Cobb Salad

What does summer mean to you?

Summer to me means grilling and corn on the cob and light and refreshing meals like salads and fruits and veggies. Summer is Cobb Salad.

Grilled Cobb Salad at that.

It's one of my fave things. 

And this Cobb has grilled corn on the cob and juicy grilled chicken, cuz grilled food always tastes better. For reals... baked chicken? or GRILLED chicken?!??! There's no question, right? Grilled = major flavor + grill marks.

And grill marks are everything.



Seriously, I've been watching this show called American Grilled on the Travel channel. I'm obsessed. It's got me wanting to grill everything! Really, they do everything on the grill! Pasta, pizza, duck, giant cuts of beef, and lots of other local ingredients like frog legs, hog's head, crawfish, Cracker Jack's, and wild boar. It's one of my favorite things to watch lately. And I feel like I'm learning a lot when I watch it... even simple things like being sure to oil your meats and veggies before putting on the grill so they don't stick. And even the simplest of marinades and rubs. I'm so intrigued and hope to learn a lot more about grilling with other methods than a gas grill, grilling different kinds of meats, more about marinades and rubs, and learning how to perfect that gas grill method of grilling, too.

I'm itchin to buy a charcoal grill reeeeeeeeeal soon.

Anyways, now that I've got that outta my system, grill everything. While you can. While summer's still here. Not that you can't grill when it's not summer, but summer and grilling just go together. And nobody wants summer to end. So let's take a stand... grill everything you can get your hands on. Starting with some chicken and corn on the cob for this delicious Cobb Salad.











Cobb Salad
adapted from Meg's Everyday Indulgence

• romaine hearts, chopped
• grilled corn on the cob
• hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• avocado, diced
• bacon, cooked and crumbled
• grilled chicken breast, diced
• crumbled bleu cheese
• dressing of your choice

Assemble salads with lettuce on bottom, topped with grilled corn kernels removed from the cob, egg, avocado, bacon, chicken, bleu cheese, and dressing of your choice. 

May I recommend Litehouse Jalapeno Ranch, or Meg's Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette also sounds amazing.


Printable Recipe

As you can see, I don't really have perfect, exact measurements for this recipe, because really you can't go wrong with any amount! There were two of us, and I think we used 1-2 romaine hearts. I think we only used 1 ear of corn but again, can't go wrong with more. I'd say at least 2 hard-boiled eggs. 1 avocado is probably enough. Probably like 4 strips of bacon, or more if you plan on eating most of it before it makes it to the salad, like me. I'd probably say 1 chicken breast per person. However much crumbled bleu cheese looks right, Meg suggests 1/4 cup. You'll love this (grilled) cobb salad no matter how much of each ingredient you use. 

Linking up here.

Peace, and bacon grease!

Broiled Goat Cheese Arugula Salad with Grapes and Candied Pecans

Sometimes you are lucky to come across something that will forever be in a part of your life. 

 




























































This salad is one of those things for me.

I was so lucky to have Debra's blog (oh, don't forget her cat Eliot!), Eliot's Eats, for this month's Secret Recipe Club. Lots of good recipes along with tales about her garden, travel and adventure, and even some non-food crafts. I inspire to be like her! 

 
























































Her Creamsicle Strawberry Pops sound like the perfect summer treat! Also eyeing her Jalapeno Relish and these Dulce de Leche White Chocolate Cookies. Ahh, so much goodness! But that Baked Goat Cheese Salad really caught my eye, and seemed like the perfect lunch for me when I was all by myself one Sunday afternoon. The perfect solo lunch. By the time I got around to making it though, it was almost dinner time, so I put it in the fridge, saved it for dinner, and let PJ have half.

So glad I did. He loved it! So much. He wants to put it on our regular menu and said it was one of the best salads he's had in awhile. I agree. 

Broiled Goat Cheese Arugula Salad with Grapes and Candied Pecans
adapted from Eliot's Eats

For broiled goat cheese:

• 1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, minced
• olive oil
• 3 rounds of garlic goat cheese log (cut in 1/2 inch slices)
• sea salt + freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For salad:  

• arugula
• 1/4 cup red seedless grapes, halved
• 1/8 cup honey roasted pecan pieces
• balsamic dressing 

Preheat oven to broil. 

