Monday, August 7, 2017

BBQ Chicken Salad Biscuits


Well, that's a wrap for Summer 2017.  Today was the big day -- three of the kids went back to school, and Smith even started Kindergarten!  This afternoon, everyone bounded off their buses with big smiles on their faces and good stories to tell, so overall it was a successful day.  Besides early mornings and new shoes, back to school also means that it's back to packing lunches for this mom.  By the end of the school year, I'm usually pretty tired of it and lunches tend to get a bit more lazy and standard, but I'm always enthusiastic and excited to pack fun lunches for at least the first few weeks of school ;)

This chicken salad is one of my favorite lunches or easy dinners.  And it swings both ways.  For those of you joining me in back to school lunch-packing, this salad is a great choice - make a big batch over  the weekend, and pack it in lunches all week long. It's great with corn on the cob and watermelon...helps the kids hold on to that last bit of summer ;). And if your'e still in summer-mode, this makes a great dinner to eat at the pool.  I pack the biscuits and chicken salad separately, then when everyone is ready to eat just build the biscuit sandwiches.

I'm a big fan of both BBQ flavors and chicken salad, so I honestly cant believe it's taken me this long to combine the two.  But have no fear, this chicken salad will be on heavy rotation for a long time.



BBQ Chicken Salad Biscuits

I use my usual recipe for flaky buttermilk biscuits here, with a handful of cheddar mixed in.  Any biscuit recipe you love will work though.

  • 3-4 cups chopped or shedded chicken (or 1 rotisserie chicken, pulled and shredded)
  • 2 Tbs very finely diced red onion
  • 1 scallioon, thinly sliced
  • 2 Tbs minced fresh parsley
  • 1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
  • dash of hot sauce (plus more to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp honey
  • salt and pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and stir well to combine.  Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.  If the chicken salad is too dry, add extra mayo or bbq sauce.

To serve, split the biscuits in half, scoop the chicken salad on, and close to make a sandwich.  A slice of tomato or shredded lettuce also goes really well in. the sandwiches.


Sunday, June 4, 2017

Summer Favorites

Are you a big Pandora-listener?  What's your favorite station?  We are definitely dating ourselves, but our Pandora is pretty much always playing Summer Hits of the 90's.  It's just the best mix of songs, and they bring back SO many memories!  Do yourself a favor and start listening to this station ASAP!

So if I were to put together a "playlist"of my summer hits of 2017, it would include some pretty amazing recipes.  Summer is just getting started, so you still have plenty of time to make all of these killer recipes.  While you listen to your Summer Hits of the 90's station.  And for both the recipes and music… you can thank me me later ;)


My grilled and chopped summer veggie salad will forever and ever be my favorite summer recipe.  It is just so perfect in every way.  If I'm entertaining, I like to serve it with fresh tomato bruschetta and homemade peach wine coolers.  It is by far my favorite menu for summer entertaining.



Or rather, I should say that it WAS my favorite menu for summer entertaining.  Because the peach wine cooler has been replaced by the Rosé Slushie.  Last spring, my Annie visited ATL for the weekend, and we found ourselves at The Luminary (RIP) at Krog St Market.  Once we had one rosé slushie, we parked ourselves on the patio and stayed for waaaaaaay too long enjoying the amazing cocktail.  Since then, we found the exact recipe online, and it has become THE drink of summer.  Should you not be in the mood for frose´ might I suggest these rose´ passion fruit spritzes?  They make for mighty nice pool sipping.  #roséalldayeveryday



Another favorite dish for entertaining is this Low Country Grill.  I make this a few times every summer, including on vacation when I can get the freshest shrimp imaginable!  I also like to grill this up randomly for a weekend lunch while the kids play outside.  It feels special somehow to have a fun lunch like this for no reason!  However, garlic-cheddar biscuits on the side are non-negotiable.



