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Friday, June 19, 2015

Spicy Thai Peanut Noodle Salad A Perfect Summer Potluck Dish

Hard to believe, but it’s just under a week until July 4th! Between now and then, I’ll be sharing recipes that are perfect for celebrating with family and friends! I’ve got a fun twist on potato salad to share for this week’s #SundaySupper...as well as a firecracker of a burger recipe and a fun vanilla treat...coming up in the next few days. Today, I’m kicking things off with a flavorful Spicy Thai Peanut Noodle Salad. It’s perfect for taking to summer potlucks, because it’s delicious both cold and at room temperature...and it contains no dairy products.

As soon as I saw this recipe on the Cooks Country website last week, I immediately added it to this weeks menu! Cook’s Country is part of the America’s Test Kitchen family, and their recipes never disappoint! What’s not to like? They do all the trial-and-error work for you. All you have to do is make the final kitchen-tested, no-fail recipe and enjoy the compliments! I used their peanut-based dressing recipe and prep technique, but I did make a few small tweaks. I added sriracha to the dressing instead of the suggested Tabasco, and I changed the veggies up just a bit. I used crunchy cucumber and carrot, as well as a double shot of onions This salad is knock-your-socks-off good!

Spicy Thai Peanut Noodle Salad

adapted from Cooks Country

Step 1: Cook 1 lb. of spaghetti in a pot of well-salted water. While the pasta cooks, make the dressing. Add the following ingredients to a large bowl: 3/4 cup chunky peanut butter, 1/3 cup soy sauce, 3 tbs. vinegar, 1 tbs. grated fresh ginger, 1 tbs. sriracha (or Tabasco), 1 tsp. honey, 1/3 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water, and 1 tsp. dried cilantro. Whisk well to combine and set aside.

Step 2: When the pasta is cooked, drain well in a colander under cold water. Keep rinsing until the pasta has cooled to room temperature. Place the cooled spaghetti in a large bowl and add 2 tbs. sesame oil...toss to evenly coat. Add the following veggies: 1/2 a cucumber seeded and cut into a small dice, 1/2 cup carrot cut into bite-sized pieces, 4 sliced green onions, and 1/2 cup sweet yellow onion cut into thin matchstick slivers.

Step 3: Add the reserved dressing and 2 tbs. chopped flat-leaf parsley. Toss everything together with tongs. Make sure that the dressing evenly coats all the noodles and the veggies. Serve immediately at room temperate or chill. The original recipe notes that you should remove chilled pasta from the fridge about 20 minutes before serving for the proper consistency.

There you have it: noodles, spicy peanut sauce, and crisp veggies...I loved this international spin on pasta salad! The heat level was perfect for us with 1 tbs. of sriracha, but feel free to up that amount if you like your food especially fiery. I served this noodle salad with the leftover Honey Ginger Soy Chicken that I made for this week’s #SundaySupper. The flavors worked really nicely together, but you could easily add grilled shrimp or diced tofu to make this a light Summer main dish. One final note: the recipe suggests keeping all of the cooked ingredients separate and tossing everything together just before serving if you’re transporting it to a party.

Back to School SundaySupper Featuring Chopped Shrimp Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette

Where has the Summer gone to? It seems like it was just Memorial Day…and now Labor Day is right around the corner. For many of you, that means one thing: back to school! Some school districts in Texas have already started the new school year, so today’s Back to School #SundaySupper is perfect! Our co-hostesses Tammi of Mommas Meals and Gwen from Simply Healthy Family asked us to share our favorite quick breakfast, brown-bag lunch, afternoon snack, or quick-cook dinner options. Since time always seems to be short for me no matter the time of year, I’m always happy to add new fast-and-easy recipes to my busy weeknight repertoire. The recipe I’m sharing today is for a refreshing, yet filling main dish salad.

My Chopped Shrimp Salad with Honey-Lime Vinaigrette is refreshing on a warm evening…but it’s filing enough to satisfy even big appetites. The trick to preparing this salad as quickly as possible is to buy peeled and deveined shrimp from the grocery store. With that and a bit of multitasking, this complete meal-in-a-bowl salad is ready to serve in about 30 minutes. It features chopped grilled shrimp, avoacado, crumble goat cheese, select veggies, and a couple of crunchy components. Don’t be intimidated by the homemade dressing – it has just a few simple ingredients and comes together in just a couple of minutes. If your family is allergic to – or doesn’t eat – seafood, simply sub in bite-sized cubes of chicken. To make it veg-friendly, sub cubed tofu or roasted chickpeas. You really can’t go wrong!

