Sesame Ginger Chicken Salad #TheSaladBar

      I love making entree salads.  They are so easy to make and yet filling enough that we don't need much more then a side of bread or rolls with them.  I'm also happy that I joined #TheSaladBar because I've found myself making new salads that we've really enjoyed.  This month the theme was Asian inspired salads.

       I've had a sesame ginger chicken salad pinned forever so having the Asian theme this month finally had me making this salad.  It was pretty warm again last week so it was nice that I didn't have to turn on the oven to make dinner.  Plus, the actual salad part of this one is so pretty!  Lots of chopped vegetables in an array of vibrant colors.

       The chicken is marinaded in a sesame ginger sauce that later on doubles as the dressing.  The salad is made from lettuce, cabbage, and carrots so there's plenty of crunch going on here. After cooking the chicken it ends up lightly glazed and goes so well with the Sesame Ginger dressing.  I served these with dinner rolls but I think it would be fun to serve them with egg rolls as well!

Sesame Ginger Chicken Salad (adapted from Menu Musings of a Modern American Mom)
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 T. fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1/4 c. olive oil
2 T. hoisin sauce
1 T. sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. Sriracha sauce
1 t. black pepper
1 T. sesame seeds
2 chicken breasts
1/4 c. rice wine vinegar
1/4 c. green onions, chopped
1 t. honey
2 c. Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
2 c. iceberg lettuce
2 carrots, grated
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 c. cilantro, chopped
1 T. sesame seeds

1.  In a small bowl whisk together the soy sauce, ginger, olive oil, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, garlic cloves, Sriracha, black pepper, and sesame seeds.  Add half of the mixture to a gallon sized zip top bag and add in the chicken breasts.  Refrigerate for 2 hours.

2.  Meanwhile, add the vinegar, green onions, and honey to the remaining marinade in order to make the dressing.  Cover and chill.

3.  To make the salad toss together the cabbage, lettuce, carrots, green onions, cilantro, and sesame seeds.  Set aside.

4.  Remove the chicken from the refrigerator.  Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the chicken and saute for 10-12 minutes or until it is cooked through.  Remove from the pan and thinly slice.

5.  Divide the salad between 4 plates and top with the sliced chicken.  Serve with sesame ginger dressing.

      I love making entree salads.  They are so easy to make and yet filling enough that we don't need much more then a side of bread or rolls with them.  I'm also happy that I joined #TheSaladBar because I've found myself making new salads that we've really enjoyed.  This month the theme was Asian inspired salads.

       I've had a sesame ginger chicken salad pinned forever so having the Asian theme this month finally had me making this salad.  It was pretty warm again last week so it was nice that I didn't have to turn on the oven to make dinner.  Plus, the actual salad part of this one is so pretty!  Lots of chopped vegetables in an array of vibrant colors.

       The chicken is marinaded in a sesame ginger sauce that later on doubles as the dressing.  The salad is made from lettuce, cabbage, and carrots so there's plenty of crunch going on here. After cooking the chicken it ends up lightly glazed and goes so well with the Sesame Ginger dressing.  I served these with dinner rolls but I think it would be fun to serve them with egg rolls as well!

Sesame Ginger Chicken Salad (adapted from Menu Musings of a Modern American Mom)
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 T. fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1/4 c. olive oil
2 T. hoisin sauce
1 T. sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. Sriracha sauce
1 t. black pepper
1 T. sesame seeds
2 chicken breasts
1/4 c. rice wine vinegar
1/4 c. green onions, chopped
1 t. honey
2 c. Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
2 c. iceberg lettuce
2 carrots, grated
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 c. cilantro, chopped
1 T. sesame seeds

1.  In a small bowl whisk together the soy sauce, ginger, olive oil, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, garlic cloves, Sriracha, black pepper, and sesame seeds.  Add half of the mixture to a gallon sized zip top bag and add in the chicken breasts.  Refrigerate for 2 hours.

2.  Meanwhile, add the vinegar, green onions, and honey to the remaining marinade in order to make the dressing.  Cover and chill.

3.  To make the salad toss together the cabbage, lettuce, carrots, green onions, cilantro, and sesame seeds.  Set aside.

4.  Remove the chicken from the refrigerator.  Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the chicken and saute for 10-12 minutes or until it is cooked through.  Remove from the pan and thinly slice.

