Grilled Corn and Salmon Panzanella Salad

Whether fresh from the garden or straight from the farmers market, one of the BEST things about summer is the abundance of really good tomatoes!  I just so happened to get my hands on some of the last tomatoes for this season and wanted to showcase them in a nice salad.  With the temperatures still soaring well into the 90s here in Texas, it makes it hard to want to turn on the oven, so this is a meal you can prepare outside on the grill!  Each ingredient in this salad stands out, so the key is to make sure you get REALLY GOOD “quality” ingredients…I, personally, like to use as much “organic” as possible.  Grilled sweet corn makes an appearance along with grilled ciabatta bread (panzanella actually refers to a Tuscan salad with bread).  Throw in some sliced English cucumber, thinly sliced shallots and fresh basil– then top it all off with some delicious New Zealand salmon (for you locals, Groomers Seafood is my favorite place to buy seafood, and they carry New Zealand salmon!)  A lovely light champagne vinaigrette takes it over the top!

Grilled Corn and Salmon Panzanella Salad

 

I served a 2014 Paul Hobbs Russian River Vally Pinot Noir…Fabulous!

serves 4

Ingredients:

Salad

• 4 cups organic mixed greens (I used spinach, arugula, swiss chard)
• 2 ears sweet corn, grilled and kernels removed (I like to leave some of the kernels intact when slicing them off the cob)
• ½ English cucumber, sliced
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 2 cups diced heirloom tomatoes, (leave whole if cherry tomatoes)
• handful fresh basil, torn into small pieces
• 1/3 loaf ciabatta bread, sliced lengthwise
• grilled salmon, skin removed (see Liz’s Tidbits)

Vinaigrette

• ¼ cup champagne vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons honey
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• kosher salt & freshly ground pepper

Whisk vinegar, mustard, honey, salt and pepper together.  Slowly whisk in olive oil until combined.  (See Liz’s Tidbits!)

Preparation:

Brush bread with olive oil, salt & pepper and grill, cut side down, until you get some nice grill marks. Cut into bite sized pieces and set aside. Grill salmon to desired doneness, remove skin and break up into nice chunks.  To assemble salad, put greens in a large bowl and add rest of ingredients.  Drizzle with vinaigrette.

Liz’s Tidbits:

• For vinaigrettes, I like to add all my ingredients to a small mason jar, put on the lid and shake until combined.  SOOO easy!!! You can leave any unused dressing in the jar in the fridge for several days.
• Instead of grilling a whole side of salmon, sometimes I’ll order (10 ounce) filets with the skin OFF from Groomers.  I’ll brush with just a bit of olive oil, then pan sear them (in an oven proof, non-stick skillet) over medium high heat for about 2 minutes or until a nice crust appears.  Turn over, and transfer the skillet to a 450 degree oven for maybe 3 minutes for medium to medium rare salmon.  Leave a bit longer if you like a more well done result.

If you like this recipe, feel free to Tweet it, Facebook it, or just email it by clicking the “share” button below. 🙂

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Spicy Quinoa Cucumber and Tomato Salad

 

Lately, I’ve been determined to make more room in my pantry, so I’m making a concerted effort to use ingredients I already have to plan my meals. It’s kind of like an overcrowded closet…until you start cleaning it out, you really don’t even know what all you’ve got!  Such is the case with my pantry, so when I ran across some organic red quinoa, I decided it was time to make a meal! Hubby had the Traeger Smoker fired up and ready to smoke some chicken breasts, so I thought a nice healthy quinoa salad topped with a bit of protein sounded like perfect way to top of a beautiful day of sunshine!

Spicy Quinoa Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Quinoa:

• 1 Cup Organic Red Quinoa (or use any quinoa you like)
• 2 cups chicken broth (can use vegetable broth or water)

Rinse quinoa thoroughly before cooking. Combine broth and quinoa and pinch of salt in medium saucepan.  Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender.