Chopped Shrimp Salad
with Honey-Lime Vinaigrette

A Weekend Gourmet Original

Ingredients:

1 bag chopped hearts of romaine
1 zucchini, halved and cut into half moons
12 grape tomatoes, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 medium avocado, peeled and diced
1 bunch green onion, chopped
4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
1 cup packaged wonton strips
¾ cup honey-glazed sliced almonds
1 lbs. large shrimp, peeled and deveined -- tails removed
2 tbs. Cajun seasoning blend
1 tbs. olive oil

For the dressing:

1/3 cup olive oil
3 tbs. fresh lime juice
1.5 tbs. honey
1 tsp. dried cilantro leaves
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Step 1: Evenly coat a cast-iron grill pan with the olive oil. Heat the grill pan over med-high heat for five minutes. Sprinkle the zucchini slices with half of the Cajun spice. Grill the zucchini pieces until they are cooked and have grill marks on both sides. On my grill pan, this took about 5 minutes per side. While the zucchini cooks, sprinkle the remaining Cajun seasoning on the shrimp and toss to evenly coat.

Step 2: After the zucchini has cooked, set aside. Reduce the heat to medium and sear the shrimp until they are cooked through. This takes about 5 minutes, flipping the shrimp over halfway through the cooking time. Remove the cooked shrimp to a cutting board and chop into bite-sized pieces. While the shrimp cook, this gives you time to chop the green onions, grape tomatoes, and avocado.

Step 3: Make the dressing by adding the olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, honey, and salt & pepper to a small cup. Whisk until the honey is completely incorporated.

Step 4: To assemble the salad, add the chopped romaine to the bottom of a large, shallow serving bowl; drizzle with half of the vinaigrette. Place the chopped shrimp in the middle, in a circular pattern. Arrange the almonds, wonton crisps, avocado, tomatoes, green onions, goat cheese, and zucchini around the perimeter of the bowl. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette on top of the salad. Just before serving, toss to thoroughly combine all of the ingredients.

This salad is an explosion of flavors and textures...making every bite slightly different. The creamy goat cheese and avocado, the crunchy almonds and wonton strips...and the sweet and spicy shrimp...all combine to make a fabulous main dish salad. I had never added zucchini to a salad before, but their earthy flavor worked really nicely with the tomatoes and green onions. The dressing was perfect: light and sweetly tart. I love this salad and cant WAIT to make it again before Summer is over!

Wait until you see all of the great recipes the rest of the #SundaySupper bloggers are sharing today. Weve got something for everyone -- from breakfast to dinner...and everything in between. I know youll find some family-friendly quick-cook recipes to add to your weekday rotation!

Back to School Beginnings

Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Muffins from Killer Bunnies
Make Ahead Waffle Casserole from Bobbis Kozy Kitchen
Apple Muffins from Meal Diva
Apple Oat Breakfast Cookies from What Smells So Good?
Toast Three Ways from Foxes Love Lemons

Back to School Lunches and Simple Suppers

Owl Bento Box from Simply Gourmet
First Day of School Pinwheels from Janes Adventures in Dinner
Quick and Easy Hot Pastrami Sliders from Webicurean
Grilled Chicken Revamp from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Baked Eggplant Parmesan from Hezzi Ds Books and Cooks
Chicken and Zucchinin Meatballs from Casa de Crews
Clean Eating Lunches Your Kids will Love from Amees Savory Dish
Crispy Chicken Legs from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
DIY Veggie Cup Noodles from Food Lust People Love
Chicken Nuggets from Nosh my Way
Skinny Spinach Mac and Cheese from Take a Bite out of Boca
Chicken Schnitzle from Panning the Globe
Berry Nutty Bento from Ninja Baking
Spagetti and Chicken Meatballs from Sonis Food
Steak & Cheese Pockets from Mommas Meals
Turkey Pinwheels from Peanut Butter and Peppers

