Oh the Broccoli Salad with the pineapple

Broccoli 2023

This year the broccoli did really good and my Gardner Guy planted to much. Lesson learned here is to space out the planting's so we don't have more than we need coming on at one time. Spacing the planting time will give us broccoli through out the summer season.

Our neighbors and friends enjoyed our abundance and I made my favorite broccoli salad. I even took it to a Rotary luncheon and people loved it. I believe the secret to a good tasting broccoli salad is taking the time to cut your broccoli in small bite size pieces and don't forget the cheese and I believe the secret ingredient is the pineapple. 

Broccoli Pineapple Salad – 

SOOO simple and SOOO good!! Fresh broccoli, cheddar cheese, red onion, red grapes, fresh pineapple, pecans, sliced almonds, or sunflower seeds, bacon, mayonnaise, cider vinegar and sugar. I also add rasins and crasins.  Great for spring/summer cookouts, potlucks, camping and Easter side dish. As for myself I'm inviting a big group over to finish this huge crop of broccoli we have.  You can make ahead and refrigerate for several days. I add the dressing a few hours before serving.

Ingredients:

6 cups fresh broccoli florets, cut into small bite size pieces
1 cup cubed Cheddar cheese
½ medium red onion, chopped
1 cup red seedless grapes halved
½ cup diced fresh pineapple, I add what I like 
¼ cup chopped pecans, or sliced almonds

Sunflowered seeds, to your liking
3 slices of cooked bacon chopped
1 cup mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp sugar

Instructions:

In a large bowl, combine the broccoli, cheese, onion, grapes, pineapple, pecans, or almonds and I always add sunflowerseeds, bacon rasins and/or craisins.
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, and sugar. Spoon the dressing over the broccoli mixture and toss gently until evenly coated.

Tortellini Artichoke Salad and more...

During garden season this salad gets the works added!!!

 I love this recipe...in the winter I enjoy it just like the recipe...but in the summer fresh tomatoes, broccoli, peppers, zucchini, peas and what ever else I decide to add to it goes in!!! Sometimes I even grill up some chicken, cut it up into some bite size pieces and toss it in. This makes it a complete summer time meal...

A simple twist on a BLT....Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Salad....

With lettuce and tomato's being so abundant during My Gardner Guy's garden growing season this is a must have on our lunch or dinner table!!!

 

Ingredients
For the salad:
1 head romaine lettuce, thinly sliced (about 6 cups) this is even good with a mixture of greens and spinach
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped, or cherry tomatoes
4 slices white bread
1 tablespoon butter

For the bacon:
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon  paprika
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed in a bag with a mallet, or coffee grinder
6-8 strips center-cut bacon
6-8 sprigs fresh thyme

For the dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 to 2 tablespoons tomato jam or you can use maple syrup, I love the tomato jam version....(see this link for Tomato Jam...http://mygardnerguy.blogspot.com/2011/10/tomato-jamgreat-for-appetizers-and.htm )
3 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the lettuce, onion and tomatoes in a large bowl; set aside.


Start out: Cutting the bread into crouton-size cubes. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and toast, tossing, until golden, about 6 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Make the bacon: Mix the brown sugar, paprika, lemon zest and crushed pepper in a small bowl. Add the bacon and press to coat on both sides. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; place the thyme sprigs on the parchment paper, then lay a strip of bacon on top of each sprig. Bake until the bacon is caramelized and crisp, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet. Cut the bacon into bite-size bits using scissors; add to the bowl with the lettuce. Discard the thyme.

Make the dressing: Whisk the mayonnaise, syrup  or jam, mustard and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Add the dressing to the salad and toss. (This is enough dressing for the whole salad, but you can use less if you want a less wet salad.) Sprinkle the croutons on top and eat.

Additional notes: Sometimes I will use additional seasonings on my croutons, like a small portion of the mixture used on the bacon, I often grind up sun dried tomato and add it to the mixture of seasoning. I also have use in place of fresh thyme 1 tsp of ground thyme and instead of cooking on a baking sheet I prefer just mixing the mixture of dry ingredients in with the bacon as it is cooking in a skillet.... both ways are delicious.
Also I save my odds and ends of breads, meaning left over hot dog buns, hamburger buns, the heals to a
loaf of bread...freeze them and save for making  croutons.
Georgie

A Summer Chicken Fruit Salad and Yummy Dessert for My Gardner Guy tonight!!!

My sweet Gardner Guy mows a few yards on the side. He says it helps support his Hamburger habit. Tonight before he headed out I thought a delicious cool summer salad would be good for dinner. He likes it....and I like it when he likes it...
Oh and we had Dessert, no we did not eat the dessert first but it was so pretty that I decided it needed to be posted first:)

Yummy Orange Rhubarb Marmalade Cream Cheese Bars....yum, yum, yummy...(recipe below picture)



Ingredients

3/4 cup of butter, softened
3/4 cup of sugar
1/4 teaspoon of salt
2 cups of flour
1 1/3 cups of pecans or walnuts
12 Oz's. cream cheese softened
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups of My Gardner Guys Orange Rhubarb Marmalade or any Orange Marmalade

Directions

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees
2. Butter a 9 x 13 inch pan
3. Beat together butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy
4. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time allowing batter to get well blended each time
5. Stir in 1 cup of nuts and please note your mixture will be some what crumbly
6. Set aside 1/3 of the nuts and 1 cup of your crumbly mixture for the topping
7. Press remaining mixture in the bottom of the buttered pan. Bake 15 minutes. Cool
8. Beat cream cheese in large mixing bowl until smooth
9. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition
10. Add vanilla and 3/4 cup of marmalade
11. Spread the cooled cookie base with the remaining 3/4 cup of marmalade and then crumbly mixture
12. Pour cream cheese mixture over the top, spreading evenly
13. Top with the remaining 1/3 cup of nuts
14. Bake 20-25 minutes or until the center looks set
15. Sometimes I add powdered sugar to the top just for decoration
16. Cool before serving....


Summer Chicken Fruit Salad (recipe below picture)



Ingredients

3 cups cooked brown or white rice, cooled
2 cups of chopped grilled chicken
1 grilled Banana, sliced
1 red apple or any apple (red adds good color) cored and chopped
2/3 cup of crasins, rasins or dried cherries
1 cup of red or green grapes
3/4 cup of sliced celery
2-3 green salad onions diced
6-8 Oz's. of peach yogurt (can use vanilla or plain yogurt add peach puree for flavor) This is what I do as I can my own peach puree
2 Tbsp- of Orange Rhubarb Marmalade (I use My Gardner Guys brand) you can use just Orange Marmalade...But trust me My Gardner Guy's Orange Marmalade is great!!!
1 tsp. grated orange peel
Nutmeg to taste...

Directions

1. Combine rice, chicken, grilled bananas, apples, rasins, crasins or dried cherries, grapes, celery and onions in a large bowl. I hold the banana to the side and mix in last carefully as grilling them not only brings out their delicious flavor but they tend to get mushy...
2. Stir together yogurt, marmalade and orange peel.
3. Stir into rice mixture, carefully fold in grilled banana.
4. I like to chill this salad before serving...Can sprinkle on a little nutmeg to taste.

Notes: When grilling bananas cut in half then slice each half up the center length wise. Grill with skin on banana side face down.


These are great recipes to use for Marmalade lovers...Some say if life gives you lemons make lemonade. I say if life gives you lemons try Orange Rhubarb Marmalade!!!
See the following Link below for a recipe to make your own Orange Rhubarb Marmalade...My Gardner Guy...Grow, Create, Cook and Eat...: A treat for My Gardener Guy!!! Sweet Orange Rhubarb Marmalade and Barbecue Sauce...

Georgie