Salad:

• 1 English cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ cup fresh mint, chopped (or more to taste)
• 1 shallot, minced
• ¼ – ½ serrano pepper, minced (can use jalepeno for milder spice or omit altogether)
• 1 lime, zested then juiced
• drizzle of olive oil
• Salt & Pepper to taste

 

Combine cucumber, tomatoes, mint, shallot, serrano, lime zest and lime juice.  Toss together, and drizzle with olive oil.  Add cooked quinoa, fold to combine and add salt & pepper to taste.  Add more lime juice if desired.

• If you like this recipe, feel free to Tweet it, Facebook it, or just email it by clicking the “share” button below. 

Trader Joe’s Steamed Lentils…Great for Lentil Salad!

I continue to be amazed and thrilled at the products carried by Trader Joe’s. Every time I visit, I make it a point to leave with several new things to try, and, soon I’ll post a complete list of my favorite items.  Today, however, it’s all about their “ready-to-eat” steamed lentils that are in their produce section.  I’m a huge fan of lentils, and while they’re not difficult to cook, its just so darn convenient to buy them ready to go! These lentils come vacuum-packed and ready to use! I love keeping protein packed salads in my fridge for a quick lunch, and this was an instant favorite the first time I made it. Quick & easy, full of flavor and healthy, too! It’s a win/win in my book!

Lentil Salad

Trader Joe’s Ready to Eat Lentils

Lentil Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg Trader Joe’s Steamed Lentils
• 1 cup carrots, peeled and diced
• ½ cup red bell pepper, diced
• ½ cup celery, diced
• ⅓ cup green onions, diced
• ½ cup parsley, chopped
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice or more to taste
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

Preparation:

Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, salt & pepper and set aside. Put lentils, red bell pepper, celery, green onions and parsley into large bowl. Add dressing and combine well.

Liz’s Tidbits:

• I like using the rainbow colored carrots when I can find them at Trader Joe’s. They add such pretty color to the salad!
• Feel free to add or delete veggies to your taste.  Sometimes I’ll add diced cucumber if I have it, or I’ll use red onion in place of green onion.   I’ve also thrown in some baby arugula which was delicious!  Use your imagination and make it your own!  🙂

If you like this recipe, feel free to Tweet it, Facebook it, or just email it by clicking the “share” button below. 🙂

Steak and Tomato Salad

 

With temperatures soaring into 3 digits over much of the country, who wants to heat up the kitchen by turning on the oven?  Not me, that’s for sure! It’s time to fire up the grill, and throw on a hunk of meat!  We have some wonderful grass-fed beef in our freezer (thank you, Becky!), and the other night, I was craving a good steak.  I had the pleasure of enjoying this salad years ago at Morton’s Steakhouse and thought the presentation was just beautiful.  Use the best tomatoes you can find for this showstopper “main meal” salad! It’s a great way to use leftover steak as well!  DELISH!

Steak and Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

• steak, grilled to your liking
• onion (I use red), thickly sliced and grilled alongside the steak
• tomato, thickly sliced
• lettuce leaves
• blue cheese, crumbled
• dressing, your choice

Preparation:

Place two large lettuce leaves on a plate, stack the sliced onion, steak and tomato. Sprinkle cheese around the plate and dress with your choice of dressing.

Liz’s Tidbits:

• I prefer a light red wine vinaigrette to dress this salad.  Whisk together ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon sugar and salt & pepper to taste.  Slowly whisk in the oil in a steady stream until thickened.

If you like this recipe, feel free to Tweet it, Facebook it, or just email it by clicking the “share” button below. 🙂

Antipasto Pasta Salad

Did you know?

In a study, it was found that teenage boys will routinely scarf down 2,000 calories at lunch if given the opportunity, without any fat-producing effects. Given the chance, 14- to 17-year old guys eat more than girls their age and turn those calories into height and muscle mass. Click here to see full article.  

No surprise to me!!  My 8th grade 14 year old son, TBP (Teenage Bottomless Pit), eats me out of house and home.  At 6’4″ and 190lbs, obviously the study is right on!

