lunch Archives | Mama Harris' Kitchen

Lemon Pepper Tuna Pasta with White Wine Sauce, Capers and Dill

March 15, 2018 by MamaHarris 7 Comments

This recipe for Lemon pepper Tuna Pasta with White Wine Sauce, Capers and Dill is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of StarKist Tuna Creations®. The opinions and text are all mine. #TearEatGo

One of the things I miss the most about working outside of the home is going out for lunch. I enjoyed trying new restaurants and diners away from the routine ones near my home, new places that I otherwise may not have tried. It was always like a new adventure or discovery. I often came back from my lunch breaks feeling excited and full, with a new energy that comes with breaking up the monotony of the workday.

One of my favorite meals during those years was at little Italian restaurant that was family owned, and they served the most delectable food. When I eat out I tend to order food that I wouldn’t normally make at home. I like to try new dishes to inspire me, and this particular day I had ordered a meal consisting of chicken and pasta in an amazing white wine sauce with capers. It was perfectly seasoned, tangy and the flavors just melted so perfectly in my mouth. Although this meal was with pasta, it was also light and didn’t leave me feeling overly full or heavy. It was the perfect light lunch that left me feeling satisfied, and I returned to work daydreaming about that meal.

Now that my days are spent working from home, I have to make a conscious effort to take breaks and eat before I’m famished. It’s easy to fall into a routine where I get so focused on work until I’m starving, and then grab a muffin or chips to munch on. Instead, I try to be diligent and create meals that are quick and easy. Meals that will leave me satisfied and give me the fuel I need for the remainder of the day.

Prior to starting a food blog, I had been steadily losing weight for about a year. At the time, I was eating more lean proteins and incorporating more fresh vegetables into my meals, in addition to doing physical activity like working out or even daily walks. I’m trying to get back to those habit’s I built back then, as I’d actually lost quite a bit of weight and physically I felt so good. Tuna was one of my favorite things to add to snacks and meals for it’s nutritional value and how well it complements such a wide variety of foods and flavors.

That’s why I was so excited to find out about StarKist Tuna Creations, and all of the amazing flavors that are available. These little packets are full of protein, low on calories, and there’s no draining required. You can literally open a pouch and grab a fork for a flavorful protein break. They’re also so easy to create a quick meal with, and the different flavor options really are inspiring.

For this recipe I used the StarKist Tuna Creations Lemon Pepper Flavor, but there are also a line of StarKist Tuna BOLD Creations in the following flavors:

Thai Chili Style
Jalapeno
Sriracha
Hot Buffalo Style
Tapatio with Lime
with Rice and Beans in Hot Sauce

…and many other flavor varieties listed on the StarKist site. I chose Lemon Pepper because it’s one of my favorite seasonings to use, and I wanted to create a super quick recipe that I could make when I’m short on time. I also wanted something restaurant quality, reminiscent of that amazing meal I had at that Italian restaurant years ago, and this meal was definitely a winner.

Coming together in just under ten minutes, this is the perfect meal for lunch or even a light dinner. Boil some pasta while creating the white wine sauce, then mix it all in together at the end. I purposely made this meal “light” all around, as it has less seasonings than most of my recipes, and I used angel hair pasta for a more delicate touch.

I really loved how the tuna was already seasoned and I was able to just mix it in at the end before plating and serving. The day I first made this meal, it was a little later in the day and the kids had just come home from school. They saw what I was making and how heavenly that white wine sauce smelled, and demanded some for themselves –and loved it!

Tuna and pasta is synonymous with “convenience food”, but this meal satisfied my desire for that restaurant taste mid-day, without even having to leave my house. It truly is convenient as far as time spent, but so much better!

5.0 from 3 reviews

Lemon Pepper Tuna Pasta with White Wine Sauce, Capers and Dill

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Prep time

2 mins

Cook time

8 mins

Total time

10 mins

This lemon pepper tuna pasta is served with an aromatic white wine sauce, adding capers and dill. Perfect for a light lunch or dinner, this meal is ready in just under ten minutes!

Author: Mama Harris' Kitchen

Recipe type: Lunch / Dinner

Cuisine: American

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients

1-2 servings angel hair pasta
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
¼ cup dry white wine
⅓ cup chicken broth
juice of ½ a lemon
1 tablespoon capers
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup water from cooked noodles
1 package StarKist Tuna Creations® Lemon Pepper
fresh dill (for garnish)
fresh Italian parsley (for garnish)
lemon wedge
fresh ground pepper

Instructions

Begin by filling a medium pot with water, adding salt and olive oil (optional), before bringing to a boil.
Add the angel hair pasta to the water, and allow to boil uncovered for until al dente (about 3-4 minutes)
While the pasta is boiling, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and saute until fragrant (about 1-2 minutes), then add the wine. Continue to simmer until the wine has reduced by half (about 3 minutes), stirring occasionally.
Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, capers and red pepper flakes, and continue to simmer until the capers and flakes have softened (about 2 minutes).
Add the water from the boiled noodles and another tablespoon of butter, stir until combined and the butter has melted, then remove from heat.
Scoop the pasta into the sauce, shaking off any excess moisture before adding to the pan, then stir in the contents of the StarKist Lemon Pepper Tuna Creations package.
Serve on a plate with lemon wedges, fresh chopped dill and some ground pepper. Garnish with addition dill and parsley.
Enjoy!

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 2 Calories: 401 Fat: 13.4 Saturated fat: 7.1 Trans fat: 0 Carbohydrates: 46.5 Sugar: 3.1 Sodium: 346 Fiber: 3 Protein: 35.2 Cholesterol: 47.5

Which StarKist flavor are you most eager to try?

Learn more about StarKist Tuna Creations pouches and their wide range of flavors, as well as additional recipe options at starkist.com.

Also, if you love this recipe don’t forget to PIN it to your favorite board on Pinterest!
(Just hover over the picture below and click “Pin it”)

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of StarKist.

Beef Fajita Brown Rice Bowls

May 20, 2017 by MamaHarris Leave a Comment

Special thanks to Sprouts Farmers Market for sponsoring this delicious recipe for Beef Fajita Brown Rice Bowls, it’s absolutely perfect for the warmer weather months!

The weather is getting warmer y’all, and that’s the time of year that being tied to a stove or oven is probably the last thing you want to do. Of course, you and/or your family still need to eat, so simple meals are a must! I know my family really enjoys bowls year round, but especially in the summer. A few leftovers thrown together with some fresh seasonal produce and you have got some serious magic on your hands.

I recently took a trip to my local Sprouts Farmers Market and picked up some great items like fresh Pico de Gallo and their Sprouts Brand Hatch Chili Guacamole. I also grabbed lots of fresh produce, some tortillas to make little strips with and some fresh beef from the meat department that I knew would be just perfect for fajitas. Not just regular fajitas though, this was for the fajita brown rice bowls I’d been dreaming up for these warm weather months.

With a quick and simple marinade in olive oil, lime juice, minced garlic and a handful of seasonings this meat is tender, juicy and flavorful. I love that the varieties of Sprouts beef is always fresh and never frozen, producing tender and juicy fajitas with tons of flavor. After cutting the steak into bite sized pieces, a quick soak in the marinade while the veggies are being cut is all that this recipe needs.

