Tomato - Green Chile Relish

Have you ever had the pleasure of enjoying a Santa Maria-Style barbecue?  It traditionally features a tri-tip steak served with pinquito beans, fresh salsa (think pico de gallo) and garlic bread.  A tri tip is one of our favorite cuts of meat.  Mr. Devilish Dish often puts one on the smoker.  The result is the smokiness of a brisket, but the taste and texture of steak or a really good roast beef if you slice it a little thinner.  We don't always prepare the tr-tip Santa Maria style, but a while back we did and I made this delicious variation on the traditional Pico de Gallo style fresh salsa.  This "relish" features ripe red cherry tomatoes that are bursting with flavor, accompanied by a dressing made with balsamic vinegar.  Now you might be thinking that sounds like the flavors of a Caprese-style salad, but the addition of the green chiles to this recipe really brings it back to the Santa Maria flavors.  The chiles really tone down the strong flavor of balsamic, and give this relish the versatility of being served both like a salsa or a side salad.  If you chopped the tomatoes a little finer, this would be ideal with the sliced tri-tip either inside a fajita or on a sandwich.  The ideas are endless.  We planted 5 Super 100 cherry tomato plants this year, so I'm hoping the harvest will be abundant and I'll be able to prepare this recipe often.

This is bursting with flavor.  It is so delicious with
a Santa Maria-style barbecue, but also ideal as 
simple salad for any meal.

It's time for those beautiful fresh cherry tomatoes
to be bursting with flavor.

Halve the tomatoes and serve this relish
like a delicious salad with any meal, or chop finer
and enjoy like a salsa or on a sandwich.

Enjoy the unique flavor combination of this
relish.  You won't be disappointed!

TOMATO-GREEN CHILE RELISH

4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1.5 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup diced green chiles (1 small can, drained)
5 green onions, finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together the balsamic vinegar and oregano.  Gradually add in the olive oil, whisking constantly.  Stir in the green chiles and green onions. This will be your dressing.  You can prepare this ahead if desired.  When ready to serve add in the tomatoes and toss to coat with dressing.  Season with salt and pepper.  

Enjoy,

Cajun Potato Salad

I've told you before that my brother in law is a chef in New Orleans.  As if we weren't hooked on Cajun food before, we sure are now.  We make Cajun food often, whether it is gumbo, etouffee, or shrimp and grits.  I'm always down for anything with Cajun flavors and seasonings, as we always have an abundance of fish to fry or chicken to blacken.  This potato salad has the delicious Cajun flavors of both Creole mustard and Cajun seasoning.  It is so good as an accompaniment to not only any Cajun meal, but outstanding for any barbecue.  It's a very flavorful alternative to standard potato salad. Try it for your next potluck or tailgate.  It will be the hit of summer side dishes! 

This is the tastiest potato salad.
Don't just serve it for Mardi Gras,
enjoy it year round.

The ingredients.
Not pictured is my awesome
Homemade Cajun Seasoning.

Boil the potatoes until fork tender.

Combine the mayo, Creole mustard,
sour cream and Cajun seasoning.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Boil and chop your eggs.
I use Anthony Bourdain's method 
for the perfect eggs EVERY time.

Stir the cooled potatoes
with the dressing, and then carefully
stir in the remaining ingredients.

This is such a great twist on a 
classic potato salad.

Enjoy not only with Cajun entrees, but grilled
sausages, hamburgers, fried fish and more!

CAJUN POTATO SALAD

3 pounds red potatoes
1 cup good-quality mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons Creole mustard

2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 small yellow onion, chopped fine
3 stalks celery, chopped fine
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped fine
1/4 cup chopped dill pickles
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped


Scrub the potatoes clean and cut into quarters - you want them to be bite-sized pieces.  Boil in a large pot on the stove top until they are fork tender.  While the potatoes are boiling, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, Creole mustard and salt and pepper to taste.  This will be the dressing.  When the potatoes are done, drain well and allow to cool slightly.  Once the potatoes are cool, stir in the dressing to coat well, then stir in the remaining ingredients just until coated with dressing.  Cover and chill a few hours before serving.