Yesterday, we attended TBP’s end-of-season lacrosse party, and I was blown away by the food that was served.  I’ll save the smoked brisket recipe for another post all it’s own, but suffice it to say, it was the absolute BEST smoked brisket I’ve EVER had…BAR NONE!!

There was another dish that caught my attention, and that’s the one I’ll share with you today.  It’s a pasta salad that was delicious and full of flavor. I love anything Italian, and this Antipasto Pasta Salad is a keeper!  It can be prepared ahead of time and is great for outdoor gatherings. If there’s something in there you don’t like, omit it and add something else.  It’s a very versatile salad…Thanks, Ana, for sharing the recipe!

Courtesy of Ana Maier

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 lb rotini or fusilli (or any pasta will do)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or olive oil)
• 1 ounce (1/2 cup) sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil), soaked in hot water for 5 minutes and drained well
• 1/2 pound smoked mozzarella cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 lb can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
•  3 1/2 ounces sliced hard salami, cut into julienne strips (see Liz’s Cooking Tidbit)
• 10-20 bottled small peperoncini peppers (pickled Tuscan peppers), sliced into rings
• 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh flat leaf parsley, minced

Preparation:

In a kettle of boiling salted water cook the pasta until it is tender and drain.  In a blender, blend the garlic, mustard, vinegars, water, oil, and salt to taste until the dressing is emulsified.  In a very large bowl, toss the pasta well with the dressing and stir in the sun dried tomatoes, mozzarella, garbanzo beans, salami, peperoncini peppers, red pepper flakes and parsley.  Chill the salad, covered for one hour.  The salad may be made 2 days in advanced and kept covered and chilled.

**Liz’s Cooking Tidbit: Julienne & Batonnet Cuts

“Julienne” is a term meaning to cut into thin strips, (matchsticks) usually 2″ x 1/8″ x 1/8″ .

“Batonnet” refers to matchstick type strips a little bigger, (think french fries) usually 2″ x 1/4″ x 1/4″.

To see a video of how to do this, click here.

Black Bean Salad…Caribbean Style!

We recently returned from a fabulous trip to Stocking Island, a hidden jewel located in the Bahamas.  We stayed at the St. Francis Resort, a wonderful, quaint little place with only EIGHT rooms. How we managed to snag one of those rooms, I’ll never know.  I think we just got lucky!

George and Jill are the proprietors of this little slice of heaven, and they are the perfect hosts.  You truly feel welcome and part of the “local family” as soon as you arrive.

The beaches are private and pristine, and the water is gin clear!  There is world class bone fishing and snorkeling along the beautiful reefs and two blue holes that are very close by.  We kayaked, sailed, hiked and many times just relaxed with a book on the beach.  Thanks Jill and George…We can’t wait to return!

 

 

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I love the local food in the Caribbean and this salad takes me back to “island time”.   It’s quick, easy and full of flavor!

Black Bean Salad

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 3/4 cup scallion (both green and white parts), thinly sliced
• 1-2 fresh serrano peppers, diced **(see notes)
• 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• kosher salt to taste

Preparation:

In large bowl, combine beans, corn, tomato, scallion, serrano and cilantro.  In separate small bowl, whisk olive oil and lemon juice together and add to remaining ingredients.  Stir to combine, and salt to taste.

**Liz’s Notes:

1. Jalapeno peppers can be substituted for serranos if milder heat is preferred.  Peppers can be omitted altogether for no heat.
2. Do not substitute jarred or pickled peppers for fresh.

Salpicon…The Perfect Party Dish!

Growing up in El Paso, I remember Salpicon being on several different Mexican restaurant menus.  It was always a popular dish, so when I moved to the San Antonio area, I was surprised when I didn’t find it on any menus.  This recipe is an old one that I’ve tweaked over the years, and my family loves it!

Salpicon is basically a shredded brisket salad.  The brisket is slow-cooked until fork tender, cooled, shredded with a fork and then mixed with adobo sauce.  Add some onions, tomatoes, cilantro, Monterrey jack cheese and avocado, serve it with some flour or corn tortillas and you have a GREAT dish for a party!

