Carolina Salad

Ooh, the Carolina. My husband requests this salad at least once every two weeks, especially in the hot hot summer. Did you know that it hit over 100° today? Ridiculous. Factor in the sticky humidity that constantly blankets us and you’ve got yourself a sweat box. Good skin? Yes, the dewiest, most gorgeous skin.  But an enjoyable afternoon spent reading outside? I don’t think so.

Hot weather welcomes dinner salads and this one is legit. I made Pretzel and Pecan Encrusted Tilapia not too long ago and I made extra breading for a night just like tonight! The breading saves beautifully in an airtight container. For the recipe, click here.

Dinner salads are an excuse to clean out your produce drawer. Pretty much anything goes… and goes VERY well, so play around!!

Carolina Salad

Servings: 2
Time: 10 minutes
Level: Easy

1 chicken breast
1/3 – 1/2 c. pretzel and pecan breading
1 tbsp. coconut oil (canola or vegetable oil would also work… coconut is just better for you and pan fries wonderfully)
The following list is what I used in my salad tonight. You can use whatever you have!
lettuce
spinach leaves
radishes
carrots
purple onion
grapes (strawberries or nectarines work well, too)
broccoli
cashews
cheese, shredded
bacon, cooked and crumbled
croutons
salad dressing of your choice

Dry chicken breast and dice into bite sized pieces. In a shallow dish or plate, pour breading and press chicken pieces into the breading to coat.

In a pan over medium heat, melt coconut oil. Once melted and heated to temperature, add chicken and cook 1-2 minutes per side, or until no longer pink in the middle.

Fill large bowls or deep plates with lettuce and other ingredients. Top with chicken. Yum!

Tips
– Make your own croutons… Slice a piece of bread into cubes, top with a little butter, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown. Yum!
– No egg bath is needed to coat the chicken. The breading will stick to the bare chicken and holds up nicely in the pan since it is fried for such a short period of time. Why add the calories if they aren’t really needed?

Grilled Turkey and Cheese on Cinnamon Raisin Bread

I’ll be the first to admit it… this doesn’t sound good. But please don’t let that keep you from trying this sandwich. It is SOOOO yummy! Trust me on this one.

The sweet bread and tangy mustard works so well with nice thick slices of ooey gooey provolone cheese. Just thinking about this sweet and savory combo is making me hungry again. What’s with me this week and sweet and savory dishes?

This sandwich is great for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. Yum!

Grilled Turkey and Cheese on Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Servings: 1
Time: 5 minutes
Level: Easy

2 slices cinnamon raisin bread
1/2 tbsp. spicy brown mustard
3-4 slices deli turkey (mesquite or peppered turkey also works)
1-2 slices provolone cheese
butter

Spread one slice of bread with mustard. Top with turkey, provolone, and second slice of bread. Butter the outsides of the bread and grill, over medium heat, until golden brown. Yum!

Traditionally Delicious Egg Salad and an Award

Egg salad. It’s a staple in the South at picnics, dinner on the grounds church revivals, outdoor barbeques, and pool side suppers. I haven’t had egg salad in a while and I woke up with a craving. Seeing as how it is 100° outside and NOT cooling down anytime soon, cold egg salad sounded like a winner. Served along side a mountain of fresh fruit, this easy dish is great for both lunch and dinner.

    

Egg Salad

Servings: 4
Time: 15 minutes
Level: Easy

8 eggs
1/3 c. mayo (fat free works fine)
1 tbsp. yellow mustard
1 1/2 tbsp. sweet pickle relish
salt and pepper, to taste
paprika, to taste

Boil eggs until hard boiled. (Follow these instructions for perfectly hard boiled eggs.) Peel eggs and chop them into similar sized cubes. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together. Add more of any ingredient if desired. Serve cold. Yum!

Tips
– Serve egg salad as a sandwich on any type of bread. You can add spinach, lettuce, and tomatoes if you want.
– Try adding leftover grilled chicken to the mix.
– Add 1 or 2 more eggs and remove the yolks of a few to make it a healthier.

On a very exciting note, Sandra from www.thesweetsensations.com shared “The Versatile Blogger” award with me.

In keeping with acceptance of the award I will share 5 things about me that you probably don’t know. I will also pass this award on to 5 new or newly discovered (to me) blogs. Here goes:

1. I am 26 years old and I am currently living at my 26th address.
2. I hate salami.
3. I’m terrified of snakes. I can’t even look at pictures of them or see them on TV.
4. I would LOVE to go to culinary school and open a little cafe one day. Too bad the hours are terrible!
5. I can’t pass up a soft sugar cookie, no matter how stuffed or sick I am…

Food Blogging has led me to some amazing bloggers and mouth-watering recipes. Choosing 5 is almost as challenging as the 5 things about me, but here goes.

Mrs. Ts Eats’

Diethood

a muse in my kitchen

Alterkitchen

The New Healthy

Enjoy!

Hash Brown and Ham Upside Down Quiche

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This morning, we woke up with brunch on the brain. But, seeing as how the Mississippi River has already flooded and dear ole’ Mother Nature decided to grace us with another torrential downpour and what The Weather Channel calls “deadly cloud to ground lightning strikes,” we didn’t quite think going out for brunch was in our cards today.

The solution? An impromptu quiche-ish dish  that turned into something it wasn’t supposed to be. A nice surprise, in fact, because oh, gracious was it good.

Hash Brown and Ham Upside Down Quiche

Servings: 4
Time: 25 minutes
Level: Easy

1 1/2 c. hash browns, frozen (or shoestring potatoes)
4 eggs
1/3 c. milk
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 c. ham, cubed (or bacon or sausage or even make it vegetarian and add juiced and seeded tomatoes)
1/3 c. bell peppers and onions, frozen
fresh spinach leaves
1/3 c. cheese, shredded
1 tsp. Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 400°. On a cookie sheet, bake hash browns for 5 minutes.

Transfer potatoes to a greased pie plate or cake pan. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper together.

Top potatoes with ham, bell peppers and onions, and spinach.

Pour egg mixture over top, sprinkle with cheese and Italian seasoning, and bake for 20 minutes.

Once removed from oven, invert onto a plate, allow to cool, and slice. Yum!

Tips
– Instead of using Italian Seasoning, try cumin and chili powder.
– Top with salsa if desired.
– Use leftovers to wrap in a tortilla with tomatoes and extra spinach leaves for a quick lunch.
– You don’t have to invert the dish. You can leave it in the pie plate if you want.

Homemade Hummus and a Hummus Veggie Wrap

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Hummus is a dip or spread made from chickpeas. Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, are an excellent source of folic acid and fiber. They are also a good source of protein, as well as minerals such as iron, copper, zinc, and magnesium. As a good source of fiber, garbanzo beans can help lower cholesterol and even improve blood sugar levels.

Hummus is normally made with tahini, a sesame paste, but can just as easily be made without it. Tahini can be expensive and I have found the taste difference to be minimal when replacing the tahini with a little olive oil.

Hummus is a delicious spread for sandwiches in place of mayo or as a dip for pretzels and veggies. Making this healthy treat at home is so much cheaper than buying it at the store. Plus,  you get to change up the taste to match the flavors you love. I hope you enjoy!

Homemade Hummus

Servings: 4
Time: 5 minutes
Level: Easy

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained, reserving 1/3 c. liquid
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tbsp. lemon juice, or lime juice

Blend all ingredients, except for reserved chickpea liquid, in a blender.

Add reserved liquid, a little at a time and as much as needed, until mixture is smooth. Yum!

Homemade Hummus Variations

Instead of adding chili powder, garlic, and cumin add one of the following ingredients instead:

1 tbsp. pesto

1 tbsp. sun-dried tomato pesto

a few roasted red peppers

How quick and easy is that?

Hummus Veggie Wrap

Servings: 2
Time: 5 minutes
Level: Easy

2 whole wheat tortillas
1/2 c. hummus
cheese slices, optional

various chopped and sliced vegetables:
Today, my wrap included…
radishes (for a peppery bite)
broccoli
onion
carrots
spinach leaves (a total must!)
bell peppers (any and all colors)
cucumbers

Spread hummus on tortillas, top with cheese and veggies, and wrap it up. Yum!
– Try dipping your wrap into Sriracha for an extra kick.
– Try adding different veggies, whatever is fresh at the farmer’s market!
– Instead of a tortilla, you could use a whole wheat pita.