5.  Divide the salad between 4 plates and top with the sliced chicken.  Serve with sesame ginger dressing.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Barbacoa Beef Salads with Black Bean Avocado Salsa #TheSaladBar

     This is my second month posting in a new group called #TheSaladBar.  This month our theme was avocado.  Now I love a good avocado but I usually use them in either guacamole or tacos but I have used them in salads before.  Of course thinking about avocado in salads made me think taco salad.

     I found a yummy sounding salad with black bean avocado salsa on top.  However, it used 5 pounds of beef and cooked it in a crock-pot all day.  I used the same sauce and spices but I used ground beef and made it in the skillet.  Much easier and quicker.

     The best part of this salad is the homemade salsa.  It is so bright, fresh looking, and colorful.  It's perfect for all the fresh summer vegetables and it really made the salad look delicious.  This was a great dinner salad that was filling, didn't heat up my house while I was cooking, and it looked good too.

Barbacoa Beef Salads with Black Bean Avocado Salsa (adapted from The Sweets Life)
For the beef:
3 T. red wine vinegar
4 garlic cloves
2 t. cumin
1 t. oregano
1 t. black pepper
1 t. salt
1 T. lime juice
1 chipotle pepper
1/4 c. chicken broth
1 lb. lean ground beef

For the black bean avocado salsa:
1/2 orange pepper, diced
1 c. black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/4 c. cilantro, minced
1 avocado, seeded and diced
2 T. lime juice
2 garlice cloves, minced

For the salad:
1 head iceberg or romaine lettuce, chopped
1 c.cheddar cheese, shredded
Tortilla chips and sour cream

1.  In a medium bowl combine the vinegar, garlic cloves, cumin, oregano, pepper, salt, lime juice, chipotle pepper, and chicken broth.  Mix well and set aside.

2.  Place the ground beef in a skillet and heat it over medium heat until it is browned and heated through.  Pour the sauce over top and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

3.  Meanwhile, combine all ingredients for the salsa.  Toss to combine and refrigerate until ready to serve.

4.  To serve place tortilla chips on four plates and divide the lettuce between the plates.  Top with one quarter of the beef mixture and sprinkle with cheese.  Pour several heaping spoonfuls of black bean avocado salsa on top.  Dollop sour cream if desired.

     This is my second month posting in a new group called #TheSaladBar.  This month our theme was avocado.  Now I love a good avocado but I usually use them in either guacamole or tacos but I have used them in salads before.  Of course thinking about avocado in salads made me think taco salad.

     I found a yummy sounding salad with black bean avocado salsa on top.  However, it used 5 pounds of beef and cooked it in a crock-pot all day.  I used the same sauce and spices but I used ground beef and made it in the skillet.  Much easier and quicker.

     The best part of this salad is the homemade salsa.  It is so bright, fresh looking, and colorful.  It's perfect for all the fresh summer vegetables and it really made the salad look delicious.  This was a great dinner salad that was filling, didn't heat up my house while I was cooking, and it looked good too.

Barbacoa Beef Salads with Black Bean Avocado Salsa (adapted from The Sweets Life)
For the beef:
3 T. red wine vinegar
4 garlic cloves
2 t. cumin
1 t. oregano
1 t. black pepper
1 t. salt
1 T. lime juice
1 chipotle pepper
1/4 c. chicken broth
1 lb. lean ground beef

For the black bean avocado salsa:
1/2 orange pepper, diced
1 c. black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/4 c. cilantro, minced
1 avocado, seeded and diced
2 T. lime juice
2 garlice cloves, minced

For the salad:
1 head iceberg or romaine lettuce, chopped
1 c.cheddar cheese, shredded
Tortilla chips and sour cream

1.  In a medium bowl combine the vinegar, garlic cloves, cumin, oregano, pepper, salt, lime juice, chipotle pepper, and chicken broth.  Mix well and set aside.

2.  Place the ground beef in a skillet and heat it over medium heat until it is browned and heated through.  Pour the sauce over top and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

3.  Meanwhile, combine all ingredients for the salsa.  Toss to combine and refrigerate until ready to serve.

4.  To serve place tortilla chips on four plates and divide the lettuce between the plates.  Top with one quarter of the beef mixture and sprinkle with cheese.  Pour several heaping spoonfuls of black bean avocado salsa on top.  Dollop sour cream if desired.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Italian Pasta Salad #TheSaladBar

     I love the summer.  It has to be my favorite time of year.  It's warm outside, the sun is shining, and I don't have to work!  I have plenty of time to bake and cook and I love trying new recipes with my extra time.  Unfortunately we do not have air conditioning so I can only bake early in the morning or later in the evening when it is cooler.

     That means whenever I'm looking to make lunch or dinner I want something that is either fast to cook or is a cold dish that's also filling.  I make a lot of salads and pasta salads.  I have a formula when I make them but I try to switch the flavors up when I can.  This pasta salad is very hearty, has great Italian flavors, and is a snap to make.  Plus our theme for this month's The Salad Bar is Potluck Salads and I always bring pasta salad to a potluck. 

     While the base of all my pasta salads have pasta, cheese, pepperoni, and dressing, this one really gets bonus points for the onion, artichoke hearts, bell pepper, and roasted red peppers.  The dressing is a combination of Italian dressing, Parmesan cheese, and seasonings.  It's really delicious and makes a complete meal when served with Italian bread.

Italian Pasta Salad (adapted from Cinnamon, Spice, and Everything Nice)
For the Dressing:
1 c. Italian dressing
1/3 c. Parmesan Cheese, freshly grater
1 t. oregano
1 t. black pepper
1/2 t. salt
For the Pasta Salad:
1/4 c. finely diced red onion
3/4 c. chopped artichoke hearts
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 c. roasted red peppers, chopped
3/4 c. pepperoni, chopped
3/4 c. mozzarella cheese, diced
10 oz. small pasta, cooked
1 t. Italian seasoning
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1/4 t. red pepper flakes

1.  Combine all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk together.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

2.  In a large bowl combine the pasta and vegetables.  Toss to combine.

3.  Pour the dressing over top of the pasta and mix well.

4.  Mix in the pepperoni, cheese, and seasonings and toss to combine.  Taste the pasta salad and season with additional salt or pepper if desired.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

     I love the summer.  It has to be my favorite time of year.  It's warm outside, the sun is shining, and I don't have to work!  I have plenty of time to bake and cook and I love trying new recipes with my extra time.  Unfortunately we do not have air conditioning so I can only bake early in the morning or later in the evening when it is cooler.

     That means whenever I'm looking to make lunch or dinner I want something that is either fast to cook or is a cold dish that's also filling.  I make a lot of salads and pasta salads.  I have a formula when I make them but I try to switch the flavors up when I can.  This pasta salad is very hearty, has great Italian flavors, and is a snap to make.  Plus our theme for this month's The Salad Bar is Potluck Salads and I always bring pasta salad to a potluck. 

     While the base of all my pasta salads have pasta, cheese, pepperoni, and dressing, this one really gets bonus points for the onion, artichoke hearts, bell pepper, and roasted red peppers.  The dressing is a combination of Italian dressing, Parmesan cheese, and seasonings.  It's really delicious and makes a complete meal when served with Italian bread.

Italian Pasta Salad (adapted from Cinnamon, Spice, and Everything Nice)
For the Dressing:
1 c. Italian dressing
1/3 c. Parmesan Cheese, freshly grater
1 t. oregano
1 t. black pepper
1/2 t. salt
For the Pasta Salad:
1/4 c. finely diced red onion
3/4 c. chopped artichoke hearts
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 c. roasted red peppers, chopped
3/4 c. pepperoni, chopped
3/4 c. mozzarella cheese, diced
10 oz. small pasta, cooked
1 t. Italian seasoning
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1/4 t. red pepper flakes

1.  Combine all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk together.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

2.  In a large bowl combine the pasta and vegetables.  Toss to combine.

3.  Pour the dressing over top of the pasta and mix well.

4.  Mix in the pepperoni, cheese, and seasonings and toss to combine.  Taste the pasta salad and season with additional salt or pepper if desired.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Chicken Salads with Strawberries and Soy Vinaigrette #TheSaladBar

     I am excited to be part of a new monthly group featuring salads called The Salad Bar!  Every month we'll have a theme and then we will be making side salads or entrees salads around the theme.  I can't wait to see what everyone has made for our first month.  The theme is berries which is so fitting for June!

