Of all the ways to transform a boring piece of chicken breast, Monterey style is a surefire move towards flavor wow!

I mean…chicken, bbq sauce, bacon, cheese, diced tomato, and your favorite aromatics. Quintessential ‘Layers of Flavor.”

The original Cobb Salad was born one late night in the kitchen of Hollywood’s Brown Derby restaurant. Back in in 1937, owner Robert Cobb had a late-night hankering for a satisfying meal. He began pulling readily available ingredients into a bowl. This kitchen sink salad was promptly added to the menu and became a runaway hit!

EAT COBB:  Eggs, Avocado, Tomato, Chicken, Onion, Bacon, Blue Cheese.

There are so many wonderful adaptations to the original Cobb Salad version. Here’s how I build a Monterey Chicken Cobb Salad!

Clearly we’ve transformed boring chicken breasts with all these wonderful toppings.

Now let’s transform the salad! This is your chance to add your favorite ingredients. The Cobb Salad is a great way to use up leftovers.

At the same time the Cobb Salad was gaining in popularity, so was the table-side preparation. This type of dining experience was catching on quickly. It’s what we fondly refer to as dinner and a show. Today, as we find ourselves eating in vs. dining out, any opportunity to serve a meal family-style is welcomed in this house.

Monterey Chicken Cobb Salad is a family favorite that even your most challenging eaters will enjoy!!

Love the Monterey flavors check out Monterey Loaded Nachos Fries and the Monterey Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Monterey Chicken Cobb Salad

Monterey Chicken Cobb Salad is a family favorite that even your most challenging eaters will enjoy!!

Course Main Course

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Monterey Chicken

• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 2 pounds
• 6 Tablespoons hickory bbq sauce or favorite
• 6 slices bacon cooked crispy
• 3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 Roma tomato diced
• 1 scallion thinly sliced
• 1 jalepeno finely diced

For the Salad

• 8-10 cups lettuce chopped
• 3 hardboiled eggs quartered
• 2 avocado diced
• 2-3 Roma tomatoes diced
• 3 scallions thinly sliced
• 2 corn on the cobb roasted, kernels removed from cobb
• 6 strips bacon cooked crisp, chopped
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

For the Chili Ranch Dressing

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup mayonaise
• 2 Tablespoons fresh chives (or parsley) minced
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• pinch black pepper

Instructions

For the Monterey Chicken

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grill chicken breasts until almost done (about 155 degrees).
• Top each grilled chicken breasts with a schmear of bbq sauce, two slices of crispy bacon and a handful of shredded cheese. Place in oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly and chicken registers 165 degrees.
• Remove from oven and sprinkle with diced tomato, jalapeno and scallion. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

For the Chili Ranch Dressing

• Combine all ingredients. Chill until ready to serve.

For the Salad

• Place all salad ingredients on large platter. Top with sliced Monterey Chicken and drizzle with Chili Ranch Dressing.

The post Monterey Chicken Cobb Salad appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Healthy eating police stand down.

We all have our guilty pleasures and while it’s been years since I’ve ordered a McDonald’s Big Mac, the saucy beefy cheesy classic lingers in my mind.

The way I see it is when the attack happens you have two choices. You can either drive to the closest McDonald’s OR you can make this double decker delight at home!

I vote for homemade all day – every day!

The Big Mac Ingredients

• Two all beef (Grass-Fed) patties
• Homemade special sauce
• Shredded lettuce
• Yellow American cheese
• Sliced dill pickles
• Fine diced onion
• All piled high on sesame brioche buns

Here’s how we build our Big Macs

Make the special sauce –

• Mayonnaise
• Sweet pickle relish
• White distilled vinegar
• Ketchup
• Mustard powder
• Minced onion
• Chili powder
• Paprika

For maximum flavor, chill the Big Mac sauce in refrigerator for a couple hours or overnight if possible.

For the beef patties –

• Use ground chuck vs. sirloin for a juicy burger
• For each Big Mac, split 1/3 pound of ground beef into two thin patties and press to bun size
• Season with with salt and pepper, then pan fry in a little butter or ghee (trust me)
• Add slice of cheese to each burger just when finished cooking

Assembly –

• Toast buns, then spread with generous layer of special sauce
• Sprinkle bottom bun with fine diced onion and shredded lettuce
• Top with one of the cheese burgers and dill pickle slices
• Top with middle bun (I used an extra brioche bun and cut two middles out of it)
• Repeat: sauce, onions, lettuce, cheese burger, pickles, top bun

The hardest thing about making these Big Macs was having to wait to eat them while I took their beauty shots.