While the meat is sitting in a bowl after being mixed, chop up the veggies, then begin to saute in a large pan until softened.

Once the veggies are done, remove them from the pan and set aside, then cook the meat in the pan. Once meat has browned, add the cooked veggies back and mix them together before serving. Bonus if the pan is still sizzling when it’s served!

What I love about these fajita bowls is that they utilize leftovers too. Have some corn on the cobb left over from the recent cookout? Slice it off the cobb and add it to this bowl! Brown rice left in the fridge from dinner the other night? Add it in! It’s a quick way to get some food on the table, and oh so delicious!

Add the prepared brown rice and roasted corn to the bowl with the fajita meat and veggies. Top with guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream. Add a few lime wedges on the side and you’re set. If you really want to get fancy add some freshly made tortilla strips and a creamy cilantro dressing and garnish with additional cilantro. Impressive!

Beef Fajita Brown Rice Bowls

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

25 mins

Turn traditional fajitas into something special with these beef fajita brown rice bowls. Fajita meat done in under 15 minutes, be ready to feast in a flash!

Author: Mama Harris' Kitchen

Recipe type: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

For the Fajita Meat

1.5 lb. Sprouts Boneless Beef Round London Broil
¼ cup Sprouts Brand Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Juice of 1 lime
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. ancho chili powder
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. smoked paprika
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
½ tsp. dry oregano
¼ tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
1 medium red onion, cut into strips
2 Tbsp. Sprouts Brand Extra Virgin Olive Oil

For the Beef Fajita Brown Rice Bowls

Prepared Fajita Meat
3 cups prepared brown rice
3 cups prepared roasted corn kernels
¾ cup sour cream
Sprouts Brand Hatch Chili Guacamole
Sprouts Brand Pico de Gallo
2 cups tortilla strips (optional)
½ cup creamy cilantro dressing (optional)
2-3 limes, cut into wedges for garnish
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish

Instructions

Begin by preparing the fajita meat and veggies. Cut the steak up into strips, about two inches in length.
In a medium bowl, combine the extra virgin olive oil, lime juice, minced garlic, chili powder, red pepper flakes, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper, oregano and cayenne pepper. Mix together to create a saucy paste.
Add the beef strips to the saucy paste and toss to make sure it’s all coated.
While the beef sits, prepare the peppers and onion by cutting them into strips. Heat a larger frying pan with the remaining two tablespoons of oil and sauté the peppers and onions over medium heat until softened (about three to five minutes).
Remove the peppers and onions from the pan and place in a bowl, set aside. Without cleaning out the pan, add the steak meat and sauce to the pan and cook over medium heat until meat is browned (about three to five minutes).
Without lowering the heat, add the peppers and onions back to the pan. Stir until well combined and cook for about a minute more before removing from heat.
To serve in fajita bowls, add about a ½ cup of rice and ½ cup of roasted corn kernels to bowl before adding fajita meat.
Top with sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo. You can also add a bit of tortilla strips for a crunch and some creamy cilantro dressing.
Serve with limes and garnish with cilantro. Serves 6.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1 Beef Fajita Brown Rice Bowl

What are some of your favorite warmer weather meals?

You can find more beef recipe inspiration from Sprouts Farmer’s Market, or for more fresh recipes check out the Sprouts Brand Website.

Also, if you love this recipe don’t forget to PIN it to your favorite board on Pinterest!
(Just hover over the picture below and click “Pin it”)

Deli Sandwich Style Sliders

October 31, 2016 by MamaHarris 6 Comments

Special thanks to Sprouts Farmers Market for sponsoring this recipe for Deli Sandwich Style Sliders, it’s the perfect appetizer for hungry guests!

I have a confession to make. What I’m about to say can be pretty important, especially this time of year everyone is having the important conversation – where will the holidays be spent? It might even be a deal-breaker if not handled properly.

I am a super slow cook. Parties, holidays, even dinner sometimes – it just takes me so long. Maybe because I have small kids that are at the phase where they can cuddle one minute and be at each others throat the next so mom has to break it up. Or it might be that I always try to do entirely too much and get overwhelmed before I even start. Or maybe it’s just me being a perfectionist. I know how frustrating it can be, to be invited to dinner starting at 5:00 and it’s not ready till after 7:00.

I’m trying to get better, you guys.

While I’ve been implementing time saving techniques and tools that help make the job quicker, sometimes it can help soften the blow when I serve something utterly delicious to snack on. These Deli Sandwich Style Sliders fit the bill, and the bonus is that they are super simple to put together. Just build them, brush them, and bake! I got all the ingredients at my local Sprouts Farmers Market, not only do they have great quality items but their Sprouts Brand products are also super affordable! Not only are these Hawaiian Sweet Dinner Rolls are perfect to warm up and serve with your holiday meal, but they are so delicious when you cut them in half and make sliders. Filled up with deli meats, cheeses, spinach, sauteed mushrooms and spicy sprouts they are the perfect appetizer to snack on while waiting for your favorite slow cook!

Even if your time management is better than mine, these are great to serve at dinner parties or for holiday gatherings. Such a crowd-pleaser! The sauce I mixed up for the sliders is so unique too, a bit of mayonnaise with some horseradish mustard, topped with just a bit of basil pesto with quinoa. There’s creamy, a bit of a bite with that sweet freshness. It’s great with all of the meats! The garlicky butter that’s brushed on top of the sliders before they bake is also mouthwatering, it all comes together so well.

The plus?

Everyone has forgotten that dinner is later than scheduled!

Deli Sandwich Style Sliders Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms
salt and pepper
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ cup light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Sprouts Brand Horseradish Mustard
2 teaspoons Sprouts Brand Basil Pesto with Quinoa
12 count package Sprouts Brand Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
4 slices Freshly Packaged Sprouts Brand Pastrami
4 slices Freshly Packaged Sprouts Brand Black Forest Ham
4 slices Freshly Packaged Sprouts Brand Roast Beef
5 slices Sprouts Brand Sliced Swiss cheese
5 Slices Sprouts Brand Sliced Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded Sprouts Brand Baby Spinach
¼ cup Sprouts Brand Organic Spicy Sprouts
4 tablespoons butter
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried parsley
salt

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Add the olive oil to a medium saute pan, then add the mushrooms. Once the mushrooms begin to brown and soften, season with salt and pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Mushrooms will be fragrant and soft, remove from heat and place in bowl to cool.

Combine the mayonnaise, horseradish mustard and basil pesto with quinoa and mix well.

Keep the rolls connected and cut them in half with a serrated knife to create a top and a bottom portion. Don’t tear them apart individually.

Line a 9×13 dish with foil and place the bottom portion of the rolls in the middle of the pan.

Spread the mayonnaise mixture across the top of the bottom half of the rolls. Layer the meats on top, then the cheese. Tear the 5th slice of cheese in half to allow all of the cheese to lie flat across the sliders.

Top with spinach, mushrooms, then the sprouts. Replace the tops of the rolls.

