Thursday, August 30, 2012

Today's Special??

Chicken Salad sandwiches!
I love me some good sandos! This is also one of my favs...my good friend Autumn is my credit to the goodness of the chicken salad because there is so much you can do with it.  Autumn and I use to work together and we would make lunch in the breakroom at our office. Her chicken salad was so yummy and not something I would usually make...it had grapes in it! I know, sounds weird to some, but oh my goodness it added such snap with a little bit of sweetness that was the perfect combo.
Of course there are other ways of making chicken salad (and yes I buy the canned chicken at Costco, or I boil my own chicken breast and shred it).  Drain your chicken, add the mayo and then start creating! Cut some grapes in half, add nuts (any type of nut will do, I have yet to find one that doesnt go!), and my favorite...not so secret, secret ingredient is some curry powder. Now I love curry so I tend to add quite a bit, so if you arent sure about the flavor of curry add a little and then add some more!
And to top off the gourmet chicken salad sando?  Put it on some toasted, homemade bread with some crisp lettuce and a tomato! Delish!!

Don't forget to check out tomorrow's last lunch day...next week will be a new theme.  Do you have a theme you want me to write about? Let me know!

Enjoy your lunch!

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Lunch for dinner...or for lunch!

It's tomato time!  For those of you who were able to plant tomatoes this year, now is the time they are ripe and ready to go.  Last night my husband harvested (my favorite word for picked) a ton of tomatoes while my 1 1/2 year old ate one like an apple.  So the plan??  BLTAs tonight.  Here is what I'm going to do:
*The fresh bread is in the maker ready to go
*Slice the tomatoes 1/4" thick
*Cook the bacon: my least favorite part as I hate smelling like bacon when I'm done.  So I like to use the small Pampered Chef bar pan, put 6 pieces of bacon on it with some parchment paper on top and microwave it for 4-5 minutes, check and cook more as neeeded.  The mess is secluded to my microwave, it is crispy and perfect, and I don't smell like bacon fat! :)  Win win!  (If you need a small bar pan, let me know I'm always putting in an order)
*Mayonnaise: this can be so boring, but I found a great trick!  Mix a little mayo with some lemon juice.  Mix as much as you like for taste.  It keeps well if you make too much and it adds a nice twist on any boring sandwich!
*Avocado: yum yum!  Cut the avo in half lengthwise, using a butter knife, slice and scoop as if you are slicing butter. 
*Don't forget the lettuce!  I'm using Iceberg tonight for crunch, but sometimes fresh basil tickles my fancy more than lettuce!

Delish!  Keep it simple and cool.  With this recipe, you can make the bacon ahead and most importantly you don't have to heat up your oven or stove on these hot days!

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

I'm baaack....

How come in the 80s Poltergeist seemed like the scariest movie and now when you watch it, it is slightly ridiculous...right up there with Jaws...somehow now you see all of the 'fakeness' if you well (my mommy brain can't quite come up with the word I really want to use). 

Sorry gor the length of MIA (thank you Anne for nudging me for more!)...we have had guests come and go, friends' babies being born, 2 kids to chase after, and one sweet member of our family go off to college.  Ah the circle of life...

So has anyone been trying any of my recipes?  My goal is to have a daily post...hahaha...but to all of my FB friends, it may not get on FB everyday, so try and check back on my blog.  I have been repeating a few recipes that I have already posted ie the Chicken thighs with zucchini, feta, and olives.  For those who are a bit scared of kalamata olives, well you are missing out, but you would be able to make the dish without them and still have success.  This recipe is one that my husband always asks for me to make a ton because he loves it as leftovers for lunches!

Speaking of lunches, I believe there are many of you who want a quick, healthy way to have lunch, either at work, or at home, so this week of blogs is going to be centered more around lunches.  As an avid Pinterest person, I came across the salads in a Mason jar and tried one yesterday.  First of all they came out great, they were easy to make, and of course presentation was fun, but I do have some recommendations.  The layers are deceiving because as you are putting ingredients in they get high quickly which leads to less lettuce.  I was okay with that, but for those of you who like a more lettuce salad beware.  Also, you can shake them in the jar to dress them (sounds naughty), but I would recommend you have a plate or bowl to pour the contents into as the jar doesn't shake the ingredients well, just dresses everything.  So for those of you who aren't Pinterest people, or have seen them, here is what you do:
You need a quart size Mason jar, and all salad fixings that you want, here is what I did.  Start with the dresssing of your choice and put in on the bottom of the jar, the next layer needs to be a vegetable that is hardy, ie carrots or celery I did both, then I added cubed ham, mozzarella, and the lettuce.  I buy ham steaks at Costco, 3 large cooked steaks for $11, freeze two and use one to cube for salads.  Apparently these salads last for up to 6 days in the fridge, so you can make them on Sunday and have lunches for the week!  While I was at Costco, in the bakery section, they had some pita bread that I bought and froze so that I can have a piece of pita with the salad to add a little side.

Enjoy!