Back to School Sips

Hulk SMASH Smoothie from Run DMT
Good Morning Smoothies from Family Foodie

Back to School Super Snacks

Nutty Granola from Life Tastes Good
On the Go Guacamole from Shannon at Country Girl in the Village
Cinnamon Caramel Apple Energy Balls from Cupcakes and Kale Chips
Playground Granola Bars from Noshing with the Nolands
Apricot Dip from Magnolia Days
Parmesan Garlic Oven Roasted Chick Peas from Ruffles and Truffles
Home Made Graham Crackers from Curious Cuisiniere
Peanut Butter and Jelly Granola Bars from Pies and Plots
Gluten Free Apple Zucchini Flax Bread from Sues Nutrition Buzz
Beef and Veggie Sliders from Grumpys Honeybunch
Peanut Butter and Jelly Popcorn from Simply Healthy Family
Frushi (Fruit Sushi) from Mama Bee Does

Back to School Sweets and Treats

Open Face PB & J Cookies from Desserts Required
Berry Topped Chocolate Silk Tart from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Peanut Butter and Jelly Paletas from La Cocina de Leslie
Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins from Confessions of a Culinary Diva
Love Note Doodle Bugs from Happy Baking Days
Frozen Yogurt Mud Pies from Cindys Recipes and Writings
Brown Butter Peanut Butter Crispy Treats from The Texan New Yorker

Be sure to join the #SundaySupper conversation on Twitter later today! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET/600 CST. Simply follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement?

It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here:

Mexican TheSaladBar Featuring Chunky Mexican Brown Rice Salad with Cliantro Lime Dressing

Its time for another monthly #TheSaladBar feature! This months theme is Mexican salads, which is a very broad and versatile theme. I challenged members to come up with a main dish salad or a side salad the uses their favorite spicy Mexican flavors. As the weather turns cooler, salads may not be the first thing you think of...but salads are versatile enough that they can be made and enjoyed year-round by using seasonal ingredients and using your creativity. For this months theme, I wanted to make a healthy and creative side salad that can be enjoyed cold or at room temperature. Enter my Chunky Brown Rice Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing! It has all of my favorite Mexican food flavors and is combined with healthy brown rice. This dish is veg-friendly and can be made vegan-friendly by removing the cheese and subbing in roasted poblano pepper and/or some beans.

This recipe is ideal if you find yourself with leftover rice...or it can be a plan-ahead by cooking extra rice with dinner one evening. If youre in a pinch...like I was...simply pick up a 2-cup package of shelf-stable cooked brown rice and use that! I added avocado, tomato, green onion, roasted corn and cheese to my rice...then tossed with a super-simple homemade cilantro-lime vinaigrette. If you can get your hands on Mexican queso fresco, use that...but firm, mild feta works well too. Thats what I used since I had some in my fridge. By using pre-cooked rice, this dish was assembled and ready to chill in about 20 minutes!

Chunky Mexican Rice Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing

a Weekend Gourmet Creation

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked brown rice
1 Roma tomato, seeded and chopped
1/2 avocado, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup diced queso fresco OR firm, mild feta [NOTE: I used Athenos block feta]
2-3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup corn kernels
1 tbs. olive oil
Dressing: juice of 2 small limes, 2 tbs. olive oil, 1 tsp. honey or agave, 1 tsp. dry OR 1 tbs. fresh cilantro, salt & pepper to taste.

Directions:

Step 1: Add 1 tbs. olive oil to a non-stick skillet over med-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the corn kernels in an even layer. Cook until they are golden brown and smell nutty...stirring every few minutes. This will take about 10 minutes. While the corn is roasting, make the dressing by combining all ingredients in a small measuring cup and whisking. Set the dressing aside while the corn roasts and you chop the veggies.

Step 2: Add the cooked brown rice to a mixing bowl. Add the cheese, green onion, tomato and avocado. When the corn has roasted, add it to the bowl as well.

Step 3: Whisk the reserved dressing and pour on top. Mix with a sturdy spoon until the ingredients are thoroughly combined and have been coated with the dressing. You can serve immediately, but I think it tastes better when its refrigerated for a few hours and sits at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

This healthy salad is filling, yet light...and the dressing ties all the flavors and textures together perfectly! Roasting the corn takes a few minutes, but the nutty flavor it provides works really nicely with the nutty brown rice. I served this salad as a side dish for grilled sausages, but it would also make a really nice light lunch. This ones a keeper, friends! I hope youll click in the links below and check out the Mexican-themed recipes the rest of #TheSaladBar participants are sharing today.

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This month’s theme for #TheSaladBar is pomegranates. Tangy pomegranate is in season this month, and it’s perfect for creating vibrant holiday salads. You can sprinkle pomegranate seeds (arils) on top of the salad, use the juice to flavor the dressing…or both. Pomegranate arils are vibrant purple-pink and look like tiny jewels when resting against salad greens. To me, the seeds inside have a nutty flavor. I love them! My Holiday Pomegranate-Pistachio Salad with Blood Orange-Pomegranate Vinaigrette is a perfect holiday side dish. It’s light and healthy, and it looks seasonal and festive when you serve it. You can buy a whole pomegranate and seed it yourself. If you decide to go that route, POM Wonderful has an excellent step-by-step video tutorial. However, I opted to use another great POM Wonderful product for this salad: POM POMS ready-to-use arils. They’re refrigerated and come packaged in convenient sealed 4- and 8-ounce cups, ready to open up and use. So simple! This is a really great time-saving product that I keep on hand throughout pomegranate season. One of my favorite holiday recipes featuring pomegranate arils are my pretty Filo Cups with Whipped Brie, Pomegranate Molasses, Pistachios and Pomegranate Arils. These bite-sized appetizers are a snap to make, but they will WOW your guests!

To save time, I also used convenient Dole Seven Lettuces Salad Blend in this salad. It provides a nice variety of tender, flavorful salad greens. The packaging mentioned that it paired well with citrus flavors, so I knew it would be a great choice. To round out my vibrantly colored holiday salad, I topped it with some good-quality feta cheese and chopped green pistachios. My simple homemade vinaigrette was made using O Olive Oil’s fabulous blood orange-infused olive oil and pomegranate champagne vinegar. These two flavors work really nicely together, and the simple vinaigrette only took a few minutes to whisk together. If youre planning a sit-down meal during the holidays, this salad would make a fabulous addition...especially if its served in a gorgeous holiday-themed bowl. Let me show you just how simple this salad is to whip up.

Holiday Pomegranate-Pistachio Salad
with Blood Orange-Pomegranate Vinaigrette

a Weekend Gourmet Original

Ingredients:

· 1 bag Dole salad

· ½ cup POM Wonderful POM POM ready-to-use arils

· ½ cup crumbled feta

· ½ cup chopped roasted and salted pistachios

For the vinaigrette:

· ½ cup O blood orange olive oil

· ¼ cup O pomegranate champagne vinegar

· 1 tbs. honey

· 1 tbs. shallot, very finely diced

· Salt and pepper to taste

Step 1: Add the salad greens to a large salad bowl. Top with the pomegranate arils, feta and pistachios. If you like, ½ cup of mandarin orange segments or blood orange segments can be added as well.

Step 2: Make the sweet-tart pomegranate vinaigrette by whisking together the dressing ingredients in a small measuring cup. When youre ready to serve the salad, pour the vinaigrette on top and give it a gentle toss. NOTE: Adding the dressing just before serving ensures a fresh, crisp salad.

That’s it…utter simplicity! This salad is perfect for your upcoming holiday dinner menu. It’s ready to eat in a snap, full of vibrant flavors and textures, and healthy to boot. I love the way the tart arils, salty-tangy feta and pistachios work with the greens. The vinaigrette is sweetly tart and compliments the salad ingredients without overpowering them. The champagne vinegar is lightly acidic, and it pairs so nicely with the citrusy olive oil. Bottom line: this salad is my holiday gift to you!

Be sure to check out the other great pomegranate-inspired salads my fellow #TheSaladBar friends are sharing today. If you’ve never used pomegranate in salads before, I hope the salads being shared today change that!

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Disclosure: I was provided POM Wonderful arils, Dole Salad Blends and O Olive Oil and Vinegar to facilitate this post. I received no further compensation, and all opinions expressed are my own.

