My favorite salad ever: Avocado & Orange Salad

When I made my favorite salad the other night for the 1,000th time it dawned on me that I have never put this recipe on the blog! I kind of couldn't believe it because I've shared over 300 recipes yet this is one of my most favorite things to eat of all time. The recipe is my Mom's and she made it all the time when I was growing up. I really can't get enough of this salad, with big chunks of creamy avocado, the pop of citrus from the Mandarin oranges, and the crunch of baked almonds and fresh green onions. A basic vinaigrette finishes off this salad. Make this for yourself and the people you love immediately. You will be so happy you did!

Avocado & Orange Salad
From My Momma
Printable Version
Ingredients
1 head of lettuce
1 sliced avocado
1 small can of mandarin oranges, drained
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
1 small package of slivered almonds, baked at 400 degrees for 6 minutes
For the dressing:
1/4 cup oil (olive or vegetable)
3 tablespoons vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash of fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons sugar


Directions
Whisk ingredients for dressing and toss with all other ingredients just before serving. Use dressing sparingly!

Hot Chicken Salad

I made this hot chicken salad last week when I wanted a taste of home. This is one of my Mom's recipes that I ate growing up. I'd never tried making it myself but knew that hubby would enjoy it - mostly because it's topped with crushed potato chips! It's a simple and filling casserole that has a nice balance of texture and flavors. 


Hot Chicken Salad
From My Momma
Printable Version
Ingredients
2 cups (2 whole chicken breasts) cooked chicken, chopped
2 cups celery, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup grated onion
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup crushed potato chips

Directions
Mix everything together in a large bowl except for the almonds and chips. Spread in a 9 inch baking pan and top with chips and almonds. 

Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. 

Week of Holiday Treats: Almond Bars

I have so many goodies to share with you for the holidays that I decided for the next week I will only post yummy treats. Today I am starting with my Aunt Chris' Almond Bars. These bars are a family favorite and every time Aunt Chris makes them they're gone in a flash. Pure almond paste is the shining star in this recipe. I had never bought it before and still haven't! A friend who was moving gave me a can of it (Thanks Racheal!) and right then and there I knew I had to make Almond Bars. 

These bars are like a thick almond sugar cookie bars, sprinkled with toasted almonds. I brought these to a neighbor's going away party and everyone complimented me on them. Perfect for the Holidays when you are tired of chocolate and frosting (if you get tired of chocolate and frosting that is!).

Almond Bars

From my Auntie Chris

Printable Version

Ingredients

1 cup butter or margarine

8 ounces almond paste

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tsp salt (I omitted this since I used butter that had salt)

2 cups flour

1/2 cup slivered or sliced almonds

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly spray a 9X13 pan with cooking spray. Cream together butter and almond paste, beat in sugar and eggs. Add in flour and salt. Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with almonds. 

Bake for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack and and cut into bars. 

Pea, Almond, and Blue Cheese Salad

This scrumptious pea salad recipe is from my wonderful sister-in-law (who is truly like a REAL sister to me). The flavors in this pea salad might sound interesting but they work together beautifully especially with the vinaigrette of mustard, olive oil, garlic, mint, green onions and lemon juice. It's savory, tangy, and has excellent textures from the pop of the peas to the crunch of the toasted almonds. I've made this salad twice since Marg gave me the recipe, once with goat cheese crumbles and once with blue cheese and I must say the blue cheese is much better. But if you aren't a blue cheese or goat cheese fan it would also be delicious with chunks of fresh mozzarella or even grated fresh Parmesan cheese. It only takes as long to make as it does to boil the peas and goes great with just about anything you're making for dinner! 


Pea, Almond, and Blue Cheese Salad
From my lovely sister Margaret
Printable Version
Ingredients
1 package of frozen peas
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh mint, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup slivered or sliced almonds, toasted in a pan for about 5 minutes over medium low


Directions
Boil peas in salted water according to directions on package. Drain and cool, the pat to remove excess water. In a large bowl whisk all of the remaining ingredients except for the blue cheese and almonds. Add the peas to the vinaigrette and combine. Top with blue cheese and sprinkle with almonds. 

Meatless Mondays: Lemony Pesto Pasta with Spinach, Edamame, and Toasted Almonds

Happy Memorial Day Everyone! If you have overindulged on grilled meats, baked beans, sweet desserts, and other Memorial Day fare, I definitely recommend you try out this light bright pasta dish from The Kitchn. It is wonderfully fresh with healthy flavors: spinach, pesto, toasted almonds, pops of edamame and lemon juice. It can be made hours ahead and left at room temp, and it also is excellent as leftovers. A perfect lightened up dish for your next summer picnic.

Lemony Pesto Pasta with Spinach, Edamame, and Toasted Almonds
From The Kitchn
Serves 4-6
Printable Version

Ingredients
8 ounces spaghetti
1/2 cup pesto
8 ounces spinach
2 cups edamame (shelled and shucked)
Juice from 2 lemons (plus lemon wedges for serving, if desired)
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cups slivered almond, lightly toasted


Directions
Heat a large pot of boiling water to boiling and cook pasta until al dente. Remove from water and rinse with cold water.

In a large bowl stir the pasta, pesto, and spinach until combined. Stir in the edamame and squirt the lemon all over the finished dish. 

Reserve a few lemon juices for people to add more if desired. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish pasta with toasted almonds and serve. 

Swiss Almond Dip

This creamy, cheesy, nutty dip is a Holiday favorite with my family. We usually eat it on Christmas Eve after church. My Mom gets credit for this recipe in our family cookbook, but I recently learned it is originally from her dear friend Barb.  This dip is perfect for your New Years' Eve parties because you can make it ahead and then just pop it in the oven when you are ready to eat. It saves well too, so if there happens to be any leftovers you can reheat it the next day.