Here’s how we eat our Big Macs

My husband is a saint for waiting. And he’s not a shabby hand model either :)

There is so much love going on right here! These Big Macs were such a treat!

They are so satisfying and mouthwateringly delicious. You’re going to need a lot of napkins for these juicy burgers.

I’m lovin’ it!

We even made shoestring fries like McDonald’s. They weren’t quite as good as theirs but still pretty tasty. Our homemade Big Macs on the other hand were far better than the drive thru version!

Take a look at these cuties.

For my gluten free friends you can handle your Big Mac Attack by making mini burgers and using sweet potato ‘buns’.

Oh yes I did!

These gluten free sliders still give you all that juicy, beefy, cheesy saucy flavor without sacrifice!

And how about a side sweet potato curly fries!!

Burgers, fries, and milkshakes?? Try our Malted Peach Milkshake!

Are there recipes that remind you of a favorite vacation that you’d like to see us recreate? I’d love for you to comment below. Your feedback is so important to me (and keeps the recipe love fresh).

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Homemade Big Mac

There is so much love going on right here! There's something so satisfying about a Big Mac. You're going to need a lot of napkins for these juicy delicious burgers. I'm lovin' it!

Course Burger, Entree

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Special Sauce

• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tablespoons sweet pickle relish
• 1 Tablespoon ketchup
• 1 Tablespoon minced onion
• 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

For the Big Macs

• 1 pound ground beef preferably grass-fed chuck
• 6 slices yellow American cheese
• 4-5 brioche buns or sesame seed burger buns
• 1 cup shredded lettuce
• 1/2 cup fine diced white onion
• 18 dill pickle slices
• special sauce see recipe above
• 1 Tablespoon butter or ghee for pan frying burgers
• salt & pepper to season burgers

Instructions

For the Special Sauce

• Combine all special sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use. For best flavor, chill for 2 hours or overnight.

For the Big Macs

• Divide the ground beef into 1/3 pound sections. Split each 1/3 in half and roll into a ball. Press each ball between parchment paper to make 6 thin patties total. Season with salt & pepper. Pan fry burger patties in butter until cooked through. Top each burger with a slice of cheese.
• You'll need a top, bottom and middle bun for each Big Mac. Lightly toast buns.
• Spread a generous amount of special sauce onto each bun. On bottom bun add fine diced onion and shredded lettuce. Top with cheese burger and three pickle slices. Repeat with middle bun, sauce, onion, lettuce, cheese burger, pickles. Finish with top bun.
• Delicious served with shoestring fries and a milkshake!

For Gluten Free Sweet Potato 'Buns'

• Slice sweet potato into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Brush with olive oil and bake in oven at 425° F for about 25 minutes until golden and tender. Build Big Mac as instructed above using sweet potato in place of buns.

The post How To Handle a Big Mac Attack appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Or in our case you can make it two days in a row because it’s that good!!

We’re definitely on a salad kick right now and I’m loving it.

And my body is pretty stoked too!

The keys to a great chopped salad are 1) fresh ingredients, 2) a variety of colors and textures, and 3) a dressing that compliments but doesn’t overpower.

Make it your own with your favorite Mediterranean ingredients – you could easily add or sub Kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, hearts of palm, capers….

The perfect dressing for this Mediterranean Chopped Salad is our Lemon Herb Vinaigrette.

I chose fresh oregano and parsley as our herbs and added a teaspoon of dried oregano as well. The fresh lemon juice and red wine vinegar add a gentle one-two punch.

Our Mediterranean Chopped Salad was a hit at my sister’s birthday celebration dinner.

We paired it with gorgeous grilled ribeye steaks and au gratin potatoes. We brought the Steakhouse dinner in-house and it couldn’t have been better.

I mentioned making this salad two days in a row.

Truth.

We devoured it the first night, so I made Mediterranean Chopped Salad again and served it with grilled chicken and shrimp for a light dinner. So delicious!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Mediterranean Chopped Salad

Whether you enjoy this salad as a side to a bigger meal or top it with chicken or shrimp and call it dinner, the flavors will keep them coming back for more!

