Sausage and Pepper Salad with Feta

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.#OktoberOnTheFarm #CollectiveBias

It is very suddenly, and with almost no warning or lead-up, quite chilly 'round these parts. I swear to you, 4 days ago I was obstinately wearing a sweater and boots despite sweating all the live-long day, and now it is chilly enough that we've had to dig out extra blankets to put on the bed because I keep waking up freezing at 2 AM. I'm not complaining about the pleasantly brisk fall weather . . . but there seems to be no middle ground here in Utah between sweltering summer and blustery cold.

This recipe, though, hits that perfect middle ground between being warm and comforting for a chilly fall night, but it's still fresh and crisp and reminds me a tad of summer. Jeff and I loved this salad, and I'll admit that there were no leftovers after we finished eating.

Red and yellow peppers are sauteed with onion and sausage in olive oil, then topped with fresh feta cheese over a crisp salad--so delicious, and a great dinner to bring in some fall flavors.

I always love having some quick dinner ideas on hand for busy nights, and this one definitely delivered. It was ready in about 15 minutes, and only uses a few staple ingredients. I picked up Hillshire Farm® Rope Sausage at Walmart, along with some colorful peppers to make this meal. I often keep some Hillshire Farm sausage in the fridge for last-minute dinners, especially during these busy fall months. I love that it makes dinner so quick to prepare.

After a quick saute, place the sausage, peppers, and onions over a bed of lettuce leaves, sprinkle with feta cheese crumbles, and drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette. Such wonderful autumn flavors going on here!

Sausage and Pepper Salad with Feta

1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 yellow or orange bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 onion, sliced thin
1 (14 oz) package Hillshire Farm Rope Sausage, sliced into discs
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
feta cheese crumbles
red leaf lettuce
balsamic vinaigrette dressing

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. When it is hot, add peppers, onion, and sausage, as well as salt and pepper to taste. Saute until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 8-10 minutes.

Arrange a bed of lettuce on each plate, and top with sausage and pepper mixture. Sprinkle with feta cheese, and drizzle each serving with dressing.

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You can find Hillshire Farm sausage in the refrigerated section at Walmart, near the other prepared meats!

Raspberry Yogurt Salad

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #AddCoolWhip #CollectiveBias

This yummy recipe has been on my ‘to-blog-about’ list for a long time now, and I’m honestly a little surprised it’s taken me this long to get around to posting it. I feel silly calling it a salad, but I’m not sure what other name would fit better, so I’ll just carry on—this salad was a family favorite that was frequently requested when I was a kid, and I make it often for my family now. It’s a delicious quick and easy snack and perfect for a kids’ dessert, but who am I trying to fool . . . we all love it. Not just the kids. Don’t tell him I tattled, but Jeff basically inhales this salad. You did not get this information from me.

As far as I’m concerned, it’s the perfect summer side dish or dessert. It’s lightweight and refreshing and fruity and delicious, and it is perfect as an afternoon snack, a side dish to a barbecue dinner, or as a quick dessert. It almost always makes an appearance at our family cookouts, and I’ve brought it to church events a few times and always, without fail, get a request for the recipe. And being quick and simple and inexpensive to make is a sweet little bonus, too.

Prepare yourself for an intimidatingly long shopping list and a truly daunting series of steps to pull this tricky dish together.

I kid, of course. 4 ingredients, a little stirring, and boom. You are the proud new owner of a perfectly refreshing summer salad.

Raspberry Yogurt Salad
recipe from my mama’s kitchen

3 cups low-fat raspberry yogurt (5 6-ounce containers)
1 8-ounce container Cool Whip, thawed
1 cup frozen raspberries, thawed (or partially thawed)
1 cup miniature marshmallows

Gently stir the yogurt and Cool Whip together in a large bowl. Fold in the raspberries and marshmallows, and refrigerate until ready to serve. If desired, toss a few more marshmallows and raspberries on top as a garnish.

If you’re in the mood for a little summertime deliciousness in the form of some smooth, creamy, fruity, satisfying Raspberry Yogurt Salad, go ahead and save yourself a little money by taking a meander down this aisle of deliciousness at Walmart:

And save $1.00 on your Cool Whip + Jell-O Pudding Mix purchase with THIS coupon, while supplies last!

Do you have a favorite summertime side dish/dessert? I’d love to hear it. Never not in the market for more tasty goodness to add to my recipe arsenal.

Crisp Chicken Salad with Apple and Basil

I definitely would not call myself a fancy cook . . . although I love trying out new recipes and experimenting with flavors, I'm not a very creative or talented chef. But I love testing out new dishes, making little changes, and pretending nothing happened if it turns out poorly.

This, however, was a success! I saw this tasty-looking chicken salad recipe at Real Simple and thought it looked delicious. I made a few little tweaks and mmmmmmmm . . . this recipe is definitely worth repeating! I love light, crisp, fruity meals for the summertime, and this one is definitely a keeper. 

One tip, though--you have to use fresh basil. Have to. This is not a drill. I know, it's kind of pricey, but don't even bother making this if you're going to replace the fresh basil with the dried stuff . . . it just wouldn't be worth it. Put that ice cream back in the freezer at the grocery store and spend your $4 on fresh basil instead. You'll be so glad you did!

Crisp Chicken Salad with Apple and Basil

(You can find the original recipe from Real Simple here, but come on, don't you trust me?)

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

1/4 cup lime juice

1 Tbsp. rice vinegar

1/3 cup mayonnaise 

2 Tbsp. light brown sugar

4 scallions, thinly sliced

1 Granny Smith apple, diced

1/3 cup chopped pecans

1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil 

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Directions:

Boil the chicken in lightly salted water until fully cooked, then place in a bowl of ice water while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

In a large bowl, combine lime juice, vinegar, mayo, and sugar; add scallions, apples, and pecans. Shred or dice the chicken and add it to the apple mixture along with the basil, salt, and pepper. 

Toss and enjoy!

I'll be sharing this recipe at Tea Rose Home, House of Hepworths, Fingerprints on the Fridge, and the Shabby Nest!