Charred Corn Salad

Even though summer is coming to a close, I usually stock up on fresh corn on the cob for the winter. There is a local grower who I frequently purchase from at the farmer's market and their corn is substantially better tasting than any I've ever had before; hands down. I love fresh corn in the winter and the frozen and canned corn just isn't the same. Most of you are probably thinking I'm a little crazy for thinking this kind of corn is better, but when you bite into that juicy wonderful cob .. you know. Anyways, I saw this recipe on my new favorite show, Kelsey's Essentials, and just had to try it out. It looked amazing, but it tastes even better! This would be a great addition to any late summer hurrahs. Or it has made a wonderful side dish for my lunches lately. :)

Charred Corn Salad

Adapted from: Kelsey Nixon (Cooking Channel)

Yields: 4-6 servings

3 ears of corn, shucked

1-2 Tbsp canola oil

salt and pepper, for seasoning

3/4 cup packed, fresh basil leaves

1 clove garlic, grated

1/8 cup cider vinegar

1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil

8 oz cherry tomatoes, halved (almost a full 10-oz container)

1/4 small red onion, chopped

Preheat a grill pan, grill or broiler on high heat. I chose the broiler and it took a while, but it was a good alternative to grilling since it's so cold outside. Brush or rub the corn cobs in the canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the corn on the grill until charred, about 2-3 minutes, on each side (longer if using the broiler). Once the corn has charred, set aside to cool. Once cooled, stand each ear up inside of a wide, shallow bowl. Cut the kernels off of the cob with a sharp knife. Keep kernels in bowl and set aside.

Meanwhile, combine basil and garlic in a blender or food processor and pulse until it starts to chop up a little. Add vinegar, continue pulsing, and slowly add in the olive oil. Continue to pulse until mixture is smooth. Note: There will be small pieces of basil; this will not completely liquefy.

Add the basil mixture to the bowl with the corn kernels. Add onion and tomatoes and toss well to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Chicken Salad

Simple and easy is what I'm currently looking for in recipes lately. Starting my third trimester soon and slowly losing patience with cooking (among other things) has just drained me; physically and mentally. This was easy to make and actually made lots of leftovers which were amazing the next few days! This is something I could see my husband making when the baby comes because it's so easy and not very time-consuming. Next time I might try it with some leftover chicken breast, shredded, to see if I can taste the difference.

We also just got back from our "babymoon" in Washington DC so I might post about the places we ate there soon as well. I made a list of the good places and the bad places to avoid. It's about even on both sides.

Chicken Salad

Adapted from: Allrecipes

Serves: 4-6

2 10-ounce-cans chicken chunks, drained & rinsed

1 cup seedless green grapes, halved
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 8-oz can mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup cucumber ranch salad dressing
1/4 cup mayonnaise

Mix all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Cover and allow to chill for at least 1 hour in the fridge. Serve on warm buns or large croissant rolls.

Caesar Salad Pizza

Caesar salad is my number one favorite kind of salad. It's usually pretty consistent on the toppings and the wonderful flavor of the dressing is amazing, too. I have made other pizza crusts before but this one is very doughy and tastes just like bread you would serve with a normal side caesar salad. It's not like my deep dish pizza crust or anything close to it. I did roll these crusts out thinner because they looked too thick compared to the picture on the website. They did, however rise a little more than I would have hoped so I will probably make them even thinner next time. Don't be afraid to roll the dough thinner than you normally like it; it will turn out perfect! Also, feel free to add or omit toppings you like on your salads. I added chicken to make this a more wholesome dinner.

Caesar Salad Pizza

Adapted from: Annie's Eats, originally The Pastry Queen
Serves:6-8

For the crust:

1 ½ cups warm water
5 tsp instant yeast
2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for brushing
2 tsp honey
4-5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
½ tsp red pepper flakes
¾ cup coarse cornmeal
freshly shredded parmesan cheese

For assembly:
Caesar dressing
1 large head Romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
garlic croutons
Parmesan shavings

To make the crust, combine the water, yeast, oil, honey and 3 cups flour in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Add the salt and red pepper flakes. Mix on low speed until combined. Add 1 more cup of the flour and mix until soft. Mix on low speed for 5 minutes to knead. Add the rest of the flour 1-2 Tablespoons at a time (as needed) until the dough is smooth and tacky but not sticky.

