Romaine and Apricot Salad

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Memorial Day weekend is coming up and I'm already planning my menu!

Since the weather's been nice here we've been grilling quite a bit if different food lately, so I need to come up with a new main dish.  But one's things for sure is that THIS salad is going to be on the menu!

I first made this back at Easter but never got around to posting about it.  Well it's high time because this one is gonna knock your socks off.  It's gonna be your go-to summer salad!

ROMAINE AND APRICOT SALAD

A wonderfully light and delicious salad of romaine lettuce, broccoli slaw with an apricot dressing.  This attention-grabbing salad compliments any barbecue, grilled chicken or pork.  It's irresistible at a potluck or any backyard bash.  This will be a star at my Memorial Day cookout, for sure! 

This salad's success is in the flavors.  Apricots are light and sweet and are present in the dressing as well as in the salad.  The romaine and broccoli slaw are perfect together, giving the salad some texture and crunch.  You will also love the look of the salad.  The orange colors pop against the green and make for one beautiful salad.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend, eat lots of yummy food, and include this salad!  You won't regret it!

Enjoy!





Romaine and Apricot Salad


Apricot Vinaigrette:
3 T apricot preserves
3 T white wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste

Salad:
1 8 oz bag chopped romaine
1 12 oz bag broccoli slaw
1 cup cherry tomatoes, slice in half
1/2 cup dried apricots, diced

Prepare the vinaigrette.  Place all ingredients in a mason jar.  Tighten the lid and shake vigorously to combine.  Set aside.

Place the lettuce and slaw in a large bowl.  Toss to mix.  Add tomatoes and apricots.  Tossing to combine.  Add the vinaigrette right before serving and tossing to mix.  Serve at once.

If making ahead or traveling, keep lettuce and vegetable mix separate from the dressing.  Toss and dress right before serving.

Indian Summer Fresh Corn Salad

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So we are switching gears around here once again.

We had about a week and a half of great fall weather and then BAM! here comes the heat again.  It's been in the mid nineties all week long.  I can't keep up.  I've been cooking some great fall comfy food and now it's too hot to cook inside.  What's a girl to do?  

Get out and grill again!  I would call this Indian Summer for sure.  This is typical of Southern California but mother nature was really sneaky this year, giving us that teaser of really cool weather.

So when I think of Indian Summer I think of corn.  We LOVE corn and use it some many ways.  Since we are grilling our main dish (Spicy Apricot Glazed Chicken - recipe to come) I wanted to please MGG with a salad.  One mixed with fresh corn kernels.  Yum!

INDIAN SUMMER FRESH CORN SALAD

MGG loves a good spinach salad so why not mix in some corn, along with the typical tomato and cucumber.  Dress it with a light citrus vinaigrette and you have one heck of a side dish.  Perfect for an Indian Summer, or anytime.

NOTE:  I often freeze summer corn so we can have fresh corn on the cob during the winter!

So go forth and make this perfectly delicious salad that highlights fresh summer corn.  It's easy and tastes oh so fresh!

Enjoy!

Indian Summer Fresh Corn Salad


Serves 4

Ingredients:

Dressing:
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons fresh snipped cilantro
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Salad:
2 ears fresh sweet corn, cooked
1 cup fresh baby spinach
3//4 cup cucumber, diced
1 medium tomato, diced

Instructions:

In a mason jar combine dressing ingredients and shake vigorously to combine.

Cut the corn from the cob and add it to a large bowl. Add the spinach, cucumber, and tomato. Toss to combine. Drizzle dressing over until lightly dressed. (You will most likely have leftover dressing,) Serve at room temperature.

Quick and Easy Strawberry Lemonade

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I've been making this Quick and Easy Strawberry Lemonade all summer long and we absolutely love it!

With the Labor Day holiday and all the festivities coming up I think that this is a good time to share this recipe with you.  With a few simple ingredients you'll be sitting outside, sipping strawberry lemonade, in no time!

QUICK AND EASY STRAWBERRY LEMONADE

A pint of strawberries, your favorite jarred lemonade, and a little sugar is really all you need to make this thirst quenching drink.  It's a semi-homemade thing and there is nothing wrong with that!  Especially if you are short on time and dying of thirst.  NOTE:  you may not need any sugar if your strawberries are really ripe and sweet, as the jarred lemonade will already have sugar in it.  Our strawberries were juicy sweet and I didn't have to use any sugar, but you will need to taste test to see.

I blended the strawberries until they were a puree and added that to my bottle of lemonade.  Tasted it for sweetness and it was perfect as is. 

Next thing I know, is we are sitting by the pool drinking Quick and Easy Strawberry Lemonade, listening to the birds sing, and savoring the last days of summer!  Man that's good....

Enjoy!





Quick and Easy Strawberry Lemonade

4 cups of jarred Lemonade (any brand)
1 pint of strawberries, cleaned and hulled
sugar or simple syrup (optional for sweetness)

Pour ready made lemonade in a bottle or pitcher.  In a blender puree the strawberries.  Pour in to a mason jar.  (This will keep for about 1 week in the refrigerator.)  Add about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of strawberry puree to the bottle or pitcher.  Stir and taste for sweetness.  Add sugar or simple syrup to adjust sweetness to your liking. (You may not need any sugar, so be sure to taste.)  Stir vigorously and then serve over ice.

Farmers Market Bounty Summer Vegetable Soup with Chicken

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Soup in the Summer?  Heck yea!

Soup is not just for winter my friends.  A good soup can be enjoyed all.year.long.  So why not take advantage of the farmer's market bounty of fresh vegetables!  That's just what I did last weekend.

