Summer Time Retro Take Along

 I distinctly remember the first time I had this salad. We were at a potluck in the church I grew up in. I can see the basement, the kitchen, the tables set up. I can smell the aroma of all the dishes brought in by church ladies. Those potluck dinners are some of my fondest memories of the church I spent so much time in when I was a little girl. 

In fact, to this day whenever I think of certain dishes, those memories are what I associate with them. This salad being at the top of the list. I even remember the sweet lady who used to bring it every single time, and how excited all of us kids were for it! Simpler times when the little things meant so much!

If you've never had this salad (and yes, it does happen, my husband wasn't familiar with it until me!) think taco salad, but taken to a new level with nacho cheese chips and a sweet, tangy dressing. 

It's funny because I don't think us kids who were wolfing it down back then even thought about what dressing was on it. I would still happily eat it like that today, but for my boys, I left the dressing on the side. They are very particular about what dressings they like, and I didn't want to ruin in for them. In fact, they topped theirs with salsa instead! (YUM!)

There is another advantage of leaving the dressing on the side. If you're taking this to a cookout...it won't get soggy! The chips stay nice and crisp. In fact, if you do need this to travel, I would make the base salad, take the chips, cheese and dressing with you, and finish it off right before serving! 

Classic recipes never go out of style. We just need to be reminded of them now and again. Once those memories come rushing back, every single bite is as delicious as the very first one!

 Doritos Taco Salad

1 lb. ground beef

1 large head iceberg lettuce, chopped

2 bell peppers, finely chopped, red and yellow 

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 packet taco seasoning

2/3 cup water

5 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 (9 oz) bag nacho Doritos, crushed

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 (16 oz.) bottle Catalina dressing

Assorted toppings

In a large skillet, brown beef until no longer pink. Drain if needed. Add water and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes until thickened. Remove from skillet and allow to cool. In a large bowl mix lettuce, tomatoes, pepper, beans and beef. Stir well. Gently fold in chips and cheese. Serve immediately with dressing on side. *NOTE* Many people serve this already dressed. Simply add dressing and mix well. I like serving it on the side so it doesn't become soggy. 

 Shared at Weekend Potluck

 

 

Bagel Or Potatoes It's Delicious

 Over the past couple years, Everything Bagel Seasoning seems to be every where, almost to an obsession level. And guess what...I'm totally here for it! I can't get enough of the stuff! I always have a big jar of it in my cupboard and I'm sprinkling it on everything from avocado toast to eggs and yes, even potatoes! 

If you've never had it, Everything Bagel Seasoning is a spice mix that was originally used on top of everything bagels. It's a blend of garlic, onion, sesame seeds, poppy seeds and salt. I'm pretty sure Trader Joe's put it on the map, but you can find it in any store.

 We love roasted potatoes and I'm always coming up with new flavor combos for them. I literally stand in front of my spice/herb collection and wait for inspiration. I pick up jar after jar thinking of how different ones would taste together. That's the great thing about roasted potatoes, they take on any flavor you can dream up. 

This one was a no brainer. My big jar of everything seasoning is always in the front of all the others. It was staring at me, begging to be put to yummy use. 

You won't believe these only have three ingredients when you taste the big flavor they get. Every single bite is a party on your tongue. I used red potatoes, but yellow would be just as delicious. I would love to try this on the tiny baby ones too, leaving them whole so the skin in covered in seasoning like in my Montreal Roasted Potatoes. 

I'm sure you have a ton of roasted potato recipes too, but hey, what's one more? Especially if you're an Everything Bagel Seasoning addict like me. You have your next steak night side dish, what are you waiting for?

 Everything Roasted Potatoes

3 lbs. baby red potatoes, quartered

3 TBS olive oil

3 TBS everything bagel seasoning

 Preheat oven to 425. In a large bowl mix all ingredients. Transfer to baking sheet in single layer. Roast for 30-45 minutes until brown and tender, stirring a couple times during cooking for even browning.

 

Shared at Weekend Potluck

 

Skip The Drive-Thru

For most of us, we have a good month before school begins again, maybe more! And before I go on, let me just state, I'm not ready. The kid isn't ready. His baby brother isn't ready. Summer vacation needs to be longer, summer itself needs to be longer. Okay- rant over. 

How many times have the kids asked to hit the drive-thru for lunch since being home? No shame in that! But you know I also love finding ways to make restaurant favorites at home, and I think today's is going to be a big hit...especially for all you Chick-fil-A fans! 

Did you hear anything about the Chick-fil-A sauce shortage back in the spring? There was a good week where this apocalyptic like event filled my newsfeed.  People were losing their minds because they were limiting the number of sauces you could get with an order. Now, I haven't hear about it lately, so apparently the supply shortage corrected itself. But with this simple recipe you can have as much sauce as you want, anytime you want! 

This is one of those sauces that I swear you could put on a flip flop and it would taste good! I know true Chick-fil-A fans put it on everything from their chicken to waffle fries, onion rings and more. Plus, I've heard it is a huge hit with kids too, which is a true compliment since most littles stick to ketchup or ranch! 

Just think- you can be a total lunch time rock star when they sit down to some nuggets and homemade sauce! For the adults, I think this would be amazing on a chicken sandwich too! 

Summer needs to slow down! We've got so much to do, so much to enjoy, and so much to eat!

 Copycat Chick-fil-A Sauce

1/2 c. mayonnaise

1/4 c. honey

1/4 c. barbecue sauce

1 TBS lemon juice

1 TBS Dijon mustard

2 TBS yellow mustard

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk well. Chill until serving. Keep covered in fridge for 2-3 days. Serve with chicken tenders, nuggets, popcorn chicken, fries, onion rings, etc.

 

Shared at Weekend Potluck
 

The Day After The BBQ

 I am not a huge left over lover. There are a few things I will definitely enjoy if sitting in the fridge the next day- pasta, meatloaf, Chinese take out, pizza...but my list isn't nearly as long as my boys'. Seriously, they will eat pretty much anything left over, and my husband will eat them far after I think they should be thrown out! 

It is a good thing I live with people who will eat thing the next day, or for a few days, because I don't cook small. I cook for a crowd, no matter if it's just the 4 of us, or guests too. So you know if I'm throwing a backyard bash, there will be left overs in the fridge that I need to find something to do with.

This recipe actually came to be because of the teen. He loves pulled pork nachos and one night he said "Mom, I think you could do the same thing but with tater tots!" Um.....YES!!

It just so happened when he had this tasty brainstorm I hadn't made pulled pork from scratch, but I did have a couple tubs of the store bought. We have found the ones found in the meat section actually very tasty, and great to have on hand for a quick sandwich supper. I usually just have to add some extra barbecue sauce since we like ours dripping wet. 

The really great news? I also had a big bag of tots sitting in the freezer! I made his brainstorm a reality from ingredients I already had on hand! Mom win! But if you are making a big batch of pulled pork for a crowd, you know there will probably be some left the next day, and now you have a simple weeknight supper to put it to good use! 

You can top these with any or all of your favorite nacho toppings! Again, I was going for what I had available, but I think avocado or even some pico de gallo would be delicious too! 

Pulled Pork Totchos are simple, tasty and another left over dish I am adding to my approved to eat list!

 Pulled Pork Totchos

1 (32 oz.) bag tater tots

2 lbs. barbecue pulled pork, store bought or left over 

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Assorted toppings

Extra barbecue sauce

Bake tater tots according to package directions, adding an additional 5-10 minutes for extra crispiness. While tots bake, heat pulled pork in a large skillet on medium heat, breaking it up. Add extra barbecue sauce if needed. Once tots are baked, top with pulled pork, cheese and toppings- sour cream, pickled jalapenos, chives, avocado, etc. 

Shared at Weekend Potluck