avocado salmon salad

avocado salmon salad

Hey everyone,This avocado salmon salad is a keeper! it's loaded with all the best ingredients and juicy pan-seared salmon. The fresh lemon dressing is so easy and gives this salad amazing flavor. Let's start with the dressing. You'll need 3 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice and it is important to use fresh so start squeezing those lemons. Next add 3 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp of salt and 1/8 of a tsp of black pepper and last but not least, add two Tbsp of freshly chopped dill and stir everything together. Now the salmon is so quick and easy to prepare. You'll need 1 pound of salmon and I have that cut into four fillets. Season both sides with garlic salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place a large non-stick pan over medium heat and add half a Tbsp of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the salmon and cook about three to four minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the salmon to a plate then spoon about a tsp of the dressing over each fillet. Set those aside and let them cool to room temperature while you prepare the rest of your salad. I've washed, chopped and spun dry one medium head of romaine lettuce. Place that in a large salad bowl. Now slice up one English cucumber, add those to the salad bowl then thinly slice six radishes. Next, thinly slice and add half of a small red onion. Onto my favorite part - the avocado. We're using two avocados. Add all of your avocado to the salad bowl. Alright, it's time to finish this salad off and there's two ways to serve it. You can either break up the salmon and toss it with the rest of the salad or just serve it right over the top. It's a little bit fancier so that's what we're gonna do. Juicy salmon! Wow! And then the last step is drizzle generously with that dressing and I'm telling you this is gonna become your new favorite dressing. It's so easy but just so delicious. It smells good too. All right and use every bit of that dressing because it is so good. YUM! Okay, and I kind of jumped the gun and put the salmon in too early so I'm going to move it aside and give this salad a quick toss so that all the flavors can meld with that dressing. Okay, here we go, oh so much avocado! The best! Wow! This is one glamorous salad. It looks so impressive and it tastes even better. Mm-hmm, all right and we're all about big portions around here, you already know that. This is normally supposed to serve four as a side salad but tell you the truth, my husband and I can down this thing together. Whoops, making a mess.

 Mm-hmm okay. And then a big piece of salmon right over the top, so lovely. Mm-hmm okay, let's do this. That salmon is so juicy, it's the easiest way to cook it, just on the skillet. So quick and flavorful with that dressing over it. Okay, a little bit of everything... mmm-hmm. Everything works so well together. You've got that creamy avocado, crunchy cucumber and then the radishes give it this exciting pop of flavor. And if you don't like radishes, totally okay. You can substitute with tomatoes, that'll still be delicious but wow! This is delicious and the dressing is so fresh with the lemon juice and dill. This is an amazing salad!

Eeasy chicken Tetrazzini

Hi everyone,Today we're making chicken Tetrazzini. It's a creamy, cheesy pasta bake that's loaded with juicy chicken and everyone who tries this loves it. We start with cooking 12 ounces of pasta and I'm using thin spaghetti here but you can use any pasta you have on hand. Cook the pasta in salted water according to package instructions until it's al dente or firm to the bite. While the pasta is cooking, prep the rest of your ingredients. You'll need 4 cups of shredded chicken. You can get this from a cooked rotisserie chicken, which is the easiest way or you can season and saute 2 pounds of chicken breast. Break the chicken apart into bite-size pieces and set it aside. Now thickly slice 1 pound of white mushrooms. Finely chop 1 medium onion, then mince 3 to 4 garlic cloves. Now finely chop 1/4 cup of fresh parsley and for your last bit of prep squeeze 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. Once the pasta is finished cooking, drain and rinse to stop the cooking process, then set it aside. Place a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, add two Tbsp of olive oil, then add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for about three minutes or until softened. Add diced onions and cook for five to seven minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft. Add the minced garlic and stir for another minute or two, just until the garlic is fragrant, then remove the mushrooms to a separate dish. You'll make the sauce in the very same pot and there's no need to wash it. Melt four Tbsp of butter then stir in a quarter cup of flour. Cook for one to two minutes, stirring constantly until the mixture is lightly golden. Then add two and a half cups of chicken broth, a Tbsp of fresh lemon juice. a tsp of salt and a quarter tsp of black pepper. Stir until smooth. Finally stir in one and a half cups of half-and-half. Or you can use equal parts of milk and heavy cream and bring everything to a simmer. Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper as needed. Add the pasta, chicken and mushrooms back to the pot, then stir in a quarter cup of fresh parsley. Stir well to make sure every noodle is coated in that amazing sauce. Sprinkle the top generously with one and a half to two cups of shredded mozzarella cheese. Cover the pot and bake at 350˚F for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and continue baking another 15 minutes which creates a golden cheesy crust. Oh! Come to mama! I am excited because this made my house smell amazing and it's delicious so let's get right into this and do the taste test. Okay and you want to break through that cheesy crust. The crust is awesome because it seals in all the juiciness and makes this pasta incredibly creamy and not dry not at all. Okay, here we go. Creamy and cheesy, because one scoop is just not enough... Okay, and then garnish with a little bit of fresh parsley because it gives it that beautiful pop of color and flavor. And here we go. Alright, to get a little bit of everything on my fork and the chicken is like melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Alright, seriously though, that chicken is so tender and then the plump juicy mushrooms and the sauce has amazing flavor. It just baked into every noodle so every bite is incredible. I hope you guys loved this recipe, it's a family favorite. 

