Asian Chicken Salad

The first time I had this salad was back in October of last year.  I was in Georgia visiting old friends and they shared this recipe with me.  I LOVED it!  Not only is it pretty to look at with the red cabbage and green onions, but it tastes FABULOUS.  There is so much fun for your mouth - crunchy cabbage and almonds, soft yet firm ramen noodles, and the slight spice of cilantro.  The recipe makes a lot: doubling it would definitely feed a crowd.  And for a great price!  Many of the ingredients are super cheap.  I plan to take this next time I'm invited to a potluck.

The dressing comes from a bottle, and while I'm usually more inclined to make my own dressing, I doubt I could top the flavor of this one.  It's Ken's Steak House Lite Asian Sesame with Ginger & Soy:

You'll only use 1/2 a bottle for the recipe below, but the flavor of this stuff is amazing.  You won't regret having some left over.

This can be made the day before, but I really think it's best the day of (though it does need to chill an hour or so for the flavors to fully develop).  I've eaten it 2 days later and still been happy with it.  I've been told it holds up left out in the heat on a buffet, but haven't tried that out yet myself.

ASIAN CHICKEN SALAD
serves 6 as a main dish, 8-10 as a side

1/2 head red cabbage, shredded (thinly sliced and chopped)
2-3 cups shredded, cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken works!)
3 pkgs. (3 oz each) ramen noodles (Oriental or Chicken flavor are best)
1 bunch green onions, sliced
heaping 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro (about 1/2 a bunch)
1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds (plus more for garnish, if desired)
1/2 bottle Ken's Steak House Lite Asian Sesame with Ginger & Soy dressing

In a large bowl, toss chicken with about 1/4 cup of dressing.  Set aside.

In a skillet over medium heat, toast sesame seeds and almonds just until fragrant and light, light brown.  Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large pot, bring 2 quarts of water mixed with ramen flavor packets to a boil.  Break ramen into quarters like so:

Add ramen to boiling water and cook for 30 seconds (this is to simply soften the noodles slightly, not cook them); drain and toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.  Remove to a cutting board and roughly chop the ramen:

Add the cabbage, ramen, onions, cilantro, almonds, and sesame seeds to the chicken in the large bowl.  Toss with about 1/2 the bottle of dressing, or to taste.  Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving. 

Fried Rice

I've tried a lot of fried rice recipes over the years, trying to find one that is a copycat for the fried rice you get from a place like Panda Express or your local Chinese restaurant.  I never really found something that tasted right and was therefore worth making at home.  Until now.  This recipe, to me, is almost identical in flavor to restaurant fried rice!  My husband and daughter, who both always order fried rice, agreed and gave this two thumbs up.

Some key things to remember: you get a better result when you use day-old cooked rice (though you certainly don't HAVE to wait that long) and when you don't cook your rice too soft or sticky.  A good rule of thumb is to use one cup of water for every cup of rice.  So 2 cups of rice + 2 cups of water should yield the 4 cups of cooked rice needed for this recipe.

FRIED RICE
slightly adapted from Kittencal's Best Chinese Fried Rice With Egg

3 eggs
1 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
4 cups cooked rice
1/4 cup soy sauce (I use low-sodium) + more, to taste
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 green onions, chopped (optional)

In a small bowl, beat the eggs with water.  Melt the butter in a large skillet or wok over medium heat.  Pour in the eggs and leave flat for about 2 minutes or until cooked through; remove to a plate and chop. 

Heat the vegetable oil in the same skillet and add onion and peas and carrots; saute until onion is softened and peas and carrots are cooked through - about 4-5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.  Add rice.

Drizzle soy sauce and sesame oil evenly over rice mixture and stir or toss over heat for about 5 minutes; add more soy sauce, if needed, to taste.  Mix in pepper, chopped eggs, and green onions, if using.  Serve hot.

