Crispy Chicken Mexican Salad

I know what you're saying to yourself right now: I had you at Crispy Chicken. There’s something about that warm, crunchy crispy goodness on a nice cold salad. Stop thinking this isn't good for you; it isn't. But if you must make yourself feel better about it, think about all the beautiful greens you're consuming accidentally as you poke your fork around hunting for the fried bites of chicken.

Crispy Chicken Mexican Salad

Salad Ingredients
Lettuce/Salad Greens
Black Olives, Canned black beans, Slices of Avocado, tomato, onion, whatever!
Shredded cheddar or jack cheese
Crispy Chicken, cooked. Use something like Tyson’s Crispy Chicken Strips.
Crumbled up tortilla chips
Hot Sauce

Salad Dressing
1 part sour cream to 2 parts of your favorite salsa

Directions
Cook the chicken pieces according to package directions. While cooking, combine all salad ingredients and dressing, save for the tortilla chips and hot sauce. Serve salad and add crispy chicken to the top on each plate. Sprinkle with crumbled tortilla chips and hot sauce.

 

For another version of this delicious salad, make it Oriental by using lettuce, water chestnuts, mandarin oranges, green onions and crispy noodles. Toss with an Asian Vinaigrette or make your own dressing with soy sauce, rice vinegar and sesame oil. Add your crispy chicken and - BAM!

Bread Salad

Bread.  Salad.  Um, yes, maybe not the most nutritious salad in the world, but has my vote for one of the most delish.

A few months ago I was trying to come up with something easy and delicious to bring to a book club meeting and my husband, Brock, suggested taking a bread salad.  (side note:  I have major anxiety about things like this and cooking in general  – Brock is the chef at Dahlia Lounge so sometimes feel like I need to turn up with something amazing.  I know that sound silly since he’s the chef, not me, but some people seem to think his “skills” would have rubbed off on my more.  Whatever. )  At first it seemed a little daunting (Dahlia has an amazing Tuscan Bread Salad they’ve had on the menu forEVER), but I decided to give my own version a try and found it was relatively quick and easy (done while my 10 month old was napping) and attempt #1 turned out quite well.  I decided to make it again to take to a 4^th of July BBQ a few weeks later and had success again!  Emily’s had the book club and July 4^th versions and asked that I do a guest post for BATF’s salad month, so here you have it.

I’ve since brought it to a few other dinners with friends since and each time have made a few tweaks.  I’ve finally found the dressing that I think I’ll go with 100% of the time (below) and I’ve decided that this “salad” or version thereof is now my official go-to when asked to bring a side and I’m excited to see how it can evolve with the seasons.

Delicious, Toasty Bread

Bread Salad

Salad Ingredients:

One Crusty Loaf of Bread (Macrina’s Giuseppe, Dahlia Bakery’s House Loaf or similar) – Cut into 1” thick slices removing crust

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 cup greens* - clean and torn

1/2 pint Cherry, Grape or other small Tomatoes – halved or quartered

8 oz. Fresh Mozzarella (I like the smallest, “pearl” sized ones)

2 oz.  Salami, Capicola (or similar) – sliced into 1/4" strips (I’m partial to Bavarian Meats)

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan or Romano

8 Leaves Fresh Basil

Optional:

4 oz. Kalamata Olives (I have to admit I omit these) – halved or quartered

Pine Nuts

Whatever you want – it may compromise the integrity, but I’ve added peas (English & Snap) and cucumber among other things…use your imagination

Mustard Vinaigrette - from Seattle Kitchen by Tom Douglas

2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

1 teaspoon Minced Shallots

1/2 teaspoon Chopped Fresh Thyme

1/2 teaspoon Minced Garlic

1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1. Make the Dressing – Combine the vinegar, mustard, shallots, thyme, and garlic in a bowl.  Slowly whisk in the oil in a steady stream until the dressing emulsifies.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  (I put everything in a mason jar and shake, shake, shake)

2. Brown the Bread – put about 1/8” of Light Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a medium-hot skillet.  Add 2 to 3 bread slices flipping when golden brown and crispy.  You may need to add a bit more oil between flips and between batches.  As done – set aside on wire rack if you have one or stacked with as much air between them as possible so they don’t get soggy.  When cool – slice into 1” cubes.  (I’ve also cubed before browning - it took a bit longer to cook, but resulted in fewer crumbs.)**

3. Assemble – Layer in this order…Greens, Tomatoes, Mozzarella, Meat, Parmesan, (anything else), Basil, Bread (if you’re not serving right away – hold bread and basil out until ready to do so)

4. Drizzle dressing over toasty bread cubes so they all get some to soak up before tossing

5. Dive in and enjoy!

* Earlier in the spring I used some greens from our garden – Peppercress, Arugula, Miners Lettuce and have used a mix of Kales – Russian, Curly Green, Lacinato.  I’d say use whatever you have/want, but something out of the ordinary is kind of nice.  If using a more tender green, and not serving right away, layer at top instead of bottom at assembly.

