I don’t know about you all, but my garden has EXPLODED over the past couple of weeks! We finally got some good rain, and that combined with the humid Indiana weather has resulted in my little garden beds not quite being able to contain all the vegetabley goodness that’s happening. And, well, truth be told…I may have over planted for the size of my beds. Whoops.

LJ and “her” tomatoes, pre-freakish growth explosion.

Trust me, I’m not complaining…after a couple of years of not having a real garden, I’m loving going out there every day and checking to see what goodies are ready. I also love being able to decide what to do with all of that fresh goodness! Eat now, freeze, can? So many possibilities!

For me, the biggest trick has been figuring out what in the world to do with the bajillions of cucumbers I’ve been getting. It’s like one day I checked and there were a couple that were close, but then the next day out of no where I had a bunch ready to go. Everyone in my house loves cucumbers, but you can only get through so many by just slicing them and eating them raw with a little salt on them.

Holy cucumbers, Batman!

That’s where this delicious Creamy Cucumber Salad comes in! It’s a great way to use up a lot of cucumbers, and is so delicious I could (and have) eat a whole bowl in one sitting! Plus, it’s just so dang simple!! And if you make a little too much dressing, the extra makes a super yummy chip dip, just saying!

Peel and slice your cucumbers to your desired thickness…I like mine pretty thin, but if you prefer thicker slices, have at it! Depending on the size of seeds in the cucumbers, you might want to slice them in half and scoop out the seeds, too. I usually don’t worry about this unless the seeds are really big. Put the sliced cucumbers in a bowl along with some sliced red onion. Now, here’s another place where you can go rogue: if you don’t have any red onion on hand, or don’t care for it and want something a little more mild, feel free to substitute your favorite type of onion. Really, anything other than green onion (scallions) will work. I use what I’ve got on hand, but red onions sure do look pretty!

In a separate bowl, combing the sour cream, sugar, salt, pepper, and dill. Give it a taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking. Right before you’re ready to serve, add the dressing to the cucumber and onions. This is definitely one of those salads you want to wait until the last minute to dress because the salt in the dressing will pull the moisture out of the cucumbers, making everything sort of watery and mushy. No body wants mushy cucumbers, trust me! I would also suggest adding the dressing a little bit at a time until everything is well coated, but not swimming. If you end up with some leftover dressing, grab a bag of chips and go to town!

Looking for another great summer salad idea? Try either my Salmon Salad or this Chicken Fajita Salad with Homemade Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing!

The post Creamy Cucumber Salad appeared first on The Crossroads Cook.

Some days you just need something crisp and fresh to eat, you know what I mean? Summer has definitely moved in and made itself right at home here in Indiana, and the last few days have been HOT. To be honest, the heat usually doesn’t bother me. In fact, I absolutely love warm weather. I live for the sun and am one of those that covers up with a warm blanket anytime I sit on the couch, no matter if its 30 degrees or 80 degrees outside. You’ve heard of hangry? Well, I get cangry; if I’m cold, chances are I’m not in a good mood.

JW is the exact opposite of me. He lives for cool, crisp temperatures, loves sleeping in a freezing cold bedroom (I’ll never understand it), and complains about it being too hot out when the mercury hits 70 degrees. He’s a walking furnace. I’m always freezing. What can I say? It works. Or, at least it does until I go into the bedroom in the dead of winter and have to shut the windows because he’s opened them. Ask me then and I won’t be so sure it’s working. (I kid, of course!! …kind of…)

Since we both spend most of our time outdoors or in a barn, summertime means lots of meals that require little effort and heating up of the kitchen. It also means lots of big salads. These Chicken Fajita Salads are the perfect answer. Loaded with tasty veggies, full of protein to fill us up, and easily to customize to everyone’s taste, they make a perfect summer (or any time of year that you’re craving a little fresh in your life) dinner option! Plus, the Cilantro Lime Ranch is super easy and goes wonderfully on basically anything!

I always go ahead and get the ranch mixed up first because I find that it’s better if it has a little time to sit in the fridge and thicken/let the flavors meld a little. Simply mix together Greek yogurt, mayo, milk, lime juice, onion powder, garlic powder, dried parsley, dried chives, salt, pepper, a little dried dill, and some cilantro. You can buy fresh cilantro and chop it finely, but I just love those little cups of “lightly dried” herbs you can find next to the fresh herbs at your grocery store. They last a lot longer and the chopping is already done for you!

Next, saute some bell peppers and onions in a little olive oil on the stove. Season with salt and cumin, and let them cook until they’ve softened and the onions have gone pretty translucent. In the meantime, prep your chicken breasts. I love to buy the thin sliced breasts and pound them down a little more between a couple of sheets of plastic wrap…the thinner the better in my book. If I can’t fine the pre-packaged thin sliced ones, I just buy regular chicken breasts and butterfly them, them pound them out a little. Season both sides with salt and some Lawry’s Lemon Pepper. Yep, I said lemon pepper! Combine some butter and olive oil in a non-stick skillet, and brown the chicken on both sides. Since they’re thin, they’ll only take a few minutes one either side. I love cooking big batches of this chicken and using it for lunches–wraps and salads–through the week!

While everything is cooking, build your salad. I love to mix lettuces (usually hearts of romaine for some crunch and spring mix for the health factor). Then I use diced green onions, cherry tomatoes, shredded cheese (pick your poison here…I usually go for Colby Jack, but Pepper Jack would be awesome if you like some heat), and avocado. Use what ever veggies float your boat. Corn, cucumbers, black beans…go to town. For JW, I always put some crunched up tortilla chips on his. If you wanted to make this a vegetarian-friendly meal, you could easily substitute black beans for the chicken. Then. put a tasty helping of the peppers and onions on, as well as some of the chicken that’s been sliced. Drizzle on some of that creamy ranch dressing, and you’re done!

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Chicken Fajita Salad with Homemade Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing

Get fresh with this deliciously easy and healthy Chicken Fajita Salad with Homemade Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing!

Course Main

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword Fresh, Healthy, quick meals, Salad

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

• 4 Thin Sliced Chicken Breasts
• 2 tsp Lemon Pepper Approx.
• 1/2 Large Onion, Sliced
• 1 Yellow Bell Pepper, Sliced
• 1 Red Bell Pepper, Sliced
• 2 tsp Ground Cumin
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Bags Prepared Lettuce (Such as Romaine and Spring Mix)
• 1 Avocado, Diced More to Taste
• Cherry Tomatoes, Halved
• Shredded Cheese
• Salt and Pepper

Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing

• 3/4 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
• 3/4 Cup Mayonnaise
• 1/3 Cup Milk
• 2 Tbsp Lime Juice
• 2 Tbsp Cilantro, Diced
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 1/2 tsp Dried Parsley
• 1/2 tsp Dried Chives
• 1/2 tsp Dried Dill
• 1 tsp Salt (Kosher)

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients for the dressing and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• In a medium non-stick skillet, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and diced bell peppers, seasoning with some salt, pepper, and the ground cumin. Allow to saute until the onions turn translucent and the peppers soften.
• While the peppers and onions are cooking, season both sides of the chicken with the lemon pepper and some salt. If desired, you can place each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound thinner before you season it. Once the chicken is seasoned, brown it on both sides in a non-stick skillet in a little olive oil and butter (optional) until the chicken is cooked through. Depending on the thickness of the chicken, this will take about 4 minutes per side.
• Build your salads. Place your preffered lettuce on a plate or in a bowl, and top with diced avocado, tomatoes, shredded cheese, and any other topping you desire. Place the sauteed peppers and onions on top, then the cooked, sliced chicken, and top with the dressing.

Notes

If you would prefer a vegetarian version, substitute black beans for the chicken.

Grilled corn and crispy tortilla strips are also delicious additions! 

The post Chicken Fajita Salad appeared first on The Crossroads Cook.

I can’t tell you how many times JW has called me at, like, 10:30 saying, “Hey, babe, we decided to get in the fields (planting/spraying/harvesting/etc) today and am going to need some lunch. Can you bring me something?” Cue the stress of not having been to the store in a week, trying to wrangler a toddler and figure out what I’m going to do for our lunches, and knowing whatever I take him needs to travel well. Sigh. That’s exactly how this salmon salad was born.

I usually make salmon once every week or two, whether it’s Salmon Poke Bowls or Oven Roasted Salmon, and I always seem to have some leftover. Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m not a fan of reheating salmon in the microwave. The “fishy” flavor seems to intensify and it dries out. Fortunately on the day that I got one of those lovely, giving me plenty of notice phone calls, I had some leftover salmon from the night before. And being married to a Dutch guy means that we ALWAYS have mayonnaise in the house (it’s a thing, trust me on this). So then it hit me…salmon salad!

If you think we Americans love our mayonnaise based salad creations (chicken, tuna, egg, and so many more), you haven’t seen anything until you visit The Netherlands. The Dutch love their “salades,” and one of my husband’s all-time favorites is salmon salad, or zalm salade. I knew there was no way I could ever recreate the true Dutch version, so I decided to put my own little spin on it and make something similar to tuna salad, but that turned our way better in my opinion! A little pickle and green onion for some zesty crunch, a little dill, and a splash of pickle juice (yes, you read that right…I love using pickle juice in recipes that need a little vinegary, salty bite. There’s so much flavor in that liquid gold!), and we had a winner! Now he gets doubly excited when I make salmon for dinner because he knows the chances of him having salmon salad the next day for lunch are pretty good!

This recipe is really super easy, and I generally eyeball the ingredients simply because I never make a big batch at once. I’ve included measurements on the recipe card to help keep it simple, though. Start off with some flaked, cold salmon. You could make it specifically for this, use leftovers, canned, or the kind that comes in the pouch. It’s up to you. to that add some diced green onion, some diced pickles (I prefer the flavor of Claussen Kosher Dills, and I trim off the seeds), a splash of pickle juice, a sprinkle of dill (can be fresh or dried..whatever you have on hand), and some mayo. Give it a good mix and you’re done! You can serve it on a sandwich, in a wrap, or on crackers. Or just, you know, straight out of the mixing bowl on a fork or spoon. Whatever your little heart desires.

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Salmon Recipe

A great way to use up leftover salmon, or even to add a new twist to the typical tuna salad, this Salmon Salad is a delicious lunch any day of the week!

Course Brunch, lunch, Main, Salad

Cuisine American, Dutch

Keyword Easy Lunch, Pescatarian, Salad, salmon, Seafood

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Author Meagan - The Crossroads Cook

Ingredients

• 2 Salmon Fillets
• 3 tbsp Diced Green Onion
• 3 tbsp Diced Pickles
• 2 tbsp Pickle Juice
• 3 tbsp Mayonnaise
• 2 tsp Dill Fresh or Dried

Instructions

• Flake the cold salmon into a mixing bowl. Gently stir in the rest of the ingredients. Serve on bread, in a wrap, or with crackers.

Notes

You can also use canned or pouched salmon. 

The post Salmon Salad appeared first on The Crossroads Cook.