Likes Sandwiches for this yummy, easy slaw/salad.

Broccoli Crunch Slaw

1 large head of broccoli
1/4 red onion, diced
1/4 c. roasted almonds, coarsely chopped
1/4 c. dried cranberries
2 T. Greek yogurt
2 T. mayonnaise
Juice of 1/2 lemon (or to taste)
Couple of dashes of hot sauce
Small squirt of honey
Salt & pepper to taste
Use a large knife to thinly chop up the broccoli into a rough slaw. Dump into a medium sized bowl along with the red onion, almonds, and cranberries. Put the remaining ingredients into a small jar with a lid and shake. Taste & adjust seasoning if necessary. Pour onto broccoli slaw and toss until everything is coated.

Jonna's Fab Salad

I have been away from the computer most of this week while I enjoy lots of uninterrupted time with my family during spring break. I thought I’d take a few minutes to share a recipe, but I probably won’t be posting again until Monday. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway below if you haven’t yet! As soon as I saw Jonna’s favorite salad at Just Get Off Your Butt and Bake, I knew I was going to make it. I love salad. It’s the first thing I look for on a menu when I eat out. Since I was making a salad to take to my parents’ for Easter Sunday dinner, I decided to give this one a try. I have made similar salads before, but this dressing was new. It was a delicious addition to the plate FULL of goodies. I recieved lots of compliments on this salad.

I added less than a tablespoon of mustard to the dressing, but that was the only change to the dressing. (Jonna recommends adding the oranges shortly before serving.) I did use the mushrooms for the salad (even though Jonna doesn’t) and I threw in some dried cranberries because I love them in salad. I served the bacon (which I didn’t put on my salad) and the almonds (which I DID have) on the side since there are some people who wouldn’t/can’t have them. I absolutely inhaled this salad. I had it on the side with some juicy turkey my mom made and other yummy side dishes, but I will be eating this as a main dish with a roll soon.

Jonna's Fab Salad
1 head lettuce
1 bunch spinach
3/4 lb. sliced mushrooms
3/4 lb. grated Swiss or Mozzarella Cheese
1 red onion
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 c. mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 c. carmelized toasted almonds (see below for instructions)

Dressing:
3/4 T. poppy seeds
1/3 c. White vinegar
3/4 c. oil
1/3 c. sugar
1 T. grated onion (opt)
3/4 t. salt
2 T. prepared mustard

Cook sugar and almonds over low heat until light brown. Mix first 5 ingredients; sprinkle almonds, bacon, and oranges over the top. Serve with Poppy seed dressing. I even made my own caramelized roasted almonds like Jonna. It was the first time making them and I'm not sure if they turned out exactly right, but I liked them.

Toss 1/2 cups of slivered Almonds and 3 Tablespoons sugar over low heat until light brown.