Melt the butter in a microwave safe dish, then add the minced garlic, Parmesan, parsley and salt. Mix well and brush along the tops of the rolls.

Cover the dish with another layer of foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Remove the top layer of foil and bake another 3-4 minutes, until the bread is golden on top.

Remove from dish, cut into individual sliders and serve immediately.

Serve with Sprouts Brand Organic Steak Fries and enjoy!

Deli Sandwich Style Sliders

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 12 sliders

Serving Size: 1-2 sliders

Deli Sandwich Style Sliders

Need an appetizer to please your crowd? Try these deli sandwich style sliders full of three meats, two cheeses, plenty of veggies and a custom sauce.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms
salt and pepper
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ cup light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Sprouts Brand Horseradish Mustard
2 teaspoons Sprouts Brand Basil Pesto with Quinoa
12 count package Sprouts Brand Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
4 slices Freshly Packaged Sprouts Brand Pastrami
4 slices Freshly Packaged Sprouts Brand Black Forest Ham
4 slices Freshly Packaged Sprouts Brand Roast Beef
5 slices Sprouts Brand Sliced Swiss cheese
5 Slices Sprouts Brand Sliced Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded Sprouts Brand Baby Spinach
¼ cup Sprouts Brand Organic Spicy Sprouts
4 tablespoons butter
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried parsley
salt

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Add the olive oil to a medium saute pan, then add the mushrooms. Once the mushrooms begin to brown and soften, season with salt and pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Mushrooms will be fragrant and soft, remove from heat and place in bowl to cool.
Combine the mayonnaise, horseradish mustard and basil pesto with quinoa and mix well.
Keep the rolls connected and cut them in half with a serrated knife to create a top and a bottom portion. Don’t tear them apart individually.
Line a 9x13 dish with foil and place the bottom portion of the rolls in the middle of the pan.
Spread the mayonnaise mixture across the top of the bottom half of the rolls. Layer the meats on top, then the cheese. Tear the 5th slice of cheese in half to allow all of the cheese to lie flat across the sliders.
Top with spinach, mushrooms, then the sprouts. Replace the tops of the rolls.
Melt the butter in a microwave safe dish, then add the minced garlic, Parmesan, parsley and salt. Mix well and brush along the tops of the rolls.
Cover the dish with another layer of foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Remove the top layer of foil and bake another 3-4 minutes, until the bread is golden on top.
Remove from dish, cut into individual sliders and serve immediately.
Serve with Sprouts Brand Organic Steak Fries and enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2016/10/deli-sandwich-style-sliders/

What are some of your favorite finger foods?

Find more fun tips, ideas and inspiration for the holiday season – including appetizers, snacks and other fun and colorful options at the Sprouts Brand Website!

Honey Mustard Crispy Chicken Wrap with Sweet Potato Fries

October 17, 2016 by MamaHarris 9 Comments

I love to recreate recipes that are childhood favorites. Most of the kids I know love chicken strips (or nuggets) and fries. It’s inevitable! When I was a kid it was also a favorite for me, and I actually know grown adults who will just order chicken strips and fries at every new restaurant they go to. It’s just one of those meals that’s easy and comforting, so I decided to spruce it up a bit! For this sponsored post I’ll be using the Foster Farms Simply Raised thin-sliced boneless skinless chicken breast fillets for my honey mustard crispy chicken wrap recipe that I’m serving with sweet potato fries.

The main ingredient for this recipe is the chicken strips. They had to be tasty and juicy, with breading that’s anything but soggy. Since today’s New Comfort Food is all about fresh and locally grown ingredients and healthier techniques, I’ll be baking the chicken strips and adding tons of color to this meal by putting the chicken in a wrap with fresh veggies and a homemade honey mustard sauce. I was inspired by Foster Farms’ Never Fried Chicken Sandwich that uses baked and breaded chicken, served with a delicious kick and lots of colorful veggies. It’s sort of everything I would want in a sandwich, since colorful meals make me ridiculously giddy.

I also used Foster Farms Simply Raised Thin-Sliced Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets. It’s a premium ingredient that I not only feel great about eating but also feel great feeding to my family. Foster Farms Simply Raised line of chicken products are locally grown right here on the West Coast with no antibiotics ever and are 100% vegetarian fed. This chicken is a great start to all of your New Comfort Food meals!

The key to a good baked and breaded chicken is to toast your bread crumbs. I prefer using Panko bread crumbs because they’re naturally crispier and they provide such a great texture. Season up the buttermilk and let the chicken soak up all of that goodness, then roll it around in some toasted Panko crumbs and sprinkle with some crushed almonds. The result is a tasty, juicy chicken strip that’s crunchy and golden – the perfect star for my colorful wrap!

To me, comfort food first and foremost has to taste good. Seasoned to perfection, melt in your mouth flavor, and visually appealing – that’s what comfort food is all about. This crispy chicken wrap takes a traditional go-to meal of chicken strips and fries to another level by literally wrapping it up in colorful veggies and using a delicious alternative for traditional fries. The sweet potato fries are also baked, instead of fried, and they naturally have such a wonderful flavor. That bit of sweetness is really brought out by using grapeseed oil with a touch of olive oil to bake the fries at a higher heat, and they’re just lightly seasoned with some of my favorite flavors. The honey mustard sauce finishes it all off with a perfectly sweet flavor and a crisp tang that just balances it all so well. The finished product is colorful and tasty, and I feel fabulous feeding my family a meal like this for lunch or even a light dinner. That’s what The New Comfort Food is about to me!

Ingredients for Crispy Baked Chicken Strips:

1 1/2 cups lowfat buttermilk
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 1/2 lb Foster Farms Simply Raised Thin-Sliced Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets, cut in half lengthwise
2 cups toasted panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped almonds
olive oil spray

Ingredients for Honey Mustard Dressing:

1/2 cup fat free mayonnaise
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
dash of salt

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Fries:

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into fry shapes
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon pink Himalayan sea salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Ingredients for Honey Mustard Crispy Chicken Wrap:

1 Sun-Dried Tomato flavored wrap
2-3 butter lettuce leaves
2 tomato slices, halved
1-2 crispy chicken strips (recipe above)
1/4 cup carrot strips
2-3 tablespoons honey mustard sauce (recipe above)

Directions:

Begin by making the chicken strips. Spread the Panko breadcrumbs on a baking sheet and spray lightly with a cooking spray. Toast them in the oven for about 3-5 minutes at 400 degrees. Keep the oven on, you’re going to need it for the chicken too! In a medium dish, combine the buttermilk, flour, Dijon mustard, paprika, salt, garlic powder, lemon pepper and dried basil. Mix the ingredients, then place the chicken in the dish, making sure it’s completely covered in the seasoned buttermilk. Allow it to sit for about 15 minutes or so, then it’s time to begin!

Take each strip out of the buttermilk and coat it on the pan in the Panko bread crumbs.

Then place on a baking sheet lined with foil, sprayed with cooking spray (I used Olive Oil spray). Repeat for each chicken strip, then sprinkle the tops with crushed almonds and spray the top of the chicken strips with a light coat of the cooking spray. Bake 13-15 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, combine all of the ingredients for the honey mustard sauce in a bowl. Stir well until smooth and refrigerate until ready to use.