We generally eat pretty healthy at home, so it would be remiss to leave off my favorite healthy dinners.  The BBQ Turkey Meatballs over Cheddar-Corn Quinoa probably top the list, and this reheats beautifully, making it great for lunches the next day -- especially with some fresh chopped spinach mixed in!  Other healthy weeknight favorites:

spicy cilantro grilled chicken
grilled tuna and avocado salad
California-style turkey burgers (on lettuce wraps to keep it extra light!)
Grilled Potato BLT Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing
Tomato and Black Eyed Pea Salad (topped with grilled chicken or pork tenderloin)
Strawberry Poppyseed Chicken Salad



My side dishes are predictable and basic -- almost always including corn in some form, and watermelon in some form.  This Mexican Street Corn Salad is a staple anytime we have Mexican food for dinner...so... weekly?  I love it with the aforementioned spicy cilantro chicken, these BLT tostadas, as a salsa of sorts over grilled steak, and with any sort of grilled tacos, fajitas, etc.  Its just so good.


While I highlighted the rose´ earlier, I have a few other cocktails you need to drink this summer.  The Porch Swing is staple because I always have all the ingredients on hand for a cocktail emergency or impromptu gathering. It's also a great pool drink -- light and refreshing and not overly boozy.  And the watermelon margaritas are also a total fave.  Love them so much, and they're a standard for entertaining since you can make a giant pitcher. Cheers!



Finally, it would be a travesty to have a roundup of my fave summer recipes and leave off pimento cheese.  I mean, this is a year-round food, but it's especially wonderful in the summer - for snacking at the pool (try it with cucumber slices instead of chips or crackers!), taking to a cookout, slathering on BLTs or grilled burgers, etc.  I ask you -- what is not improved upon by the addition of pimento cheese?  Pssst.  This Baked Tex-Mex Pimento Cheese Dip is a huuuuuuge favorite as well, and one of my go-to appetizers.

To close out, I'll state the obvious -- I disappeared again!  I have no real explanation, its just not really been a priority for me, I'm sorry to say.  I'm busy with my kids, my mom went through cancer treatment last fall and winter, and with the current political climate in this country, I just haven't had it in me to post regularly.  I cant make any promises, but I'm going to try to pick this dusty blog back up and see where it takes me.  There will be little life updates along the way -- I owe you guys some pics of the kids -- along with more great recipes, party ideas, etc.  But here's a start, and hopefully I've given you some inspiration for your summer meals!  Happy summer!


Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Grilled Potato BLT Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing


As evidenced by the archives of my blog, we eat tons of salads in the summer.  I can't get enough of my chopped summer veggie grilled salad, a classic caprese, watermelon feta salad, basic caesar, and everything in between.  And now I have this amazing salad to add to the rotation.

I first made this salad over Memorial Day weekend, and I served it as a side dish to grilled New York Strips.  Wouldn't you know, I all but ignored my perfectly cooked steak, and just totally devoured this salad instead!  I continued the obsession all summer long, making this for lunches quite often, and it makes for a wonderful dinner as well.  I've never made a salad with two dressings, but the combination of the light vinaigrette and the drizzle of rich blue cheese dressing works so well.  The bracing vinaigrette is mellowed by the blue cheese, and the pungent blue cheese is sharpened by the vinaigrette.  Love all around.

I have this bad habit of "remembering" what I need for recipes I've made in the past, and instead of checking the actual source, I just buy what I think I need.  Unsurprisingly, this leaves me short of ingredients quite often, but I've gotten pretty good at improvising.  Last time I made this, I was out of sour cream and buttermilk, and I used Mexican crema and mayonnaise instead with no ill effects.  It's also forgiving for the herbs;  scallions or grated onion work well in place of the chives, or add basil or parsley to the dressing or vinaigrette as well.  You can roast the potatoes instead of grilling, and grilled zucchini is a great addition too.  Basically, this is a super forgiving and adaptable salad, so feel free to take your own liberties with the recipe/  And should you have any potatoes leftover, they are ridiculously addictive dipped into the blue cheese dressing.



Grilled Potato BLT Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing
adapted from Fine Cooking, June/July 2016

There are several components to this salad, but they are all really easy and it comes together quite quickly, especially if you prep the dressing and vinaigrette ahead of time.