Sweet Corn Pudding

You know how some Mexican restaurants will serve a little dollop of this delicious sweet corn...stuff...on the side of your plate?  I've always loved that stuff and wondered what it was, exactly.  Well, it's sweet corn pudding.  And it's delicious and not hard to make at all!  I made a batch to go as a side with our second Thanksgiving dinner (the one I made at home so we'd have leftovers - because what is Thanksgiving without leftovers?) and it was a hit.  My husband says it's the only way he enjoys eating corn.  Guess I'll keep it to myself that this recipe is a little rich and should only be served in little dollops like at the Mexican restaurants, and not in giant, American-sized portions.  Keeping that in mind, this recipe should make enough for 6 people.

Masa harina is a flour made from corn.  It is not the same thing as corn meal.  You can find it in the baking or Hispanic section of your grocery store.

SWEET CORN PUDDING
from Allrecipes

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1/3 cup masa harina (Mexican corn flour)
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. heavy cream (or milk can be used)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl beat together the softened butter, masa harina, and water until well mixed.  Using a food processor or blender, process the thawed corn, but leave it a little chunky.  Stir into the butter mixture.  Add cornmeal, sugar, cream, salt, and baking powder and stir to combine. Pour batter into an ungreased 8x8 baking pan.  Smooth batter and cover pan with foil.  Place pan into a 9x13 baking dish that is filled 1/3 of the way with water.  Bake for 50-60 minutes.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Oven Roasted Cabbage

I first tried this out on St. Patrick's Day.  We had corned beef and cabbage, but I wanted a more flavorful way to prepare the cabbage instead of just boiling it with the beef.  A relative of mine pinned Martha Stewart's recipe for roasted cabbage and I thought, "Hey, that'll do!"  But I was also making some roasted potatoes, so I needed a recipe that called for an oven temp of 425 instead of 400 so I could do them simultaneously.  I found one on Food.com that worked.  Essentially it's the same thing, just a decreased cooking time.

This is my new favorite way to prepare cabbage.  The flavor that comes from roasting and the browned edges is so good!  And the olive oil makes the leaves so tender.  You can cut the cabbage into wedges like pictured above, or cut it into 1-inch thick rounds, as shown here.

OVEN ROASTED CABBAGE
adapted from a recipe on Food.com

1 head of cabbage, rinsed and cut into wedges or 1-inch thick rounds
olive oil
kosher or sea salt
black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Brush a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil.  Lay wedges or rounds flat on baking sheet and brush liberally with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast in oven for 25-35 minutes or until edges are browned and cabbage is tender.

Alternatively, you can roast them at 400 degrees for 35-45 minutes.

Baked Beans

I've had this recipe for a number of years.  It comes from one of my mother-in-law's best friends.  Teri is a fantastic cook and we all look forward to her visits because they always involve yummy food.  These baked beans were found in a family cookbook and Teri was kind enough to share the recipe.

You can always double or triple the recipe if feeding a crowd.  They can be cooked on the stove or in the crockpot.  So why are they called "baked" beans?  I have no idea.  :)

Stick to the name brands - there IS a difference!

BAKED BEANS
recipe courtesy of Teri (and slightly adapted by me)

1 can (15.75 oz) Campbell's pork and beans
1 large can (28 oz) Bush's Original baked beans
1 can (15 oz) Great Northern or white beans, rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp. dry ground mustard
1 tsp. A-1 steak sauce
1/4 tsp. liquid smoke
1/2 cup diced onion
6 slices of bacon

Cook bacon until crisp, reserving 1 Tbsp. grease, and chop.  Cook onions on medium heat in the reserved grease until soft and translucent.  In a large pot or slow cooker, combine all ingredients.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes.  Or cook on high in a slow cooker for about 1 hour or until hot and bubbly (if doubling or tripling the recipe, you will need to increase cooking time by an hour or more).

Creamy Orzo and Asparagus

Like most ignorant children, I hated asparagus.  I think for most it is an acquired taste.  Thankfully I grew up and learned to appreciate this fabulous veggie.  Even if it does have a weird side effect. 

When I saw asparagus go on sale at one of my local grocery stores recently I got excited.  I have a recipe on this blog for grilled asparagus, which is one of my favorite ways to prepare it.  I also like roasting it in the oven (guess I should post a recipe for that too).  After purchasing a couple of bundles of the stuff, I decided to look up a few other recipes to try while asparagus was in season and cheap.  In my search I came upon this little gem.

I cannot rave about this recipe enough.  It's simple, it's fast, and though the flavors are mellow, they are perfectly in tune with each other.  I've made it twice in one week!  The recipe comes from Sugar & Spice by Celeste: a food blog that's been featured on the Cooking Channel, Fox News, The Knot, and The Huffington Post.  I recommend checking it out!

CREAMY ORZO AND ASPARAGUS
from Sugar & Spice by Celeste

1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
1 cup asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (yes, the Kraft kind works)
1/4 - 1/2 cup cream
salt and pepper to taste

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil.  Add orzo and cook for 5 minutes.  Add asparagus and cook for another 5 minutes.  Drain and return to pot.

Stir in butter and Parmesan cheese until melted.  Add cream until desired consistency.  Season with salt and pepper.

Cheesy Zucchini Rice

Another great dish I never would have known about if not for Pinterest!  This comes from the blog Buns in My Oven and her photos are definitely better than mine, but I'm doing the best I can with a beat up point-and-shoot.  This is a great side for chicken or pork and even my picky daughter ate this all up - mostly because you don't taste the zucchini.  I told her it was in there to make the rice look pretty.  This is a fresh alternative to the sodium-laden Rice-a-Roni.

CHEESY ZUCCHINI RICE
from Buns in My Oven

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup long-grain white rice (not instant)
2 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp. butter
1 med or 2 small zucchini, grated
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
milk, as needed

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over med-high heat.  Add the rice and stir to coat.  Toast the rice, stirring often, just until it starts to turn golden.  Slowly pour in the chicken broth, bring to a boil, turn heat to low and cover.  Cook for 15-20 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.  Remove from heat and add butter, zucchini, cheese, and garlic powder.  Stir until well incorporated.  Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.  Stir again and add salt and pepper to taste and a splash of milk for a smoother texture, if needed.

Cheddar Garlic Mashed Potatoes

These mashed potatoes are very creamy and have great flavor on their own, which makes them a great side dish for main dishes that may not have gravy to carry over.  I like them with Barbecue Meatballs or Slow Cooker Meatloaf.  For the best flavor, use sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese.

CHEDDAR GARLIC MASHED POTATOES
adapted slightly from Ben's Garlic Cheddar Mashed Potatoes on food.com

4-5 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 Tbsp. butter
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2/3 cup milk
1 cup shredded sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
sour cream, to taste
chopped parsley or chives, optional

Place potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Drain.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook for 1 minute (do not brown the garlic).  Add milk and bring to almost boiling.  Remove from heat and whisk in cheddar until melted.

Combine hot potatoes and cheese mixture in a large bowl with salt and pepper.  Beat or mash, adding sour cream until desired consistency.  Garnish with chopped parsley or chives, if desired.

Sweet and Spicy Green Beans

Here's something different to try if you're tired of plain steamed green beans. These go great with any Asian-flavored dish and rice. And the flavor is not too intense - just enough.

SWEET AND SPICY GREEN BEANS
adapted from Allrecipes.com

3/4 pound (12 oz) fresh green beans, trimmed
2 tsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. soy sauce (I prefer low-sodium)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. honey
dash of hot sauce
sesame seeds

Arrange a steamer basket in a pot of boiling water and steam the green beans 3-4 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, garlic, honey, and hot sauce.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; add the green beans and fry for 3-5 minutes. Pour in soy sauce mixture. Continue cooking and stirring 2 minutes, or until the liquid is nearly evaporated. Sprinkle with sesame seeds for garnish. Serve immediately.

Oven Roasted Vegetables

We had something similar to this at the Claim Jumper restaurant a month ago. I've seasoned these veggies with garlic, salt, and pepper but you could also use Mrs. Dash, Greek or Cajun seasoning, etc. Just read the label first: if the ingredients include salt you won't need to add any yourself.

OVEN ROASTED VEGETABLES

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces
1/2 sweet onion, cut into wedges
2-3 zucchini, cut into thirds then quartered
1 cup baby carrots, or sliced carrots
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. In a large bowl, toss together all ingredients. Spread veggies in an even layer on cookie sheet. Roast for 15 minutes or until zucchini is tender.

Grilled Zucchini

Here's another great recipe for zucchini. If you are one of those people with an overabundance of zucchini from your garden in the summer this is just another option instead of zucchini bread. If your zucchini have grown to one of those monsters about 3-4 inches in diameter, you don't need to slice on the diagonal to keep it from falling through the grill grate.

GRILLED ZUCCHINI
adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

4 zucchini, cut on the diagonal into 1/2-inch slices
1/2 cup Italian dressing
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. oregano (optional)
1/4 tsp. basil (optional)
salt & pepper to taste

Combine dressing, garlic powder, oregano, and basil in a large Ziploc bag. Add zucchini, seal bag, and shake to coat. Marinate for 30 minutes or more.

Preheat grill to med-high heat. Grill zucchini slices 3-4 minutes then turn and grill another 3-4 minutes or until desired tenderness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired.

Sautéed Squash with Pesto and Parmesan

There was a sale on summer squash this week and I searched for some new recipes to try. In all honesty squash (and zucchini) are not my favorite but I like to have a variety of vegetables in my diet. I found several recipes that sounded interesting and this the first. It is adapted from a recipe on Kalyn's Kitchen (which you should check out - lots of deliciousness there).

SAUTÉED SQUASH WITH PESTO AND PARMESAN
adapted from Sautéed Zucchini with Spinach and Basil Pesto on Kalyn's Kitchen

3-4 medium summer squash or zucchini (or a combo of both)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced or pressed
salt & pepper
1/4 cup prepared pesto
Parmesan cheese

Rinse squash and pat dry. Cut off ends and slice into 1/2-inch slices. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add sliced squash and stir to evenly coat with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until crisp-tender (or to personal preference), stirring frequently. Add pesto and stir to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Grilled Asparagus

This is a great alternative to steaming your asparagus. If you don't have a grill, you can roast them in the oven at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes, turning once. You could also just drizzle them with olive oil, salt and pepper and skip the marinade.

GRILLED ASPARAGUS
adapted from Cooking Light on MyRecipes.com

1-2 pounds fresh asparagus
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
1/8 tsp. black pepper
cooking spray

Snap off ends of asparagus. Combine all ingredients except cooking spray in a gallon-size Ziploc bag. Marinate for 30 minutes.

Lightly coat grill grate with cooking spray. Preheat grill on high heat. Grill asparagus 2-3 minutes or until desired tenderness; discard marinade.

Broccoli Salad

I had this salad at my cousin's wedding reception and loved it. My aunt Catherine was kind enough to share the recipe with me and now I'm sharing it with you. This is a great light and refreshing salad and has become one of my go-to favorites for get-togethers. If you are making it for a crowd, I recommend doubling or tripling it.

BROCCOLI SALAD

3 crowns of broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup craisins
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup crumbled bacon

Dressing:
1/2 cup mayo
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar

Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients and pour over salad. Stir to coat. Keep refrigerated until serving.

Garlic Parmesan Orzo

Okay, so this photo is junk but that is because this pasta was devoured by everyone before I got a good shot. Something different if you are tired of potatoes or rice. I won't pretend that it's health food because it's not, but the flavor is great.

If you are wondering, "what the heck is orzo?" it's a small pasta that looks like grains of rice. You'll find it with the other pasta in your grocery:

GARLIC PARMESAN ORZO
from Allrecipes.com

2 cups uncooked orzo pasta
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley, or 2 tsp. dried
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook orzo according to package directions; drain. In a large skillet, saute garlic in butter over medium heat until tender and fragrant. Add the orzo, Parmesan cheese, milk, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir until heated through.

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower

Here's another great way to cook up cauliflower. I found this on Allrecipes, of course, and I love it. I only wish I had baked it in a bigger casserole so that more of the cauliflower would get sprinkled with the Parmesan, so I wrote that into the recipe.

ROASTED GARLIC CAULIFLOWER
adapted from allrecipes.com

1 large head cauliflower, cut into uniform florets
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1 1/2 tsp. parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine cauliflower, olive oil, garlic, parsley, and salt and pepper in a large Ziploc bag or in a bowl until well blended. Pour into a shallow casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Return to oven for 5 more minutes.

Fried Apples

These are very similar to the fried apples you can get at Cracker Barrel. I found the recipe here and made some adjustments. I think the ones at Cracker Barrel simply have cinnamon in them (and maybe even butter?), but I'm not completely sure.

These are great as a side, over pancakes or waffles, or as a dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A fantastic fall comfort food for sure.

Do be patient as you heat them. It says to simmer gently, which helps prevent the apples from falling apart. I got impatient and turned my heat up too high and they started to boil and break apart. Once the cider heats up, the apples will cook fairly quickly. I have lots of broken apples in mine and at first I was devastated but then I remembered the ones at Cracker Barrel are often broken, too. So it's okay!

FRIED APPLES
adapted from Cracker Barrel Fried Apples Recipe at CDkitchen

2 1/2 cups apple cider, divided
5-6 large Golden Delicious apples, cored and sliced into 1/2" wedges (with skin)
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. apple pie spice*
4 Tbsp. sugar

Combine apple slices and 2 cups cider in a large skillet over medium heat. Simmer gently, constantly turning apples until fork tender but not mushy. Remove apples with a slotted spoon and put in oven-safe dish.

In a blender, combine 1/2 cup cider, cornstarch, spice*, and sugar. Blend until smooth. Whisk into hot cider in skillet and increase heat to med-high. Whisk and cook until thickened and bubbly; pour over apples and serve warm.


*If you are like me and don't have Apple Pie Spice in your pantry, here is a substitute:

1 tsp. of Apple Pie Spice =

1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. allspice
dash of cloves
dash of ginger

Go light on the ginger and cloves since they are pretty strong.

Or you can always just use a teaspoon of cinnamon. Still yummy!

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

This recipe comes from Vanessa over at V and Co (which is a fantastic site for crafty peeps - go check it out). I'm going to print the recipe the same as hers, but I actually made a few changes.

I ended up using 3 avocados instead of one because there just wasn't enough otherwise (my avocados were small). I also used green onions instead of white or red because they are easier on my stomach.

So, you can make it as written, or make changes like I did. Either way, it's a great recipe.

BLACK BEAN AND CORN SALSA
from Vanessa Christenson

1 can of corn, drained
2 cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 avocado, diced
1 jalapeno, minced
1 onion (white or red), chopped
1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
3-4 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

In a large bowl, combine corn, beans, tomatoes, avocado, jalapeno, onion, and cilantro. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper; pour over bean mixture and stir to coat.

Serve with chips or as a side dish.

Cheesy Beans and Rice

This is a great side dish for taco night. Use your favorite beans (I used pinto) and either white rice or brown rice.

CHEESY BEANS AND RICE
adapted from Allrecipes.com

2 cups cooked rice
1 (16 oz) can beans (kidney, black, or pinto), rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese blend

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Saute onions until tender. Add tomatoes, water, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine rice and beans. Stir in tomato mixture. Spread half into 2 qt. casserole dish; sprinkle with 1 cup cheese. Repeat.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Roasted Cauliflower

Once again, this recipe is from an old issue of Good Housekeeping. It's a different spin on cauliflower - a refreshing change from the usual steamed stuff. There's lots of flavor and it's even healthy! It is suggested to serve with fresh chives as garnish. But I don't bother with that because fresh chives are expensive.


ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

1 head (2 lbs) cauliflower, trimmed and separated into 1-inch florets
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced or crushed with press

Preheat oven to 400. In large bowl or gallon-size Ziploc bag, toss ingredients to coat. Spread on a foil-lined jelly-roll pan or large cookie sheet.

Roast cauliflower 30 minutes or until tender and browned, stirring occasionally.