Make sure you hold some back to enjoy for breakfast the next morning. Put some in a skillet and saute until the cheese starts to melt.  Beat some eggs, pour them over the meat and scramble over low heat until eggs are set.  Then place into a flour tortilla and you have a GREAT breakfast taco! It reminds me a lot of another dish I enjoyed in El Paso called Machaca.

Salpicon

Salpicon

Printable Recipe

Serves: a LOT

Ingredients:

• 1 (8-9lb) trimmed brisket
• McCormick Grill Mate Steak Seasoning
• 10-12 whole cloves garlic
• 1 jar Adobo Sauce (see note)
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 2 cups finely chopped cilantro
• 2 lbs Monterrey Jack cheese, diced small
• 6 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 large avocados, sliced for garnish

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325 °.

Line pan large enough for brisket with heavy-duty foil.  Place brisket in pan, season with steak seasoning, sprinkle garlic cloves all over the top and seal pan tightly with another piece of foil.  Bake 4 hours or until meat is so tender, it falls apart.  When done, remove from juices onto a cutting board, and let cool.  Reserve juices.

Strain fat from meat juices, then combine enough of the juice with the Adobo sauce to make a thin liquid (about 3 cups).  If there are not enough juices or you’d rather not use them, water or chicken stock can be used.  Shred meat with fork when cool, discard all fat and place the meat in a large bowl.  Start adding adobo sauce about a cup at a time, tossing the meat to incorporate the sauce.  Add chopped onions, cilantro, cheese and tomatoes and mix gently, taking care not to smash the cheese or tomatoes.  Place in pretty bowl and garnish with sliced avocado.

Serve with warm flour or corn tortillas.

Note:  Adobo sauce comes in a glass jar and is readily available at the local grocery stores in the San Antonio area. It is a thick paste that is thinned with liquid.  Don’t make the mistake of buying the canned “chipotle chiles in adobo sauce”.

Sweet ‘n’ Spicy Shrimp and Avocado Salad with Mango Vinaigrette

Here’s another recipe that not only fits my “Main Meal” salad theme, but also has one of my favorite fruits….Mango!  My friend, Blanca, served this as a first course, but it’s so good that I’d fix it again as my main course!  You get the sweetness from the mango, the spicy from both the red and black pepper and a creaminess from the avocado.  If you’re serving this as a first course, try something different and serve it in martini glasses or any clear glass.  It adds a touch of elegance.  🙂

Sweet 'n' Spicy Shrimp and Avocado Salad with Mango Vinaigrette

The recipe calls for 1 pound of peeled, cooked shrimp.  I happen to think shrimp is much more flavorful if roasted in the oven than boiled in water.  I just toss my shrimp with a few tablespoons of olive oil and maybe 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, lay them out in a single layer on a sheet pan, and roast in a 400° oven for 8-10 minutes, just until pink, firm and cooked through.  Set aside to cool, then add to your salad.  This recipe is from the Cooking Light Magazine.  Enjoy!

Serves 4 as a first course

Cooking Light Magazine

Printable Recipe

• Mango Vinaigrette
• 6 cups shredded romaine lettuce
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper (1 medium)
• 6 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions (optional)
• 1 pound peeled cooked shrimp
• 1 avocado, peeled and diced

Place Mango Vinaigrette in a large bowl.  Add lettuce bell pepper, and green onions, if desired; toss well.  Add shrimp and avocado;toss gently.

Mango Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 to 2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3/4 cup diced peeled mango (about 1 medium)

Combine first 8 ingredients, stirring with a whisk.  Stir in mango.

