Citrus Salad Toss

This is a great summer salad with lots of fresh fruit and veggies. My husband hates fruit in a salad, so he calls this "chick food." I have to agree, it is perfect for a baby shower, bridal shower, or girls night. You can easily make this a main dish salad by adding sliced, grilled chicken. Yum!

Citrus Salad Toss

Salad:
8 cups baby spinach
8 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 large orange, sliced or 1 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges
1 pint strawberries, sliced
2 avocados, thinly sliced or diced
2/3 cup toasted or candied almonds or pecans (optional)

Dressing:
Juice of 1/2 orange
Juice of 1 lime
zest of 1 orange
zest of 1 lime
1 Tb. sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil

1. Combine all salad ingredients except avocado and nuts. Toss gently.
2. In small bowl whisk together all dressing ingredients except oil. Slowly add oil while continually whisking to form an emulsion.
3. Add avocado to dressing and toss lightly (the citrus in the dressing will help prevent the avocado from browning). Add dressing and avocado to salad and toss gently. Sprinkle with nuts if desired.

Tip: if your red onion is strong or you just want a milder flavor, cover the thinly sliced onion with cold water for 30 minutes, then drain well. This takes some of the bite out of the onion for a milder taste.

One Pan Taco Dinner

Sorry, no picture today. I'm currently on bed rest (have been for the past week and a half) so I haven't been able to do much cooking lately. This is one of our favorite quick and easy meals. It's fast, flavorful, and we always have the ingredients on hand. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

One Pan Taco Dinner

1 lb. ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 pkg. taco seasoning mix

1 cup salsa

2 cups minute white rice, uncooked

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 cups shredded lettuce

1 large tomato, chopped

Optional Toppings

sour cream

avocado

tortilla chips

cilantro

olives

1. Brown meat and onion in large skillet on medium-high heat; drain.

2. Add 2 cups water, seasoning mix, and salsa. Bring to a boil.

3. Stir in rice. Sprinkle with cheese; cover. Cook on low heat 5 minutes, until rice is completely cooked and soft. Top with lettuce, tomato, and desired optional toppings just before serving.

Southwestern Cobb Salad

This was a nice, light summery meal that was both healthy and delicious. Enjoy!

Southwestern Cobb Salad

4 cups lettuce, chopped
1 cup shredded cheese, such as pepper jack or colby jack
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can sweet baby corn, rinsed and drained; or 2 cobs fresh corn, removed from cob
1 avocado, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, diced; or 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 small can sliced olives
1 - 1 1/2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
1/2 cup chopped red or green pepper (optional)
1/2 cup chopped red or green onion (optional)
1 handful fresh cilantro
1/4 cup salsa verde
1/2 cup ranch dressing
Tortilla chips or fresh cooked tortillas

1. Arrange lettuce along the bottom of 4 plates or bowls. Arrange cheese, black beans, corn, avocado, tomatoes, olives, chicken (and peppers and onions if desired) along the top of the lettuce.
2. Combine cilantro, salsa verde, and ranch dressing in a food processor or blender until well combined. Drizzle over top of salads. Top with additional cilantro, if desired. Serve with tortilla chips or freshly cooked tortillas.