Prepare the sweet potato fries. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut lengthwise into strips in the shape of fries. Add them to a dish and drizzle with grapeseed oil and a bit of olive oil. Mix them up so the oil is over all of the fries, then season them up.

Line another baking sheet with foil, and lay all of the fries out individually, adding more seasonings if needed. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then flip over the fries and bake another 8-10 minutes.

While the fries are baking, start preparing each wrap by laying out the tortilla wrap and add the lettuce and tomato. Top with 1-2 chicken strips.

Add a bit of carrots, then drizzle with the honey mustard sauce.

Roll it up, cut it in half, then serve with the sweet potato fries and honey mustard sauce.

Enjoy!

Honey Mustard Crispy Chicken Wrap with Sweet Potato Fries

Fresh ingredients, colorful veggies, easy recipe! Honey Mustard Baked Crispy Chicken Wrap with Baked Sweet Potato Fries are my kind of New Comfort Food.

Ingredients

Ingredients for Crispy Baked Chicken Strips:

1 1/2 cups lowfat buttermilk
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 1/2 lb Foster Farms Simply Raised Thin-Sliced Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets, cut in half lengthwise
2 cups toasted panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped almonds
olive oil spray

Ingredients for Honey Mustard Dressing:

1/2 cup fat free mayonnaise
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
dash of salt

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Fries:

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into fry shapes
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon pink Himalayan sea salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Ingredients for Honey Mustard Crispy Chicken Wrap:

1 Sun-Dried Tomato flavored wrap
2-3 butter lettuce leaves
2 tomato slices, halved
1-2 crispy chicken strips (recipe above)
1/4 cup carrot strips
2-3 tablespoons honey mustard sauce (recipe above)

Instructions

Begin by making the chicken strips.
Spread the Panko breadcrumbs on a baking sheet and spray lightly with a cooking spray.
Toast them in the oven for about 3-5 minutes at 400 degrees. Keep the oven on, you're going to need it for the chicken too!
In a medium dish, combine the buttermilk, flour, Dijon mustard, paprika, salt, garlic powder, lemon pepper and dried basil.
Mix the ingredients, then place the chicken in the dish, making sure it's completely covered in the seasoned buttermilk.
Allow it to sit for about 15 minutes or so, then it's time to begin!
Take each strip out of the buttermilk and coat it on the pan in the Panko bread crumbs.
Then place on a baking sheet lined with foil, sprayed with cooking spray (I used Olive Oil spray). Repeat for each chicken strip, then sprinkle the tops with crushed almonds and spray the top of the chicken strips with a light coat of the cooking spray. Bake 13-15 minutes.
While the chicken is baking, combine all of the ingredients for the honey mustard sauce in a bowl. Stir well until smooth and refrigerate until ready to use.
Prepare the sweet potato fries. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut lengthwise into strips in the shape of fries.
Add them to a dish and drizzle with grapeseed oil and a bit of olive oil.
Mix them up so the oil is over all of the fries, then season them up.
Line another baking sheet with foil, and lay all of the fries out individually, adding more seasonings if needed.
Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then flip over the fries and bake another 8-10 minutes.
While the fries are baking, start preparing each wrap by laying out the tortilla wrap and add the lettuce and tomato.
Top with 1-2 chicken strips.
Add a bit of carrots, then drizzle with the honey mustard sauce.
Roll it up, cut it in half, then serve with the sweet potato fries and honey mustard sauce.
Enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2016/10/honey-mustard-crispy-chicken-wrap-sweet-potato-fries/

Do you have a favorite meal from childhood that you’ve spruced up?

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Foster Farms Simply Raised Chicken.

Crunchy Broccoli-Apple Salad with Creamy Raspberry Poppy Seed Dressing

September 14, 2016 by MamaHarris 12 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BetterWithCraisins #CollectiveBias

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – I know that sounds like a holidays song but I’m referring to Fall! Yes, my favorite season is upon is, and although the weather in Northern California hasn’t fully reflected the season change, I’m seeing it just a little more every day. Nights are getting darker a little earlier, we’ve already had our first school cold, and Fall flavors are abound. This is the time of year that I’m the most inspired, and I have a mini arsenal of recipe ideas prepared for my favorite season. First up, this crunchy broccoli-apple salad topped with a creamy raspberry poppy seed dressing and little Ocean Spray® Craisins® Dried Cranberries jewels scattered on top. It’s still a nice, light salad for the warmer weather but also has some great Fall flavors like apples, pecans, cranberries and broccoli! Perfect for this little time of transition between seasons.

I love using Craisins® Dried Cranberries in my favorite recipes because of their taste, texture and color – it’s the “zing” that makes them unique! One of my favorite snacks is some simple yogurt topped with granola and dried cranberries, and you already know that I love to include them in my baking. But a truly simple way to enjoy these tasty little gems is by sprinkling them on top of your favorite salads. They always add a touch of color and texture, not to mention the juicy flavor.

For this crunchy broccoli-apple salad I decided to take a bit of a different turn. I mixed up some romaine lettuce with broccoli florets, topped with one of my favorite apples – Pink Lady, then sprinkled a bit of corn, carrots, blue cheese and pecans. A nice crunchy salad with some sweetness and bite, the perfect compliment to dried cranberries. I wanted to keep the sweet taste going, so I mixed up a quick creamy yogurt based dressing with raspberries, lemon, and poppy seeds. I’m hooked!

Creamy Raspberry Poppy Seed Dressing Ingredients:

3/4 cup lowfat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup fresh raspberries
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Crunchy Broccoli-Apple Salad Ingredients:

2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 head of broccoli, florets cut
1 Pink Lady Apple, cut into thin wedges
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/4 cup carrot strips
3 tablespoons corn
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
3 tablespoons Craisins® Dried Cranberries

Directions:

Begin by preparing the creamy raspberry poppy seed dressing. Using a standard blender or a hand immersion blender, combine the Greek yogurt, honey , lemon juice, lemon zest and salt and blend until it thins out just a bit.

Slowly add in the raspberries, ensuring they are blended well and the dressing remains smooth and creamy.

Once smooth, carefully stir in the poppy seeds and stir with a spoon or a small whisk. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Add the chopped romaine and broccoli to a large serving dish.

Once the apples are cut into thin wedges, soak them in the lemon juice to prevent from browning. Add the apples and carrots to the salad.

Sprinkle with corn.

Top with pecans, blue cheese crumbles and Craisins® Dried Cranberries.

Pour the creamy raspberry poppy seed dressing over the salad and enjoy!

Crunchy Broccoli-Apple Salad with Creamy Raspberry Poppy Seed Dressing

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Crunchy Broccoli-Apple Salad with Creamy Raspberry Poppy Seed Dressing

This crunchy broccoli-apple salad is still light enough for summer with the creamy raspberry poppy seed dressing, with plenty of fall flavors!