Blue Cheese Dressing

  • 2 oz blue cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1/4 cup sour cream, plain yogurt, or mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk, creme fraiche, or crema
  • 1 tsp chopped dill
  • 1 tsp snipped fresh chives
  • 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
  • dash of hot sauce
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Vinaigrette
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 small shallot, minced
  • 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • kosher salt and black pepper
For the Salad
  • 2 lb fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise, or quartered if very large
  • kosher salt
  • 24 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 head of iceberg lettuce, quartered and very thinly sliced (or 2 romaine hearts, halved and thinly sliced)
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
  • 6 oz thick-sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled
Prepare your grill to cook at medium-high heat.  

Make the dressing:  In a medium bowl, whisk together the blue cheese, sour cream, buttermilk, dill, chives, vinegar, and hot sauce.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.  Cover and set aside.

Make the vinaigrette:  In a mason jar, combine the vinegar, shallot, and mustard.  Shake well to combine.  Add the oil and shake again, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook the potatoes and make the salad:  Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with 1 inch of water.  Season with 2 Tbs salt, and bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Boil for 3 minutes, then drain the potatoes in a large colander and rinse with cool water.  

Spread the potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet to completely cool and dry until you're ready to grill.  They can sit for up to 2 hours at room temperature, or up to 8 hours, covered in the refrigerator.

Meanwhile, toss the cherry tomatoes with 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper and set aside.

Toss the potatoes with 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper.  Grill the potatoes, turning once, for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until they are tender throughout and nicely marked.  Taste and season with additional salt if needed.

In a large bowl, combine the lettuce with basil and about 1/2 cup of the vinaigrette.  Divide evenly among plates and top with potatoes, tomatoes, and bacon, and drizzle with the blue cheese dressing.  Serve.


Sunday, July 31, 2016

Sweet Corn Waffles with Blueberry-Maple Syrup



If there's one motto for our family, it might just be "waffles are always a good idea."  They are our lunch of choice on Sundays after church, and we have them fairly often for dinner as well.  Ironically, we rarely eat them for breakfast, but that's neither here nor there.  Anyway, if we are having waffles for dinner, I like to mix up the flavors, and experiment with different combinations.  One favorite of the summer has been zucchini waffles (recipe coming soon!), and these corn waffles with blueberry syrup were a hit as well.

My only issue with having waffles or pancakes for dinner is that oftentimes you're basically just having dessert for dinner… which, I mean, I'd be lying if I said I didn't like that.  But every now and then I do try and behave like a responsible parent and feed my children nutritious meals.  These waffles are definitely a little healthier since they have very little added sugar, and you're getting a serving of corn and blueberries in each waffle as well.

Until a few years ago, I probably would have turned up my nose at the combo of blueberries and corn, but now I embrace the motto of "if it grows together, it goes together," and I'm basically just like "gimme all the corn and blueberries now."  This chicken salad is amazing, blueberry cornbread is my favorite, and these waffles are the bomb.   I like serving these with a simple fruit salad on the side, along with either bacon or chicken sausage to round it all out.   We have Meatless Mondays, Taco Tuesdays, and Thirsty Thursdays… so shall we start a trend with Waffle Wednesdays?  Make it happen!



Sweet Corn Waffles with Blueberry-Maple Syrup
adapted from How to Cook Everything Fast, by Mark Bittman
serves 4-6, depending on the size of your waffle iron

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1 cup whole wheat flour)
  • 1 Tbs baking powder 
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 Tbs sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 Tbs melted butter
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup fresh corn kernels
  • 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
  • 3/4 cup maple syrup
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.

In another bowl, combine the eggs, 2 tablespoons of butter, and buttermilk, whisking until well-mixed

Gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients using a wooden spoon, stirring until just combined.  The batter will still be thick and lumpy.  Fold in the corn kernels.

Follow the directions on your waffle iron to cook the waffles.  As they are finished, place them in the preheated oven to keep warm as you cook the rest.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a skillet set over medium heat.  Add the blueberries and cook, stirring often, until they begin to soften and give up their juice.  Add the maple syrup and cook until heated through.  Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

Serve the waffles warm, with the blueberry syrup and more butter, if desired.


Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Jumping Back In


Let's try this again, shall we?  It's been a minute since my last post, and it's been even longer since I shared recipes on a regular basis. As I said in January, I've missed this space terribly, but it honestly just hasn't been my priority for the past year.  I just wasn't in the right mindset, and I didn't want to simply phone it in and post for the sake of posting.  I want this blog to be sincere and honest, and I want to be excited to share with you!  I'm psyched to pick it back up though; and I swear that's not just an empty promise.  I've found that I'm a better mom, wife, and person when I'm doing something I enjoy, and I really do enjoy blogging.


I already have some delicious recipes and dinner plans lined up for you, and my list of recipes and ideas  is growing by the minute -- nothing inspires me quite like summer produce!  I'm also working on a mega-post full of meal plans, menus, and recipes for summer.  Since it's been so long since I've posted, I thought a recap of some of my all-time favorites might be in order!



So as far as what we've been up to… well this summer is just flying by!  It's hard to believe that school starts back in less than two weeks, but we've already wrapped up swim team, a few camps, Vacation Bible School, and a trip to Disney World!  Not to mention dinners at the pool, s'mores at the fire pit, a fun Independence Day celebration, and just tons of summer shenanigans.  It's been a fun one, and I'm excited to share the rest of it with y'all!  xoxoxo


Sunday, January 24, 2016

Creamy Pumpkin Pizza with Truffled Gouda and Herbed Ricotta

Creamy Pumpkin Pizza with Truffled Gouda and Herbed Ricotta 

I know that title's a little crazy, but this pizza is a mouthful, both in name and flavor.  There are so many wonderful things going on here, but the creamy pumpkin sauce, truffled gouda, and herbed ricotta are the highlights and thus deserve top billing.

The first time I made this pizza I had a vague idea of what I wanted to use and the flavor profile I was hoping to achieve.  When we make homemade pizzas, oftentimes they are kind of a thrown-together mish mash of random veggies, meats, and cheeses I have on hand.  It's always good, because you know… pizza.  However, this one blew me away, and I immediately added it to my menu for the following week, being sure to take careful notes so I could share it with you guys!  And… 4 months later, here we are ;)

I started with a creamy pumpkin alfredo-type sauce -- just a standard white sauce with the addition of a little tomato paste and pumpkin puree.  That in and of itself was great, and the extra sauce made for an excellent dipping sauce for the crust.  I topped the sauce with fresh spinach and onion, then finished it off with a cheesy trio -- mozzarella, truffled gouda, and dollops of herbed ricotta.  The result was one of the best pizzas I've ever made.  I try and keep a general rule here that I don't post recipes that use specialty ingredients, so I was a little weary of sharing this one due to the truffled gouda.  But I see it pretty regularly at Whole Foods, and my Trader Joe's has a truffled Italian cheese that's akin of fontina, and that works as well (I tested it just for y'all. ;))  In a pinch, you could easily use plain gouda and then finish the pizza with a little drizzle of truffle oil.  I love to serve this pizza with my shredded brussels sprouts salad (but I leave the cheese out of the salad since there's so much on the pizza); the flavors go really well together, and it makes for a lovely and simple meal.

On an unrelated note, as we enter the new year, and I plan for my blog, I'd love to hear from you!  What kinds of posts and recipes would you love to see here?  Any specific ideas, foods, round-ups, tutorials, etc?  More or less of my kids? ;)  I'm open to any and all suggestions!