Trying to hang on to summer! Mango Rice Salad with Grilled Shrimp

I have 8 more days of being able to sleep past 6:15 am!  Eight more days until school starts back up.  Ugh!  Not that I’m counting, or anything, but I REALLY DO ENJOY SUMMER!…not having to get up at the crack of dawn, not having to constantly be asking, “Have you started your homework?…Have you FINISHED your homework?…Do you even know what homework YOU HAVE?” LOL!    Summer is so laid-back for us…hanging out at the pool, having friends over to grill, the list goes on and on.  I really don’t have time now for another trip before school starts, so in an effort to pretend I was in the Caribbean tonight, I made a recipe from a new cookbook I purchased, called Cooking Light-Cooking through the Seasons.  In keeping with my summer theme of “Main Meal Salads”, I tried one of their summer recipes called “Mango Rice Salad with Grilled Shrimp”.  It was a nice blend of sweet (a little coconut milk in the rice added some sweetness along with the diced mango) and spicy (the shrimp are marinated for about an hour in a few different spices, one being red pepper which I kicked up a few notches!)  Instead of heading out to the grill, I decided to roast my shrimp on a sheet pan instead, and they turned out great!  If you don’t have the time to make it down to the islands this summer, try the next best thing, and cook up a little island food!

Mango Rice Salad with Grilled Shrimp

Mango Rice Salad with Grilled Shrimp

Printable Recipe

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/4 -1/2 teaspoons ground red pepper, to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 36 shrimp)
• 2 cups water
• 2/3 cup light coconut milk
• 1 1/4 cups uncooked long-grain rice
• 3/4 cups shredded carrot
• 2 cups diced peeled mango (about 2 mangoes)
• 1 1/2 cups diced red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup sliced green onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• cooking spray
• cilantro sprigs (optional)

Preparation:

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl.  Add shrimp; toss to coat.  Cover and chill 1 hour.
2. Bring water and coconut milk to a boil in a medium saucepan; add rice.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.  Add carrot and next 7 ingredients; toss gently to combine.
3. Prepare grill or grill pan to medium high heat.  (Or pre-heat oven to 400° and roast shrimp for 8-10 minutes).
4. Thread shrimp onto each of 12 (6 inch) skewers.  Place skewers on grill rack or grill pan coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side or until shrimp are done.  Serve kebabs over salad.  Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Note:  I roasted my shrimp in a 400° oven for 10 minutes.  They were perfect!

Summer Picnics & Chicken Salad

In the summer when the days are hot,
I like to find a shady spot,
And hardly move a single bit
And sit, and sit, and sit, and sit.~Frank Arch

Remember being a kid and looking forward to going on a picnic?  Just the mention of the word picnic always meant “fun”!  Sadly, nowadays, most kids would rather sit in front of their computers and video games rather than head outside for a picnic!

We were recently invited out to our friend, Becky’s, ranch to see all the fabulous improvements she’s been doing.  This ranch has got to be one of the prettiest places in the Hill Country! We had a wonderful time touring the ranch, meeting her dogs, goats & horses, and when lunch time came around, she had a fabulous picnic to take down to the lake.  Her chicken salad was “to die for”, so I naturally asked her for the recipe.  It’s called Sonoma Chicken Salad, and it comes from the Whole Foods Market Cookbook.  Do yourself a favor and give it a try!  And if you can get your kids to unplug from technology long enough, pack some up and head out for a picnic!

Thanks, Becky, for sharing your little slice of heaven with us! 🙂

Picnic Time!

Ranch West

Lazy Day in the Hammock

Sonoma Chicken Salad

Whole Foods Market Cookbook

Printable Recipe

Dressing

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 5 teaspoons honey
• 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Salad

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3/4 cup pecan pieces, toasted
• 2 cups red seedless grapes
• 3 stalks celery, thinly sliced

Directions

In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, honey, poppy seeds, salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to dress the salad. This can be prepared up to 2 days ahead.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place the chicken breasts in one layer in a baking dish with 1/2 cup water. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes until completely cooked through. Remove cooked chicken breasts from pan, cool at room temperature for 10 minutes, then cover and refrigerate.

When the chicken is cold, dice into bite-size chunks and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in pecans, grapes, celery and dressing.