** OR if you have the grill up and running:  brush (or spray) slices of bread with Olive Oil and brown directly on the BBQ

I’ve been told that to remember that this salad “is all about the good stuff.  Bread.  Cheese.  Tomatoes.”  I must say I concur.

Thanks Beauties for asking me to post!

Amy

Rice, Corn and Bean Salad

 

My fun and fabulous sister Linde came to visit a couple of weeks ago with her cutest little man, Jackson. When Linde and I were both pregnant at the same time back in 2007, we couldn’t wait for our boys to become best friends. We pictured ourselves taking lots of vacations, drinking on porches and snacking on delicious food while watching them play. Fast forward 6 years and well, Ansen and Jackson get along…for the most part. But their fighting doesn’t keep us from drinking and eating. And running!

It was the second year in a row Linde was able to come up to Bellingham to run the Chuckanut Foot Race with me. The first day she was here I decided our motto would be “We do what we want!” so we started the day off eating at the Bagelry and having ice cream at Mallard’s. But then she wasn’t feeling well and I took her to Urgent Care and they diagnosed her with Kidney Failure. After a check in at the ER, lots of crying and me mentally prepping myself to donate a kidney it turned out she was perfectly fine and just needed antibiotics. So then about 15 minutes later we found ourselves at Fred Meyer waiting for a prescription and shopping for cute running outfits. Because, I mean, what would you do if you thought you were dying and then realized you could still run in the race the next day? Ovbi.

We got lots of comments on our socks. I, personally am a fan of the Three's Company pink shorts.

So we ran the race and it was awesome and fun and then we came home and made a delicious Rice, Corn and Bean salad to bring to my friend Kathryn’s house for a Mexican themed BBQ. This dish is a Linde Specialty, altered a bit from my cousin Beth Sobel’s recipe. It is a serious crowd pleaser.

Salad Ingredients
1 cup brown rice, uncooked
12 oz. frozen corn
2 15 oz. cans black beans
1 onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
½ cup Feta Cheese

Salad Dressing
1/3 cup Olive Oil
1/3 cup Red Wine Vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
½ teaspoon garlic powder (or minced real garlic)
Juice of one large Lemon
2 teaspoons salt
ground pepper to taste
½ teaspoon thyme
a few generous sprinkles of hot sauce

Directions
Cook rice and let cool. Bring frozen corn to room temperature, or heat up in a pan. Combine all salad ingredients. Combine dressing. Toss! This recipe makes enough for a three family BBQ.

Linde. Alive and well, both kidneys in tact, and slicing green bell pepper like a boss.

 

 

Here are some other fun things we did while Linde and Jackson were in town:

Linde and Jackson and my youngest, Asher age 3, at the Pride Parade. Asher kept saying, "This is a crazy parade mama!" and "Look, that guy is only wearing underwear!"

 

We went to visit Uncle James at Alki Beach and we took the water taxi to downtown Seattle to ride the Big Wheel.

 

Ansen, Jackson, me and Uncle James on the Seattle Big Wheel. We got to go three times around and it was a shit ton of money so I don't think I'd recommend it. But now I can say I did it!

Other Linde related recipes on this blog:

 

Sangria
Belinda's Bellini

 

'cause a girl's gotta have her cocktails.

 

Gorgonzola Tomato Salad

New potluck dish.

Five minute prep. Looks lovely. Tastes divine. This one is coming with me wherever I go this summer. 'Nuf said.

Gorgonzola Tomato Salad

1 lb cherry tomatoes (a variety makes it look fancy)
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Slice tomatoes in half. Place in bowl. Add chopped onion, garlic and cheese. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over. Toss and season with salt and pepper.

If you are taking this to a potluck, place tomatoes, red onion, and cheese in a bowl. Add olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper right before serving.

Thanks to weekofmenus.blogspot.com for this recipe gem!

PS: I totally swiped the bowl with my finger to get the last of the garlic-y, Gorgonzola-y balsamic vinegar. Maybe the best part...