My girlfriend and I went to check out the Farmer's Market held in Calabasas.  Of course we picked the hottest weekend to go, and even though we went early it was smoldering hot at 9am!  Not to be deterred we plunged in among the sea of stands where local farmers were selling the best fresh fruits and vegetables.  Armed with a large shopping bag I intended to get a variety of fresh summer veggies to make a wonderful soup that evening.  Boy did I hit the jackpot!

FARMERS MARKET BOUNTY SUMMER VEGETABLE SOUP WITH CHICKEN 

Just look at this bounty!  I couldn't resist the tempting fruit as well, and totally overloaded my bag.  So bearing the heat and the crowd I would say this shopping spree was a huge success!  I love the variety of items at the Calabasas Farmer's Market, so if you are in the area on a Saturday morning, put this on your list.

My Farmers Market Bounty Summer Vegetable Soup with Chicken is all about fresh veggies, with a little chicken added for protein.  7 types of crisp, fresh from the farm, vegetables are the star of this dish! Cook them in a hearty chicken broth, laced with herbs, and add some tender roasted chicken and you have one healthy summer soup!

Why not take advantage of summer's fresh vegetables and make your family a healthy hearty dinner that's on the table in 45 minutes.  Everyone will love the flavors and the freshness. 

I'm also sharing with you a little trick to add extra flavor in the soup.  It will taste as if the soup has been cooking all day.  The secret is to add a little concentrated stock base such as this one.  It gives you the boost that you need to create that long simmered flavor.  Shhhh! don't tell anyone, they'll never know you weren't slaving away all day for this awesome soup!

Three cheers to the wonderful farmers that bring such fresh and delicious quality vegetables!!!  It's so appreciated, and our tummys thank you too!

Enjoy!

Farmers Market Bounty Summer Vegetable Soup with Chicken

1 medium sweet onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
2  stalk celery, thinly sliced
2 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water

1 - 1 1/2 tsp chicken stock (such as Knorr Chicken Homestyle Stock)
1/2 lb. 2-inch-diameter red potatoes, quartered
1/2 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (1 1/2 cups)
1 yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise, and cut into thick slices

1 zucchini, halved lengthwise, and cut into thick slices
2 cups coarsely shredded cooked fresh chicken meat (light and/or dark meat)
1 large tomato, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon snipped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon ground sage
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a Dutch oven or large stock pan cook onion and celery in hot oil over medium heat for 5 minutes.  Stir occasionally. Add garlic and cook and stir for 30 seconds. Add broth and water and bring to a boil. Add potatoes, beans, and squashes. Return to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Stir in the chicken meat, tomato, thyme, sage, and pepper. Heat through about 10 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls.



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Refreshing Mint and Cucumber Sparkling Water

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Discover the summer's best new drink!

Everyone needs a damn good thirst quenching drink during the hot days of summer.  We drink a lot of water around here (2nd to iced tea!) and love it straight up or fruit infused. That's great but sometimes we are looking for a bit more, something more refreshing.

So picture a drink that smells like fresh, tingly, cooling mint as you bring the glass to your mouth.  Then you take a sip and have a mix of cool undertones of cucumbers and the tingle of sparkling water.  Sounds refreshing right?  I certainly think so!

REFRESHING MINT AND CUCUMBER SPARKLING WATER

Just by using a few exquisite ingredients that work well together you stumble upon a miraculous secret.  One that says "Yes...this is the one, the drink I'm craving." 

Make a pitcher or carafe of this wonderful concoction to have on hand during the day, by the pool, or with a light meal.  This drink will remind you of the feeling you get when you bite into a York Peppermint Patty.  Refreshing and light.  

You'll find this so easy to make your sure to want this all summer long.  Make sure to stock up on some mint!

Enjoy!




Refreshing Mint and Cucumber Sparkling Water

serves 6

1 large bunch of fresh mint
1/2 cup sugar (or Splenda)
1/2 cup water
1 medium, English cucumber - cut in to thin rounds
3 cups of plain sparkling water

Roughly chop 1/2 of the mint leaves.  Set aside.  In a small saucepan add the sugar and water.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved.  Remove from heat and add the chopped mint and half of the cucumber.  Allow to cool.

Pour the sugar mixture through a strainer into a pitcher or large carafe.  Push against the mint and cucumbers in the strainer to release some of the flavors into the pitcher.  Add the remaining cucumber slices and some whole mint leaves to the pitcher.  Add the sparkling water and stir to combine.  Add ice to the pitcher.  Serve over ice in glasses with a slice of lime.  

10 One Pot Meals that Dramatically Decrease the Heat in your Kitchen

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It's summertime and boy is it hot!

The last thing I want to do is turn on the oven when it is over 100 degrees outside.  I don't even want to grill until the sun starts to set which isn't until around 8pm in my area.  So what do we do about getting dinner on the table during the week when we have schedules to keep?  Use the stove, and make a one pot meal!

One pot means less dishes to wash. Yea!  One pot means any vessel from a saucepan to a skillet.  One pot means simple to make, quick dishes made on the stovetop which = less heat!

10 One Pot Meals that Dramatically Decrease the Heat in your Kitchen

I have TEN unforgettable recipes for you that will keep your kitchen cool and your family wanting more!

One Pot Meat Lovers Pizza Ravioli Bake

One Pot Tortellini with Sausage and Spinach in a Tomato Basil Sauce

One Pot Lemon Herb Chicken and Rice

One Pot Dish: Cilantro Lime Chicken with Rice and Beans

One Pot Meal: Chicken and Asparagus Skillet Supper

Mediterranean Lemon Chicken

Chili Mac

Beef Stroganoff with Horseradish Sour Cream

One Pot Pasta

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya