Recently, after an afternoon of shopping, a friend and I stopped at TGI Fridays for an early dinner. To say I was hungry was an understatement; I was near the point of gnawing on my arm. With it being summer, I wanted a fairly light meal full of vegetables, but also filling enough to get me through the night. The pecan-crusted chicken salad jumped out at me immediately: chicken coated in one of my favorite nuts (yum!), lots of romaine and mixed greens tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette, a smattering of blue cheese, a sprinkle of dried cranberries for a bit of tartness, mandarin orange wedges for sweetness, and celery to provide a fresh, crisp contrast.

I ordered the salad, sans celery, figuring the romaine would provide enough textural contrast to satisfy me; it did not disappoint. The flavors of this salad were spot-on: the tang of the cheese, combined with the sweet-tart cranberries, the slight bitterness of the mixed greens, the cool crispness of the romaine, and the sweetness of the oranges and balsamic dressing made me a very, very happy girl. And since I adore chicken with a nut coating, that this protein was coated in my favorite nut (pecans) was an added bonus. And there were even more sweet pecans scattered about!

This salad was the perfect summer dinner for a very hungry girl: light enough to not weigh me down, yet substantial enough to keep me going through the night. The best part? If I made something similar at home, I would have to spend much more on ingredients than I did at TGI Fridays for a prepared meal with cleanup.

You know how I feel about having to clean up the mess in the kitchen…

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After considering a dozen various dessert recipes for my parents’ Memorial Day weekend cookout, it was my three year old niece who inadvertently made the decision for me.

When I made my red velvet birthday cake, I sent leftovers throughout the family, so everyone could have some. I’ve never seen K turn down cake before, and considering her love of blueberries, I can’t say I was shocked to hear that she liked this cake.

Well, about a week later, she asked for cake. Confused, my sister-in-law and mom looked at each other, then explained there wasn’t any cake. And K insisted, “I want some of Sara’s cake!” (I wasn’t there, I’m paraphrasing what my mom told me, as well as what my dad told me. But we all get the gist of it, right?)

So, a pint-size toddler made the decision for me – I will be making red velvet cupcakes, from one of the recipes I’ve already posted here. Because I’m not doing something new, I thought I would share some of my favorite patriotic holiday/cookout recipes of all types prior to the weekend.

Coriander Carrot Slaw

Grilled Baby Potatoes

Chicken & Fruit Salad

Sesame Chicken Pasta Salad – this dish tastes better when it’s made a day ahead of time

Pre-baked Pizza Crusts – top with your favorite pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings, then grill until cheese melts

Grilled Chicken

Bacon Jam – the perfect condiment to add to burgers, sandwiches, and even hot dogs

Steak Sandwiches – simply grill the vegetables and steak, slice, and serve in sandwich form

Soft Pretzels – great for parties

Red Velvet Cake – can easily make into cupcakes – keep the blueberries and raspberries for a festive touch

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with White Chocolate Buttercream – a food-coloring free option

Tres Leches Cake – get some fruit with your cake

Salted Peanut Butter Cupcakes – chocolate + peanut butter = all-American favorite

Key Lime Cupcakes – they may not be red, white, and blue, but they use limes that only grow in the Florida Keys, making them truly all-American

Party Cookies – an all-time favorite recipe

Chocolate Chip Cookies (with nuts) – the addition of finely chopped pecans makes these cookies taste extra buttery

Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies (NY Times recipe) – start the dough a day or two ahead of time!

Cherry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Millionaire’s Shortbread – my runner up for the cookout

Fudgy Brownies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Bars – everyone of all ages will love these

Lemon Bars – end the meal with a sweet-tart finish

Frozen Key Lime Pie – for cookouts close to home

Crumble Apple Pie – easily turn this into a double crust pie, for a less messy alternative (simply double the ingredients for the crust)

Apple Tartlets

Fruit Tartlets

I’m more than ready for warmer weather, but Mother Nature doesn’t seem quite ready to fulfill that wish. Needing to find a way to bridge the gap between using my oven and enjoying more summer-like fare, I nearly jumped for joy when I spotted this recipe duo.

I could handle baking breaded chicken in the oven any night of the week, and the accompanying slaw came together quickly while the chicken baked.

The cookbook I found these recipes in stated they are perfect for a picnic, and while they would travel great, they’re also perfect for a little indoor picnic called dinner.

Note: I love cilantro, so I really piled it in; if you’re not a fan, simply substitute parsley. I also added coriander, which I love, to the slaw recipe, and greatly reduced the amount of cumin called for in the original recipe (which was called Cumin Carrot Slaw), as I am not a fan of it in abundance.

Print Recipes

Buttermilk Baked Chicken
adapted from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast

4 pound chicken, broken down into 8 pieces
8 slices white bread
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (2 1/2 ounces)
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
salt & pepper
peanut oil

Preheat oven to 400*F. Very generously coat a large rimmed baking sheet with peanut oil.

Pulse the bread slices in a food processor fitted with the S blade to form coarse crumbs. In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs with the Parmesan, thyme, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.

In another large bowl, combine the buttermilk, hot sauce, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Place the chicken pieces in the buttermilk.

Remove chicken, one piece at a time, from the buttermilk mixture (let excess liquid drip into bowl) and coat in the bread crumb mixture. Place breaded pieces on the baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes.

Coriander Carrot Slaw
adapted from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast

1/4 head green cabbage, shredded
3 carrots, peeled and julienned
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
salt & pepper

Toss all ingredients together; season to taste with salt and pepper.

I have fond memories of Perkins. In high school, it provided a place for my friends and I to go at night, hang out and drink coffee. Of course, we had to order something else, because at the time they enforced a $3 minimum order. I tried to order 3 pots of coffee for myself, but they didn’t bite. Those of us who were hungry ordered normal food, the rest of us ordered side dishes to get to that $3 mark. But in the grand scheme of things, it was an inexpensive way to have fun while staying out of trouble, something I’m sure our parents appreciated.

In college, Perkins became to the go-to place for going for breakfast, especially if we had family in town. Sure, there are local breakfast establishments that are amazing, but the draw of the chain is that everyone knows what to expect and often has a favorite dish. And really, if you’ve ever eaten breakfast there, you know how much food you can get for not much money – perfect for broke college students.

Then finally, I was in the working world with an hour long lunch break. When going out, we had to select a restaurant with fast service that was nearby. My friend Christine and I always ended up going to Perkins for their bread bowl salads. I always alternated between the chef’s salad and teriyaki chicken salad, both satisfying, both simple and familiar. I was definitely not very adventurous back then when it came to food.

Though those days are long past, I do still experience some lunchtime nostalgia, and throw together either my teriyaki chicken salad or a quick chef’s salad. This week, I had purchased my favorite deli meat (on sale!) and bottled salad dressing to recreate the flavors of my past. And though this isn’t really a recipe, here’s the basic mix I use for my chef’s salad.

Chef’s Salad
serves 1

3 cups prepackage salad mix or torn romaine leaves
3 ounces deli turkey and/or ham, torn into bite-size pieces
6 cucumber slices
6 grape tomatoes
1 tablespoon shredded parmesan
1-2 tablespoons prepared salad dressing

Layer ingredients, in order, in a large bowl or on a dinner plate.

Sometimes I forget about posting things other than hearty meals and baked goods, but since I often turn to food blogs for salad ideas, I thought I should contribute as well. It’s not that I don’t love a good salad; on the contrary, when I’m in the mood for salad, I can eat it daily. But so often I go with a simple salad and throw my energy into the meal.

Since cranberries are everywhere, I thought I’d pair them with a basic spinach salad, yet give it a bit of a twist by using cinnamon cranberry goat cheese. It’s not available everywhere, but plain goat cheese works just as well.

Spinach Salad with Cranberries and Goat Cheese

1 10-ounce bag baby spinach
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt & pepper
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
4 ounces cranberry cinnamon goat cheese (or mild goat cheese), at room temperature

Whisk olive oil and vinegar until blended, season with salt and pepper to taste. In a large bowl, toss the spinach with the dressing. Top with red onion, cranberries, and crumbles of goat cheese.

This is without a doubt my favorite summer salad, a salad that is so good it has had me looking forward to a Monday, just so I could have it for lunch. You dont even have to plan ahead for this salad when youre already grilling chicken breasts, simply make a couple of extra and youll have lunch or dinner later in the week.

The best part of this salad is its versatility simply use whatever fruit is in season at that point in the summer, whether its berries, stone fruit, tropical fruit whatever you have. Adding cheese and nuts rounds out the salad nicely, and again, just throw on whatever you have that you enjoy you wont regret it!

Chicken and Fruit Salad
Adapted from Eating Well, August 2008

Grilled Chicken Breast, sliced
Assorted Fruit (Melon, Berries, Pineapple, or Sliced Peaches & Plums)
Toasted Nuts
Crumbled Goat Cheese, Feta,or Blue Cheese
Mixed Salad Greens

Poppyseed Dressing
¼ cup sour cream
3 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
3 teaspoons sugar or honey
1 ½ teaspoons poppy seeds
salt
pepper

Whisk the sour cream, vinegar, sugar, and poppy seeds until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Scatter salad greens on large dinner plates. Arrange slices of chicken in the middle and surround with fruit, nuts, and cheese. Drizzle with poppy seed dressing.

I’ve never been a big fan of arugula, but the thought of having it with chicken-flavored croutons and roast chicken was enough to convince me to try out this recipe.

I was not disappointed. This recipe is worth it just for the croutons. Seriously. I love roasted chicken, but I was tempted to subsist solely on croutons the day I made this meal. Yes, they really are that good. I managed to abstain from eating an entire loaf of bread for a meal, however, and I rounded things out with the salad greens and chicken.