(Not Tricked Up) Tuna Salad

I dont know about you, but I have a habit of trying to trick up my tuna salad with all kinds of things - pecans, pine nuts, dried cranberries, pickles, celery, etc. I just dont know when to quit.

Well this time I did it. I refrained. I only added 3 ingredients (aside from salt and pepper) to my tuna and it was quite possibly better than Ive ever made before.

Maybe its the tuna (I used the fresh caught tuna my sister-in-law Deb purchased from a Garibaldi fisherman at the dock, then canned herself the same day) or maybe its the simple goodness that comes from creating just the right flavor profile that enhances the tuna, but doesnt steal the show. Either way I can take credit for neither. My other sister-in-law Sunny made it this way last week and since then, Im a convert.

Deb canned the tuna adding
absolutely nothing except the fresh tuna
no water..no salt..nothing

to the tuna I added red onion, red apple and mayonnaise
(plus salt and pepper)

Serves 2 (about 1/2 cup each)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup tuna, drained (just use your favorite kind)

1/2 of a very small red onion or 1/4 of a regular size, diced

1/4 of a red apple, diced

2 Tablespoons good mayonnaise (I used Best)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

lots of fresh cracked pepper

In medium bowl mix all ingredients together. Serve with crackers or make a sandwich using your favorite bread.

Chilled Asparagus Salad

Whos ready for a light and healthy dish?

After yesterdays Super Bowl munchies (delicious though they are) if youre like me - youre ready for a light meal just about now.

This salad doesnt get any healthier. No oils, no butter - just a nice healthy squeeze of fresh lime juice plus sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. Thats all you need to let the fresh asparagus, crunchy corn off the cob, and sweet cherry tomatoes work their magic on your taste buds.

Serve this as a side dish, or enjoy it for a light lunch. Or you can add some protein (like roasted chicken, tofu, or black beans) for a more hearty one dish meal. I like this salad cold or at room temperature.

Chilled Asparagus Salad

Serves 4 as a side or 2 as a main

10 minutes to prepare

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups fresh organic asparagus, cut into bite size pieces

1 fresh organic corn on the cob, shucked and cleaned

3/4 cup organic cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup fresh organic cilantro, chopped

1 lime (more or less to taste)

sea salt

fresh cracked pepper

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil. While water is coming to a boil, prepare an ice bath by placing water and ice in a large bowl.

Place the corn on the cob in the boiling water for approximately 1 minute then remove to a plate and set aside.

Next place asparagus in boiling water and cook for approximately 2-3 minutes until crisp tender. Immediately remove from the stove and drain in colander. Submerse colander with asparagus in ice bath so that asparagus is covered. Wait a minute, then remove and let drain.

Cut the corn from the cob, by placing the flat end of the cob on a large plate or bowl, steady the top with your hand or a corn holder, then using your knife, carefully cut down the length of the cob on all sides to remove the corn.

In a large bowl, mix the asparagus, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, juice of 1 lime (more or less to taste), and season with sea salt and pepper. I like to use lots of fresh lime juice which gives a nice acidic brightness to this dish.

I like lots of fresh squeezed lime juice, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

Youre ready to serve as is or you can refrigerate to make colder.

Chilled Asparagus Salad

Veggie Salad vegetarian

Veggie Salad? Thats the best name I could come up with?? Well, I didnt want to call it just a "salad" and "using up all the leftover veggies salad" seemed like too long a name. So there you have it.

As you might have guessed, this salad was inspired by all the veggies I had that I needed to use up. Breakfast radishes, grilled red corn, heirloom cherry tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, jalapeno, scallions, and some iceberg lettuce - yep, that about did it...fridge cleaned out! Oh, and the lovely warm purple potato salad. What a great (unintentional) vegetarian meal!

It’s time for another fun Foodie Penpal reveal! This month, I received a box of goodies from sweet Sami. Sami lives in upstate New York, and she picked up some fun stuff for me during a recent family trip to Canada. My package contained some sweet maple candy, two mini jars of delicious Greaves fruit jams, a jar of Italian salsa, and an ADORABLE pink monogrammed straw-cup that was hand-decorated by one of her daughters! Sami also took time to write me a very sweet letter telling her trip to Canada and some background info on all the items she sent. I took the cheerful glass to use at my office, and it really brightens my day! The candies taste just like maple syrup, which is definitely a good thing in my book. We haven’t opened the salsa yet, but I’m saving it for the next time we have company...I’m curious to see how it differs from the Tex-Mex salsa that we have here in Texas. I might make a batch of fried raviolis to serve with this salsa...seems like a match made in heaven.

Knowing that I like to feature a recipe using at least one of the products that I receive each month, Sami included a recipe for her favorite salad...which just so happens to have strawberry jam in the homemade vinaigrette! I earmarked some of the strawberry-rhubarb jam she sent to make her salad, and I’m going to share it with y’all today. The only minor tweaks that I made to Sami’s recipe were to use sheep milk feta in place of goat cheese...the flavor and texture is quite similar to goat cheese, so I thought it would work just fine. I also used candied pecans instead of walnuts. This salad is super-quick to whip up, and it pairs perfectly with grilled chicken or fish on a warm summer night!

Samis Strawberry Salad

adapted from Foodie Pen Pal Sami

Step 1: Make the vinaigrette by adding the following ingredients to a bowl or small measuring cup: 1 tbs. strawberry jam, 1.5 tbs. balsamic vinegar, 3-4 tbs. olive oil, and salt & pepper to taste. Whisk well to combine.

Step 2: Add 4 cups mixed field greens to a bowl, add dressing, and toss to coat evenly. Arrange the greens on a chilled platter and top with the following ingredients: 4-5 chopped strawberries, 1/3 cup chopped candied nuts (I used pecans), and 1/3 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese.

This salad was so refreshing on a hot Texas evening! I make a similar salad that Ive featured in here before. The homemade vinaigrette that Sami includes is the difference: its sweet and tangy, and the fruity olive oil works so nicely when combined with the other ingredients. You could easily make this a main dish salad by adding some diced chicken breast.

How would you like to join the Foodie Penpal fun? All you have to do is visit Lindsay at The Lean Green Bean to sign up! Youll be paired with a fellow food lover to send a package to...and youll received a food package in return from another participant. Its like Christmas morning every month when your package arrives...trust me!

TheSaladBar for September Asian Salads Featuring Asian Chopped Chicken Salad

This month, I challenged #TheSaladBar participants to create delicious salads with Asian flavors. I cant wait to see what everyones sharing today! Here in Texas, its still quite warm in the afternoons...so were still eating main dish salads for dinner. For this months theme, I created Asian Chopped Chicken Salad. It features all of my favorite Asian flavors in one big bowl of chopped goodness. It contains Asian-spiced chicken tenderloins, a convenient bag of pre-chopped veggies, mandarin oranges, cashews, coconut chips, wonton crisps and a lovely miso ginger vinaigrette. This salad is a busy cooks best friend, because its ready to serve in 30 minutes or less!

Im not kidding when I say this salad couldnt be easier! Simply place all the ingredients into a large bowl, add store-bought miso ginger dressing...and give it all a toss. This salad features a fabulous combination of flavors and textures. Because the chopped salad mix I used included cabbage, it had a great crunch! I loved this salad so much that I had seconds. You want to make this one ASAP.

Asian Chopped Chicken Salad

a Weekend Gourmet Original

Ingredients:

3/4 lb. chicken breast tenderloins
1 tsp. McCormick Perfect Pinch Asian Seasoning
1 tbs. olive oil
4 cups chopped salad greens of your choice [I used a bagged mix that contained chopped romaine, cabbage, matchstick carrots and cilantro.]
2-3 sliced green onions
1 cup mandarin orange segments
3/4 cup cashews [I used Sahale Snacks Sing Buri cashews flavored with pineapple, lemongrass and Chinese chile]
1 cup wonton strips (found in the Produce section, near the bagged salads)
1/2 cup coconut chips [I used a bag of Dang Toasted Coconut Chips]
1/2 cup Bolthouse Farms Miso Ginger Vinaigrette

Directions:

Add the olive oil to a large non-stick skillet over med-high heat. Sprinkle the tenderloins evenly with the Asian seasoning, on both sides. Add salt to taste. Sear the tenderloins until browned and cooked on all sides. Set aside on a cutting board to cool slightly.
Add the chopped salad greens, green onions, mandarin oranges, cashews, wonton strips, and coconut chips to a large mixing bowl. Add the chopped chicken and pour the dressing over the top.
Use tongs to toss, making sure everything is well mixed and evenly covered with the miso ginger dressing. Serve on well-chilled plates. Makes 3-4 main dish servings. Good pairings include pan-fried Asian dumplings or takeout egg rolls.

This salad was a perfect late-Summer dinner this week! We loved all the flavors and textures going on in each bite. The crunchy cashews, coconut chips and wonton strips worked nicely with the chopped greens. The mandarin oranges added a nice citrus punch...and the tender chicken provided filling protein. And the dressing? We loved it! It had a slightly nutty flavor from the miso, and the ginger gave it a nice zing. I cant wait to make this salad again and again.

Wait until you see all the fabulous Asian-inspired salads that the rest of this months #TheSaladBar participants are sharing. Theyre all very creative and delicious, so I hope youll click the links below to check out their creations!

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Disclosure: The McCormick seasoning, Sahale Snacks nuts, Bolthouse Farms dressing and Dang Coconut Chips were provided to me by the manufacturers to develop this recipe. I received no further compensation, and the opinions stated are my own.

Celebrating SundaySupper July 4th Fun Featuring Texas Creole Crawfish Potato Salad

This week’s #SundaySupper features everything you need to whip up a fun and delicious July 4th meal...from side dishes to main dishes to festive desserts. Think of your #SundaySupper bloggers as your one-stop shop for fantastic holiday-themed recipes! My contribution to the virtual cookout is a modern spin on an American classic: potato salad. Dont get me wrong: I LOVE potato old-fashioned potato salad. But...this time, I wanted to do something a bit different. Michael found a great recipe and showed it to me earlier this week...which usually means that he wants me to make the dish.

When I took a look, I was onboard in a split second. Try this on for size: Texas-Creole Crawfish Potato Salad. This recipe is my take on a recipe from Brennan’s Houston. Its one of my favorite restaurants of all time, and they really have an inventive way of combining Texas and Louisiana Creole flavors in delicious ways! I made a few tweaks to their recipe to suit our taste buds. I subbed cornichons (French baby pickles) for pickled okra, because that’s one veggie we no can do at Casa Garcia. I also left out the bell pepper since I cant eat it unless its cooked really well. Feel free to add 1/2 cup of chopped bell pepper if you like it.

To compensate for these changes, I upped the amount of boiled eggs and cooked bacon...so I hope all is forgiven. This defininitely ain’t your Mama’s potato salad, but it sure is good! It has just enough classic potato salad ingredients to taste familiar: boiled eggs, tangy pickles, and celery. Then? It takes a sharp detour with Cajun-spiced crawfish tails, sauteed shallot, and bacon. I know some of you might be skeptical, but sometimes different is good...

Texas-Creole Crawfish Potato Salad

adapted from Brennans Houston

Step 1: Boil 1 lb. potatoes and two large eggs in salted water. I used a package of Dutch yellow peewee potatoes, but fingerlings or Yukon gold potatoes would work well too. While the potatoes and eggs cook, make the dressing. Combine the following ingredients in a large measuring cup: 2/3 cup mayo, 1/4 cup Creole mustard (Zatarains is good), the juice of half a lemon, and 1/4 cup pickle brine. Whisk to combine and set aside.

Step 2: Cook 3 slices applewood bacon until crispy and crumble; set aside. Drain the grease from the pan and add 1 tbs. olive oil. Saute 1/3 cup sliced celery and 1/2 cup diced shallot for a few minutes...until they are softened a bit, but still a bit crunchy. Set aside to cool. Add 1 more tbs. olive oil to the pan and add 1/2 pound crawfish tails and 1 tbs. Cajun seasoning. Cook until heated through over med heat.

Step 3: When the potatoes and eggs are cooked, cool. Peel and dice the cooled eggs and set aside. Place the cooled potatoes in a large bowl and cut into bite-sized pieces. Add the reserved shallot, celery, and bacon. Then, add 1/3 cup sliced cornichons, 3 sliced green onions, and the cooked crawfish.

Step 4: Pour the dressing over the top and stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to let the potato salad chill...and the flavors to combine. Serve as a side dish, or as a light Summer supper.

Oh. My. This unique potato salad is OUT of this world!! The earthy potatoes, creamy and tangy dressing, spicy and sweet crawfish, and smoky bacon work perfectly together...and I LOVED the shallot and cornichons. Every bite of this potato salad featured a slightly different flavor and texture profile, depending on what was on the fork. Truth told, I couldve eaten the entire bowl of this potato myself, but I shared with Michael since hes the one who found the recipe!!

If you want to join in the weekly fun, all you have to do is visit our founder Isabel from Family Foodie and let her know you want to take part in our group. We will be sharing our featured recipes all afternoon via Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. Then, well be having a live chat on Twitter at 530 EST. Use the hashtag #SundaySupper, and come join in on the fun. While youre at it, take a look at all the fabulous recipes my fellow #SundaySupper bloggers are sharing! We look forward to spending time Around the Family Table with you!!!

Main Dishes:

Tender & Sweet Crockpot Brisket Juanita’s Cocina
Savory Patriotic Chicken Kabobs Big Bear’s Wife
Firecracker Salmon Rolls Comfy Cuisine
Red, White & Blue Grilled Pizza Momma’s Meals
Baby Back Ribs with Balsamic Peach BBQ Sauce Damn Delicious
Bubblin’ Brown Sugar Baby Back Ribs In The Kitchen With KP
Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
Grilled Hawaiian Teriyaki Beef Mrs. Mama Hen
Cantaloupe and Prosciutto Salad with Perfectly Grilled Chicken and Potatoes Daddy Knows Less
Texas Smoked Brisket Doggie At The Dinner Table
Grilled Chicken in a Blueberry BBQ Sauce Small Wallet Big Appetite
Chicken Burgers with Curried Cabbage Slaw-Indian Soni’s Food for Thought
Finger Foods for the Fourth Pescetarian Journal
Grilled Pork Satays with Peanut Sauce Tora’s Real Food

Salads and Sides:

Southwestern Corn and Black Bean Salad Supper for a Steal
Roasted/Grilled Asparagus with Parmesan Katherine Martinelli
Patriotic Ranch Potato Salad The Meltaways
Roasted Red Pepper & White Bean Salad Are you hungry
Texas-Creole Crawfish Potato Salad The Weekend gourmet
Spicy Italian Peppers in Sauce What Smells so Good?
Sangria Fruit Salad Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Stuffed Black Olive Cookistry
Mexican Quinoa Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing Dinners Dishes and Desserts
Low Fat Pasta Salad Basic and Delicious
Bean Salad with Pickled Vegetables Diabetic Foodie
Tomato and Mozzarella Appetizer Family Foodie

Desserts:

Red White & Blueberry Ricotta Cupcakes Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
Red Velvet Brownies Magnolia Days
S’mores Pastries Daily Dish Recipes
Red, White and Blue Firecracker Cupcakes Chocolate Moosey
Caramel-filled Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream The Messy Baker
Strawberry and Cream Cake Cupcakes and Kale Chips
White Chocolate Berry Tart Vintage Kitchen Notes
Red White and Blue Coconut Rum Cake Family Spice
Individual Red White and Blue Triffles Chelsea’s Culinary Indulgence
Mini Carrot Cakes Mama’s Blissful Bites
Plum and Apple Pies Cositas Bonitas

Fabulous Wine Pairings by Martin from ENOFYLZ

Sasa Recipe

Pages

Friday, June 19, 2015

Spicy Thai Peanut Noodle Salad A Perfect Summer Potluck Dish

Saturday, April 4, 2015

Back to School SundaySupper Featuring Chopped Shrimp Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Mexican TheSaladBar Featuring Chunky Mexican Brown Rice Salad with Cliantro Lime Dressing

Pomegranate TheSaladBar Featuring Holiday Pomegranate Pistachio Salad

Not Tricked Up Tuna Salad

Chilled Asparagus Salad

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Veggie Salad vegetarian

July Foodie Penpal Reveal Featuring Samis Strawberry Salad

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

TheSaladBar for September Asian Salads Featuring Asian Chopped Chicken Salad

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Celebrating SundaySupper July 4th Fun Featuring Texas Creole Crawfish Potato Salad

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