Swiss Almond Dip
Printable Version

Ingredients
8 oz Neufchatel cream cheese (the 1/3 less fat version)
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1/3 cup Miracle Whip (NOT mayo)
1/3 cup sliced almonds + 2 tablespoons
1/3 cup chopped white onion


Directions
Combine all ingredients (except for the 2 tablespoons of almonds). Mix well using a hand mixer.

Spread mixture into a 9 inch pie plate. 
Bake for 6 minutes at 350 degrees. Stir after the six minutes and top with the remaining almonds. Bake again for 6 minutes. 

Serve hot with vegetables, crackers, or pita chips.

Indian Chicken Curry

I was inspired to make a homemade Chicken Curry to use up some of the left over Cranberry Chutney from Thanksgiving. I found this dish on what looked to be a somewhat authentic Indian recipe site. I was really pleased with the flavor and the color, in addition to how easy it was to prepare. I'm a wimp when it comes to heat in my curries, so this was very mild and perfect for me. I think hubby would have preferred it a little more hot. Oh well, I'm the boss in the kitchen, right? :)


 The Cranberry Chutney was an awesome addition. I served it over plain rice, but if you go to the original site, there are directions for a rice ring that sounds absolutely delicious. 

Indian Curry Chicken
From Indian Food Forever
Printable Version


Ingredients
1 tablespoons butter (I am trying to cut down on my butter intake so used yogurt butter)
1 cup chopped apple
1 cup chopped celery
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoon cornstarch
2 to 3 teaspoons curry powder
3/4 cup cold chicken stock
2 cups milk
2 cups cooked chicken, diced (I boiled 2 chicken breasts)
1 (3 ounce) can mushrooms, drained (didn't have these so omitted this)
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup raisins
3 cups hot cooked rice


Directions
Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add apple, celery, garlic, and onion. Cook until onion is tender. 

Combine cornstarch, curry powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and stock. 

Stir into onion mixture. Add milk. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. 
Add chicken and mushrooms, stir and heat through. Stir in almonds and raisins. 

Serve over rice.

Spaghetti with Beef, Smoked Almonds, and Basil

This summer I bought a really expensive package of spaghetti imported from Italy on suggestion of my friend, fellow foodie, and super Mom, Anne. I kept waiting to use it because Anne said that the pasta was the best she'd ever had.

I decided to go with Giada De Laurentiis' Spaghetti with Beef, Smoked Almonds, and Basil. The combination of beef, almonds, and fresh basil was intriguing to me and I knew my hubby would be happy that this recipe calls for two fresh steaks. I had never bought Herbes de Provence before and although it's expensive, it's lovely! It brings in flavors of Southern France - rosemary, lavender, marjoram, thyme. If you use Herbes de Provence, please share with me your favorite recipe!


My hubby raved about this pasta. He liked the sauce and of course the steak.  I wasn't so in love with it. Although I really like fresh basil, I felt like that overpowered the other ingredients. I could barely taste the smoked almonds. This was not my most favorite Giada recipe - I'd take her Mushroom Ragu, Balsamic Brown Butter Ravioli, or Pasta with Basil Pesto over this one any day of the week. 

Spaghetti with Beef, Smoked Almonds, and Basil
From Giada De Laurentiis


Printable Version


Ingredients
1 pound (1 inch thick) beef tenderloin steaks
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling, plus 1/4 cup
1 pound spaghetti pasta
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 packed cups fresh basil leaves
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3/4 cup chopped smoked almonds
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves


Directions
Place an oven rack in the upper 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450. Place the steaks on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the Herbes de Provence on both sides of the steak and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes for medium-well. Let the steaks rest for 10 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.

In a food processor, combine the diced tomatoes, basil, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and 1/4 cup olive oil. Process until the mixture is coarsely chopped.

Place the cooked pasta, tomato mixture and smoked almonds in a large serving bowl. Toss well and thin out the sauce with a little pasta water if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and chopped basil. Slice the steaks into 1/4 inch slices and serve alongside the pasta. 

**Note: The steaks can also be grilled over medium-high heat on a preheated grill pan or gas or charcoal grill for about 5 minutes on each side.

Oriental Broccoli Slaw

One of the greatest things about starting this cooking blog is having lots of people share their favorite recipes with me. I love when I open up my email to find that one of my friends or family members sent me a recipe to try. My very first college roommate and lifelong friend Beth emailed me this recipe for broccoli slaw. I am already a HUGE fan of slaw - when out to eat and given a  choice of sides, I go with cole slaw about 95% of the time. It's something I make at home waaaay too much. I do try to mix it up by adding in sunflower seeds or apples (if you haven't tried sliced green apples in cole slaw, give it a try!) so when Bethie sent me this recipe for Broccoli Slaw with an Asian twist, I was very excited. This slaw features homemade dressing and lots of crunch. I made a few little tweaks here and there but Beth is getting all the credit on this one! 

Broccoli Slaw
Love and thanks to my beautiful friend Beth


Printable Version


Ingredients
1 bag of broccoli slaw
4 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons of butter
1 package of Oriental Flavored Ramen Noodles (you can use whatever flavor you prefer)
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Directions
Melt the butter in a skillet over low heat. Break up the ramen noodles and brown them with the noodles and sesame seeds (about 5 minutes but watch them!). Add in the sesame seeds and stir for about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, sugar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Pour over broccoli slaw and green onions and top with the crunchy stuff. 

Note: this salad does not keep well overnight. It is best to mix it up about an hour before serving and let it stand in the fridge.