Ingredients

Creamy Raspberry Poppy Seed Dressing Ingredients:

3/4 cup lowfat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup fresh raspberries
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Crunchy Broccoli-Apple Salad Ingredients:

2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 head of broccoli, florets cut
1 Pink Lady Apple, cut into thin wedges
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/4 cup carrot strips
3 tablespoons corn
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
3 tablespoons Craisins® Dried Cranberries

Instructions

Begin by preparing the creamy raspberry poppy seed dressing. Using a standard blender or a hand immersion blender, combine the Greek yogurt, honey , lemon juice, lemon zest and salt and blend until it thins out just a bit.
Slowly add in the raspberries, ensuring they are blended well and the dressing remains smooth and creamy.
Once smooth, carefully stir in the poppy seeds and stir with a spoon or a small whisk. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Add the chopped romaine and broccoli to a large serving dish.
Once the apples are cut into thin wedges, soak them in the lemon juice to prevent from browning. Add the apples and carrots to the salad.
Sprinkle with corn.
Top with pecans, blue cheese crumbles and Craisins® Dried Cranberries.
Pour the creamy raspberry poppy seed dressing over the salad and enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2016/09/crunchy-broccoli-apple-salad-with-creamy-raspberry-poppy-seed-dressing/

What’s your favorite thing to add dried cranberries to?

Although Ocean Spray® Craisins® Dried Cranberries are no longer available at Sam’s Club locations, they are still available at a number of retailers! I picked up a bag at Walmart – they’re at a rollback price of $4.98 for a 24 oz bag! Click Here to find more great ideas, recipes and a store near you!

Sweet & Savory Drumsticks

June 6, 2016 by MamaHarris 15 Comments

This time of year is a great one to stock up on great sales offered at grocery stores. Between Memorial Day, 4th of July and grilling season, it’s a great time to buy up some chicken. I love to get the picnic packs that have a combination of drumsticks and thighs, and right now they’re always available at a great price.

However, I don’t always want to grill. We have a great barbecue grill, but it’s a charcoal grill which means it takes some planning to get started. We also live in an are where the average summer temperature is over 100 degrees, and well.. I like to stay cool.

With all of this in mind, I created a delicious and simple recipe for those great priced chicken drumsticks without having to go in the heat to grill or turn on the oven. All you need is a good cast iron skillet, preferably one that’s been broken in and is seasoned because the sauce is a bit sticky. if you need one, look here (affiliate link). The cast iron skillet works well at a high heat and distributes the heat very well, which is necessary for this sweet and savory chicken that’s made right there in the pan on top of the stove. It’s great for a quick meal, served with some simple white rice and an easy seasonal salad. This is a great dinner, or even a lunch! And because there’s no skin to crisp, it tasted just as good reheated for the next day.

Sweet & Savory Drumsticks Ingredients:

8 drumsticks, skin peeled off
salt and pepper
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
2 tablespoons sherry cooking wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon dry ground mustard
1 teaspoon dry ground ginger
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, sliced thinly

Directions:

If needed, peel the skin off of fresh drumsticks. I find that using a paper towel to better grasp the skin helps make the process much faster. Season all sides of the chicken lightly with salt and pepper.
Using a cast iron skillet over medium heat, add the soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, mustard, sherry, lemon juice, vinegar, dry mustard and ginger, red pepper flakes and minced garlic.

Whisk ingredients together and bring the mixture to a low boil.

Add the seasoned drumsticks and let them simmer in the sauce. Cover the pan and flip the chicken to the other side after about 15 minutes.

Once both sides have browned, turn the heat up and remove the cover. Flip the chicken every few minutes until the sauce has thicken.

Remove from heat and sprinkle with the chopped green onions.

Serve with some white rice and a seasonal salad for an easy and delicious meal. Enjoy!

Sweet & Savory Drumsticks

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Serving Size: 2 drumsticks

Sweet & Savory Drumsticks

Sweet and savory drumsticks made easy in a cast iron skillet on the stove top! Perfect for warm weather cooking and great with rice and a quick salad.

Ingredients

8 drumsticks, skin peeled off
salt and pepper
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
2 tablespoons sherry cooking wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon dry ground mustard
1 teaspoon dry ground ginger
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, sliced thinly

Instructions

If needed, peel the skin off of fresh drumsticks. I find that using a paper towel to better grasp the skin helps make the process much faster. Season all sides of the chicken lightly with salt and pepper.
Using a cast iron skillet over medium heat, add the soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, mustard, sherry, lemon juice, vinegar, dry mustard and ginger, red pepper flakes and minced garlic.
Whisk ingredients together and bring the mixture to a low boil.
Add the seasoned drumsticks and let them simmer in the sauce. Cover the pan and flip the chicken to the other side after about 15 minutes.
Once both sides have browned, turn the heat up and remove the cover. Flip the chicken every few minutes until the sauce has thicken.
Remove from heat and sprinkle with the chopped green onions.
Serve with some white rice and a seasonal salad for an easy and delicious meal. Enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2016/06/sweet-savory-drumsticks/

Do you prefer grilling or quick and easy recipes made indoors?

Deli-Style Savory Sourdough Melt

February 13, 2016 by MamaHarris 3 Comments

A very special thank you to San Luis Sourdough® breads for sponsoring this recipe. As always, all opinions are my own!

Sometimes I feel like I use the same ingredients over and over again, just in different forms.

I guess it makes sense when you think about it, when grocery shopping we all tend to buy things we’re familiar with week and and week out. I know one of my favorite snacks is some Italian Dry Salame with sliced pepper jack cheese. It’s seriously the best.

Now, my daughter RiRi loves bread. She will grab a slice of sourdough bread and just eat it like that. No toasting or adding anything. Mr. Harris loves his sandwiches, especially with horseradish mustard and pepperoncinis. This sandwich combines all of our favorites into something truly delicious.

I think Pepper Jack cheese has to be my favorite cheese. It’s tasty with a kick and it melts so well. It’s a great all around cheese and it adds so much to any recipe that it’s a part of. For this sandwich I just started adding what I thought would sound good. I love a good grilled cheese, but this isn’t quite a grilled cheese. There’s a lot of other ingredients in there, and I didn’t quite cook the sandwich long enough to where the cheese was completely soft. Just enough to get that delicious sourdough bread golden and the cheese to warm up a bit and soften. Let’s call this a sourdough melt, I think that suits it.

I had this container full of “power greens” which is baby spinach and baby kale combined. I thought it would be a great addition, but you could use any greens really, it’s up to you. I wouldn’t skip the basil, though. It really added to the salame and cheese flavors, everything complimented one another so well!

In addition to the salame, Pepper Jack cheese, basil and power greens, I also added some thinly sliced tomatoes seasoned with a bit of salt and pepper and some deli sliced pepperoncinis for a nice kick. The inside of the sandwich bread is spread thinly with a horseradish mustard. It’s quite the combination and the flavor is definitely not lacking.

Of course I used a classic bread from the San Luis Sourdough® bread line, the sliced sourdough bread round. I think sourdough is one of the best breads to use when making a warm, buttery sandwich. The texture is just so perfect paired with a bit of butter to get a gorgeous golden crust, and because it’s sourdough it’s a bit more durable than other sandwich breads. It’s my go-to.

