Greek Couscous Salad

From Friday to Tuesday we had a glimpse of spring weather. Indeed, Monday and Tuesday got into the 60s! The sun was shining. Scarves, hats, and mittens were unnecessary. Boots were left on the mat at home.

Then there was last night. The rain/hail/snow/windstorm came back with vengeance. It woke me in the middle of the night for a few hours while it was trying to break through my windows. In the morning I could hear people scraping the icy snow mixture off their cars. I almost threw the covers over my head and declared I wasn't coming out until winter leaves us alone.

Unfortunately real life doesn't allow me to do that. So I'll settle for spring on my plate. In the form of this couscous salad. It goes perfect as a side to a grilled pork chop, chicken breast, or piece of fish. Make it. Sip a fruity cocktail. Pretend spring is out of hibernation for real.

Greek Couscous Salad 
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cooked couscous
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup diced red onion
kernels from one ear of corn
1/3 cup sliced black olives
1/3 cup feta cheese
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Stir together the couscous, vegetables, olives, and cheese. Squeeze the lemon juice on top and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, to your own taste.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Chicken Gyro Lettuce Wraps

You know how some days you feel like you are running around like a crazy person? That you keep doing lots of work but somehow it feels like the to-do list keeps growing and never shrinking? What happens when that is your life for months on end? Does that just make you a crazy person?

Hi, my name is Julie and apparently I am a crazy person.

At least I still make (sometimes) and eat (most of the time) yummy food. Very rarely lately do I share it with you, but what can I say? I'm a crazy person. Enjoy these quick and easy chicken gyro lettuce wraps. They'll make you feel a little less insane.

Chicken Gyro Lettuce Wraps (adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup shredded cucumber
1/2 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1/8 cup chopped fresh basil
1/8 cup chopped fresh mint
1/8 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/8 cup chopped fresh chives
1 lemon, juiced
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 boneless skinless chicken thighs
salt and pepper
Romaine hearts, for serving
Chopped pepperoncini and tomatoes, for serving

Directions:
Place the cucumber in a colander and generously salt. Let rest for 10 minutes and then press out the liquid. Add the cucumber, yogurt, fresh herbs, 1/2 of the lemon juice, 1 clove of garlic and 1/4 tsp cumin to a food processor. Puree until almost smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Combine the other half of the lemon juice with the other clove of garlic and about 1/8 cup oil. Mix in the paprika, oregano, coriander, and 1/2 tsp cumin. Place the chicken in the marinade and toss to coat. Let sit for 15 minutes.

Heat a grill over medium-high heat. Shake of any excess marinade. Cook, flipping halfway through, for about 10 minutes until cooked through. Slice into pieces.

Serve the chicken on top of the romaine hearts garnished with pepperonicini, tomatoes, and cucumber sauce.

Serves 2.

Mom's Potato Salad

Let's talk about the miracle of life for a few moments.

My friends in college used to laugh at me because I told them that I was really excited one day to be pregnant. I mean, it is a little baby growing inside of you. It starts as two little cells and becomes a person! How amazing is that?! It truly is the miracle of life.

No, no, this is not a pregnancy announcement. I was just reminded of this perfect creation of new life when I went to visit my new baby niece this past weekend. She is this little bundle of joy (and squeaks) that makes everyone in the room glow with happiness. She is so tiny yet so full of life. I could have sat there holding her and staring at her precious face forever. My sister and her husband have this baby making thing down to perfection--they make the most adorable little kiddos. Both of my nieces are probably the prettiest little babies ever (not that I'm biased at all). Who would dare to contradict these faces?

Speaking of family, today I'm sharing my mom's potato salad. Feel free to double it if you are feeding a large family. I love that mine keeps growing.

Mom's Potato Salad (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook)
Ingredients:
1 lb yukon potatoes
1/2 cup miracle whip light
1/2 tbsp yellow mustard
1 tbsp dill pickle juice
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1/2 small onion, thinly diced
2 small dill pickles, diced
3 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
paprika

Directions:
Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20-25 minutes until just tender. Drain well. Cool. Peel and cube potatoes.

Mix together the miracle whip, mustard, pickle juice and salt and pepper.

Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, pickles and eggs in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Cover and chill for at least 6 hours.

To serve, top with paprika.

Corn and Crab Cakes

I think they are pumping something into the air of my building at work. No matter how many hours I sleep during the night, I am always exhausted getting up in the morning. And it isn't just me. I've been doing my investigatory research and found that I'm not the only one that is having this issue. Everyone seems to be drained of their energy these days.

Today I wanted to head home and nap in front of the pool. Unfortunately that did not happen. Instead I ran a few reactions, treated some cells, and updated my CV. Ah, the life of a postdoc.

Let's talk now about these crab cakes. They are summer on a plate (especially if you serve with grilled asparagus as I did). It is essential that you take the time to freeze the cakes after you form them-- this allows you to cook them without crumbling. To tell you the truth, I was really worried before I made this recipe; I wasn't sure I was going to like them. I used canned crab and I was worried it would be tasteless and just okay... But I'm telling you that the resulting product surprised me in a great way! They were delicious! Now I've checked crab cakes off my bucket list and my brain is whirling about flavors to play around with for next time.

Corn and Crab Cakes (adapted from Cooking Light August 2012)
Ingredients:
1/4 cup canned corn, rinsed and drained
1/8 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 1/2 tbsp chopped green onions
1 1/2 tbsp light mayonnaise
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
4 oz canned crab, shell pieces removed
1 egg white
2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 tbsp butter

Directions:
Combine the corn, pepper, onions, mayonnaise, mustard, Old Bay, crab, and egg white in a bowl until well blended. Stir in 1/3 cup panko. Divide into 4 equal pieces and form each into 1-inch thick patties. Place them on a baking sheet and freeze for about 20 minutes until firm.

Heat a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium high heat. Add the remaining 1/3 cup panko and cook until toasted while stirring frequently. Remove to a shallow dish and wipe out the skillet.

Coat the crab cakes in the toasted panko. Spray both sides of the cakes with cooking spray.

Melt the butter in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the crab cakes to the pan and cook for about 4 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Serves 2.

Barley Salad with Chickpeas

Salads are perfect for hot, humid summer evenings. They come together so quickly. They require no heating source so your air conditioning doesn't have to go into overdrive keeping your apartment cool. However, lettuce topped with chopped veggies can get a little boring. Adding grains is a great way to step up your salad to that next level. If you really want to put it over the top, add some dried fruit and nuts. Make your way to the fresh greens section of your grocery store and try something new. Chickpeas make a great alternative to meat as your protein source.

This recipe is adapted from my cooking for one cookbook, Serve Yourself. Originally it was designed with farro but I subbed barley because I had that in my pantry. It was refreshing and delicious!

Barley Salad with Chickpeas (adapted from Serve Yourself cookbook)
Ingredients:
2 tbsp chopped pecans
1 cup cooked pearl barley, cooled
1/3 cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup lightly packed arugula leaves, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup canned diced tomatoes including juice
2 tbsp dried cherries
1 green onion, thinly sliced
6 large mint leaves, thinly sliced
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:
Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until they turn dark brown and smell fragrant. Remove to a plate to cool.

Combine the pecans, barley, chickpeas, arugula, tomatoes, cherries, green onion, and mint in a bowl. Mix. Drizzle with the oil and vinegar and mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Chicken Week- Day 2- The Best Chicken Salad

I really meant to post everyday this week. That's part of the reason I decided to do another theme week. But yesterday afternoon I had to leave work because I was not feeling well. That meant I spent the remainder of the afternoon asleep on my couch before crashing for the night in my bed. That also meant that I didn't open up my computer to finish this post and tell you about "the best chicken salad". Sorry!


We've had the miracle whip vs mayonnaise discussion before. The last time I fell into the miracle whip category while I was enjoying my tuna salad. However, now we're talking chicken salad and I'm switching camps to mayonnaise. Like I always am with food, I appreciate it all. There is a time and a place for them all... aka the time and the place for Reeses pieces is whenever and where ever I can get my hands on them and the time and the place for Sprite Zero and saltines is when I'm sick and laying on my couch...

In order to make the best chicken salad, mayonnaise is essential. Plus you need a tart apple and some walnuts for texture. And dried cranberries to sweeten it. A little bit of lemon juice and salt and pepper and we are rocking. It is best served on a croissant but unfortunately I couldn't find any in my grocery store's baked good section so I went with a whole wheat ciabatta roll. The recipe below is for about 1 serving; you can definitely double it or quadruple it to make enough for the family. Because of the apple and my desire to not eat soggy walnuts, I suggest making it fresh on the day you are going to serve it. The leftovers are okay but definitely not the best anymore.

The Best Chicken Salad*
Ingredients:
1/2 cup diced cooked chicken
1/3 granny smith apple, diced
2 tbsp craisins
1 tbsp diced green onion
1 tbsp chopped walnuts
1 1/2 tbsp light mayo
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the chicken, apple, craisins, green onion, and walnuts. Squeeze the lemon juice over the mayo and mix. Pour the dressing on to the chicken mixture and stir until coated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Refrigerate until ready to use. Serve on your bread of choice.

*In my opinion