Mexican Tortilla Pizza

I was going to make quesadillas… but then I figured it would save me almost 100 calories if I left off the top tortilla. Ahh, Mexican Tortilla Pizza is born.

Tyson Grilled and Ready Chicken Breast Strips make this dish super quick and easy. I use these pre-cooked chicken strips a lot!

I’ll be making this pizza again, for sure!

Mexican Tortilla Pizza

Servings: 2
Time: 15 minutes
Level: Easy

1/3 c. Tyson Grilled and Ready Chicken Breast Strips
1/4 c. corn, frozen
1/4 c. peppers and onions, frozen
1/4 c. mushrooms, sliced, optional
1 tbsp. jalapeños, diced, optional
1/8 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. chili powder
salt, to taste

2 tortillas
1/2 c. refried beans
1/3 c cheese, shredded
salsa, to top
sour cream, to top

In a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, cook chicken, vegetables, and spices, until chicken is completely thawed.

Turn oven to Broil. Spread refried beans on each tortilla, top with chicken mixture, then sprinkle with cheese.

Broil in oven until cheese is melted and tortilla is crispy.

Top with salsa and sour cream, if desired. Yum!!

Tips
– Try using different veggies, meat, or spices to mix things up.
– Leftover taco meat, enchilada sauce, or fajitas? No problem! This pizza would be good topped with any of those leftovers.

In Honor of Cinco de Mayo…

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Cinco de Mayo… Ahh, what a delicious holiday. Yeah, yeah, I know. It’s a holiday that celebrates  Mexico’s victory over the French on May 5, 1862.  But, dang, celebrating  their victory with a delicious dinner is just fine by me. Our neighbors to the south know what their doing when it comes to their amazing cuisine and I’m not ashamed of how much I love it!

If your going to be staying in this Cinco de Mayo or if you are planning on having a blow out fiesta with friends, check out these recipes below. I took a look back at my recipe collection and my love is clearly evident… I can’t say that ANY of these recipes are even slightly  authentic but they are definitely inspired by south of the border flavors.

Grab yourself a basket of chips and a bowl of salsa, maybe a margarita or two, and celebrate!

Enchilada Pie 

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas (vegetarian and vegan)

Steak Fajitas

Mexican Cornbread

Quinoa Salsa Side Dish

Gringa Tostada

Fiesta Fritata

Baja Shrimp Tacos with a Corn and Radish Salad

Perfectly Hard Boiled Eggs – Deviled Eggs

Ever since I could eat solid foods, I have had a love affair with deviled eggs, well, boiled eggs in general. I used to call them doubled eggs and I thought they were the most delicious side item on the planet. I still really love them but I don’t make them as often as I should.

Big Family gatherings and deviled eggs just seem to go together. When I was younger, I would fill my plate with Brown and Serve Rolls, with Ketchup to dip them in… of course, a dollop of cornbread dressing, and a few (as many as I could get away with) deviled eggs. Easter/Thanksgiving/Christmas meal of champions, in my opinion.

My sweet brother, who is 9 years older than me, would always give me a lecture on my cholesterol intake. Can’t you just imagine? Sitting at the dinner table with the whole family and my 13 year old brother hollering at me because all I will eat are eggs. Ah, the wonderful memories are flooding back to me…

I missed my family on Easter this year. It’s hard to be away. But, good news! My plate won’t be filled with little ketchup sandwiches this year. My tastes are all grown up… but one thing is for sure, my love of deviled eggs still remains and I hope my family enjoyed theirs together today.

You can’t really read the bible verse but how appropriate for Easter! Thanks Goldenhen. “This is the Day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” – Psalm 118:24

Perfectly Boiled Eggs

Time: 15 minutes
Level: Easy

eggs
water

Put eggs in a pot. Fill the pot with cold water until the eggs are covered, with about 1 in. of water above them. Add enough salt to make the water taste salty.

Put the lid on the pot. Over high heat, bring the water to a boil. As soon as it boils, cut off the heat. Leave the pot on the warmed burner and don’t take off the lid. Let sit of 12 minutes. Remove eggs from pot and place in a bowl of ice water.