Course Salad

Cuisine Meiterranean

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

For the Mediterranean Chopped Salad

• 4 cups iceburg lettuce chopped
• 2 hearts of romaine chopped
• 1 cup castelvetrano or kalamata olives sliced
• 1 16 ounce can chickpeas rinsed and drained
• 1 small red onion fine diced
• 2 persian cucumbers diced
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
• 8 ounces feta cheese diced or crumbled
• 1 cup roasted beets diced

For the Lemon Herb Vinaigrette

• 8 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 cup fresh oregano and parsley leaves stems discarded
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 clove garlic

Instructions

For the Mediterranean Chopped Salad

• Place chopped lettuce in the base of a large salad bowl. Top with remaining ingredients. Drizzle with Lemon Herb Dressing and toss.

For the Lemon Herb Vinaigrette

• Combine all ingredients in a glass jar with lid and shake vigorously. Store in refrigerator for up to two weeks.

The post Chopped Mediterranean Salad with Lemon Herb Vinaigrette appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Imagine you are behind the counter at Chipotle building the burrito bowl of your dreams with all your favorite toppings.

That’s what we’re doing, but in your kitchen, no shoes or shirts required.

The Loaded Burrito Bowl Ingredients

• Our Chicken Burrito Bowl has a base of lettuce
• Topped with grilled chicken (rotisserie chicken works great too)
• Shredded cheese
• Sliced avocado
• Fire Roasted Corn & Poblano Salsa
• Black Beans
• Pico de Gallo
• Cilantro Lime Rice
• We then give it a generous drizzle of Southwest Ranch Dressing

Recipe links above.

We ate on this great big burrito bowl for two days and it was delicious!

There’s nothing like a salad (or bowl) made ahead, waiting for hunger to strike.

Optional Burrito Ingredients

This Loaded Chicken Burrito Bowl is meant for you to incorporate your favorite toppings.

Sub pinto beans for black beans, Spanish rice for cilantro lime rice, guacamole for sliced avocado.

You do you all day long.

I recently spent some time with my college senior and his buddies. If there’s one thing for certain, they love Chipotle. I witnessed a full on discussion of how superior that particular chain is over any others that were mentioned. Apparently they’re doing things right! Good for them!

Are there recipes that remind you of a favorite vacation that you’d like to see us recreate? I’d love for you to comment below. Your feedback is so important to me (and keeps the recipe love fresh).

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Loaded Chicken Burrito Bowl

When I say Loaded Chicken Burrito Bowl, I mean find your biggest serving bowl and prepare to make your family oh so happy.

Course Salad Entree

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 2 hearts of romaine lettuce chopped
• 3 cups cooked chicken cubed
• 1 avocado sliced
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 2 cups Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe link in post
• 1 cup Fire Roasted Corn & Poblano Salsa Recipe link in post
• 1 cup Pico de Gallo Recipe link in post
• 1 cup black beans or Black Bean Puree Recipe link in post
• 1 cup Southwest Ranch Dressing Recipe link in post
• lime wedges, fresh cilantro & tortilla chips optional garnishes

Instructions

• In a large family-style bowl, layer chopped lettuce with cubed chicken, sliced avocado, shredded cheese and remainging ingredients. Drizzle generously with Southwest Ranch Dressing. Garnish with lime wedges, fresh cilantro and tortilla chips.

The post Loaded Chicken Burrito Bowl is a Family Favorite appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Southwest Salmon Salad Therapy. Right here.

There are those days, moments, situations when you just need to take your mind somewhere else. For me that typically means I’ll wind up in the kitchen. Slicing, fine dicing, fresh bright flavors and lots of beautiful bowls.

Despite how many tiny beautiful bowls you see surrounding this gorgeous piece of salmon, this recipe at it’s core is very simple.

Start with a nice big piece of salmon, seasoned with your favorite southwest spices. For me that looks like chili powder, cumin, ground oregano, touch of cayenne, salt & pepper.

Now make a mental list (or written list – total list-maker here) of all your favorite southwest ingredients. Black beans, fire roasted corn & poblano peppers, oven roasted sweet potato, tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, red onion, avocado, cilantro chili lime rice and vinaigrette all on a bed of crisp lettuce. The beauty of this salad is you make it your own with your favorite flavors and ingredients.

