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 QUESADILLAS

Remember yesterday when I posted the Bajio Chicken Chile Salad. Well, here I am again with a wonderful surprise...the leftovers make a delicioso second meal. I love crock-pot recipes but I love even more leftovers that can make great second meals!!! The Bajio Chicken Chile Salad is just such a recipe. I used the leftover chicken from our chicken chile salad and made quesadillas. It was a flavor explosion in my mouth.

• Leftovers from Bajio Chicken Chile Salad
• Flour tortillas - 2 per quesadilla
• mexican blend shredded cheese
• black beans (optional)
• salad greens (I used sweet baby greens)

Assembly of Quesadilla's -

Heat skillet on medium and spray lightly with cooking spray. Place a flour tortilla in heated pan and sprinkle cheese over tortilla. Drizzle the cilantro dressing over cheese. Spread the chicken chile over the cheese and then the black beans over the chicken. Drizzle with a little more dressing and then sprinkle a little more cheese. Top with a flour tortilla and cook until bottom tortilla is lightly brown (Please be careful not to burn!) Then flip over and cook until lightly brown. Slice like a pizza and serve over a bed of greens and a side of the green chile rice.

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.