Lime-Balsamic Tomato Salad

(Please Note** I had eaten half the tomatoes before I took the picture :)

Who doesn't like a ripe juicy summer tomato? Oh, I know plenty of people who don't but I am most certainly not one of them. I planted tomatoes myself this year and waited in anticipation for the yummy fruit only to be terribly disappointed. I found that my sweet little Zeke loved pulling the green fruit off the plants. We are in a condo so I did a container garden on my balcony. I often left the sliding glass door open to allow the boys to play and to enjoy the fresh air. How sad I was one day when I found several of the green tomato fruit rolling around on the balcony. I quickly scolded him and told him not to bother my fruit. However, I am not sure if it was a case of yearning for "the forbidden fruit" or what but he continued to pull the fruit off throughout the summer so no tomatoes from my garden. Boo Hoo! I did get lucky last week and received about a bushel from a local farm. I love, love, love tomatos. My mom said that as a child I would eat them like candy. I couldn't get enough. And just to let you know...I believe my tomato appetite is insatiable because 40 years later I still can't get enough!

This salad is my most favorite way to eat them well, next to a good ole tomato sandwich. It is simple yet bursting with flavor and goes well with almost anything. MM MM! I think I am gonna got get me some now!

PS And it doesn't hurt that they are considered a "super food"

Ingredients:

• 4 whole tomatoes sliced - nice hearty slices. (you can use the beef steak or roma it depends on the season. When tomatoes are in season I use what I have grown in the garden or the local farmers market.)
• 8 slices of red onion - sliced very thinly
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 TBS of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium lime
• salt
• 1 tsp parsley or cilantro (depends on what I am serving the salad with)

You can make this salad one of two ways:

1 - make a vinegrette with the liquids and then pour over the sliced tomatoes and onion. Then season with salt and sprinkle the parsley over or

2. lay out the sliced tomatoes and onions in a dish and pour each ingredient over one at a time. This is how I make it. But, whatever works for you...go for it!

BAJIO CHICKEN CHILE SALAD

Remember the blog that inspired me to combine my blogs into one? Well she also had this yummy recipe that I tried recently. It is a copy cat recipe for Bajio Chicken Chile Salad. She says this recipe "came from Kara’s Kitchen Creations - a darling blog with lots of yummy recipes!".

Recipe adapted from Kara's Kitchen Creations

Bajio Chicken Chile Salad
5 chicken breasts (I only used 4 large ones)
1/2 cup salsa
1 Tbsp cumin
1/2 cup brown sugar (more to taste)
1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
6 oz. Sprite (1/2 can)
Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Return to crock pot and cook 1 more hour. Thicken the juices with a little cornstarch mixed in water.
Serve with flour tortillas, lettuce, cheese, black beans and any other taco fixings.
If you want it spicer rather than sweeter add a hotter salsa and more green chilies.

Green Chile Rice (Serves 6)
1 cup rice
2 cups chicken broth
4 oz. green chiles
1 sm. onion, diced
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1-2 tsp. cumin
3 green onions.
Mix together and pour into greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake in the oven for 1 hour or until rice is done at 350.

NOTE*** If you plan to double the amount of rice you will have adjust cooking time appropriately. It will take about 15-20 min. longer.

Cilantro Salad Dressing (This gets rave reviews everytime I serve it)
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing (dry mix)
1 cup buttermilk
1/2- 1/3 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1/2 – 1 small jalapeno (remove seed)
1 cup mayo
1 tsp. lime juice
1-2 tomatillos (remove outer papery skin)
1 garlic clove
Blend all ingredients in blender!

Building the Salad

I used sweet baby greens for the foundation of my salad.

Top the greens with the chicken.

Top the chicken with black beans.

Top the black beans with cheese.

Top the cheese with tortilla strips (I made my own).

Drizzle the cilantro Salad dressing over everything.

Serve with Green chili rice on the side.

Broccoli Salad

As I was searching for a good salad for a recent pot luck I rediscovered this recipe among my sister's "tried and trues". It is quick and easy and tastes like it took you all day to make. It is always a hit wherever we take it. Sorry it doesn't have a picture but it got gobbled up before I could find my camera. I will make it again soon and add a picture.

Broccoli Salad

Recipe courtesy of Sonia Goodwin and Caprece Curtis

Salad Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 3 heads of broccoli chopped
• 8 oz of shredded mozzarella cheese (2 cups)
• 1/2 to 1 cup of cooked or pre-cooked bacon (I always use pre-cooked...hate what cooking bacon does for the smell of my kitchen)

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 TBS apple cider vinegar

Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl mix the salad ingredients and toss. *2 hours before serving pour dressing over salad and toss again making sure to cover salad well. Place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

*Although it is better if you let it marinade in the dressing for 2 hours, it tastes perfectly wonderful marinading only for 30 minutes.

Broccoli Salad

As I was searching for a good salad for a recent pot luck I rediscovered this recipe among my sister's "tried and trues". It is quick and easy and tastes like it took you all day to make. It is always a hit wherever we take it. Sorry it doesn't have a picture but it got gobbled up before I could find my camera. I will make it again soon and add a picture.

Broccoli Salad

Recipe courtesy of Sonia Goodwin and Caprece Curtis

Salad Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 3 heads of broccoli chopped
• 8 oz of shredded mozzarella cheese (2 cups)
• 1/2 to 1 cup of cooked or pre-cooked bacon (I always use pre-cooked...hate what cooking bacon does for the smell of my kitchen)

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 TBS apple cider vinegar

Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl mix the salad ingredients and toss. *2 hours before serving pour dressing over salad and toss again making sure to cover salad well. Place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

*Although it is better if you let it marinade in the dressing for 2 hours, it tastes perfectly wonderful marinading only for 30 minutes.

Ensalada de Rabanos - Radish Salad - Chilean Style

Recipe below serves 3-4.

Rabanos chilenos or Radish salad

This little root veggie is very under appreciated and I didn't discover this til I married a man from a country that champions the radish in their recipes. The taste is uniquely wonderful leaving your mouth tingling for more.

1 bunch of radishes washed and quartered

juice of one lemon/lime

salt to taste

Mix the above ingredients and allow to marinate for about 20 minutes before serving.

Pico de gallo

This is one of those must have recipes because it can be served with everything...kind of like the avocado. I put it with eggs for breakfast, chips, tacos (of course), carne asada, and salmon - YUMMY, just to mention a few. You can spice it up to the heat your mouth can handle- me - I like it HOT! HOT! HOT!

The recipe below serves 4.

Pico de gallo mexicano

2 tomatoes or 2 cups of cherry tomatoes chopped

1/2 of a medium onion chopped (we prefer white)

1 1/2 lemon or lime juiced

1 TBS chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 jalapeno or cerrano chile chopped (with or with seeds depending on how hot you like it)

Mix above ingredients and salt to taste.

Avocado Chileno

I honestly believe Avocado can make so very many things taste better. It doesn't hurt that they are super rich in vitamins and nutrients including the "good fat". I have included this recipe with our Taco meal but it can be eaten with sandwiches, chips, toast and cheese for breakfast or whatever your taste buds imagine.

The recipe below serves 2-3.

Avocado Chileno

Avocado

juice of 1 lemon or lime (we prefer the lime though both are yummy)

salt to taste

Slice avocado and place on serving dish. Squeeze lemon juice over and salt to taste. This recipe can be varied by adding very thinly sliced onion before you cover with lemon. You can also add cilantro, tomato and onion together with the avocado for a guacamole salad. Lime is superb with this as well.

Chicken Fiesta Pasta Salad

Adapted from "My Sister's Kitchen"

I found this recipe @ "My Sister's Kitchen" blog seeing the picture just had to try. It definitely did not dissappoint. I made it for Sunday dinner and served with some nice bread. I think next time I will serve it with tostitos or corn chips. This is a great one for picnics or pot lucks this summer. I love how colorful it is because it is full of all kinds of yummy veggies. You gotta try it!

• 2 cups chicken breast cooked and cubed or sliced (season with a little salt and pepper and garlic powder) I used high quality canned chicken and seasoned as directed (it was delicious and made this recipe even easier.
• 1 lb. package bowtie pasta cooked according to package directions * Tortellini is also a delicious substitute*1 can corn, drained
• 1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 handful of cilantro, chopped
• 1 package grape tomatoes, halved or red pepper diced
• 2 cans sliced olives, drained
• 1 cucumber, peeled and diced
• 1/2 package Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch Dip mixed with one 16 oz container of sour cream. (The original recipe asked for 1 pkg. but I thought it made the dressing a bit overwhelming so I recommend that you start with 1/2 pkg. You can always add more if needed.)
• 1 lemon zested and juiced.
• 1 jalapeno seeded.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and cool. Add all ingredients in a bowl. Toss and mix in dressing.

Corn Salad - Tried and True

My family loves salads...all kinds and this is one of our favorites. It is super easy and super delicious.
1 small bag of frozen corn, thawed
4 green onion, chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 lemon, juiced
2 TBS mayonaise (you can use the light but it does change the flavor some.)
salt, to taste
1 cerrano or jalapeno chile - remove veins and seeds. (optional) I decide according to what I am serving it with.

1 TBS of chopped fresh cilantro or parsely

(Receta gracias a la hermana Mesa)

Combine the above ingredients in a serving bowl and toss and serve.