Broccoli Slaw Salad

 

This Asian-inspired salad is one of my mom’s recipes.  It’s really easy to throw together and since the base of the salad is shredded broccoli instead of lettuce, it stays fresh for days.  I don’t really have exact measurements for the ingredients – you pretty much just do whatever proportions taste best to you. 

Broccoli Slaw Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 bag broccoli slaw (shredded broccoli, carrots, and red cabbage)
• 1 cup more matchstick carrots
• 2 bunches scallions, chopped
• 1 apple, chopped
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ½ cup sliced almonds
• 1 bag of dry ramen noodles, broken into pieces
• Balsamic glaze (I use Gia Russa brand)
• Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Toast almonds – keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.

2. Toss the slaw, carrots, scallions, and apples together.  Drizzle with the balsamic and oil. 

 

3. Right before serving, toss in the ramen and almonds (to keep them crunchy).  Enjoy!

Bacon Wrapped Dates

 

I’ve made bacon wrapped dates for two separate potlucks this week – they are one of the easiest appetizers to make, and they taste incredible.  Anyone could make these – it takes almost no cooking skills whatsoever. 

The second batch I made I actually drizzled with balsamic glaze.  You could also stuff them with goat cheese if you want to be extra fancy!

Bacon Wrapped Dates

Ingredients:

·        Dried, pitted dates

·        Bacon

·        Balsamic glaze (optional)

·        Toothpicks

 

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cut your bacon in half.  

3. Wrap each date in a half slice of bacon and hold together with a toothpick and place on a baking sheet with edges (to make sure the bacon grease doesn’t run off the sides).

 

4. Cook your dates for 15 minutes, then flip them over and bake them an additional 10 – 15 minutes more, or until the bacon starts to get crispy. 

5. Put on serving plate and drizzle with balsamic glaze. 

Chicken with Balsamic-Fig Sauce, Spicy Broccolini, and Garlic Ranch Potatoes

 

One of my favorite cookbooks is The Essential Dinner Tonight Cookbook by Cooking Light.  Each page has recommendations for an entrée with suggested side dishes, and all the recipes have photos!  I am very visual, so I’m way more likely to cook a dish if I know what the finished product looks like. 

 

This meal was pretty simple to put together but was delicious!  I wish I doubled the chicken to have more leftovers - the sweet & tart sauce would be great on any type of meat.  The broccolini was easy (the hardest part was waiting for the water to boil).  And this might be my new favorite way to bake potatoes - they turned out slightly caramelized and very flavorful. 

Chicken with Balsamic-Fig Sauce (adapted from The Essential Dinner Tonight Cookbook)

Ingredients:

·        4 skinless, bonelss chicken breast halves

·        1½ T fresh thyme, divided

·        ½ t salt

·        ¼ t pepper

·        1 T olive oil

·        1 T butter

·        ½  white onion, chopped

·        ½ cup chicken broth

·        ¼ cup balsamic vinegar (I used Cinnamon Pear Balsamic)

·        2 t soy sauce

·        ½ cup finely chopped dried figs

 

Directions:

1.  If they aren’t already halved, cut your chicken to half the thickness (I didn’t do this until it had cooked a few minutes, but it would have been easier to start off with thinner chicken breasts to ensure it cooks all the way through).

2. Sprinkle both sides of chicken evenly with 1½ t thyme, ¼ tsp salt and pepper.  Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken, and cook 6 minutes on each side or until done.  Remove from the pan and keep warm. 

 

 

3. Reduce heat to medium and add butter to the pan.  Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes.  Add broth, vinegar, soy sauce, and figs.  Simmer until sauce is reduced to 1 cup (about 3 minutes).  Add 1 T thyme and ¼ t salt. 

 

 

4. Cut chicken into slices on a diagonal and serve the sauce over the chicken. 

 

Spicy Broccolini (adapted from The Essential Dinner Tonight Cookbook)

Ingredients:

·        1 pound broccolini

·        1 T olive oil

·        2 thinly sliced garlic cloves

·        ¼ t crushed red pepper

 

Directions:

1.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Cook the broccolini in boiling water for 2 minutes. 

2. Drain and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process. 

 

3. Heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook 1 minute.  Add broccolini and red pepper.  Cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. 

 

 

Garlic Ranch Potatoes (adapted from Damn Delicious)

Ingredients:

·        3 pounds small potatoes, cleaned and quartered

·        2 T olive oil

·        4 cloves garlic, minced

·        1 (1 ounce) package Ranch Seasoning and Salad Dressing Mix

·        Salt and pepper, to taste

·        2  butter (this was in the photo, but I actually skipped the extra butter…)

·        2 T chopped parsley leaves for garnish (optional)

 

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with nonstick spray.   

3. Gently toss potatoes with olive oil, garlic, ranch seasoning, salt and pepper. 

 

4. Place potatoes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.  If adding more butter, toss them in melted butter and garnish with parsley.