What I love about San Luis Sourdough® bread is that it’s an authentic sourdough, right down to the 30 hour slow bake process. It’s everything you could want in your sourdough bread, right down to the crisp flavor and bubble crust. With natural, unprocessed ingredients that are easy to pronounce and no preservatives, all of the San Luis Sourdough® breads are Non-GMO Project Verified*. The Sourdough Deli Bread has a truly authentic sourdough taste with the traditional bubbling, flavorful crust. It’s perfect for sandwiches and toast!

Ingredients:

2 slices San Luis Sourdough® Bread
2 teaspoons horseradish mustard
1-2 oz Pepper Jack Cheese
power greens (baby spinach and baby kale)
Italian Dry Salame
4 thin slices hot house tomatoes
salt and pepper
2 basil leaves, shredded
2 tablespoons deli sliced golden greek pepperoncini
1 tablespoons butter (divided)

Directions:

Begin by spreading the horseradish mustard along the inside of each bread slice. On one slice add half of the cheese, then top with the power greens. Top with salame, then shredded basil.

Add the tomatoes, then salt and pepper.

Top with pepperoncinis, then add the other slice of bread on top. Melt half of the butter in a cast iron skillet on medium/low heat. Once butter has melted, add the sandwich and allow to cook until golden. Try not to press sandwich too hard together, you want to see all the layers still.

Remove sandwich from heat, melt the other half of the bread, then flip the sandwich and cook the other side.

Remove from heat once both sides are golden. The cheese should be warm and soft, but not all the way melted.

For a true deli-style experience, wrap in parchment paper and slice in half.

Serve with your favorite chips and enjoy!

Deli-Style Savory Sourdough Melt

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 1 deli-style sourdough melt

Serving Size: 1 deli-style sourdough melt

Deli-Style Savory Sourdough Melt

A deli-style sandwich jam packed with flavor! From Italian Dry Salame to Pepper Jack Cheese and pepperoncinis, this is an unforgettable Sourdough Melt.

Ingredients

2 slices San Luis Sourdough® Bread
2 teaspoons horseradish mustard
1-2 oz Pepper Jack Cheese
power greens (baby spinach and baby kale)
Italian Dry Salame
4 thin slices hot house tomatoes
salt and pepper
2 basil leaves, shredded
2 tablespoons deli sliced golden greek pepperoncini
1 tablespoons butter (divided)

Instructions

Begin by spreading the horseradish mustard along the inside of each bread slice. On one slice add half of the cheese, then top with the power greens. Top with salame, then shredded basil.
Add the tomatoes, then salt and pepper.
Top with pepperoncinis, then add the other slice of bread on top. Melt half of the butter in a cast iron skillet on medium/low heat. Once butter has melted, add the sandwich and allow to cook until golden. Try not to press sandwich too hard together, you want to see all the layers still.
Remove sandwich from heat, melt the other half of the bread, then flip the sandwich and cook the other side.
Remove from heat once both sides are golden. The cheese should be warm and soft, but not all the way melted.
For a true deli-style experience, wrap in parchment paper and slice in half.
Serve with your favorite chips and enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2016/02/deli-style-savory-sourdough-melt/

What would you make on you Sourdough Bread?

*What does it mean to be Non-GMO Project Verified?
The Non-GMO Project offers North America’s only independent verification for products made according to rigorous best practices for GMO avoidance. For more information, visit the Non-GMO Project website: nongmoproject.org

Three Cheese Steak and Mushroom Panini

February 9, 2016 by MamaHarris 3 Comments

A very special thank you to San Luis Sourdough® breads for sponsoring this recipe. As always, all opinions are my own!

I never met a grilled cheese I didn’t like. True story. The same is held true for a melt. Or a panini. They are all essentially different types of grilled cheese sandwiches with different types of filling. But bread and cheese with a buttery golden crust. YES. Oh, yes. Definitely. Sign me up!

There’s not much else I love more than a grilled cheese, or a variety of one. Want to know something else I love? Sauteed mushrooms. Mmmm, yes. They are so tasty, and delicious served atop a delicious steak.

So I decided, why not have it all? Grilled cheese? Check. Sauteed mushrooms? Check. Delicious steak? Check.

It’s all here in this tasty and mouthwatering three cheese steak and mushroom panini.

Want to know something else I adore? Simple, easy to find ingredients. I know people love to use fancy cheeses in their sandwiches. But I’m often hurrying about my day, driving to my kids’ schools multiple times a day because they all get out at different times and one has karate class, one has drama practice, one has weight training and/or football practice… I honestly don’t have the time to head to a fancy gourmet store to find fancy cheese. Most of my grocery stores locally do carry some of the fancier cheeses, but often my family like simple. So I try to keep it simple. I chose Swiss, Provolone and Monterey Jack cheese for this panini and they were the perfect choice. They provided just the right amount of melt and taste that pair so well with the steak and mushrooms. As for seasonings, I really only used salt and pepper. Steak is naturally very tasty if you buy a quality cut and mushrooms are so fragrant and delicious on their own, although I did saute them with some onions for additional flavor and depth and I added a few shakes of Sherry wine for fun.

The star of this sandwich, though, is the bread. I chose Sourdough sliced bread because it works so well with the panini press. A little bit of butter and it’s quickly golden and crispy. It’s also strong enough to hold all of the cheese, steak and mushrooms inside without crumbling into a soggy mess. I decided to use the Garlic Sourdough Sliced Bread by San Luis Sourdough® breads because I felt the garlic would add another element to the sandwich. I was not disappointed!

What I love about San Luis Sourdough® bread is that it’s an authentic sourdough, right down to the 30 hour slow bake process. It’s everything you could want in your sourdough bread, right down to the crisp flavor and bubble crust. With natural, unprocessed ingredients that are easy to pronounce and no preservatives, all of the San Luis Sourdough® breads are Non-GMO Project Verified*. Try the Garlic Sourdough Sliced Bread, with it’s deliciously marinated sourdough bread baked with real garlic, or really and of their other products with these delicious paninis!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter (divided)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided)
3 tablespoons chopped yellow onions
salt and pepper
6 medium baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon sherry cooking wine
1 small tri-tip steak, diced (about 1/4 cup)
2 slices San Luis Sourdough® Garlic Bread
2 slices Provolone cheese
2 slices Swiss cheese
2 slices Monterey Jack cheese
2 tablespoons chopped spinach

Directions:

Begin by adding 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and lightly saute until they begin to soften, then add the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and allow them to caramelize a bit, stirring every so often. Once they are almost fully cooked through, add a bit of Sherry cooking wine and stir it around a bit. Remove the onions and mushrooms from the pan and set aside, but don’t wash the pan just yet!!

Drizzle the pan with another 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then add the diced steak meat. Season with just a bit of salt and pepper, and saute until meat has browned.

Now take two slices of the San Luis Garlic Sourdough bread and butter the OUTSIDE with 1 tablespoon of butter that’s softened to room temperature. Add 1 slice of Provolone and 1 slice of Swiss, then add the steak. Top with the Monterey Jack cheese, then sprinkle the spinach on top.