shrimp fried rice

shrimp fried rice

Hi everyone, We're making the easiest shrimp fried rice. This is a family favorite and it's perfect for a busy weeknight. This recipe moves fast so you'll want to have everything prepped and ready to go. In a medium bowl combine 1 pound of raw shrimp with 1 TSP of corn starch, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a quarter teaspoon of black pepper. Stir it together and set it aside. Now in a small bowl beat together four large eggs and then finely chop 1/4 cup of fresh green onion. Place a large nonstick pan or a wok over medium-high heat. When a bead of water sizzles and evaporates, swirl in 2 Tbsp of cooking oil. Transfer shrimp to the hot skillet and spread them out in a single layer. Cook about 1 minute per side or just until cooked through and no longer opaque, then remove them to a bowl. In the same pan cook the beaten eggs, breaking them up with your spatula and cooking just until no longer runny. Then transfer them to a bowl,wipe the skillet clean with a dry paper towel. Then add another Tbsp of oil and the green onions and cook until the onions are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Now you'll need five cups of cold, leftover,white rice. Quickly stir the rice with the onion then spread it evenly over the pan and cook one to two minutes without touching it. Stir the rice once and let it sauté another 1 to 2 minutes. You should hear the rice sizzling. Drizzle in two Tbsp of soy sauce and stir well to combine.

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Add one and a half tsp of sesame oil and don't skip it. Sesame oil gives stir fry authentic flavor and aroma. Add 12 ounces of thawed carrots and peas then return your shrimp and your eggs back to the pan. Then stir everything to combine. Now try your stir-fry and add more soy sauce to taste. I usually add another half a tablespoon, to a tablespoon of soy sauce. Stir everything to combine and take it off the heat. Oh yes! All right, it is time for the taste test and I cannot wait. And I can't believe how fast this came together. This is such an easy meal and perfect for busy weeknights and it also makes a great meal planning option because it reheats really well. Ok, here we go. And lots of shrimp for me. I'm a fan and there's a lot in here too.It is so simple and so flavorful. You guys are gonna love this and I'm gonna put those chopsticks down because I am not that skilled and I'm not that patient. Okay, here we go. I'm gonna enjoy the rest of this. Oh and I love that it's loaded with veggies and so much protein, with the shrimp and the egg and perfect use for leftover rice.

CooK a Brussels sprouts in creamy cheesy Alfredo sauce

Brussels sprouts in creamy cheesy Alfredo sauce

Hi everyone,today we are cooking up Brussels sprouts in creamy cheesy Alfredo sauce.This is an easy, excellent side dish.Start by preparing two pounds of fresh Brussels sprouts. Cut off the ends then slice them in half and peel off any rough or dry outer leaves.
Now place a deep saute pan or a Dutch oven over medium heat and add six ounces of chopped bacon. Stir that for three to five minutes or until the bacon is browned and the fat has been released.
Transfer the crispy bacon to a separate dish and set it aside,keeping about three tablespoons of oil in the pan. Now add all of your prepared Brussels sprouts and season with half a teaspoon of salt and a quarter teaspoon of black pepper. Cover and cook over medium heat for eight to nine minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until the Brussels sprouts are tender and lightly browned. Add one large, minced garlic clove and stir for about a minute,until fragrant then add one and a half cups of heavy whipping cream and bring it to a simmer.Add one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice,then stir in 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese.Now season to taste and I added another quarter teaspoon of salt. Then bring it just to a simmer and remove it from the heat. You don't want it to boil or the cheese can clump together. Who else is really excited right now!? Hot, bubbly, creamy! The only thing left to do, is garnish it with that crisp bacon that we made earlier. I'm so excited right now because I get to eat this all!Right, this is such an easy side dish and it is absolutely holiday worthy and my son loves these, which is awesome, because it's Brussels sprouts and even people who don't love Brussels sprouts will love this because - Alfredo. Okay, let's dig in. I am so hungry for this. Oh, look at that! So creamy and then a little bit more bacon because, why not. You can tell I like bacon. Okay, on to the taste test. A big fork full so I look really awkward when I'm chewing. Okay, that's not the goal.
This is so flavorful. The sauce is really easy. You can taste that little hint of lemon and then the Parmesan cheese makesit so creamy. The Brussels sprouts are perfectly tender and I love the crunchy
salty bites of bacon in there. Oh man, it just makes this irresistible. This is creamy, decadent and oh so delicious and it reheats really well, if you're lucky enough to have leftovers.

Autumn Apple Chicken Sandwiches

Autumn Apple Chicken Sandwiches

An Autumn inspired pulled chicken sandwich recipe with hints of curry and cinnamon! This chicken is great served on buns with apple slices and fresh spinach leaves.

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and diced
• 2 medium sweet onions, diced
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ½ cup stock or water
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Place all this ingredients in the slow cooker and stir together. Cook on low for 6 hours.
Take the chicken breasts out then shred them with 2 forks and stir back into the slow cooker.

Mango Chicken

This recipe is inspired by the bold flavors of Indian cooking, but is mild enough for the whole family to enjoy. Garam masala is a spice blend that now is available in most grocery stores. Any variety of mango can 
be used, and feel free to swap in the more economical frozen mango, if you like.

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound sweet potato, cubed
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1½ cups diced mango
• Cooked rice for serving (optional)

Turn the slow cooker on low.
Place chicken thighs in the slow cooker and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add remaining ingredients and cover slow cooker.
Cook on low until chicken is cooked through. Shred chicken into smaller chunks. Stir and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over cooked rice if desired.

Whole Tuscan Chicken

Whole Tuscan Chicken

An Italian variation of a very popular recipe on my blog The Little Kitchen, this meal is super-quick to put together. Since you broil the chicken after it's done cooking in the slow cooker, it will be like you roasted awhole chicken, Tuscan-style!

• 3 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1½ teaspoons dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt
• ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 lemon, juiced and zested
• 8 cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 1½ pounds small red potatoes, larger ones halved or quartered
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, cut in half lengthwise and then into quarters
• 1½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3½ to 4½ pounds whole roasting or fryer chicken
• 1 lemon, quartered

Put salt, paprika, thyme, garlic salt, rosemary, oregano and black pepper in a small bowl and mix
together. Set aside. Add the lemon zest and half of the minced garlic cloves to the bowl of seasonings and mix again.
Add the potatoes, onions and carrots to the bottom of the slow cooker. Pour lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil on top the vegetables and mix to coat. Add the other half of the minced garlic cloves on top of the vegetables.
Wipe the chicken dry with a paper towel. Fold the wings down. Separate the skin from the breast and drumsticks with your fingers, but be careful not to rip the skin. Place some of the seasonings under the skin.
Rub chicken with ½ tablespoon olive oil. Add the seasoning inside and all over the chicken. Add quartered lemons to the inside of the chicken. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Place the chicken
on top of the vegetables inside the slow cooker.
Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or on low for 6 to 9 hours. (Cook until the internal temperature of the leg
is at 160 degrees F.)
Remove the chicken using turkey lifters and place in a roasting pan or oven-safe glass dish. Broil in your oven at 550 degrees F (or the highest your oven broiler will go) for 5 to 10 minutes. (Be careful and watch it to ensure it doesn't burn.) Serve chicken with vegetables from the slow cooker.

How to cook a Brown Butter Pumpkin Sage Risotto

Brown Butter Pumpkin Sage Risotto 

with Hazelnut Brussels Sprouts

Risotto

• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. fresh sage, chopped
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 1 cup pearl barley
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 ½ lb. pumpkin, or butternut squash,about 6 cups, cut into uniformpieces and pulsed in a food processor until shredded
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese

Brown the butter in a sauce pan with the sage. Add the onion and barley,sauté until the barley is fragrant and the onions are translucent. Add the garlic, thyme, white wine, vegetable broth, and the shredded squash. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil and reduce the heat to a simmer,uncovered, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes or until the barley is cooked through but still chewy and the squash is falling apart. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat and stir in cheese. 

Hazelnut Brussels Sprouts

• 1 quart Brussels sprouts, cleaned
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped

Melt the butter with the lemon zest. Toss the Brussels sprouts in the
butter and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a sheet pan and
roast for about 9 minutes in a 375˚F oven. Remove from the oven and toss with the hazelnuts. Continue to bake about 6-7 minutes until the Brussels sprouts are tender. Spoon over the risotto to serve.

Comfy Vegan Winter Stuffed Pepper with a Cashew Lime Cream Sauce

Peppers

• 4 large PA red bell peppers Olive oil, as needed

Remove the tops and seeds from the peppers. Brush with olive oil.

Sweet Potato and Potato Filling

• ½ large PA sweet potato, ½-inch dice
• 1 large PA russet potato, ½-inch dice
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. coriander
• Salt and pepper

To mak potatoes, preheat your oven to 400˚F. Place the diced sweet
potatoes and potatoes onto the sheet tray and toss with the olive oil,
cumin, salt, and pepper to coat. Slide the tray into the oven and roast until the pieces are soft and also cooked through, about 25 minutes. Remove the tray and lower the heat to 350˚F. While the potatoes are cooking, make the quinoa and start the enchilada sauce.

Quinoa

• ½ cup quinoa
• 1 cup water

To make the quinoa, combine ½ cup rinsed quinoa with 1 cup of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. 

Enchilada Sauce

• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour (or glutenfree flour blends)
• 1 Tbsp. ground chili powder
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ¼ tsp. dried oregano
• ¼ tsp. salt, to taste
• Pinch of cinnamon
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Measure the dry ingredients (flour, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder,oregano, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg) into a small bowl and place it near the stove. Then place the tomato paste and broth near the stove.

In a medium-sized pot over medium heat, warm the oil until it’s hot
enough that a light sprinkle of the flour mixture sizzles on contact. Once it’s ready, pour in the flour mixture. Whisk constantly, about 1 minute. Then whisk the tomato paste into the mixture, then slowly pour in the broth while whisking constantly to remove any lumps.

Raise the heat to medium-high and bring your mixture to simmer, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, whisking
often, for about 5 or 7 minutes, until the sauce has thickened for bit. The sauce will further thicken as it cools. Remove from the heat, then whisk in the vinegar and season to taste with freshly ground black pepper and more salt if necessary.

Pumpkin Seed Crumble

• ¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds
• ½ tsp. coriander seeds
• ½ tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. nutritional yeast
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor, stopping to scrape down the sides if needed. Grind until fine. Set aside.

Assembling the Peppers

• Peppers
• Potato filling
• 1½ cups black beans
• Quinoa
• Pumpkin seed mixture
• Enchilada sauce

With the oven preheated to 350°F, lightly oil a 9x13-inch baking pan; set aside.

Put everything in bowls and set up an assembly line from left to right:bowl of potato filling, bowl of black beans, the quinoa, the pumpkin 

seed mixture, and the enchilada sauce. *Extra fillings can be saved and combined to make a side dish.

Divide the fillings between the 4 bell peppers, gently packing it down to make each pepper full and then arrange them upright in the prepared pan: add a spoonful of the potatoes, a spoonful of black beans, a spoonful of quinoa, and several spoonfuls of enchilada sauce to fill pepper. Then cover with the pumpkin seed crumble on top.

Cover snugly with a foil and make bake for 1 hour. Take out halfway through
and cover with the remaining enchilada sauce. Put the peppers back in the oven and cook until they are tender and juicy and the filling is hot throughout. Remove from the oven.

Cashew Lime Cream Sauce

• ¾ cup raw cashews, soaked for 3 hours or more
• Juice and zest of 1 lime (about ¼ cup of juice)
• Splash of white wine vinegar
• Fat pinch of sea salt
• 4 Tbsp. filtered water

While the peppers are cooking, make the Cashew Lime Cream Sauce.Place the drained cashews in the bender along with the remaining ingredients. Blend on high until you have a creamy and smooth mixture.Scrape the lime cream into a container, chill and cover until you’re ready to serve it.

Plating

Serve the vegan peppers hot with a dollop of cashew lime cream and extra pumpkin seed crumble on top. Optional: top with diced avocado, green onions, and cilantro