Mix together Panko bread crumbs and minced thyme.  Generously coat a plate with olive oil. 

Dip each side of the goat cheese round in the olive oil and then coat with bread crumb mixture.   

Place goat cheese slices in a metal baking dish and season with salt and pepper.

Broil for 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown. Let cool to warm before serving. 

Assemble salad with arugula, grapes, and pecan pieces. Top with broiled goat cheese slices and dressing and serve. 


Printable Recipe


 






















































Can you imagine all the perfect flavors and textures? Peppery arugula, sweet grapes bursting with juicy flavor, crunchy and sweet candied pecans, crunchy tart broiled goat cheese all topped with a sweet balsamic dressing. I used Private Selection's White Balsamic & Honey Dressing. Like I said, so good. 

I may or may not have made another salad that night.  
 

Check out my past Secret Recipe Club posts!

An InLinkz Link-up

Linking up here.

Peace, and bacon grease!

 

Red, White, and Blue Fruit Cups

Hey friends.

It's time to get all patriotic up in here.

 

 

I'm keeping it simple yet colorful and so pretty with these Red, White, and Blue Fruit Cups. I love themed foods if you can't tell already.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I tend to go a little overboard with the themed foodie props too. This time it's all in the name of independence!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What can I say? I love my country!

 

Red, White, and Blue Fruit Cups

slightly adapted from Rachael Ray

• 1 pint fresh strawberries
• 1 pint fresh blueberries
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 pint heavy whipping cream

Slice strawberries and combine in a bowl with blueberries. Sprinkle berries with two teaspoons sugar.

Add heavy whipping cream and remaining sugar to mixer bowl. Whip cream until soft peaks form. Serve berries in small cups with generous spoonfuls of fresh whipped cream.

Printable Recipe

 

Aren't you proud to be free?!

 

Need some more patriotic inspiration? Check out these other patriotic recipes from my blog, though most don't have pictures because I still need to go back and update ones that were lost! But the recipes are still good :) 

 

Happy 4th of July everyone!

 

Peace, and bacon grease!

Strawberries and Cream Crunch Parfaits

I always look forward to The Secret Recipe Club each month. I've found some amazing blogs and posted some amazing recipes over the years I've been a member.

It's exciting being assigned to a new blog and searching through their recipe archive to find the perfect recipe for me. This month was no different - I was assigned to Serena and Deanna's blog, Teaspoon of Spice, a new-to-me blog. Perfect timing too, they are two dieticians and lately I have been wanting to get my butt in shape. 

 

A little. You saw my Bacon Spinach Cheese Ball (it has spinach in it at least, does that count??) and Salted Caramel Pretzel Bark recently, and I doubled the caramel on that bark recipe, so I can't say I'm very strict with it. I just can't give up my good-for-my-taste buds-but-bad-for-my-belly foods. But I've been more conscious of trying to drink more water, and since I work at a desk all day, of getting up and taking more steps throughout the day and taking the stairs whenever possible. And I can eat some healthier recipes here and there too, without giving up the foods I love still.

On my first trip to Whole Foods, I knew this would be the perfect time to pick up some organic strawberries and healthy granola to make their Strawberries and Cream Crunch Parfaits. I already had some Greek yogurt in my fridge from the salad I made the other day with Chipotle Ranch Dressing.

Strawberries and Cream Crunch Parfaits

from Teaspoon of Spice

• 3/4 cup sliced strawberries
• 2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese (or reduced fat cream cheese)
• 2 tablespoons nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup low fat granola 
• whipped cream, for topping

In a small bowl, mix together mascarpone cheese and yogurt. In a parfait glass, layer 1/4 cup sliced strawberries. Spoon half of the cheese/yogurt mixture onto strawberries in the parfait glass. Layer with 2 tablespoons granola. Repeat with another 1/4 cup layer of strawberries, the remaining cheese/yogurt mixture and remaining granola. Top with remaining strawberries and dollop with whipped cream.

Printable Recipe

We were surprised at how much we liked this! I've got some strawberries leftover so I'll be whipping another one of these together for a light and healthy snack very soon. This healthy thing won't be so hard after all with delicious recipes like this!

Check out what the other Group C members brought to the table!! 



Linking up here.  


Peace, and bacon grease!