I love serving Southwest Salmon Salad family-style on a great big platter, to enjoy with friends and family.

Sidenote: I am a huge ‘thrifter’ aka Goodwill, consignment, thrift store junky. We scored this platter during last weekend’s road trip for $6.00.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Southwest Salmon Salad

Despite how many tiny beautiful bowls you see surrounding this gorgeous piece of salmon, this recipe at it's core is very simple.

Course Main Course, Salad

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

For the Salmon & Sweet Potato

• 1 lb. fresh salmon skin on
• 1 sweet potato 1/2" cubed
• 2 Tbl. olive oil
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. ground oregano

For the Cilantro Rice

• 1 cup basmati rice rinsed well
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup Cilantro Chili Lime Vinaigrette see recipe below

For the Cilantro Chili Lime Vinaigrette

• 2 cups cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 Tbl. fresh lime juice
• 1 shallot rough chopped
• 1-2 garlic cloves peeled
• 1/2 tsp. Tajin chili lime seasoning or chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt

For the Fire Roasted Corn & Poblano Pepper

• 2 corn on the cob
• 1 poblano pepper

For the Salad

• 1 head green leaf lettuce rough chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 can black beans rinsed and drained
• 1 avocado sliced
• 3 scallions thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup red onion finely diced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

For the Salmon & Sweet Potato

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place salmon (skin side down) and cubed sweet potato on a parchment or foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with seasonings. Bake for 15 minutes.

For the Cilantro Rice

• Meanwhile, bring 2 cups water to boil. Rinse rice for 2-3 minutes until water runs clear. Stir in rice, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with fork. Stir in 1/4 cup of Cilantro Chili Lime Vinaigrette.

Cilantro Chili Lime Vinaigrette

• Combine all ingredients in a food processor or high-powered blender.

For the Fire Roasted Corn & Poblano Pepper

• Fire roast poblano pepper (gas stove or broiler) until skin is blackened on all sides. Place in bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 5 minutes. Rinse under cold water removing charred skin, stem and seeds. Fine dice. Roast corn on the cob over open flame (gas stove) or under broiler, until slightly charred. Cut kernels from cobs.

To assemble the Salad

• Spread chopped lettuce on a large platter, top with cooked salmon and remaining prepared ingredients. Drizzle with Cilantro Chili Lime Vinaigrette. Serve family style.

Notes

The post Southwest Salmon Salad appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I made this Autumn Thyme Wedge Salad a couple weeks ago and have been dying to share it with you.  It has so many wonderful seasonal flavors that it sings of Autumn Thyme.  The star of the salad were the Warm Goat Cheese Fritters.  They were so good they deserved their own recipe post (and so delayed the introduction of our newest wedge salad recipe).

These lovelies were pictured this morning just as the sun peaked out from behind a week’s worth of rain clouds.  Our Warm Goat Cheese Fritters are perfectly crispy on the outside and smooth and creamy on the inside.  They were a wonderful addition to our newest wedge salad.

I started dreaming of the layers of flavor I would add to our Autumn Thyme Wedge Salad days in advance.  Thyme roasted diced butternut squash, apple and onion make me think of Fall and stuffing, two of my favorites.

Warm soft boiled eggs, thick cut applewood smoked bacon, cumin toasted pumpkin seeds, homemade croutons, crispy sage leaves….  I threw all my favorite flavors at this salad.

All this salad needed was the perfect dressing to tie all these flavors together.  I decided to make an apple cider sage brown butter vinaigrette.  I’m very fond of infatuated with sage brown butter and the addition of apple cider vinegar sounded wonderful.  And it was.  It just wasn’t the right dressing for a wedge salad.

This Autumn Thyme Wedge Salad need a nice thick & creamy dressing.  Something like Homemade Buttermilk Ranch or a Creamy Gorgonzola dressing like this one from Food Network.

Next thyme.

