Caesar Pasta Salad

A simple, easy-to-make salad that tastes just like a Caesar salad. This Caesar pasta salad is the perfect cool side for something hot off the grill. It’s a nice change from ‘just’ a green salad. And even though it’s a pasta salad, it still feels light.

Caesar Pasta Salad

Wake It Up With A Bit Of Citrus

I suggest adding just half the lemon to this salad, then tasting to see if you need to add more. The lemon does add a freshness so you don’t want to leave it out completely. Any ole pasta will do, but I prefer to use a variety that ‘grabs’ onto the dressing and toppings.

I highly recommend that you shred or grate your own cheese at home. Don’t buy the pre-shredded or pre-grated stuff. It has stuff added to it to keep it from sticking together. That ‘stuff’ affects how the cheese melts. Shred it yourself and use the good stuff.

Also try my Italian pasta salad and my Brussels Sprouts Caesar salad.

Inspired by a recipe from Sandra Lee.

Caesar Pasta Salad
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4 from 1 vote

Caesar Pasta Salad

A simple, easy-to-make salad that tastes just like a Caesar salad. This Caesar pasta salad is the perfect cool side for something hot off the grill. It’s a nice change from ‘just’ a green salad. And even though it’s a pasta salad, it still feels light.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword pasta salad
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 381kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Cook pasta per package instructions. Drain well.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the dressing, lemon zest and juice, parsley, and cheese. Season with fresh ground black pepper, to taste.
  • Add the pasta and toss to coat.
  • Serve topped with croutons and olives, or you can mix them into the salad.

Notes

For best results use freshly-grated Parmesan.

Nutrition

Calories: 381kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 1353mg | Potassium: 151mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 465IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Chopped Muffuletta Salad

I’m a huge fan of muffuletta sandwiches. I’ve made them many times, and usually with my own olive salad. My wife is a lover of olives, too. And boy did we ever love this chopped muffuletta salad!

Chopped Muffuletta Salad

This twist takes the classic muffuletta sandwich and turns it into a great side salad. Full of all the things that make a muffuletta great, such as salami, provolone and olives! This chopped muffuletta salad is a wonderful change. And it’s great if you’re skipping the bread but miss the taste of the sandwich!

This recipe is based on a recipe from The Fromagetta.

Chopped Muffuletta Salad
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4 from 1 vote

Chopped Muffuletta Salad

I’m a huge fan of muffuletta sandwiches. I’ve made them many times, and usually with my own olive salad. My wife is a lover of olives, so it works out for all of us!
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword olives, salad
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 204kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For the salad

  • 24 pimento-stuffed green olives halved
  • 4 ounce pimentos diced, drained
  • 4 ounces provolone cheese cubed
  • ½ cup pepperoncini drained, stemmed, and sliced into rings
  • 1 head romaine lettuce rinsed and chopped (note: make sure you dry the lettuce completely after rinsing)
  • 4 ounces dry salami sliced into strips
  • ¼ red onion finely diced
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved

For the vinaigrette

Instructions

  • Combine all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Gently toss to mix.
  • Combine the vinaigrette ingredients in a jar. Seal and shake until well combined.
  • Serve salad in bowls, lightly drizzled with the dressing. Do not dress too far in advance of serving or the salad will get soggy.

Notes

Give the salad another quick toss before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 977mg | Potassium: 366mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1577IU | Vitamin C: 43mg | Calcium: 175mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Creole Crab Cake Sliders

I love Marguerite’s blog, Cajun Delights. I’m a big fan of food with great flavors (duh!) and a little kick. These Creole crab cake sliders are also very tender and juicy. They have a nice crunch to them too. And despite all the ingredients you still get that wonderful crab flavor. Crab cakes without crab flavor aren’t crab cakes in my opinion!

Creole Crab Cake Sliders

Great Crab Cakes On Buns… Or Not

You can serve these Creole crab cake sliders with or without the buns. I thought they’d make them a little different. Oh, and be careful when you flip the crab cakes in the pan. They’re very tender and can fall apart on you if you’re not gentle.

Head on over to Cajun Delights and you’ll find plenty of other Louisiana-inspired dishes, all of them fantastic!