Coat 2 baking sheets with olive oil (or preheat a pizza stone, unoiled). Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Sprinkle baking sheet(s) with cornmeal. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces (use only those needed, freeze the rest in plastic wrap and a ziploc bag). Cover the dough with a damp towel and let sit for 10 minutes, until the oven heats up.
With a rolling pin, flatten dough ball into 10-inch circle on well-floured surface. Brush each dough with olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Transfer to prepared baking sheet or stone and bake until lightly golden and crisp, about 10-15 minutes.

To assemble the salad, combine lettuce, tomatoes and dressing (as desired) in large mixing bowl. Toss to coat evenly and place a generous amount on cooked, warm pizza crust. Top with parmesan cheese and croutons as desired.

Summer Chicken Salad

I have been inspired in the past to try and make restaurant food at home. Usually I am unsuccessful because I'm not the type of food guru it takes to figure out what ingredients are in something just by tasting it. Well this was one huge exception. I get this salad every single time that I go to Paradise Bakery & Cafe because it's so delicious. There, it comes with strawberry vinaigrette but at home we have balsamic. Both are amazing with this salad!! This salad has everything .. even chicken (although you can't see it in the picture). It was even fun to make because I set up a little station almost like taco night to put the fruit toppings on.

Summer Chicken Salad

Adapted from: Kelly's Kitch original

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast

3 cups salad/lettuce mix (I chose spring mix)

3 tbsp raisins

3 tbsp strawberries, chopped

3 tbsp blueberries

3 tbsp pineapple, diced

3 tbsp raisins

2 tbsp pecans, chopped

olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil in a small glass baking dish. Place the chicken breast in the oil and flip to cover. Then, sprinkle salt and pepper to desired taste and bake for 15 minutes. Since my chicken breast was quite thick and I wanted to bake it faster, I simply placed it loosely in saran wrap and beat it with a meat tenderizer until it was the desired thickness. You can also buy thin chicken breasts if you desire.


Once the chicken has cooked, place on a plate or cutting board and slice into 1-inch cubes, set aside.

Place half of the lettuce in a serving bowl and top with chicken. Then place 1.5 tbsp of strawberries, blueberries, raisins and pineapple. Place 1 tbsp of chopped pecans on top. You may drizzle desired dressing on top or place in small bowl on the side. This really helps to save TONS of unnecessary calories. I highly recommend: strawberry vinaigrette or balsamic vinaigrette dressings.

Yields: 2 salads

Macaroni Salad

With all this unseasonably warm weather we have been having in Central Indiana, my husband and I have been befriending our grill yet again for a long season of cooking! Brachts, hamburgers, hot dogs . . my oh my how they do make me smile just thinking of them all! I am usually a healthy eater and watch my portions well, but when it comes to "baseball food" as I like to call it, it becomes a real challenge to control myself. One thing that helps to fill me up is macaroni salad. I have had several versions and this, by far, is one of the best recipes I have come across. Not only does it not have peas in it (yeah, it's by choice) but it is very easy to make with all things I usually tend to have around the kitchen anyways. This time I had some leftover rotini noodles so why not use what I have, right. Not only does this dish make for a fantastic side to any outdoor grill or BBQ, but it also keeps well at room temperature for camping! I am about to go in a few weeks and cannot wait to blog what we cook there out in nature where there are no computers, blogs or recipes. =)

Macaroni (Rotini?) Salad

Adapted from: Sing for your Supper

1/2-3/4 lb pasta shapes (I chose Rotini), cooked and drained

3 small carrots, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed

1 cup cubed sharp cheddar cheese

salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup italian salad dressing

1 tsp dijon mustard

Combine all ingredients in large bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Chicken, Pepper, and Green Bean Salad

I made this quite some time ago but have not been feeling well enough to roll myself out of bed, much less sit at a computer for a while to blog. My apologies!! This was a salad that I made with a main course and a side dish but this was so filling I think it really stands well on it's own. I have never been fond of oil or vinegar based dressings but this was just out of this world amazing! I love the combination of all the different flavors of peppers, lettuce, chicken, celery, onion, etc. The dressing really pulls everything together. The only modification that really sticks in my mind is that the directions originally called for setting the beans in cold water and adding them cold like that (I think to keep them nice and crisp), but they just didn't go well with the rest of the warmed salad. I have accounted for that change below but feel free to try the cold beans for yourself.

