Kale Salad & Chicken Cacciatore

Menu:
Chicken Cacciatore || Martha Stewart (cannot find the original recipe online)
Creamy Polenta
Kale Salad || Smitten Kitchen

Believe it or not, even though I rarely update this site anymore, I do refer back to it quick often for meal ideas. And I couldn't forget to post a dish the entire family can't get enough of. The Chicken Cacciatore was delicious. But, what I need to tell you about is this salad! I've been making at least once a week for awhile now. I've brought it over to friend's houses and they've loved it. It is, quite simply, amazing. Seriously. Try it!

Thai Red Curry and Beef Soup with Cucumber Salad

Menu:
Thai Red Curry and Beef Soup || Real Simple
Asian Cucumber Salad

Thai Red Curry and Beef Soup
Ingredients ////
8 ounces rice noodles
1 pound sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, sliced
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 15-ounce can coconut milk
2 tablespoons red curry paste
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
fresh basil leaves
1 chili, sliced

Directions////
Cook the noodles according to the package directions.
Meanwhile, brown the steak and sweet potato with the onion in the canola oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, red curry paste, and Asian fish sauce; simmer until the potato is tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir in the noodles and lime juice. Top with the basil and chili.

Lyonnaise Salad

Menu:
Salmon
Lyonnaise Salad || Yum Sugar

Lyonnaise Salad
Serves 2

Ingredients ||
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 1/2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar, or more to taste
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt, to taste
2 large eggs
1/4 pound (1 small head) frisée, rinsed thoroughly and torn into bite-size pieces
Freshly cracked black pepper

Directions ||

Add the oil and bacon to a large nonreactive skillet and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the bacon has rendered its fat, taken on some color, and is just starting to crisp. Remove the lardons to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving behind as much bacon fat as possible.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add about 1 tablespoon white vinegar to the simmering water. Add the minced shallots to the bacon fat and cook, stirring occasionally until softened; remove from the heat. Pour in the Champagne vinegar and mustard; whisk to emulsify. Season to taste with salt.

Poach the eggs in the acidulated water. Carefully set the poached eggs aside on a small plate. Reheat the dressing if necessary (it should be warm, but not hot), add the frisée and lardons, and toss with your hands until everything is evenly coated in the dressing.

Divide the greens and lardons between two plates and top each plate with a poached egg. Season with a few cracks of black pepper and more salt, if necessary. Serve immediately.

Broccolini Salad

Menu:
Broccolini Salad || 101 Cookbooks
Chicken Italian Sausage

Lobster Ravioli & Fig Salad

Menu:
Lobster Ravioli from Trader Joe's with Pinenuts and Butter Sauce
Fig, Prosciutto and Arugula Salad

Notes:
Our friends Chris & Penny were in Italy this summer, and brought back this lovely balsamic vinegar straight from the source -- Modena, that is. It was absolutely delicious drizzled over this salad.

By the way, holy hiatus! To say I have been uninspired in the kitchen is quite the understatement. I don't think we ate one meal before 8:30 pm during the Spring thanks to a busy soccer and baseball schedule. Quick and easy was the name of the game. And this Summer has been incredible! Our house has been filled with guests, fun and of course food. Not enough time to think about documenting it, clearly, but too much food! After losing 15 pounds over the winter, I've gained 10 back over the past couple months -- I need to get back on track. Such a bummer. Honestly, I don't really worry about the numbers, but there comes a point when enough is enough. Bottom line though, it's not easy. This meal certainly didn't help the issue, but it sure was delicious.

Goat Cheese Salad Croutons

Menu:
Warm, Crisp and A Little Melty Goat Cheese Salad Croutons || Smitten Kitchen
Mixed Green Salad with Red Onion & Red Wine Vinaigrette
French Bread Rolls

Pork Tenderloin & Mostly Not Potato Salad

Menu:
Pork Tenderloin
Mostly Not Potato Salad || Super Natural Every Day
Corn on the Cob

Mostly Not Potato Salad Recipe
Ingredients
1 pound red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 ounces green beans, trimmed and sliced into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon natural cane sugar
Fine-grain sea salt
1 leek, white and tender green parts, trimmed and chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill
6 small stalks celery, trimmed and diced
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
6 ounces extra-firm tofu, diced
1 tablespoon minced chives

Directions
Bring a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but not falling apart, about 10 minutes. Just before potatoes are done, add green beans to the pot for 30 seconds. Drain and set aside.

Whisk mustard, vinegar, 2 teaspoons oil, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl.
Heat remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add leek and dill, and saute, stirring occasionally, until golden and slightly crispy, 4 to 5 minutes.

Gently toss potatoes and green beans, celery, cucumber, tofu, chives, and half the leeks with the mustard dressing in a bowl. Adjust salt if necessary. Top with remaining leeks. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Grilled Chicken & Buttermilk Farro Salad

Menu:
Grilled Chicken Thighs || Well Fed
Buttermilk Farro Salad || 101 Cookbooks

Pork Chop Sandwiches

Menu:
Pork Chop Sandwiches with Radish, Alfalfa Sprouts, and Sriracha Mayonnaise
Salad with Avocado, Red Onion & Pepitas
Hand-Cut Potato Chips (Butter, from Sendik's)

Menu:
Hanger Steak
Fingerling Potatoes
Caprese Salad

Thai Beef Salad

Menu:
Thai Beef Salad || Chicago Tribune

Thai Beef Salad

8 oz. skirt or flank steak
1/4 t. vegetable oil
6 c. torn salad greens
1 c. torn fresh herbs, such as mint, cilantro, basil or combination (I used all)
1 cucumber, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, seeded, diced
1/4 c. minced red onion
1 small jalapeno, minced
Juice of 2 limes
1 T. of each: sesame oil, water
1 T. fish sauce (nam pla) or soy sauce
1/2 t. sugar

Heat broiler, placing a rack about 4 inches from the heat source. Brush the meat with the oil. Grill or broil until medium--rare, turning once or twice, 10 minutes, depending on thickness. Set aside to cool.