Creamy Pumpkin Pizza with Truffled Gouda and Herbed Ricotta 

Creamy Pumpkin Pizza with Truffled Gouda and Herbed Ricotta

  • 1 Tbs butter
  • 1 Tbs flour
  • 1 Tbs tomato paste
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 3 Tbs pumpkin puree
  • 2 Tbs shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1 lb pizza dough
  • cornmeal, for sprinkling
  • olive oil, for brushing
  • 1/3 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 tsp minced fresh thyme
  • 1 tsp minced fresh parsley
  • 1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 packed cup chopped fresh spinach
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced white onion
  • 1 cup grated truffled gouda cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated mozzarella
Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500 degrees for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add the flour, tomato paste, and garlic, and cook, stirring continuously, for about 1 minute.  Whisk in the milk, reduce the heat to medium low, and cook until thickened, stirring often, about 3 to 4 minutes.  Remove from heat, fish out the garlic clove, and stir in the parmesan cheese.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Sprinkle a large square of parchment paper with cornmeal, and roll and stretch the dough into a 14-16 inch circle, or large oval.   Brush the perimeter of the dough with olive oil.

In a small bowl, combine the ricotta with the thyme, rosemary, and parsley, and season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Spread a thin layer of the sauce over the dough, leaving a 1 inch border.  Scatter the spinach and onions over the sauce, then sprinkle the mozzarella and gouda over the vegetables.  Using a teaspoon, dot the top with the ricotta.  

Transfer the pizza plus parchment to the preheated stone, and cook 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown.  Remove from oven, allow to cool 10 minutes, then slice and serve.


Sunday, January 3, 2016

2015 in Review: Our Life

DSC_3756


Wow.  So I haven't posted since October.  Sorry about that!  I felt very overwhelmed and was really busy this fall, and just needed to let something go.  So I'm sorry about the radio silence here, but it was much needed on my part.  I thought that maybe if I took a break from the blog, I could keep my house clean, get in more workouts, have more time to read and pray, and generally just get my head above water for a bit.  Well, as it turns out, my house is still messy.  I still miss more workouts than I'd like to admit.  The only books I read lately are about autism treatments and nutrition.  And I still feel like I'm barely treading water most days.  But here's the thing -- I miss this place!  I miss taking pics of my food, I miss writing, I miss hearing from you guys.  Can we try this again in 2016, pretty please?

So thankful for these four little faces. 💛💛👫👬💛💛

When I first sat down to write about 2015, I looked back at the recipes I shared with you; but to be honest, 2015 was not about the food for me.  2015 was about Henry.  I could say that a dark cloud was cast upon the year because of Henry's autism diagnosis.  It's been way too easy for me to get bogged down in the negativity, fear, and sadness associated with that diagnosis.  Believe me, I feel all of that!  But then I look at what he's accomplished and who he is.  He went from being completely nonverbal in June, to having a vocabulary of almost 100 words in December.  He is quite literally obsessed with animals, and he can tell you the sounds of almost any animal you can think of.  When he wants milk, he asks for milk, rather than throwing himself down in front of the refrigerator, screaming and crying.  He looks me in the eye.  He holds my hand.  He gives me kisses if I ask.  And he calls me mommy, Joey Daddy, and Tucker "Tuck Tuck."  He's such a special little boy, and I am constantly amazed by him.  We have some pretty tough and stressful decisions to make about his future in the next few weeks; but based on the progress he's made in the last three months, he is so ready to fly, and I can't wait to see how high he'll go.

It's nutcracker time!! Caroline the cupcake! 

Henry is not our only child though.  We had lots of adventures and fun with the other three as well.  Smith played t-ball, Tucker's personality continued to shine bright and bold, and Caroline performed in a local production of The Nutcracker.  Perfectly cast as a cupcake, she was adorable and sweet, and she's already talking about what she wants to be next year.  Spoiler alert:  the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Photo booth fun!  #besties #2016

So 2015 was tough. It tested me, it was just hard.  We went though a LOT this year.  But we started 2016 with a bang.  My girl Annie and her sweet family came to visit us over the New Year's holiday, and we rang in 2016 with Mexican food, blood orange-passion fruit margaritas, dancing, and fun.  We laughed, ate, and talked our faces off, and I could not have asked for a better time.  If that is any indication of what the new year has in store, then I am excited and blessed beyond belief!

I felt like I owed you guys an update and explanation of my absence, but have no fear:  I'll be back again this week with a roundup of the top dishes of 2015, and then I'll be jumping into new recipes!  I have so many ideas and plans for the new year, and I'm so excited to share it all with you!  xoxo


 
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