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Autumn Thyme Wedge Salad {with Warm Goat Cheese Fritters}

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 4 iceberg lettuce wedges
• 1 apple I used Gala, cored and diced
• 1 small butternut squash peeled and diced
• 1 medium onion diced
• 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 Tbl. olive oil divided
• salt & pepper
• 4 slices applewood smoked bacon cooked crispy
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds I used pepitas
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 4 soft boiled eggs
• 1 1/2 cups cubed day old crusty bread
• 2 Tbl. butter melted
• 8 Warm Goat Cheese Fritters see recipe link in post
• Favorite thick & creamy dressing

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Toss diced apple, butternut squash, and onion with 2 Tbl. olive oil, salt & pepper. Spread in a single layer on a cooking spray coated baking sheet. Roast for 25-35 minutes until veggies are tender.
• Meanwhile, toss bread cubes in melted butter. Spread onto one side of shallow baking sheet. Combine pumpkin seeds with remaining tablespoon olive oil and cumin. Spread onto other side of baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until croutons begin to brown.
• Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add eggs and simmer for 5 minutes (for soft boiled). Remove from heat drain and run under cool water for a minute. Peel.
• Prepare Warm Goat Cheese Fritters, according to recipe link in post.

To serve…

• Plate one iceberg wedge on each plate. Top with a generous spoonful of thyme roasted veggies, a sprinkle of cumin roasted pumpkin seeds, croutons, and crumbled crispy bacon. Add two warm goat cheese fritters and a sliced soft boiled egg. Top with favorite thick & creamy dressing.

The post Autumn Thyme Wedge Salad {with Warm Goat Cheese Fritters} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

This salad.  This Fattoush Salad is flavor love.

I was working hard to use ingredients already on hand.  I may be a bit out of control.  Pantry and freezer doors are…busting.  So I went on offense and typed pita, lettuce, mint, tomato into my search engine field.

Kabam!!! Pow!! Fattoush!

When my search engine returned images of Fattoush…it was love at first site.  Trust me.  This salad is so deliciously flavor packed.  I made a pomegranate sumac vinaigrette using pomegranate juice, lemon juice, ground sumac berries, and olive oil.  If you’re not familiar with sumac, it’s a dried berry that’s ground and used in many Middle Eastern dishes.  I was first introduced to it at Rumi’s Persian Kitchen, where we sprinkled it over our dishes.  It is also available from the great people at Penzey’s Spices.

Fattoush is a Lebanese twist on the Tuscan Panzanella Bread Salad, using toasted pita bread.  This salad makes a wonderful easy lunch or add grilled shrimp or chicken for a lovely dinner salad that your family and guests will be smitten with.

Not only is Fattoush full of fresh bright flavors but it fits so nicely with our Healthy Choices plan.

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Fattoush Salad

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Calories 187kcal

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette…

• 2 Tbl. lemon juice
• 1/4 cup pomegranate juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp. sumac
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

For the salad…

• 3 cups lettuce leaves torn
• 1/2 avocado sliced
• 1 salad cucumber sliced
• 8-10 cherry tomatoes halved
• 2 scallions thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup red onion fine diced
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 cup pomegranate arils
• 1/2 tsp. sumac
• 1 pita bread cut into bite-sized pieces and lightly toasted

Instructions

For the vinaigrette…

• Combine ingredients in a glass jar. Shake to combine. Chill until ready to serve.

For the salad…

• Divide lettuce between two plates. Add sliced avocado.
• In a medium bowl combine cucumber, tomatoes, scallion, red onion, mint leaves, and pomegranate arils. Toss with a couple tablespoons of vinaigrette, adding more to taste. Spoon mixture onto bed of lettuce. Sprinkle with toasted pita and sumac.

Notes

Serving size: 1/2 recipe listed = 5 WW Pts+

The post Fattoush Salad appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Slightly spicy marinated shrimp on a bed of crispy lettuce on a cushion of homemade slider bun with a dollop of cool ranch sauce.  I could eat my weight in these Buffalo Shrimp Sliders.  Oh yes I can.

Shrimp, shrimp everywhere!!

Fresh off the boat Georgia Shrimp….

Endless possibilities.

Marinate your beautiful shrimp in buffalo sauce and garlic powder (because we love garlic) for an hour or so.  Then stir fry them for a couple minutes.

Split your gorgeous fresh baked Homemade Slider Buns and gently toast them, then layer lettuce, shrimp and a generous dollop of Cool Ranch Sauce.

Sliders are just plain good fun.  Here are a few more of our Favorite Fish Sandwiches.