Toss the lettuce with the herbs, cucumber and onion in a large bowl.

Whisk together the chili, lime juice, sesame oil, water, fish sauce and sugar in a small bowl (the dressing will be thin). Toss the greens with half of this mixture. Remove greens to a platter. Slice beef thinly, reserving its juice; combine the juice with the remaining dressing. Place the beef slices over the salad; drizzle the dressing over.

Open-Faced Grilled Cheese with Apple & Bacon

Menu:
Open-Faced Grilled Cheese with Apple & Bacon || Every Day Food
Cabbage and Lime Salad with Roasted Peanuts || Smitten Kitchen

NOTE: The cabbage salad was supposed to be what we had for dinner last night, but we were out of town and didn't get around to making it. It was supposed to be served with potstickers, not a grilled cheese sandwich. Both recipes are delicious, but not what I'd normal serve together. Just an FYI.


Open-Faced Grilled Cheese with Apple & Bacon
 4 slices bacon
4 thick slices whole-wheat sandwich bread
8 ounces cheddar cheese, sliced
1 large red apple, quartered, cored, and sliced crosswise

Preheat oven to 350°. Place bacon on a rimmed baking sheet (lined with parchment paper for easy cleanup); bake until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels; tear each slice into quarters.

Place bread on clean baking sheet. Top with cheese, apple, and bacon. Bake until cheese has melted, 10 to 12 minutes.

Warm Spinach Salad with Grilled Sausage

Menu:
Warm Spinach Salad with Grilled Sausage || Real Simple, August 2008

Warm Spinach Salad with Grilled Sausage
Serves 4

4 Italian sausages (about 1 pound)
8 plum tomatoes, cut in half crosswise (NOTE: For our family, I would use 4)
1 onion, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rings
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt and pepper
3 bunches spinach, thick stems removed (about 8 cups)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

Directions
1. Heat grill to medium-high. With a fork, prick the sausages in several places. Grill, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, brush the tomatoes and onion with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

3. Grill vegetables until tender, 5 to 6 minutes per side for the onion and 2 to 3 minutes per side for the tomatoes. Transfer to a bowl as they are done.

4. Add the spinach to the bowl and toss.

5. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, remaining 3 tablespoons oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

6. Slice the sausages and serve with the vegetables and dressing.

Southwest Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

Menu:
Southwest Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing || For the Love Of Cooking

Pork with Rhubarb & Bacon

Menu:
Pork Tenderloin with Rhubarb & Bacon
Green Beans
Roasted Yellow Beets
Salad with Melty Croutons || Smitten Kitchen

Greek Salad with Chicken

Menu:
Chicken
Greek Salad (Romaine, Red Onion, Kalamata Olives, Feta Cheese - Lemon, Olive Oil, Oregano & Salt)

Cool Southwestern Salad with Corn & Avocado

Menu:
Cool Southwestern Salad with Corn & Avocado || Real Simple

Ingredients
2 small heads romaine lettuce, cut into bite-size pieces (about 12 cups)
1 cup corn kernels (cut from 1 to 2 ears, or frozen and thawed)
2 avocados, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 15.5-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 9-ounce bag tortilla chips

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, corn, avocados, beans, onion, and cilantro.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lime juice, cumin, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

3. Drizzle dressing over the salad and gently toss. Serve with the tortilla chips.

Baked Chicken & Greek Salad

Menu:
Baked Chicken
Ernie's Greek Salad | Food Network

Greek Salad

Ingredients
8 cups salad mix
1 cup sliced cucumber
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
8 ounces feta cheese, coarsely crumbled
2 plum tomatoes, cored and quartered
4 ounces kalamata olives (about a heaping cup) (may use any Greek or Italian marinated olives)
8 pepperoncini, plus more to taste
Greek Salad Dressing, recipe follows

Directions
Arrange the salad mix among 4 bowls, piling it high. Top each with the cucumber, red onion, and cheese. Scatter the tomatoes, olives, and pepperoncini over each salad. Drizzle each salad with 2 tablespoons of Greek dressing.

Greek Salad Dressing:

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/8 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fine salt, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper or dash of cayenne, optional
1 small clove garlic
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning

In a blender, combine the vinegars, mustard, salt, pepper, red pepper, and garlic and puree. With the motor running, very slowly pour in a steady stream of olive oil to make a smooth dressing. Repeat with the canola oil.

Transfer the dressing to a glass storage container and mix in the oregano. Taste the dressing and season with salt, if necessary. The dressing will keep for 2 weeks, covered in the refrigerator.

Valentine's Day Dinner

Menu:
BBQ Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
Mussels
Asparagus, Hazelnut & Parmesan Salad || inspired by Kinfolk)
Ricotta Stuffed Gnocchi with Pine Nuts and Browned Butter
Flourless Chocolate Cake || Martha Stewart

Taco Salad

Menu:
Taco Salad with Left-Over Spicy Pulled Pork