Cucumber Caesar Salad

I started this blog in 2011.  Hard to believe I've been at this on and off for 15 years.  I stand behind the recipes 100%.  Not so much by all of the pictures though.  Looking at some of my older posts, the pictures were so bad.  The lighting in our kitchen was so bad until we remodeled a few years ago.  The technology of the camera in cell phones has certainly improved.  In no way do I pretend to know what I'm doing, I just  love to create, cook and share. A while back Mr. Devilish Dish bought himself this fancy new cutting board.  It's enormous and he insists on leaving it out on the kitchen counter.  Really because there is no way to store the thing, but he justified it by saying, "It will make a nice background for our food pictures." And he's right.  So then he had another idea, and suggested, "Why don't you make some of your favorite recipes that have already been blogged and update the pictures?"  We made a list of some of our favorites that I have been wanting to re-share but have been too embarrassed by the poor photo quality.  His first suggestion was baked beans, followed by, "That way I can smoke something ribs this weekend and you can make baked beans."  Which is pretty much how he wants all of our weekends to go, but I get tired of baked beans and potato salad so I am constantly trying to come up with new and interesting side dishes to accompany his selection of smoked meat.  This Cucumber Caesar Salad is amazing.  It's all the regular ingredients of a good Caesar salad, minus the Romaine Lettuce.  Crisp cucumbers are substituted for lettuce, making this an ideal side salad for a plate of hot and spicy barbecue.  It really did hit the spot next to the ribs and baked beans, because I got that last batch of baked beans a little spicy.  If you're looking for a fun alternative to a traditional Caesar Salad, or an ordinary cucumber salad, then this is it!

A refreshing twist on a
traditional Caesar Salad.

CUCUMBER CAESAR SALAD

For the Dressing:

1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons anchovy paste
1 teaspoon good quality Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup good quality mayonnaise

For the Salad:

1-2 large English cucumbers, thinly sliced
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 package Caesar-style croutons

(Optional: you could easily make this salad a meal by adding grilled chicken or shrimp)

Place the garlic and parsley in the bowl of a food processor and process until minced.  Add the anchovy paste, mustard, lemon juice and mayonnaise.  Process to create a smooth dressing.  Refrigerate if not using immediately.  When ready to serve, toss the dressing with the cucumbers, Parmesan cheese and croutons.

Enjoy,

Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

 I love a good Homemade Blue Cheese Salad Dressing.  I especially love Mr. Devilish Dish's version.  And I definitely love a good creamy blue cheese dressing with buffalo wings.  But sometimes I just want to enjoy a salad with a tangy vinaigrette-style dressing. This blends the best of both worlds.  A tangy, vinegar-based dressing with crumbles of delicious blue cheese.  Not only is this zesty dressing delicious over salad greens, it would be so good drizzled over a big platter of grilled vegetables.  We love to enjoy this dressing with a salad alongside a juicy steak.  You'll love this too, especially if you're looking for that familiar bite of blue cheese, without the heaviness of a creamy-style dressing.  Lighter, tangy-er and perfect for spring and summer salads, and a great twist for a traditional wedge salad too!

A tangy, tasty twist on a traditional
creamy dressing.

Just a handful of ingredients for this
delicious dressing.

Blend everything together in a blender.
If you prefer a chunkier dressing,
stir in the blue cheese AFTER blending.

Enjoy over a salad, grilled vegetables
or even a wedge salad.

Save a few blue cheese
crumbles to top your salad!

 

BLUE CHEESE VINAIGRETTE

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup good quality olive oil

Place everything in a blender and blend until smooth.  If you want the chunkiness of the blue cheese crumbles, blend everything except the blue cheese, and then stir it in afterwards.  We saved some extra blue cheese crumbles to top our salad too.  Refrigerate until serving if not using immediately.

Eerie Eyeball Pasta Salad

Happy October!  Happy Halloween!  I hope you like your food staring back at you, because I've got a spooky side dish that should scare the appetite right into you.  I realized a few weeks ago that October was coming in hot and I had nothing new to share with you that was pumpkin spiced, scary, fall-ish, or remotely Halloween-themed.  Thankfully Mr. Devilish Dish is a good sport, and albeit reluctantly, spent an entire Saturday watching football and golf, being fed an assortment of tricks and treats.  I had the "eyeball idea" and couldn't decide between using it for a spaghetti & meatballs type dish (which would be super cute also) or a pasta salad.  I opted for the pasta salad, knowing it is something that could easily be made ahead and ready to eat before an evening of trick or treating, or Halloween partying.  I served this as a spooky side dish, but you could definitely add some additional ingredients like cubed salami or pepperoni, or even grilled chicken and serve it as a meal.  I kept the ingredients super simple, with just grape tomatoes and cucumbers, but feel free to add carrots, artichoke hearts, more olives, onions or anything else your Halloween heart desires.  Just don't forget the mozzarella "eyeballs" or it won't be eerie.

This turned out to be so much fun.

The ingredients.  Feel free to add your favorite
meats or veggies to create your favorite pasta
salad combination.

I used a tiny pumpkin cookie cutter to cut
my cucumber slices into tiny pumpkins.

Combine the halved tomatoes,
cucumber slices and the cooled cooked
pasta in a large bowl.

Add your favorite Italian salad dressing.
(You may not need the whole bottle)
Toss, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, toss the ingredients one
more time and scatter your mozzarella eyeballs
around the top of the salad.

So fun and cute!

I served my salad on the side of 
some Mummy Hot Dogs.

EERIE EYEBALL PASTA SALAD

1 (12 ounce) box Fusilli pasta (I got the tri-color so some would be orange and green)

1 container grape tomatoes, halved
1 English cucumber, peeled and sliced

1 bottle of your favorite Italian salad dressing

1 container Bocconcini (small Mozzarella cheese balls)
1 small can sliced black olives

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, drain and cool.  Add the grape tomatoes, cucumbers and salad dressing.  (You may not need the entire bottle - just get a good coating.) Combine, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.  

Prior to serving, drain the liquid from both the mozzarella balls, and the black olives.  Using the end of a wooden spoon, CAREFULLY make an indention into the mozzarella ball and insert a sliced black olive into the indention to create eyeball.  Continue until you've used all of your mozzarella balls.  Toss the pasta salad together one more time, and place the eyeballs all around the top of your pasta salad. Serve and enjoy.

Jalapeno Popper Cucumber Salad

We have been big fans of new salad recipes around here this summer.  I love the Cucumber & Sweet Pepper Salad and the Apple & Manchego Cheese Salad.  In the past I have made Jalapeno Popper Potato Salad, which is the Devilish Nephew's favorite.  It is always a huge hit at tailgate too.  Just a different twist on the standard potato salad. Now we have a twist on the standard cucumber salad.  I made this one a few weeks ago when we went to visit said Devilish Nephew and he really liked it too.  It goes with anything, but we really enjoyed it with a traditional barbecue including smoked ribs.  It evolved over the few times I've made it and we finally settled on this recipe.  You could even include some diced, cooked bacon for the true jalapeno popper effect.  I haven't tried adding that yet, but I may when I make this for tailgate this football season.  It's already on my list of tried and true recipes that I know a crowd will love.  It is easily made ahead of time too, for convenience.  I do all of the chopping and prep, and make the dressing.  Then I combine everything when ready to serve so the cucumbers don't get too watery.  The amount of dressing it takes is not much, because you just want the cucumbers to have a light coating.  That keeps this salad light, refreshing and fairly healthy.  Give this a try soon, it's a light and tasty twist on an ordinary cucumber salad!

A light and refreshing twist on a cucumber salad.
This has lots of flavor and crunch!

Prep your salad ingredients ahead of time,
and make your dressing.  Then combine when
ready to serve.

Garnish with green onions, sliced fresh jalapeno peppers,
and everything bagel seasoning for extra crunch.

JALAPENO POPPER CUCUMBER SALAD

For the Salad:

2 English cucumbers, thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, very thinly sliced, or seeded and diced
4 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated

For the Dressing:

4 Tablespoons Chive & Onion Cream Cheese
1 Tablespoon Greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon soy sauce

For the Garnish:

1 green onion - green part only, sliced
1 small jalapeno, thinly sliced
Everything Bagel Seasoning to taste

In a large salad bowl, combine sliced cucumbers, red onion, jalapeno and cheddar cheese.  Set aside.
With a hand mixer, blender or small food processor: Combine cream cheese, yogurt, garlic powderk, smoked paprika, sea salt and soy sauce.  Mix until well combined.  (This mixture will be thick - not runny like a traditional salad dressing.) 

When ready to serve, toss the cucumber mixture with the dressing mixture until the cucumbers are coated.  Then add the green onions, everything bagel seasoning and a sliced fresh jalapeno for garnish.

Asian Dumpling Salad

As I've said before, I'm a sucker for an Asian Salad.  Mr. Devilish Dish abhors sesame oil and cilantro and those are two of my favorite flavors.  So on the rare occasion he is out of the house at dinner time I usually opt for something with those ingredients.  My go-to has always been my Asian Chopped Chicken Salad and sometimes I opt for Cucumber & Sweet Pepper Salad. If he is out of town for a long time, then I go all out and make Thai Beef Salad, Copycat PF Changs Lettuce Wraps, and his least favorite:  Egg Roll in a Bowl. Now there's a new favorite in the Asian Meal Rotation for when he leaves town - Asian Dumpling Salad.  This is so good, and hearty with the addition of some delicious steamed dumplings.  The best part is it's one of those semi-homemade meals.  I don't feel as guilty because I'm not eating take-out, BUT I'm not cooking away in the kitchen just for myself.  It is the best of both worlds.  A hearty meal that doesn't require too much work in the kitchen and I get to enjoy all the sesame oil and cilantro I want when Mr. DD isn't here.  

This is soooo good.  The dressing is
similar to a really good dipping sauce
for the dumplings.  The perfect combination.

When ready to serve, toss the dressing and 
salad ingredients together.  Add the golden
brown steamed dumplings.  Toss them to ensure
they get a coating of salad dressing.

Enjoy as is or serve with Crab Rangoons
or Egg Rolls if you want a fuller meal.

ASIAN DUMPLING SALAD

For the Dressing:

4 Tbsp Soy Sauce
4 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
4 Tbsp Chili Oil
2 Tbsp Sesame Oil
2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar
1 Clove Garlic, minced
2 tsp Ginger Paste

For the Salad:

1 Small Head of Romaine Lettuce, very thinly sliced (think chiffonade style)
1 Carton Cherry Tomatoes, halved
1 Large Cucumber, halved and sliced
1 Bunch Green Onions, chopped (green part only)
1 Handful Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 Package Frozen Asian-Style Dumplings (choose your favorite flavor)
salt & pepper to taste

In a bowl whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili oil, sesame oil, sugar, garlic and ginger.  Set aside.  This will be your salad dressing.  

In a large salad bowl combine the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, green onions and cilantro.  Toss together and set aside.

Prepare the dumplings according to package directions - or Simply fry them in a pan in a small amount of oil until golden brown.  Add 1/4 cup of water and cover with a lid to steam for approximately 5 minutes.  When the dumplings are done, remove them from the heat.

Pour the salad dressing over the lettuce mixture and toss.  Add the steamed dumplings, tossing to coat with dressing and serve immediately.

Apple & Manchego Cheese Salad

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned before that Mr. Devilish Dish is obsessed with his smoker.  Don't get me wrong, some of the stuff we've smoked has been fun and delicious.  (Crab legs, pizza rolls, queso, etc...) I don't mind the smoked meats and main courses so much, but I get pretty tired of the traditional barbecue side dishes.  I make a mean Macaroni and Cheese but I don't want it every weekend.  Now my husband on the other hand will always suggest, "Baked Beans and Potato Salad?"  NO!  I don't want those that often and I sure don't want them as often as he wants to use his smoker.  So I'm constantly on the search for non-traditional side dishes that still go well with barbecue and smoked meats.  Last week we went to Colorado to see the Devilish Nephew, his beautiful bride and the Littlest Devils.  OF COURSE the men had to smoke something, and of course it was pork ribs much to the chagrin of the women.  However, the meal was redeemed by my side dishes which were a "little less caveman around the fire" and a "little more ladies who lunch."  I did make the macaroni and cheese because when is that not a hit??? And I made a Jalapeno Popper Cucumber Salad (coming soon) AND this salad.  Which was a huge hit.  It's light and crisp and so simple.  It was an ideal accompaniment to any meal, but apples always compliment pork so it made a great side for the this particular evening.  The cool, crisp and tangy salad was so good alongside the hearty and spicy ribs.  Of course we rounded out the meal with my Peach Cobbler, using those famous Colorado Palisades Peaches.  Give this one a go!  It's only 5 ingredients, goes together quickly and makes a light and healthy side or lunch.

This light and crisp salad is the perfect compliment
for any meal, especially pork.  

Manchego cheese is delicious in this salad.
It has a soft texture and grates well, similar
to Swiss but with a slightly nutty, salty 
flavor similar to a light Parmesan.
It was so flavorful I didn't even add salt or pepper. 

This light salad makes a lovely presentation
in a pretty salad bowl.  Make sure you cut your 
apples into consistent-sized matchsticks.

All you need is the juice of one lemon,
and only olive oil for the dressing.  Trust 
me, the flavors of the ingredients are so 
good, it doesn't need much for them to 
shine through.

An ideal side dish for any meal, 
ESPECIALLY if you have a lot of barbecues
or serve a lot of smoked meat.  This is a 
light and tasty accompaniment, and a 
welcome change from the traditional barbecue
side dishes.

APPLE & MANCHEGO CHEESE SALAD

2 Honeycrisp Apples, cut into matchsticks
2 Granny Smith Apples, cut into matchsticks
1 lemon, juiced
6 ounces Manchego Cheese, grated
2 Tablespoons freshly chopped Chives
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil


Place chopped apples into a bowl, and immediately toss them with lemon juice to prevent browning.  Add in the grated Manchego cheese, chives and olive oil.  Toss together.  Serve immediately, so refrigerate a few hours before serving.  This is at its best when served the same day, but I have found it will keep for about 2 days before the apples lose their crispness.

Cucumber & Sweet Pepper Salad

I'm sure by now you've heard the term "Girl Dinner." Typically it consists of Caesar salad, truffle fries and a martini.  Sometimes it involves oysters and champagne too.  One of our local restaurants even offers a "girl dinner" happy hour with the aforementioned items sharable for a group of girlfriends.  While that all sounds delicious, my favorite "girl dinner" is some type of Asian salad.  Mainly because Mr. Devilish Dish doesn't like it so it's a rare treat I get to enjoy when he's not home for dinner.  My go-to meal when he's away is typically my Asian Chicken Chopped Salad, but lately I've been enjoying this Cucumber & Sweet Pepper Salad. This recipe has been circulating on social media for several years, with variations featuring chicken, tuna, and even sushi nori.  But I love it as is. Fresh mini cucumbers and sweet peppers with everything bagel seasoning, chili crisp, and of course my own Japanese Restaurant Style Ginger Salad Dressing.  Most of the online recipes use a store-bought dressing, but I really like using my own homemade dressing on this recipe.  It's so simple to put together, and the crisp veggies are so colorful.  It is an ideal side dish for any Asian meal, but I've made it plenty of times as a side for barbecue dinners or cook-outs as a side dish for hamburgers and hot dogs. It is always a hit, as the fresh peppers are sweet, not at all spicy.  You can adjust the amount of chili crisp you add if you want a little more kick.  Not only is it perfect for a girl dinner, it is perfect for any dinner!

A crisp, colorful salad, ideal for any summer meal.

The Line Up.  Definitely make your own
Ginger Dressing.  It's worth it!

Slice your mini cucumbers.

Slice the mini sweet peppers.

Pour your Homemade Ginger Dressing over
the sliced veggies.  Toss together to combine.

Add the Everything Bagel Seasoning.

Add the Chili Crisp

Toss to combine.

Serve and enjoy for your own "girl dinner"

CUCUMBER & SWEET PEPPER SALAD

4 Mini Cucumbers, sliced
8-10 Mini Sweet Peppers, thinly sliced (I don't really worry about seeding them, the seeds kind of fall out on their own)
1/4 to 1/2 Cup Japanese Restaurant Style Ginger Salad Dressing (RECIPE HERE)
1 Tbsp Everything Bagel Seasoning
1 Tbsp Chili Crisp (Chili Crisp is a condiment, similar to chili oil, but with the addition of crispy fried ingredients like garlic, shallots and chili peppers.)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Add sliced cucumbers and sliced peppers to a salad bowl.  Pour in salad dressing and toss until coated.  Add bagel seasoning and chili crisp. Season with salt and pepper.  Toss and enjoy immediately.  I think it tastes best fresh, but it can be stored up to 2-3 days in the refrigerator.