Summer Salad Bowls

419.  When it is hot outside and you have worked a long day, the last thing I am looking for is a heavy carbohydrate meal with red meat.  The thought of a cool, crisp salad with yummy toppings fills me up and satisfies my hunger.

I am enjoying the packaged salad mixes that you can find in stores.  They range from iceberg lettuce for a Caesar salad to a ZaTara salad mix from Trader Joes.  I elevate the salad and make it into a meal by adding proteins, vegetables, seeds, nuts, fruits and cheeses.

In this salad pictured, I broiled a breast of chicken that I butterflied and seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic salt.  While that was roasting I lined up my bowls, emptied a bag of Sweet Kale salad mix with cabbage. I added sliced cucumbers, red cabbage shredded, spring onions, and Monterey Jack shredded cheese.  In a separate bowl I steamed a cup of green beans, drained them and added olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.  I sprinkled salt and ground black pepper over the salad then drizzled it with olive oil.

Once my chicken was roasted, I sliced it and laid it across the top onto the cheese so it would melt.  The finishing touch was to add a scoop of the cool seasoned green beans and empty the packets that accompany the salad.  This particular salad comes with a poppy seed dressing, pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries.  Perfection!  So cool, crisp, warm chicken and melty cheese with the sweet and savory toppings.

This second Salad Bowl takes on a Southwest flavor.    I started with a piece of fresh salmon, sprinkling it with salt, ground pepper, garlic salt and olive oil.  Broiling salmon is tricky because you can over do the fish easily.  So, I place the pan in a cold oven and turn it on to bake at 400 degrees to be able to monitor the process closer.  The bottom skin will crisp up nicely.

I line up my bowls and add the Southwest salad mix into each bowl, spinach, spring green onions sliced and chopped cilantro. Sprinkle shredded Cheddar Cheese over the salad, salt, ground pepper and drizzle lightly with olive oil.

 I make a batch of guacamole or purchased guacamole and several jalapeños sliced with seeds and all.  On this particular salad I had found broccoli bites in the freezer section so I popped those in the oven with the salmon.  

Once the salmon is to your liking, remove from the oven, gently remove the skin from the bottom of the fish and place hot onto the cheese.  Place a dollop of guacamole to one side and a dollop of Daisy Sour Cream to the other side.  Toss on the jalapeños hot broccoli bites and the crispy fish skin to the side.  Finally, drizzle the packet of Southwest salad dressing over the fish and onto the salad.  You do not need to mix the salad.  The individual portion will be mixed as you eat.

Now it is your turn.  What combinations will you create?  You could create an Asian salad with dumplings or a Steak Salad with fries.  Use your imagination and see what works.  It's a challenge but so enjoyable.

"Too many simple green salads suffer from a lack of imagination."

~ James Beard

"Many people eat salad dutifully because they feel it is good for them, but more enlightened types eat it happily because it is good!"

~Laurie Colwin

Pulled Pork Barbecue Sandwich

284.  How delicious is a hot Pulled Pork Barbecue Sandwich? Coleslaw and pickle on the side...this is comfort food!

My honey found a recipe in the BJ Journal for Ron's Slow Cooker BBQ Pork.  You can go online and find the recipe/pdf at:  Ron's Slow Cooker BBQ Pork. 

I followed the recipe but changed it a bit by replacing the Ragu Sauce with ketchup instead.  Next time I think I will add a bit of maple syrup as well and only 1 cup brown sugar.

The pork shoulder went into the slow cooker and I rubbed it with dry steak marinade.  Then I placed in a blender: chili powder, pepper, salt, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, onions, garlic and mustard.  Blended this on high and made a slurry.  Then poured this around the pork shoulder in the slow cooker.  

I started at 11:00p.m. and placed all the items in the slow cooker.  By 4:00a.m. the house smelled so good!  By 8:00a.m. we were all drooling.  This recipe would be great if you are having a party this holiday season.  You prepare it ahead of time and can reheat.  It says that it serves up to 20 people...actually, it could feed more based on the size of your rolls and how much fat is on your piece of meat.

Once the meat was completely cooked it formed a crust on top.

When I removed the meat from the cooker it wanted to melt in my hands.  The tenderness was throughout the whole roast.

It pulled away so easily with just a fork...therein the name, "pulled pork".

I reserved the juices and needed to skim quite a bit of fat from the top.  Once I removed 95% of the fat, the sauce was placed on the stove to reduce.  If you like the sauce like an "au jus" sauce, don't reduce.  But I wanted the sauce to be thicker so it would not soak the rolls.

Once it reduced I immediately poured it over the pork that was pulled.  Make sure you place your pork in a deep pan to contain the meat and sauce.

We enjoyed wonderful pulled pork sandwiches on kaiser rolls with pickles and potato salad.  With the remaining meat, I placed it in 4, 2 cup containers to use for future meals.  It is a wonderful recipe!!

"If I had to narrow my choice of meats down to one for the rest of my life, I am quite certain that meat would be pork."
~James Beard