14 Aug
Panzanella
Posted by Chelle as Barefoot Bloggers, Salads, Vegetables | 8 Comments
This latest recipe for our Barefoot Bloggers group was chosen by Melissa of It’s Melissa’s Kitchen. This was a wonderful choice for these last few weeks of summer, as it included many fresh vegetables and tasted bright and fresh. Traditional panzanella originates from the Tuscan region of Italy and the original dish includes just bread, tomato, basil, salt, pepper, oil, and vinegar. The dish has evolved over the years to include things such as vegetables, eggs, tuna, among others, and is sometimes referred to as a “leftover salad”, because, much like omelets, it’s easy to throw in any leftover vegetables you have laying around. The version we made this week included peppers, onion, tomato (which I omitted because I don’t like them), cucumber, basil, toasted bread, and dressed in a dijon vinaigrette. Absolutely delicious!!
28 Aug
Weekend BBQ
Posted by Chelle as Potatoes, Salads | 0 Comments
This past weekend my family came to visit so we grilled hamburgers and hot dogs and I put together a number of salads to go with the meal. Because of the hustle and bustle of getting everyone fed, I didn’t get pictures of everything, but my menu was as follows:
- Burgers and hot dogs on the grill
- Corn on the cob on the grill
- Fruit salad
- Loaded baked potato salad
- Antipasto salad
- Apple pie for dessert
I did not get a picture of the Loaded Baked Potato Salad, but everyone raved about it - the flavors were phenomenal. Here is the recipe:
Loaded Baked Potato Salad
(Source: The Country Kitchen)
6 medium baking potatoes (about 2 pounds)
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
8 slices bacon, crisply cooked, drained and chopped
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Thinly sliced green onions (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Scrub potatoes thoroughly and pat dry. Prick potatoes. Bake 50-60 minutes or until tender. Remove potatoes from oven; cool completely.
2. Combine sour cream and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Chop bacon and red onion; add to sour cream mixture with the shredded cheddar. Stir in salt and pepper; cover and refrigerate.
3. Coarsely chop potatoes into 1/2-inch pieces. Place in a large bowl; fold in sour cream mixture. Cover and refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight. Garnish with sliced green onions and shredded cheddar cheese, if desired.
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I put together my antipasto salad on the fly and this is what I ended up using:
Antipasto Salad
1/2 lb. hard salami, cubed
1/2 lb. pepperoni, cubed
1/2 lb. mozzarella cheese, cubed
1/2 lb. provolone cheese, cubed
Small can artichoke hearts, quartered
Jar medium-sized green olives, drained
Can of large black olives, drained
Good Seasons Italian salad dressing (about 1/3 cup)
Combine all ingredients and let sit for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to combine.
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My Grandma was sweet enough to have brought me a present when she came to visit, so I wanted to show it off here! She bought me the cutest pumpkin pie plate, with a cover. The bottom of the plate as an old-fashioned recipe for pumpkin pie. This is perfect for pie, or even as a fall candy dish! So cute 
22 May
Taco Rice Salad
Posted by Chelle as Beef, Mexican, Salads | 0 Comments
I saved a Cooking Light recipe ages ago and finally got around to trying it tonight. I really enjoy Mexican food and I usually make fajitas, but this recipe for taco salad sounded insanely good and I couldn’t wait to make it! The only things I changed were ommitting the chili powder and cumin to make it more mild, and ommitting the chopped tomato because I hate tomatoes. This turned out fabulous - I’ll be saving this recipe
I made tortilla bowls using fajita wraps that I had in the house. They were super easy to make - I inverted two ramekin cups on a baking pan, coated them with cooking spray and laid the tortillas on top. I brushed them with some olive oil and baked them at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes, until browned and crispy.
15 May
Chicken Salad
Posted by Chelle as Chicken, Salads | 0 Comments
This is a delayed Mother’s Day weekend post When I had my mom and sister over on Saturday for lunch, I made my mom’s favorite lunch - chicken salad. I didn’t follow a recipe but just threw together what I thought sounded good. My mom loved it! I served these on croissants - you could do any type of roll, or even lettuce cups.
**Note - I didn’t put any nuts in this salad because I’m allergic, but I think cashews or walnuts would be great!