Chicken, Pepper and Green Bean Salad

Adapted from: Essentials of Healthful Cooking, Williams-Sonoma

2 large red bell peppers

1 tsp olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 lb green beans, trimmed

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tbsp red wine vinegar w/a dash of sugar (or you can sub sherry vinegar)

1 tbsp chopped thyme

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp olive oil

3/4 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut lengthwise into strips

1 small red onion, sliced thin

2 celery stalks, sliced thin

10 oz mixed baby salad greens (or your choice)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and cut bell peppers lengthwise into strips. Remove seeds and ribs. Arrange peppers on a cookie sheet lined with foil and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast turning once, until the edges are blistered (about 40 minutes). Removed from oven and allow to cool then peel away loosened skins and set aside. This is pretty messy so you can buy raosted red pepper in the store .. but this was really worth the effort as it tasted fantastic!

Bring a sauce pan 3/4 full of water to a boil and add the green beans. Boil 5-7 minutes (timing depends on size) and drain. Set aside and keep warm. Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, thyme, garlic, 1/2 tsp salt and a grind of pepper for the dressing.

Brush a large, non-stick frying pan with olive oil and place over medium heat. Add the chicken a few pieces at a time, turning to cook until no longer opaque and cooked thoroughly. Add 2 tbsp of dressing mixture into skillet, mix well and continue to cook another 2 minutes. Let chicken stand in pan.

In a large bowl combine salad greens, 1 tbsp vinaigrette and toss to coat well. Add chicken, red peppers, pan juices and greens. Toss to coat well. For a nicer presentation you can place the greens on a large serving platter first, then toss the latter ingredients in the bowl with juices. Then, top the greens with that mixture.

Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Well, it's Girl Scout Cookie season and guess what that means. I need some lighter, healthier recipes to make up for it. Here is a fantastic recipe that is low in calroies and high in fiber! I found this recipe in my Williams-Sonoma cookbook that has been collecting dust over the years. I rarely cook from it because I am very intimidated by it and also because a lot of the recipes are more summer/fall related. It is the winter right now: time for soups and stews. Well, I don't care! I needed something for lunch today and this absolutely satisfied. There are usually little tid-bits of information about the recipe's so I will include that here and keep in mind they are not my words. I also will include the original recipe that I loosely adapted my recipe from (i.e. I don't like olives so I discluded those and added a few more cucumbers and tomatoes as well as using dry basil instead of basil leaves). Keep in mind I made it in a smaller quantity than the orignial recipe too.

"This salad is reminiscent of the deli-style Greek versions made with iceberg lettuce, but instead of lettuce, it uses lots of juicy ripe tomatoes and crunchy cucumbers. A medium tomato only has 35 calories but is high in vitamins C and A, lycopene, and flavonoids that fight cancer and some types of heart disease. Very red tomatoes are richest in lycopene." - Williams-Sonoma, Essentials of Healthful Cooking

Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Adapted from: Essentials of Healthful Cooking, Williams-Sonoma

1.5 lb ripe tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves (I used dry basil)

2 tbsp olive oil or peanut oil

1/2 tsp minced garlic

kosher salt

6 inch piece English cucumber (I used about 3/4 of a regular cucumber from my local supermarket)

1/2 sweet onion

1/2 cup crumbled ricotta cheese

2 tbsp sliced, pitted Kalamata olives (I ommited this)

1 tsp red wine vinegar

freshly ground pepper

Combine tomatoes, basil, oil, garlic, pinch salt and toss gently to combine. Let stand 5 minutes. Then cut the cucumber in half discarding the seeds and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Next, dice the onion. Add the cucumber, onion, cheese, and olives to the mixture, then sprinkle with the vinegar and toss to mix. Season with pepper and stir. Serve at room temperature.