Now add the mushrooms. YUM.

Top with the 2nd slice of Provolone and the 2nd slice of Swiss. Add the top piece of sourdough bread.

Heat up your panini press, and once it’s ready place that baby on top and listen to it sizzle. Close the top of the panini press and allow it to cook for a few minutes, until the cheeses are all melted and the bread is crispy and golden.

I just love how the melted goodness squishes out a bit.

Cut it in half and enjoy!

Deli-Style Savory Sourdough Melt

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 1 deli-style sourdough melt

Serving Size: 1 deli-style sourdough melt

Deli-Style Savory Sourdough Melt

A deli-style sandwich jam packed with flavor! From Italian Dry Salame to Pepper Jack Cheese and pepperoncinis, this is an unforgettable Sourdough Melt.

Ingredients

2 slices San Luis Sourdough® Bread
2 teaspoons horseradish mustard
1-2 oz Pepper Jack Cheese
power greens (baby spinach and baby kale)
Italian Dry Salame
4 thin slices hot house tomatoes
salt and pepper
2 basil leaves, shredded
2 tablespoons deli sliced golden greek pepperoncini
1 tablespoons butter (divided)

Instructions

Begin by spreading the horseradish mustard along the inside of each bread slice. On one slice add half of the cheese, then top with the power greens. Top with salame, then shredded basil.
Add the tomatoes, then salt and pepper.
Top with pepperoncinis, then add the other slice of bread on top. Melt half of the butter in a cast iron skillet on medium/low heat. Once butter has melted, add the sandwich and allow to cook until golden. Try not to press sandwich too hard together, you want to see all the layers still.
Remove sandwich from heat, melt the other half of the bread, then flip the sandwich and cook the other side.
Remove from heat once both sides are golden. The cheese should be warm and soft, but not all the way melted.
For a true deli-style experience, wrap in parchment paper and slice in half.
Serve with your favorite chips and enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2016/02/three-cheese-steak-mushroom-panini/

Which variety would you like to try?

Southwest Chicken Salad with Sweet Potato Fries

January 21, 2016 by MamaHarris Leave a Comment

This post is brought to you courtesy of your friends at NatureRaised Farms® & Alexia® but all the opinions and content are mine.

Around this time of year I am left craving salads morning, noon and night. After months of holiday themed comfort foods and desserts and the impending birthday season that last from January through August in our home – salads sound like the perfect alternative.

One person in my family who is wonderful at whipping up an amazing salad out of scraps is my mother in law. Her salads are always perfect. Just the right amount of everything, cut just the right size and with all the right colors. Always delicious, ALWAYS.

So one of my goals this year is to eat more salads. Try different greens and lettuce and also a variety of mix-ins. I tend to make the same type of salad often, and I want to get out of that funk. I love salads with crumbly blue cheese, so I thought that would be a great starting point. I also recently discovered the Target Cartwheel app and when I saw that both the Alexia® Sweet Potato Fries and the NatureRaised Farms® Chicken were both listed on the app for 15% off with the purchase of goods at Target, I knew I had to pick them up too for a new, epic salad.

I picked up a baby spring/baby spinach blend for the greens and thought it would pair well with the NatureRaised Farms® Southern Style Crispy Chicken Strips and Alexia® Sweet Potato Fries, along with some corn, black beans, cherry tomatoes, avocado, hard-boiled egg, avocado, and of course my beloved blue cheese crumbles. It’s sort of a southwestern Cobb salad hybrid, so I knew I had to get a bit creative with the dressing. I wanted something that complimented all of the flavors without being overbearing… but with a kick of flavor.

I played around and mixed some ranch with buffalo wing sauce and knew that was the winning combo. It was so perfect and my whole family wanted bites off my lunch plate. Score!

Now I know the salad looks tasty, but you might scrunch your nose at the idea of fries in a salad. But really, it’s no different than croutons or tortilla strips. It’s actually better though, because the fries are sweet potato fries that lend a bit of sweetness to the plate. Since Alexia® Sweet Potato Fries and NatureRaised Farms® Chicken products are both all-natural and basically farm to table products. The NatureRaised Farms® Chicken is fed a 100% Vegetarian Diet with no animal protein or bakery by-products as well as no added hormones. They are also certified by third-party independent animal welfare agencies. Alexia® Sweet Potato Fries are made with all-natural ingredients and only the best produce is harvested from the farms. Both of these items will lend a tasty approach to your salads and your dinner table!

Ingredients for Southwest Chicken Salad with Sweet Potato Fries:

3 NatureRaised Farms® Southern Style Crispy Chicken Strips
1/2 cup Alexia® Sweet Potato Fries
1 cup Baby Spring Mix with Baby Spinach
2 tablespoons black beans
2 tablespoons yellow corn
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
1 hard boiled egg
1/4 small avocado, sliced
1 tablespoon crumbled blue cheese
juice from 2 lemon wedges

Ingredients for Buffalo Ranch Dressing

1/4 cup buttermilk ranch dressing
2 tablespoons buffalo wing sauce

Directions:

Begin by preparing both the NatureRaised Farms® Southern Style Crispy Chicken Strips and the Alexia® Sweet Potato Fries according to package instructions. While they are cooking, wash and spin your greens and slice up your avocado and hard-boil your egg.

Add the greens to your plate and frame them with the Sweet Potato Fries.

Add the chicken.

Then add the black beans, corn and tomatoes.

Slice up the hard-boiled egg and add to the salad.

Then add the avocado slices.

Finish it off with the crumbled blue cheese.

In a small mixing bowl combine the ranch with the Buffalo wing sauce.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad and refrigerate the extra. Enjoy!

Southwest Chicken Salad with Sweet Potato Fries

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Yield: 1 large personal salad

Serving Size: 1 large personal salad

Southwest Chicken Salad with Sweet Potato Fries

A southwestern take on a Cobb salad, this southwest chicken salad comes loaded with flavor, sweet potato fries and a buffalo ranch dressing.

Ingredients

Ingredients for Southwest Chicken Salad with Sweet Potato Fries:

3 NatureRaised Farms® Southern Style Crispy Chicken Strips
1/2 cup Alexia® Sweet Potato Fries
1 cup Baby Spring Mix with Baby Spinach
2 tablespoons black beans
2 tablespoons yellow corn
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
1 hard boiled egg
1/4 small avocado, sliced
1 tablespoon crumbled blue cheese
juice from 2 lemon wedges

Ingredients for Buffalo Ranch Dressing

1/4 cup buttermilk ranch dressing
2 tablespoons buffalo wing sauce

Instructions

Begin by preparing both the NatureRaised Farms® Southern Style Crispy Chicken Strips and the Alexia® Sweet Potato Fries according to package instructions. While they are cooking, wash and spin your greens and slice up your avocado and hard-boil your egg.
Add the greens to your plate and frame them with the Sweet Potato Fries.
Add the chicken.
Then add the black beans, corn and tomatoes.
Slice up the hard-boiled egg and add to the salad.
Then add the avocado slices.
Finish it off with the crumbled blue cheese.
In a small mixing bowl combine the ranch with the Buffalo wing sauce.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad and refrigerate the extra.
Enjoy!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2016/01/southwest-chicken-salad-with-sweet-potato-fries/

Alexia® Sweet Potato Fries and NatureRaised Farms® Chicken can both be found in the freezer section of your local Target store, as shown in this photo!