Once cool, peel the eggs under running water. Yum!

Tips
– The salt can make the eggs easier to peel because the proteins coagulate and firm up, making the white easier to separate from the shell.
– Peeling under running water isn’t necessary but it seems to make things easier to me.
– These are great for breakfast with a side of fruit and maybe a piece of toast.

Deviled Eggs

Time: 5 minutes
Level: Easy

eggs, boiled and peeled
mayonnaise
mustard
various other toppings and mixtures, see tips below

Cut eggs in half, lengthwise. Remove yellow yolk.

Mix yolks with a little mayo and mustard, just enough to make the mixture creamy.

Spoon or pipe yolk mixture back into egg whites.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Yum!

Tips
– The options for deviled eggs are endless. You can add any combination of the following and they are all delish!!!
– pickle relish, salt, pepper, and paprika
– crumbled bacon or turkey bacon, chives, and shredded cheddar
– Sriracha, salt, pepper, a touch of curry powder
– switch the regular yellow mustard with hot  mustard or spicy brown                mustard and top with a slice of a pimento stuffed green olive
– celery, onion, and hot sauce

As you can see, the options are endless… and delicious! If you have leftover deviled eggs, boil some potatoes and make a deviled egg potato salad. That’s really yummy, too!

Chicken and Pesto Quesadillas

This is such a great recipe to whip up on a super busy weeknight or even as a super quick lunch when your sick and tired of PB&J. As I’ve said before, a store bought jar of pesto can save your culinary life when you’re in a pinch!

In this recipe, you can use really good lunch meat slices, like Boars Head Ever Roast, rotisserie chicken, or any chicken you may have leftover.

Chicken and Pesto Quesadillas

Servings: 1
Time: 5 minutes
Level: Easy

2 flour tortillas
1 tbsp. pesto
5-6 slices of chicken lunch meat, or 1/2 c. cooked, shredded chicken
onion, sliced (optional)
1/4 c. Italian Cheese (anything will do… Mozzarella, a blend… whatever you have)

Spread pesto on one tortilla. Top with chicken, onions,  and then sprinkle with cheese.

Place the second tortilla on top and heat in a non-stick skillet over medium heat, turning a few times to brown both sides. Yum!

Tips
– Try rolling these same ingredients into crescent rolls instead of tortillas and bake according to crescent roll package’s directions.
– Instead of regular pesto, try the sun-dried tomato version. It’s delish!

Ham and Cheese Tart with Homemade Honey Mustard

Woah gracious, I’m grabbing at straws and pulling from the bottom of the barrel on these next few. I am in DESPERATE need of my monthly trip to the grocery store. I haven’t been since February 2nd. Can you believe it? Granted, we were gone for Spring Break and February is a short month but STILL! It has almost been TWO months… I love it.

I’m sort of delaying the trip a little to see how long I can last and how cleaned out my fridge and pantry can get. My husband opened the fridge tonight to fix a drink and was shocked by how empty it was!

This recipe is truly a scroungers recipe. I am down to next to nothing so I grabbed what I could and went for it. Jason said it was delicious so I reckon it wasn’t too random!

Ham and Cheese Tart

Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 2-4
Level: Easy

1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls
3 tbsp. honey mustard (see recipe below)
a few slices of ham
1/3 c. Italian Blend or Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375°. On an ungreased cookie sheet, roll out crescent rolls. Smoosh creases together to make one big rectangle. Spread honey mustard all over dough.

Top with ham and then sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until dough is done in the middle. Slice and serve. Yum!

I didn’t have any honey mustard in the fridge or pantry so I whipped up my own. I’m not typically a fan, but had a random craving,  so I tweaked it for my taste. Any measurement will probably work. If you like it sweeter, add more honey. Spicier? Add more cayenne. Just taste it as you make it and add ingredients accordingly.

Honey Mustard

Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 4
Level: Easy

3 tbsp. low fat mayonnaise
2 tbsp. yellow mustard
1 tbsp. honey
dash or two of cayenne

Mix all ingredients together. Yum!

Tips
– Use this dressing on sandwiches or wraps. It’s really good!
– I served this tart along side tomato soup. It made for a pretty decent meal.