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Buffalo Shrimp Sliders {with Cool Ranch Sauce}

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. peeled & deveined shrimp
• 3 Tbl. Frank’s Hot Sauce or favorite
• 1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash garlic & herb seasoning
• Finely shredded lettuce
• Cool Ranch Sauce see recipe link in post
• Homemade Slider Buns see recipe link in post

Instructions

• Combine shrimp, hot sauce, garlic herb seasoning. Chill for 1 hour.
• Stir-fry or sauté shrimp for 2-3 minutes.
• Pile onto toasted slider buns, with shredded lettuce and a dollop of cool ranch sauce.

The post Buffalo Shrimp Sliders {with Cool Ranch Sauce} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, black.  The classic colors found in an 8 pack of Crayola crayons.

Tomato, carrot, corn, avocado, blue corn chips, purple onion, chicken, black bean puree.  The classic flavors found in our Rainbow Southwest Salad.

Warning.  This recipe post is a whirling twirling merry-go-round.

Our family moved about the time I was entering 4th grade.  A new school meant new friends and a chance to redefine myself.  My mom, ever the optimist, could spin a situation faster than the new merry-go-round I was about to discover.  I had been called ‘Libby’ for as long as I could remember, my entire life.  Could I now reinvent myself?! Yes! I shall be Elizabeth!!

I entered Jaffrey Grade School, as Elizabeth, on what would have been about September 3rd or 4th, 1974. The teachers wore long black dresses and conducted class with a ruler in their right hand.  I remember the three story brick building as a bit dark and intimidating, perhaps that was just a new kid perspective.

We were assigned seats and sat in rows, and when we veered off path,  the ruler.  Ms. Stratton called our names one by one.  I sat anxiously, waiting to hear her call Elizabeth. Yes, here!!  A tap on the shoulder, followed by “Libby!! Hi, I can’t believe you’re here!!” sent my personal reinvention squarely out the window.

Directly behind me sat Katrina, who had attended Kindergarten with me in my former home town.  I had been exposed before I ever got a chance to re-introduce the new me.

About 4 seats behind me, one row over, was Ronnie.  He became a complete distraction.  And while Ms. Ruler taught class, I was writing intro-love notes to Ronnie.  Anyone remember these?

The bright side of the school was the gymnasium.  The place where that oversized parachute came out on gym day once a year, and where they forced us to square dance in the name of exercise, on any given PE day.  Which may have provided a chance to hold hands with someone like Ronnie.  Please tell me I’m not alone in my elementary school memories.  We also practiced our ‘recorders’ in the Gym.  Surely, I’ve got you now!!

We played kickball, baseball, hopscotch, and Chinese jump rope at recess.  In the mostly paved, partially dirt back yard of our school, we spun out of control on a merry-go-round, climbed monkey bars, and played dodge ball.  We survived.

We got through 4th grade and graduated to Middle School, where our town Jaffrey merged with our neighbor Rindge, and St. Patrick’s school.  New friends, two years in a row.  Whoa!

Fifth Grade, meant changing class rooms and padlocks on lockers.  We survived.  In Science Class, I met Michelle aka Micky.  We both had a thirst for learning and developed a kinship with our teacher Mr. Lambert.  He was passionate in his presentation, made us feel worthy of the message, and inspired learning.  TEACHERS, on every level, make a difference!!

Small talk with Micky led to questions like, do you have any sisters or brothers?  Her response, at first, left me speechless.  There are 13 of us.  If emoticons had been invented I would have been the one with two eyes wide open.  Ann, Patty, Cathy, Martha, Nancy, Mark, Mary, Teresa, Clare, Michelle, Peter, Tommy, Laura. Why do I remember the names of her siblings?  Why did I memorize the Crayon colors all those years ago?

Thank you for allowing me to pull out memories, pour out reflections, and randomly spin them into recipes.  Ahh sixth grade…

Back to this fabulous Rainbow Southwest Salad, I’m equally as excited about the dressing.  Check out my Fire Roasted Poblano, Cilantro & Lime Dressing.

I shared this salad with my Healthy Choices buddy this week.  I got the nom, nom, nom nod.  I shared the Fire Roasted Poblano, Cilantro & Lime Dressing with the Customer Service team at my office (in the form of salsa) and they gave it a hearty mmmm Mmmm!! I hope you love it like we did.

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Rainbow Southwest Salad {with Fire Roasted Poblano, Cilantro & Lime Dressing}

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 head green leaf lettuce
• 2 to matoes diced
• 1 carrot spiralized or julienned
• 2 ears fresh corn
• 1 avocado diced
• 2 cups blue corn tortilla chips
• 1 small red onion thinly sliced
• 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast pounded to an even thickness
• 1 15- ounce can black beans rinsed & drained (or Black Bean Puree)
• Fire Roasted Poblano Cilantro & Lime Dressing (see recipe link in post)

Instructions

For salad…

• If making black bean puree, follow recipe link in post.
• Heat grill or grill pan to medium, cook chicken 8-10 minutes per side or until instant read thermometer reads 165 degrees. Remove and allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing.
• Boil corn on the cob for 5 minutes. Then fire roast over gas stove burner, grill, or under broiler until slightly charred. Remove kernels from cobs and reserve.
• Line a large platter or serving bowl with loose green lettuce leaves.
• Arrange ingredients in a rainbow shape in this order: diced tomato, carrot, corn kernels, diced avocado, broken blue corn chips, sliced red onion, sliced grilled chicken, black beans.

For dressing…

• Prepare dressing according to recipe link in post.

Notes

1/4th of this hearty salad with dressing = 10 WW Pts+

A few recipe notes.

Fire roasting corn is a simple step that adds character to a dish.  I steam or boil the corn for about 5 minutes before roasting.  Then cut kernels off cobs and enjoy in your recipe.

For this Rainbow Southwest Salad, plain black beans will be delicious.  However, our Black Bean Puree was over the top.  You’ll love this recipe as a dip, filling, or salad addition.

We have a Sous Vide, a counter contraption (temperature controlled water bath) that cooks foods to precise temperatures with delicious moist results.  That frozen chicken breast that you forgot to thaw…no problem.  Want to infuse fresh herb flavors…no problem.  I’m working on a dedicated post for Sous Vide cooking.  Bring your protein up to ‘done’ temperature, then grill or sear it to add color.  For this salad however, all you need is a cooked chicken breast, preferably grilled.

The post Rainbow Southwest Salad {with Fire Roasted Poblano, Cilantro & Lime Dressing} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

This might be my most favorite salad EVER.  I’m sometimes reminded not to make statements that can’t stand the test of thyme.  If you deliver me a Tipico Power Bowl {with Grilled Chicken} 5 days a week, I’m certain I will sing your praises.

Have I told you about our Sous Vide? We have a counter contraption (temperature controlled water bath) that cooks foods to precise temperatures with delicious, moist results.  That frozen chicken breast that you forgot to thaw…no problem.  Want to infuse fresh herb flavors…no problem.  I’m working on a dedicated post for Sous Vide cooking.  For this salad however, all you need is a cooked chicken breast (or your favorite protein).

The next component of my new BFF salad is Black Bean Puree. You can check out this recipe post to see why I love it so much.  The black beans make a wonderful chip dip as well and can be made a couple days in advance.

The other surprise component in this Tipico Power Bowl is the fresh Pico de Gallo {Put The Lime In The Coconut}.  It’s bright flavors impart a lime punch in every bite, with a subtle coconut nuance.  It’s marvelous and best served the day it’s made.

Lastly, our Tipico Power Bowl {with Grilled Chicken} is served with a crispy fried tortilla wedge.  Did I mention how much I adore this salad?  I think you will as well.

Recipe inspiration Cheeky Mexican Taqueria Tipico Salad.

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Tipico Power Bowl {with Grilled Chicken}

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

Per power bowl…

• 2 cups lettuce
• 4 ounces grilled chicken breast sliced
• 1/2 cup black bean puree see recipe link in post
• 1/2 cup Pico de Gallo see recipe link in post
• 4-5 avocado slices
• 2-3 Tbl. Queso fresco crumbled
• 1/4 flour tortilla pan browned until crispy

Instructions

• Arrange ingredients on top of bed of lettuce.
• The pico de gallo serves as enough dressing for me. However the original restaurant salad was served with a side of creamy chipotle dressing.

The post Tipico Power Bowl {with Grilled Chicken} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.