Looking for a heftier crab cake sandwich? Try my crab cake po’boys!

Creole Crab Cake Sliders
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5 from 1 vote

Creole Crab Cake Sliders

Delicious, tender crab cakes with a Creole kick.
Course Main dish or Appetizer
Cuisine Creole
Keyword crab cakes, Creole, sliders
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 274kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Mix the mayo, mustard, bell pepper, green onion, parsley, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and Creole seasoning in a large bowl.
  • Add in the crab meat and bread crumbs and combine gently.
  • Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Form the crab mixture into patties about 3″ wide and an inch thick. Add to skillet and cook until golden brown, 3-4 minutes, on each side.
  • Serve on lightly toasted buns, topped with plenty of the remoulade.

Notes

Yes, the crab cakes are amazing by themselves!

Nutrition

Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 1184mg | Potassium: 322mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 580IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Potato and Green Bean Salad

Here lately I’ve found myself watching The Best Recipes Ever on CBC. I didn’t really need to watch another cooking show, but the recipes on this one caught my eye. This potato and green bean salad is the first one I’ve made and although my version came out looking a bit different than the original, it was pretty good.

Potato and Green Bean Salad

Don’t Over-Dress

There are two things you have to keep in mind when making this potato and green bean salad. Some people have an aversion to cilantro, so you might want to use parsley instead, or at least cut back on the cilantro. Also, don’t just toss the dressing into the salad all willy-nilly. Add a little. Stir, taste, and check the consistency. It’s easy to add too much dressing (and I was dangerously close to having too much dressing on mine!).

I almost always use Blue Plate mayonnaise in the dishes I make. I think it is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.

Also try my country green beans.

Potato and Green Bean Salad
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4 from 1 vote

Potato and Green Bean Salad

A nice twist on the traditional potato salad.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword green beans, potato salad, salad
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 25 minutes
Servings 10
Calories 90kcal
Author Kary Osmand

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Salt a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until just tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly.
  • Add beans and 1/2 cup of the cilantro to the potatoes and gently toss to mix.
  • Mix together the mayo, sour cream and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir into potato mixture.
  • Refrigerate for 4 hours.
  • Serve garnished with remaining cilantro.

Notes

Stir before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 90kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 134mg | Potassium: 262mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 264IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Italian Dressing Mix

This Italian dressing mix is just like the stuff you buy in packets at the store. Now you can make your own at home for much less. I make a big batch and keep it in an airtight container in the pantry. This seasoning also makes for a great substitute when a recipe calls for Italian seasoning.

Homemade Catalina and Italian Salad Dressings

A Great Dressing Any Time

This dressing is great on my Mason jar salad. Anything in a Mason jar is good. Sometimes I like to make it a little different. I might add a bit of red pepper flake to give the dressing a little bit of a kick. Not too much though. You still want your Italian dressing mix to taste like the original. At least, mostly.

Check out my new site, Dress My Salad, for more great salad dressing ideas!

Homemade Catalina and Italian Salad Dressings
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5 from 1 vote

Italian Dressing Mix

This Italian dressing mix is just like the stuff you buy in packets at the store. Now you can make your own at home for much less.
Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients.
  • Two tablespoons of this mixture equals one packet.

Notes

Store in an air-tight container.

Nutritional values are approximate.

Spicy Oyster Crackers

Oyster crackers are a favorite snack in our household. No, not right out of the bag. Those are rather boring. No, we flavor them up! They’re easy to make, inexpensive, and there are a lot of ways to flavor them. And they’re crunchy. Good-n-crunchy. And since we both like a little kick, spicy oyster crackers are a recurring favorite.

Spicy Oyster Crackers

No Wimpy Crackers Here

These spicy oyster crackers have a lot of kick. You might want to tone it back a bit if you’re taking a batch to co-workers! Or not. I wouldn’t. Heck they’re called spicy for a reason. Just put a sign by the bowl that says ‘spicy’. I think that frees you from any legal responsibility, right?

Also try my Sriracha oyster crackers and my mini Churros, also made with oyster crackers.

Spicy Oyster Crackers
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5 from 1 vote

Spicy Oyster Crackers

Oyster crackers are a favorite snack in our household. No, not right out of the bag. Those are rather boring. No, we flavor them up! 
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword oyster crackers, spicy
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 356kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 300 F.
  • Combine all ingredients except for the crackers in a large bowl.
  • Add in the crackers and toss to coat well.
  • Line a large baking sheet (or two) with parchment paper.
  • Pour the cracker mixture onto the baking sheets and spread out evenly.
  • Bake for 15 minutes. Stir and flip and bake another 10 minutes or longer until golden brown.
  • Let cool before serving. The crackers will crisp up more once cooled.

Notes

Store in an air-tight container.

Nutrition

Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 669mg | Potassium: 126mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 584IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Zesty Grilled Ham Steak

The glaze on this zesty grilled ham steak is easy to throw together. It combines the sweetness of brown sugar, the tartness of lemon, and the kick of horseradish. It really wakes up a good piece of grilled ham. It’s not overly sweet, which sometimes ham glazes are for me.

This ham steak makes for a great side for breakfast-for-dinner.

Zesty Grilled Ham Steak

Great Glaze For Not Just Ham

The glaze on this zesty grilled ham steak would be great on other pork dishes… such as grilled pork loin or tenderloin. And bacon. Just brush the glaze on the meat a few minutes before it’s done. Ham heats quickly so you can put it on early. You don’t want to glaze pork loin, tenderloin or even bacon early. The brown sugar in the glaze might burn, ruining your dish. Save it for near the end.

I love cooking up breakfast on the grill, even if it’s just a side dish or an ingredient I’ll use as part of a bigger dish, like my smoked crumbled breakfast sausage.

My pepper onion beer sauce makes for a great topping for ham!

Zesty Grilled Ham Steak
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5 from 1 vote

Zesty Ham Steak

The glaze on this zesty grilled ham steak is easy to throw together. It combines the sweetness of brown sugar, the tartness of lemon, and the kick of horseradish. It makes for a great side for breakfast-for-dinner.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword ham
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 289kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Fire up a grill for medium-heat cooking.
  • In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, horseradish, lemon, and Cajun seasoning (if desired). Stir.
  • Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer.
  • Stir, and continue simmering until thickened. Remove from heat.
  • Place the ham steak over the medium heat on the grill.
  • Brush with the glaze.
  • Grill for about 5 minutes, then rotate to get those great grill marks.
  • Add more glaze and cook another 5 minutes.
  • Flip, glaze, and cook another 10 or so minutes.
  • Add more glaze just before removing.

Notes

Remember the ham steak is already cooked, you’re just reheating it and adding flavor.

Nutrition

Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 764mg | Potassium: 312mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 55g | Vitamin A: 6IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Roasted Chicken Breasts on the Char-Broil Big Easy

Note: This recipe was developed using the Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Fryer. If you are cooking using the Char-Broil Smoker-Roaster Grill you should cook with the lid open and the temperature set to High. You might also need to adjust the cooking time.

I’m a huge fan of my Char-Broil Big Easy. I was pessimistic when I bought it (I’m more a Weber-brand grill guy), but I have really loved using the Big Easy from Char-Broil. Heck, I have 3 Big Easys now and I’d be happy with more! It does a fantastic job on whole turkeys and chickens, wings, and yes, split chicken breasts like these. I was unable to resist temptation and had to pull off a piece of that delicious, crunchy chicken skin! Roasted chicken breasts on the Char-Broil Big Easy is a wonderful thing!

Roasted Chicken Breasts on the Char-Broil Big Easy

How Chicken Is Done

Using the Big Easy is… well, easy. I marinade the chicken, fire up the fryer, put the chicken in, and a little over an hour later I have perfectly cooked roasted chicken. No fussing with fryer temperatures, or checking the meat temperature every 15 minutes, just walk away (ok, you shouldn’t leave a lit grill unattended) and come back later. I love making roasted chicken breasts on the Char-Broil Big Easy!

It’s always a good idea to keep a few spare grease trays on hand for your Char-Broil Big Easy.

Love your Big Easy as much I love mine? Check out my Big Easy Add-Ons page and my free Big Easy eCookbook!

Roasted Chicken Breasts on the Char-Broil Big Easy
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5 from 1 vote

Roasted Chicken Breasts on the Big Easy

I have 3 Big Easys now and I’d be happy with more! It does a fantastic job on whole turkeys and chickens, wings, and yes, split chicken breasts like these.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword Big Easy, Char-Broil, chicken
Prep Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 300kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine all but the chicken breasts. Taste the marinade and add more dill or rosemary if you wish.
  • Rub the marinade all over the chicken. If you left the skin on, try to slide your fingers in between the skin and meat and smear the marinade into the resulting pocket.
  • Let the breasts marinade in a large resealable container or baggie for at least 3 hours.
  • Fire up the Big Easy fryer. You’ll need a bunk bed basket to fit all 4 breasts in at once.
  • Place 2 breasts in the bottom Big Easy basket and two in the top basket.
  • Let cook at least an hour (with the top on the Big Easy so the chicken gets good and brown and the skin crisps up nice) before checking the meat temperature, which you want to get to 165 F.
  • Remove the breasts and let rest until slightly cooled, then slice.

Notes

You can use your favorite cuts of chicken.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 152mg | Sodium: 920mg | Potassium: 903mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 234IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Cajun Rainbow Slaw

Boy, this Cajun rainbow slaw has some kick! If you’re a fan of horseradish you’ll be all over this salad. If you’re not a fan of horseradish, cut the amount in half and you’ll still get to enjoy a great salad! I make a lot (and I do mean a lot) of slaws and this one is a pleasant change from the usual vinegar- or mayonnaise-based versions.

Cajun Rainbow Slaw

Great On A BBQ Pork Sandwich

My favorite way to eat a good slaw is heaped on top of a smoked pulled pork or brisket sandwich. I love the contrast between the crunchy slaw and the tender meat. You just can’t beat it.

I almost always use Blue Plate mayonnaise in the dishes I make. I think it is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.

Also try my Sriracha slaw. Just like this Cajun rainbow slaw, it packs a good bit of a kick.

This recipe was inspired by a recipe from the Food Network.

Cajun Rainbow Slaw
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4 from 1 vote

Cajun Rainbow Slaw

Boy, this Cajun rainbow slaw has some kick! If you’re a fan of horseradish you’ll be all over this salad
Course Side
Cuisine Cajun
Keyword cole slaw, coleslaw, slaw
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 220kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons Creole mustard spicy brown works fine, or combine a few drops of Worcestershire sauce with Dijon mustard
  • ½ lemon juiced (to taste, depending on the size of the lemon)
  • 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish more or less, to taste
  • 1 12 ounce broccoli slaw mix
  • 1 small red bell pepper minced
  • 1 small orange bell pepper minced
  • 3 green onions chopped

Instructions

  • Combine the seasoning, mayo, mustard, lemon and horseradish in a medium bowl.
  • Add in the remaining ingredients and fold to coat.

Notes

You can substitute 2 tablespoons chopped red onion for the green onion.

Nutrition

Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 298mg | Potassium: 180mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1768IU | Vitamin C: 58mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Cantaloupe Salsa

This is great salsa. Tired of the same old tomato-based salsa? This cantaloupe salsa will cure you! You could serve it with chips, though you might want to chop the cantaloupe a little smaller. Or do as I did and serve it over a fantastic grilled pork tenderloin.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Cantaloupe Salsa

Perfect With Grill Pork

I liked the chunkier pieces of fruit in my cantaloupe salsa when served with tender, juicy pork tenderloin. Smaller pieces would’ve been lost in the dish, I think.

I serve a similar dish but use a cherry salsa instead. Either salsa pairs perfectly with the pork.

Add a little minced jalapeno or serrano for an extra kick!

This recipe was inspired by a recipe from Patio Daddio.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Cantaloupe Salsa
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4 from 1 vote

Cantaloupe Salsa

This is great salsa. Tired of the same old tomato-based salsa? This cantaloupe salsa will cure you! 
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword cantaloupe, salsa
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 63kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients.
  • Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

Notes

Stir again before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 63kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 407mg | Potassium: 297mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 3533IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.