Suddenly Summer Pasta Salad

After all these amazing summer salad posts, I thought it was time to bring the bar down a little bit. That's where my old friend Betty Crocker comes in. Picked up her boxed pasta salad and decided to give it a try. Basically, you're buying the rotini noodles and a packet of powder Caesar seasoning. The rest she expects you to do on your own. Lame. Okay, to Pinterest I go...

Oh Betty, you really have thought of everything.

My stir-ins: kalamtas, hard salami, pepper jack cubes, tomatoes and romaine lettuce. I'm also addicted to putting Chia seeds into everything.

Along with the packet of seasoning, I added about a half cup of Italian dressing. I will definitely make this again and again and again. It's a meal in itself.

These guys ate it the night before they finished a 200 mile bike ride from Seattle to Portland. I'm sure it was the pasta salad that gave them their super human endurance. Pictured right to left: my hubs, my dad and some dude I just met who rides with my dad. SO proud of them!

I do have another less-boxed summer salad I wish to post later on (sorry Betty). It'll be more true to the theme and yet simple enough to keep my personal bar low. Stay tuned.

Like Missy mentioned in her comment, I'm pretty boring with salads. Anyone who knows me, knows salad = a variation of spinach, pears, walnuts and blue cheese. Sometimes when I'm feeling really crazy, I mix it up with a kale salad. Needless to say, Curtis was pretty happy last night when "salad" meant something new: peaches, mozzarella and basil. It was super quick, easy and summery! And really delicious.

Peach, Mozzarella, and Basil Salad

from Real Simple

Ingredients

• 3 ripe peaches (peeled, if desired)
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 
  

Directions

1. Cut each peach into 6 to 8 wedges, then cut each wedge in half crosswise.
2. In a large bowl, combine the peaches, basil, and mozzarella. Drizzle with the oil, sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and toss. (You can cover and refrigerate the salad for up to several hours.) Serve cold or at room temperature.

Everything but the Kitchen Sink Salad {Guest Post}

My friend Jen Rittenhouse has been a Beauties and the Feast fan since its very inception. I consider her to be an expert in blogging and social media and therefore ran the idea by her before we even started the blog. It's an honor to have her as a guest blogger today, three years into what once started as just a simple idea! Thanks for all of your support over the years, Jen!

Everything but the Kitchen Sink

An Amazing Salad for Summer

By guest beauty Jen Rittenhouse

I am obsessed with this salad. I dream about it, write poetry about it, and in the summer I eat it just about every damn day.

Like most good things in my life, this salad was born on a whim. It was during my days as a crazed commuter (insert nostalgic pause here). I had a 5:30 a.m. train to catch and limited time to pack a lunch. Thankfully my weekly produce delivery box had just stocked me with all of my summer faves: lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, carrots, cucumber and corn. I threw it all together with a can of garbanzos, black beans, feta and a lemon and discovered the most amazing salad I’ve ever eaten.

You can’t eff this salad up, promise. And it can be modified infinity different ways. Cilantro, bell peppers and hard-boiled eggs make nice additions. The lettuce in this thing is more of an afterthought. Sometimes I don’t even bother.

Ingredients:

-1 can black beans*

-1 can garbanzo beans*

-handful of cherry tomatoes

-1 or 2 carrots

-1 avocado

-1 lemon

-a few shakes of feta

-1 ear of corn

-a few lettuce leaves

*I use half a can of beans when I’m making this for myself and use the other half for the next day’s lunch.

Directions:

-Chop vegetables

-Mix with feta

-Add juice from one lemon

-Eat it up!

Isn't she lovely?

Tip: If you are packing it for lunch, I recommend you layer the feta and beans on the bottom and build up to the lettuce on top.

Jen is a copywriter, mama, runner and denim enthusiast. She's been published a few times on the Internet but this is her first post about food. You can follow her on Twitter and see what she's up to on Instagram @YennyPie.

July Food Theme: Summer Salads

Those of you who don’t live in the Pacific Northwest will think we’re being crazy complaining about 87 degree heat. But those of you who don’t live in the Pacific Northwest have air conditioning and can still sleep at night! So shut your mouth. Ok?

It’s going to be another "scorcher" today. And it’s also the first day in July which is perfect for our posting about salad month! We chose July as salad month because, well, even though it was totally unpredictable about whether or not we’d even see the sun up in this corner of the United States in July, we were thinking about the rest of the country and how it gets so hot that you can’t stand to turn on the oven let alone the BBQ. Plus, does anyone else find themselves a little less hungry when it's so hot outside?

Can’t wait to see what kind of Summer Salads will grace these fabulous BATF pages.

Enjoy the sun!