I’m already planning on making this meal again soon . . . next weekend, maybe?

Recipe adapted from EveryDay Food, March 2010 issue

1 whole chicken (4 lbs)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
kosher salt
black pepper
1 lemon, halved
1 loaf sourdough (8 ounces), torn into chunks
12 ounces arugula
1 teaspoons red wine vinegar

24-48 hours before the meal, salt and pepper the chicken inside and out. Wrap well in plastic wrap and place in a glass dish with raised sides. Refrigerate.

One hour before you plan to start cooking, remove the chicken from the fridge to bring it closer to room temperature. Preheat oven to 450. Place chicken on wire roasting rack and rub with 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with thyme, and squeeze lemon juice into cavity; place lemon halves into cavity. Roast chicken breast-side down until juices run clear, about 45-50 minutes. Transfer to a platter.

Place bread in roasting pan, toss with pan juices to coat. Season with salt. Bake until croutons are golden, 7-10 minutes. Pour any accumulated juices from the platter to a bowl; add arugula, croutons, 1 tablespoon oil, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper, and toss. Carve chicken and serve with arugula and croutons.

My grape tomato plant is out of control. I always get the bulk of my tomato crop in late summer to early fall, and this year is no exception. While my larger tomato varieties haven’t done so well this year, the grape tomatoes seem to want to make up for their counterparts.

This salad came about from the need to use some ripe tomatoes, some lettuce that was on its last day, and some mozzarella in the fridge that didn’t melt very well, but tasted okay when it was cut up. This salad begs for the best olive oil you have, and a splash of aged Balsamic takes it to another level. A sprinkle of whole basil leaves, salt, and pepper finishes things off nicely.

Of course, with the addition of lettuce and balsamic vineger, this salad isn’t your traditional caprese, but it sure does taste great. It would have been even better had I thought to make a few brioche croutons, but I didn’t have that brainiac moment until I was halfway through the salad. Next time, though…after all, I still have many more tomatoes to eat in the coming weeks.

This really isn’t a recipe, but here’s what you do to make this salad:

In a large bowl (I have an old serving bowl that I use for salads), pile high a few cups of torn lettuce leaves. Top with about eight cherry or grape tomatoes, halved, and several cubes of mozzarella cheese. Spinkle a few whole basil leaves over the top. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy. It’s sometimes difficult to believe that something this simple could be so satisfying.

When I was in elementary school, we all looked forward to taco day for the school’s hot lunch program. The school tacos were not only edible, they were actually good.

I still haven’t gotten over my love of tacos: they are easy to make, they are fast, just about everyone loves them, and the meat is very versatile. Tacos, salads, burritos, nachos, chimichangas… my stomach is growling as I write this post. Taco meat also freezes very nicely, so you can make a large batch, and freeze the leftovers for a super-quick meal at a later date.

The following recipe for taco meat tastes better than anything you’ll get out of a seasoning packet. The onions and peppers keep the meat moist while adding some vegetable servings to the dish.

You can certainly increase the amounts of peppers and onions, add green bell peppers, as well as add some chilis.

Taco Meat

1 medium onion, diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
2 gloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground round or turkey
1 T chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (if desired)
1 T chopped cilantro
olive oil

1. Drizzle a little olive oil in a large nonstick saute pan and heat the pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion, cook until translucent. Add the yellow and red pepper, cook for another five minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute.

2. Move the vegetables to the edges of the pan. Add the ground meat to the middle and add half of the seasonings. Allow the meat to brown on one side, then flip it over and allow it to brown on the second side. When browned, break the meat up into smaller pieces, mix in the vegetables, and add the remaining seasonings. Continue cooking until the meat is thoroughly cooked. Add cilantro and stir to combine.

For the taco bar
Torn lettuce (romaine, butter, or leaf)
Shredded cheddar cheese
Salsa
Sour cream
Guacamole
Chopped Tomatoes
Taco Meat
Sliced Black Olives
Tortillas
Tortilla Chips

This setup works great for a family or party – everyone can just take what they like.

As winter drags on, I find myself craving salads more and more. Perhaps it’s to delude myself that the grass isn’t still blanketed in snow, that the trees are still without leaves, that my garden is simply a memory.

But salads are not confined to the warmer months of the year. With this particular salad, I took advantage of both a winter fruit, and added a few splurges to make it a little more interesting and well-rounded.

Salad with Chicken, Pears, and Blue Cheese
serves 1

3 c mixed salad greens
1/2 cooked chicken breast, diced
1 pear, cored and diced
2 T blue cheese
2 T dried cherries
1/4 c raspberries
1/4 avocado, diced
olive oil
raspberry vinegar
pepper

Place salad greens in a large bowl or on a large plate. Place diced chicken in the middle of the salad and surround with pears, cherries, raspberries, and avocado. Drizzle with olive oil and raspberry vinegar. Season with pepper to taste.