Cooking With Kikkoman ~ Crispy Salmon Salad

As much as I try to be, I'm just not really a fish person.

I think fish looks fantastic! I truly do.

I drool over snapper and I think tilapia looks amazing...but when I taste it, I'm always left less than impressed.

However, you give me a juicy slab of salmon and I'm in heaven.

I don't know what it is about salmon that gets my blood pumping...but it does.

Recently, I was contacted by the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program and offered a box of Kikkoman's new Kara-Age seasoning mix.

I immediately knew EXACTLY what I would do with that mix. A salmon salad of course!!

This salad is a bit sweet and a bit salty. The texture is soft and crunchy. And the temperature is both cool and warm.

I love it when a dish contains this many contradictions!

The palette is both confused and excited. Every taste bud experiences a new surprise.

Let me just put it in simple terms. This salad was GEWD!

Here's how you can make it!

Grab your Kikkoman Kara-Age coating mix. I also used this Kikkoman teriyaki sauce.

Take some slightly damp salmon fillets and evenly coat them in the Kara-Age mix.

Heat about an inch of peanut oil in a large skillet and cook up the salmon until lightly browned on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Place the salmon atop a bed of spring greens and baby spinach. Adorn with grape tomatoes. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. And lightly drizzle with the teriyaki sauce (a little goes a loooong way here so be careful).

Serve and enjoy!!

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received a box of Kikkoman Kara-Age Soy-Ginger Seasoning mix.






Crispy Salmon Salad


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Ingredients:

• 1 packet Kikkoman Kara-Age Soy-Ginger coating mix.
• 4-5 salmon fillets
• 4-5 cups of spring greens and baby spinach 
• Peanut oil, enough for an inch in the pan
• Grape tomatoes
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce & Marinade

Directions:

1. Heat 1 inch peanut oil in large pan over medium heat.
2. Coat damp salmon with Kara-Age coating mix.
3. Cook salmon in oil until golden brown, crispy, and cooked through. About 2-3 minutes per side. Allow to cool.
4. Place salmon atop a bed of spring greens and baby spinach. Adorn with grape tomatoes. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. And lightly drizzle with the teriyaki sauce (a little goes a loooong way here so be careful).
5. Serve and enjoy!!

Grilled Peach Salad with Candied Pecans and Feta

You know what's crazy???

I'm sharing a salad with you today!!

You know what's even crazier???

I made salad!!!

I'm not really a salad person. In fact, I'm not really a vegetable person. I think I may have mentioned this before.

The only way it seems that I can stand veggies is if I roast them...but that's another day, another blog.

I will tell you that I don't often order salad.

I will order a salad to precede a meal...but I'm not one of those people who order a salad as the meal. (Unless I'm at Cheddar's, then I order the Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad...but I don't think that counts)

I recently joined a local book group and the book we read was The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen. (By the way, I loved the book so much I ended up reading all her other books as well).

When I contacted the hostess for this month's meeting, I asked her what I could bring. She mentioned that salad was always a good addition. Blah. Salad?? Really?? Okay...

I figured I would just make my standard green salad with tomato, cucumber and bell pepper. BUT, when I was in the shower one day (where all great ideas are born) I was wracking my brain trying to think of something peach themed I could bring to this group. Then I came up with this combo of grilled peaches, red onion, candied pecans and feta cheese.

I asked a couple friends what they thought of the sound of this salad and everyone seemed to be interested. So I put it together for a trial run several days before the meeting.

The salad was a huge hit!! Even mandatory-in-every-meal-meat-eaters exclaimed how good the salad was.

So I went with it.

I put it together that day and took it to the meeting that evening.

It was met with the same reaction! The ladies at the group loved it and a couple even went back for more. I'll take it!

I know the warm weather days are coming to an end and fresh salads will be pushed aside for comforting soups and stews. But before the last days of Summer fly by without a backward glance I suggest you try this salad.

Here's how you can throw yours together as well:

Mix up your pecans with some choice spices then toss them in the oven until dry.

Cut and pit your peaches, then slice again to make four round peach pieces...

Then toss those babies on the grill. Do you love my new Pampered Chef grill pan??? I sure do!! Especially since outdoor grilling is currently outlawed due to the drought we are experiencing in Austin.

After these are grilled, cut them into bite sized chunks.

Place the greens on a plate, top with onion, feta, pecans and grilled peaches. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette. Serve and enjoy!!

Grilled Peach Salad with Candied Pecans and Feta

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Ingredients:

• 1 bag of green salad (I used the 50/50 blend with spring greens and baby spinach)
• 1 large peach (choose a firm one)
• 1/2 red onion, halved and sliced
• candied pecans* (recipe follows)
• 1/2 block reduced fat feta cheese, crumbled
• balsamic vinaigrette

Directions:

1. Cut peach in half and remove pit. In same direction, slice the halves again so you have four round pieces of the peach. 
2. Grill the peach slices until grill lines appear and the flesh is heated through. Remove from grill, allow to cool and cut into bite sized chunks.
3. Top salad greens with red onion, candied pecans, feta and the grilled peach chunks. 
4. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette.
5. Serve and enjoy!!

*Candied Pecans

Ingredients

• 1 (10 oz) bag pecan halves and pieces
• 1 large egg white
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon and salt until thoroughly combined.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, toss the pecans in the egg white until well coated.
4. Add the cinnamon sugar mixture to the pecans and toss until well coated with seasoning.
5. Place pecans in a single layer on the baking sheet. 
6. Bake until dry, about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Guest Post: The Tale of Two Kitchens

One of the things I love most about the blogosphere is the connections I have made with people I would have never known otherwise.

My favorite part of the military spouse blog community is the fact that spouses of different military branches can come together and share our histories and stories with no animosity.

So far I have had guest posts from a Marine wife, an Army wife and today I am introducing you to Jessica, and Air Force wife.

I 'met' Jessica through her blog Jesstagirl and Her Officer.

I was more than thrilled when I found out Jessica was creating a food blog with her sister in law.

Jessica and her sister in law are new to the food blogging world but I think they are fabulous and I think you will too. You should definitely jump over there and check them out...after you read her guest post.

It's all yours Jessica!

I am so excited and honored to be guest posting for Maranda on Jolts and Jollies. I'm always so excited whenever she posts a new recipe, because I know her recipes are easy to make and delicious. My sister-in-law and I recently started a cooking blog called The Tale of Two Kitchens, and I'd love for you to check it out—after this recipe, of course! 

This recipe has been in my family for years—I can't remember a New Years where my mom didn't make this black-eyed pea salad. Black-eyed peas are supposed to be eaten on new year's day for good luck in the coming year. But truth be told, I typically eat this several days after January 1st, because I'm usually too busy and always forget about it on New Year's Day. I like to think the black-eyed peas will bring good luck whenever I eat them.

This salad is full of fiber, flavorful, and is perfect to keep in the fridge for a quick, filling snack. The flavor of the salad gets better with time, so don't be surprised if you find yourself eating a huge bowl days after you make it.

In a medium pot, combine frozen black-eyed peas, salt, vegetable broth, water, sugar, jalapeno pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.


Turn off heat and allow peas to cool in the cooking broth for two hours or overnight before finishing salad.


There should be about ¼ cup of cooking liquid left in the kettle. Discard the bay leaf and dice jalapeno (optional).

Stir tin cider vinegar and olive oil into the cooking liquid. Add green pepper...

Tomato...

Green onion and jalapeno (optional).

Toss to mix; serve chilled or at room temperature.

Black-Eyed Pea Salad
by Jessica Lynn from The Tale of Two Kitchens

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Ingredients:

• 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen black-eyed peas
• 1/4  teaspoon salt
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can vegetable broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 jalapeno, rinsed but left whole
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 green pepper, seeded and chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
• 2 green onions

Directions:

1. In a medium pot, combine frozen black-eyed peas, salt, vegetable broth, water, sugar, jalapeno pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Turn off heat and allow peas to cool in the cooking broth for two hours or overnight before finishing salad.
3. There should be about ¼ cup of cooking liquid left in the kettle. Discard the bay leaf and dice jalapeno (optional). Stir tin cider vinegar and olive oil into the cooking liquid. Add green pepper, tomato, green onion, and jalapeno (optional). 
4. Toss to mix; serve chilled or at room temperature.