April 23, 2012

Buffalo Chicken Salad

My husband and I are crazy about all things buffalo chicken.
We eat our buffalo chicken tacos on a pretty regular basis and never get tired of them.
For something different I decided to make a buffalo chicken salad.
I loved it and it got hubby's approval as well.


Here's what you need:

Chicken
Hot Wing sauce (our favorite is Frank's)
Blue Cheese
Lettuce
Shredded carrots
Ranch or Blue Cheese Dressing

Cover chicken with hot wing sauce and let marinade until ready to bake or grill.
Once chicken is cooked, let it cool slightly then slice and toss with additional sauce.
Assemble salad with lettuce, carrots, chicken & blue cheese.
Drizzle with hot wing sauce and add desired dressing.

Dig in and enjoy!



Linked to: Tempy My Tummy TuesdayTuesdays at the TableTasty Tuesday, Wow Us Wednesdays @ Savvy Southern Style, Strut Your Stuff Saturdays @ Six Sister' Stuff

April 9, 2012

Baked Kale Chips

Have you jumped on the Kale bandwagon yet?  Just recently I made my first batch of Kale Chips and had pretty low expectations on how they would taste but after one bite I was hooked.  Even my husband is crazy about them.

Here's what I use:

Kale
Olive Oil
Seasoning {I use Mrs. Dash}
Garlic Salt


Remove leaves from stem and tear into bite size pieces.


Give the kale a good rinse.
Then use a salad spinner to remove as much water as possible.


Just to make sure all the water is gone, I lay the kale out on a towel and pat dry.
You don't want the leaves wet otherwise you end up with steamed kale instead of kale chips.


Spread the kale on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, then generously sprinkle with seasoning and garlic salt.



Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes.
Be sure to keep an eye on the kale while baking.
There is a fine line between floppy kale chips and charred kale chips.
The final result should be nice and crunchy.


Let cool and enjoy!

Linked to: Tempt My Tummy Tuesday & Tasty Tuesday

March 28, 2012

Spring Flowers

Spring is here and I'm loving it!
After several days of rainy weather last week,
my plants and flowers are thriving in the sun and beautiful temperatures this week.
There is something about Spring that I find so invigorating.  
Open windows and freshly picked flowers on my kitchen table just make me happy :) 







Hope your Spring is off to a lovely start!

Linked to:
Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style, It's Bloomin' Tuesday

March 14, 2012

Homemade Granola

First I want to thank everyone for the thoughtful comments on my last post.
It's good to be back in blogland.  Thanks for the warm welcome back :)

Now time to get back at it...

I've been making this granola a lot lately and can't get enough of it.  
It's super easy to make, healthy, and quite delicious.
It's not the fanciest granola recipe out there but that's partly what makes it so good.  
Just simple, healthy ingredients.



The recipe is from my Better Homes & Gardens cookbook

2 cups regular rolled oats
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts {I use a mix of almonds, walnuts and pecans}
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds
1/4 cup wheat germ {I use ground Flax}
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons cooking oil



In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients.  
Stir together honey and cooking oil; then add to dry ingredients.  Stir until well combined.

Spread evenly in a greased baking pan.  
Bake in a 300° oven for 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring after 20 minutes.  

Let cool and break into clumps.  Store in an airtight container.

I made a double batch this time.  Otherwise it would fit in one pan. 
Now for my favorite way to eat it...

Take your favorite yogurt {Mine is Chobani - love this stuff!} and mix with fresh berries, then top with granola.  



Oh my, it's so good!  On mornings I have time, this has become my favorite breakfast.  
It's a healthy and yummy way to start your day!


Linked to: Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style, Think Pink Sundays @ Flamingo Toes, 

March 7, 2012

I'm Back

Here I am...

Back after a much needed and unexpected blog break.  I've struggled with where to start again.  There have been several blog posts that I've started but never finished.  

A day after my last blog post I lost my Dad unexpectedly.  It knocked the wind out of my sails.  My Dad loved reading my blog and the thought of posting something that he wouldn't see was too much for me.  I know my Dad wouldn't want me to give up my blog, so I won't.  I need to dust off my camera and get back to it.  

I miss my Dad more than words can say.  He was amazing.  Brilliant, humble, loving, caring... the list could go on forever.  He was the most selfless person I've ever known.  Always looking out for his family and others.

Life is fragile.  Be sure to let those close to you know they are loved.

I'll be back soon with a new post.