     I didn't even have to think about what salad I wanted to make.  About 10 years ago I worked part time at a bar where we only served food on Sundays.  The other bartender would choose something to make and that would be the only thing we served on that particular Sunday.  About once a month she made these awesome grilled chicken salads with loads of vegetables, strawberries, and a soy vinaigrette.  Her vinaigrette came from a bottle but I wanted to make my own version.

      This was always one of my favorite salads.  It looks pretty and I loved the combination of chicken, sweet strawberries, crunchy vegetables, and the salty, slightly sweet soy vinaigrette.  I used cheddar cheese in these salads but I think Gruyere would have been a better choice and is what I will use for next time.

Chicken Salads with Strawberries and Soy Vinaigrette (a Hezzi-D original)
For the salad:
4 c. mixed greens
1/2 c. strawberries, stems removed and quartered
1/4 c. red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 c. broccoli florets
1/4 c. carrots, diced
2 T. cheddar cheese
2 T. croutons

For the dressing:
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. low sodium soy sauce
1 t. Italian seasonings
1/2 t. black pepper
1-2 t. honey

For the chicken:
1 lb. chicken breasts, sliced in half
1/3 c. orange juice
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 t. rosemary
3/4 t. black pepper
1 t. paprika
3 garlic cloves minced

1.  In a small bowl combine the ingredients for the dressing.  Whisk together and refrigerate until ready to use.

2.  Place the chicken in a gallon sized baggie.  Pour the orange juice, soy sauce, rosemary, pepper, paprika, and garlic cloves over top of it.  Seal the bag and shake to coat the chicken with the marinade.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.

3.  In a large bowl combine the mixed greens, onion, broccoli, carrot, and cheese.  Toss to combine and then divide onto 2 plates.  Place the quartered strawberries around the outside edge of the salad and then sprinkle the croutons over the top.  Set aside.

4.  Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and place in the skillet.  Discard remaining marinade.

5.  Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side or until a thermometer reads 170 degrees.  Remove from the pan and slice into thin slices.  Place the chicken on top of the salads.

6.  Remove the dressing from the refrigerator, whisk it together to combine, and pour over top of the salads.

     I am excited to be part of a new monthly group featuring salads called The Salad Bar!  Every month we'll have a theme and then we will be making side salads or entrees salads around the theme.  I can't wait to see what everyone has made for our first month.  The theme is berries which is so fitting for June!

     I didn't even have to think about what salad I wanted to make.  About 10 years ago I worked part time at a bar where we only served food on Sundays.  The other bartender would choose something to make and that would be the only thing we served on that particular Sunday.  About once a month she made these awesome grilled chicken salads with loads of vegetables, strawberries, and a soy vinaigrette.  Her vinaigrette came from a bottle but I wanted to make my own version.

      This was always one of my favorite salads.  It looks pretty and I loved the combination of chicken, sweet strawberries, crunchy vegetables, and the salty, slightly sweet soy vinaigrette.  I used cheddar cheese in these salads but I think Gruyere would have been a better choice and is what I will use for next time.

Chicken Salads with Strawberries and Soy Vinaigrette (a Hezzi-D original)
For the salad:
4 c. mixed greens
1/2 c. strawberries, stems removed and quartered
1/4 c. red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 c. broccoli florets
1/4 c. carrots, diced
2 T. cheddar cheese
2 T. croutons

For the dressing:
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. low sodium soy sauce
1 t. Italian seasonings
1/2 t. black pepper
1-2 t. honey

For the chicken:
1 lb. chicken breasts, sliced in half
1/3 c. orange juice
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 t. rosemary
3/4 t. black pepper
1 t. paprika
3 garlic cloves minced

1.  In a small bowl combine the ingredients for the dressing.  Whisk together and refrigerate until ready to use.

2.  Place the chicken in a gallon sized baggie.  Pour the orange juice, soy sauce, rosemary, pepper, paprika, and garlic cloves over top of it.  Seal the bag and shake to coat the chicken with the marinade.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.

3.  In a large bowl combine the mixed greens, onion, broccoli, carrot, and cheese.  Toss to combine and then divide onto 2 plates.  Place the quartered strawberries around the outside edge of the salad and then sprinkle the croutons over the top.  Set aside.

4.  Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and place in the skillet.  Discard remaining marinade.

5.  Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side or until a thermometer reads 170 degrees.  Remove from the pan and slice into thin slices.  Place the chicken on top of the salads.

6.  Remove the dressing from the refrigerator, whisk it together to combine, and pour over top of the salads.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad