So Happy New Year’s, everyone! I can’t believe it’s New Year’s Eve, already! So what do you do for New Year’s Eve? Me, I’m kind of an old curmudgeon. I mean back in the day I’d go out with the girls but these days I’m usually perfectly happy to stay in, stay warm & safe and maybe stay up till midnight.
Copycat Outback Steakhouse Salad
If you’re old enough, you’ve probably had this salad, Classic Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing, at least if you live in the States. It was everywhere in the late 70’s and early 80’s and was served for decades. And then it disappeared. Fell out of grace.
classic spinach salad with warm bacon dressing
Sumac Red Onion & Cucumber Relish is the final condiment that I made to go with the fabulous Home Style Chicken Shawarma I made earlier in the week. And that was fabulous and can be made on the grill or on a sheet pan. Gotta love that! (I’m a little relieved that this is the final post because I have a cake coming up – and what a cake! Now that’s a shameless teaser, isn’t it?)
Sumac Red Onion & Cucumber Relish
A lot of that recipe and the condiments to go with it, the Lemon Garlic Tahini Sauce, the Zhoug and this recipe for the Sumac Red Onion & Cucumber Relish came from Chef Ottolenghi, the famed London Chef who’s known for kind if mixing things up and breaking a few rules to delicious effect.
Ok, guys, here it is, after the post on the Instant Pot Brown Rice to go in the Greek Brown Rice Salad & then the Greek Brown Rice Salad, to enjoy with the Spicy Beef & Feta Skewers, and now, finally, the Spicy Beef & Feta Skewers are here! Yeah, baby. It’s like the house that Jack built! Luckily, it’s worth it and all the components of this meal are pretty quick and easy.
Spicy Beef & Feta Skewers with Greek Brown Rice Salad (made with Instant Pot Brown Rice)
I’ve been on a bit of a Meditteranean kick. I’m trying to health up the rest of the summer, at least until Labor Day comes. Besides it’s August and it’s hot and it’s humid (whine whine whine) and I want to eat (and cook) cool and light. And so I made Greek Brown Rice Salad to go with my soon to be posted Spicy Beef & Feta Skewers.
Spicy Beef & Feta Skewers with Greek Brown Rice Salad (made with Instant Pot Brown Rice)
I just did a post for Horiatiki Greek Salad not too long ago. Gosh, that was good. And I wanted to carry some of those flavors forward with a little twist. Funny how I listed so many variations of our American Style Greek Salads, but I didn’t mention or think about combining it with rice, let alone brown rice.
If you’re looking for a recipe that’s going to use up some of the summer bounty, Smoky Sheet Tray Roasted Vegetables are it!
Smoky Roasted Sheet Tray Vegetables
I’m betting you’ve had Horiatiki Greek Salad before even if you don’t know what the heck Horiatiki is! It’s just the Greek name for that cucumber tomato salad that’s so ubiquitous (look at me with all the big words, today!) all over the United States. And in Greece, too, from what I understand, where it originated.
Horiatiki Greek Salad
I have a new favorite “Salsa”, Roasted Sweet Corn Salsa. This salsa is like everything good in the world all combined into one beautiful, corny, creamy, cheesy, spicy dip.
Roasted Sweet Corn Salsa
So over the long weekend, temps way up in the 90’s (oh why is the weather so craaaazy this year?) I somehow got the idea that I wanted some of that Old Fashioned Tuna Macaroni Salad. You know the one I mean, all cool, creamy deliciousness with a few crunchy veggies and that tuna that somehow melds in and makes everything so rich.
Old Fashioned Tuna Macaroni Salad
Now that summer is just about here…we hope…it’s time to think about those snacks we’d like to have out on the deck on a balmy evening. Chips and Salsa, I’m thinking. And one of my favorite summer recipes is a Salsa Fresca, a classic Pico de Gallo. Particularly Chipotles Classic Pico de Gallo Salsa. Maybe even with a cold, slushy Margarita. But that will have to be another post.
Chipotles Classic Pico de Gallo Salsa
If you follow me, by now you’ve probably noticed I have a passion for Mexican food. And maybe you do, too? So when I started thinking about Cinco de Mayo coming up and Mother’s day right after, I couldn’t help but think of the classic Huevos Rancheros. Make that Huevos Rancheros! With an explanation mark!
Classic Huevos Rancheros
If you are looking for a quick, easy and comforting skillet breakfast (that’s just as good for brinner) think of Eggs Poached in Rancheros Sauce. Cozy enough for the family & just fun enough for guests, Eggs Poached In Rancheros Sauce has got to be it. Plus this recipe has just enough spice to keeps things interesting and not too much for anyone.
I’ve been loving this Vietnamese Chicken Salad with a tangy, slightly spicy vinaigrette. Then there’s the cool, crunchy veggies, the chicken, the crushed peanuts and a good hit of lime. I thought you might like it, too.
Vietnamese Chicken Salad Meal Prep
When was the last time you had Black-Eyed Peas? And how about the last time you had Black-Eyed Pea & Rice Salad? If you only think about Black-Eyed Peas on New Years (they’re lucky and I have a recipe for Traditional Black Eyed Peas on my site) or as the strange little bean in Cowboy Caviar, think again.
Black Eyed Pea & Rice Salad
Do you guys want an easy, 20-minute Shortcut Chicken Fajitas recipe? One that starts with cooked chicken so you can have it on the table fast, fast, fast? A recipe that lets you use chicken cooked ahead for meal prep or any leftovers or a rotisserie chicken you have on hand?
Shortcut Chicken Fajitas & Cilantro Lime Rice
My sister told me about Cornbread Salad. I mean, really, if she hadn’t raved, I never would have made it. I think she MADE me make it and report back, lol! I fell in love with it. Hard. Strange ingredients, but it’s like a miracle. The miracle of Cornbread Salad.
Cornbread Salad: Talk about AWESOME deliciousness!
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, so I decided to make a Shortcut Pho Ga, Vietnamese Chicken Soup. And now, I’m sure you’re wondering “What on this side of heaven does Pho Ga have to do with the Great American Turkey Day?” Ahem. Thanksgiving, that is.
Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup – Pho Ga or Chicken Pho, shortcut version
Okay, so the other night I was just hanging out at the Instant Pot Community Facebook page (can you say cooking nerd? and proud of it!) when my friend Tonya messaged me. We got to talking about what we wanted to make in the IP (we’re both exited about our IP’s) and she suggested Gyros.
Instant Pot Gyros – beyond delicious!
It’s been about a year since I last posted a recipe for a Panzanella – that would have been during our last glut of tomatoes. This year I wanted to change things up a bit and go Greek style.
Greek Panzanella with Seasoned Oven Roasted Pita Triangles
We’re finally getting some cool days and that means the tomatoes in our little garden will be slowing down. I snuck a few to make this very easy Rustic Tomato & Cararmelized Onion Galette.
Easy, Rustic Tomato & Caramelized Onion Galette
I had it from a grocery store deli. The Best Salad in the World. Seriously, that’s what it was called – and I agree!
The Best Salad in the World. A mixture of almost everything! Broccoli, Bell Pepper, Red Onion, Cheese & Salami. So good!!
Hot, sticky summer days are here – perfect days to think about NOT heating up the house and about eating light & healthy. And when light and healthy means cool and delicious, too, like this Pesto Pasta Salad, that’s a winner.
Pesto Pasta Salad is not your every day salad – perfect for a meal or a party
So a few days ago I posted the most marvelous Peach Glazed Pork Tenderloin. It was a huge hit at our house. What wasn’t a hit was the Watermelon and Tomato Salad. So I tinkered (and after the tinkering) loved it. And I made it again, today, just to be sure.
Watermelon and Tomato Salad
Do you ever mess up a recipe and then decide that you liked it so much you couldn’t have it any other way? Well, that’s what happened to this Warm Farro Salad with Charred Corn from the July/August Food Network Magazine. It turned out to be a happy mistake.
Jeff’s Warm Farro Salad with Charred Corn
I love making fabulous little somethings to spark up dinner, especially when that fabulous little something is as delish and as easy as these Pickled Red Onions.
Pickled Red Onions
Drunken Fried Rice! Yes, there is such a thing and I’m soooo happy to know it! See, my baby sis just told me she was having leftover takeout Drunken Noodles for lunch and a craving hit. Maybe even a touch of jealousy. But poor me, no takeout, no noodles in the cupboard.
Drunken Fried Rice
Red Onion Jam, Red Onion Confit, Caramelized Red Onions – all different names for the same thing: Rich, silky, sweet & tart, this is a condiment that should be in everyone’s fridge.
Red Onion Marmalade on crackers with a little cream cheese.
This year, it seems I’m all about the tomato. We’ve been tomato crazy, and now have tons of tomatoes in various stages of ripening. If you’re in the same boat, this Smoky Chipotle Tomato Chutney is gonna be a perfect way to use up a glut of red ones.
Smoky Chipotle Tomato Chutney