Do you like to create interesting and different salads?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of NatureRaised Farms® and Alexia®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Spicy Gazpacho

August 20, 2015 by MamaHarris Leave a Comment

The very first time I tried gazpacho was a few years ago when I traveled to Texas during the hot summer months. It was early in the summer so the weather really wasn’t much warmer than what I’m used to in the hotter parts of Northern California. My hair would tell you otherwise because it couldn’t decide if it wanted to be frizzy and big or flat at the roots. I ended up fixing my hair about 5 times a day just to be prepared for any photo opps, but that’s another story for another time.

I had traveled to Texas for a conference, it was actually my first time and it was for an annual food bloggers conference. I was still new to this blogging thing and had no idea what to expect. One of the evenings I had been invited to dine at an urban farm located in Austin, Texas. They set up a beautiful tablescape with an assortment of eclectic dishes that didn’t quite match but was adorably cute. There were little strings of white lights all over and the tables were nestled where the trees opened up. Everything served that evening had been grown on that very farm, and it was quite the experience. It was an intimate dinner, with about 30-40 people dining, and it was an assortment of bloggers, farmers, and even a celebrity chef.

The gazpacho that started it all that fateful night in Texas.

I remember choosing my place to sit and taking a variety of photos of all of the tablesettings, but once the food came out I almost forgot to take pictures. The very first thing that was brought out was a few large bowls of gazpacho, and I remember looking at it and being surprised at soup on a summer night in Texas. I didn’t realize at first that this soup is served cold. After my first taste, I was sold. It was a simple soup and tasted so fresh. It reminded me of freshly made salsa because of the tomato flavors and fresh herbs and spices, but it was blended into a smooth and tasty soup. It was perfect for that warm summer night and I never forgot that experience. Since then I’ve paid more attention to gazpacho and I’ve seen it made in a variety of ways, however I prefer that smooth, almost creamy texture of the original one I had back in Texas.

Since then I’ve expressed my love of this cold soup to my family. I’ve explained what’s in it and that it’s perfect for summer months, and my family was open to trying it out so I wrote my own recipe for a little bit of a spicier version than what I had that night in Texas. I also swirled in some crème fraîche and added a bit of avocado and Italian parsley to the dish once served and it is perfect. For this spicy gazpacho all you need is tons of fresh ingredients and a good blender to get it smooth. The prep time is only about ten minutes because the blender does most of the work, and then you just chill it for at least an hour. We had a lot left over and I noticed by the next morning the flavor was even better and the cucumber smell really stuck out. If you’re not into spicy, you can always cut out the jalapeno and cayenne and it would still taste amazing! I feel like gazpacho is the perfect soup for August because it’s known to be one of the hottest months and tomatoes are full and ripe. It’s also a great way to use a lot of items from your own garden if you happen to grow tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, onions, garlic or parsley!

Ingredients for Spicy Gazpacho:

1/2 medium red onion
3 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 lbs. tomatoes (on the vine)
1 small cucumber, peeled
1 jalapeno, deveined and deseeded
1 red bell pepper
1/4 cup fresh chopped Italian parsley
1.5 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1 slice of Texas Toast, or other thick bread
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + extra for drizzle
crème fraîche
avocado slices

Directions:

Begin by adding the red onion and garlic to your blender, then adding the red wine vinegar.

Blend until smooth. This allows the onion and garlic to really break up and adding the vinegar early on helps begin these steps with some liquid so it’s easier to blend throughout the process.

Next add all the tomatoes, seeds included. I roughly chop all the veggies up in order to make the blending process easier.

Then add the cucumbers..

…and finally the jalapenos. I did take the seeds out of these, but you can leave them in if you want even more of a kick!

Blend again until mostly smooth.

Now add the bell pepper, Italian parsley, and spices.

Don’t forget the slivered almonds! This gives it a bit of a nuttier taste and a lot of depth.

Then add your bread, tearing it apart first. The bread also helps thicken the soup just a bit, I know it sounds funny but TRUST ME!

Blend it all together until smooth as possible.

Then add the olive oil and pulse for just a few seconds.

Store and cover, then chill at least an hour. Preferably overnight. This does make a lot of soup, so no worries! You can try it in an hour, then try again the next day and be as surprised as me how it continues to taste fresher and the flavors intensify.

Serve in a pretty bowl.

Swirl in some crème fraîche and a few drops of olive oil then add a few slices of avocado.

Add some parsley for garnish and serve!

This is a perfect way to enjoy lunch on the warm patio or as a light dinner. You can even serve this as a side dish in place of the traditional salad. In Texas we had scooped it into little teacups for our appetizer before our main dish, but the gazpacho can be the star too. Add some crunchy bread and you’re set!

Enjoy!

Spicy Gazpacho

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Yield: 9 cups

Serving Size: 1-2 cups

Spicy Gazpacho

Gazpacho is a summertime staple for August, but this smooth and spicy gazpacho is one you absolutely must try!

Ingredients

1/2 medium red onion
3 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 lbs. tomatoes (on the vine)
1 small cucumber, peeled
1 jalapeno, deveined and deseeded
1 red bell pepper
1/4 cup fresh chopped Italian parsley
1.5 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1 slice of Texas Toast, or other thick bread
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + extra for drizzle
crème fraîche
avocado slices

Instructions

Begin by adding the red onion and garlic to your blender, then adding the red wine vinegar.
Blend until smooth. This allows the onion and garlic to really break up and adding the vinegar early on helps begin these steps with some liquid so it's easier to blend throughout the process.
Next add all the tomatoes, seeds included. I roughly chop all the veggies up in order to make the blending process easier.
Then add the cucumbers..
...and finally the jalapenos. I did take the seeds out of these, but you can leave them in if you want even more of a kick!
Blend again until mostly smooth.
Now add the bell pepper, Italian parsley, and spices.
Don't forget the slivered almonds! This gives it a bit of a nuttier taste and a lot of depth.
Then add your bread, tearing it apart first. The bread also helps thicken the soup just a bit, I know it sounds funny but TRUST ME!
Blend it all together until smooth as possible.
Then add the olive oil and pulse for just a few seconds.
Store and cover, then chill at least an hour. Preferably overnight. This does make a lot of soup, so no worries! You can try it in an hour, then try again the next day and be as surprised as me how it continues to taste fresher and the flavors intensify.
Serve in a pretty bowl.
Swirl in some crème fraîche and a few drops of olive oil then add a few slices of avocado.
Add some parsley for garnish and serve!
This is a perfect way to enjoy lunch on the warm patio or as a light dinner. You can even serve this as a side dish in place of the traditional salad. In Texas we had scooped it into little teacups for our appetizer before our main dish, but the gazpacho can be the star too. Add some crunchy bread and you're set!
Enjoy!

Notes

***prep time does not include the one hour chill time!

https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2015/08/spicy-gazpacho/

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