Jenna Atkinson

Jenna is a self taught, home cook with a passion for baking. She gets her culinary inspiration by travelling abroad, and learning new culinary techniques.

Avocado Cream Sauce for Tacos

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Avocado cream sauce is a sauce made out of avocados that is blended with yogurt and herbs to make a tangy, citrusy sauce for tacos.

Avocado crema sauce can be a replacement sauce for salsa. It acts to bring together the meat and vegetables in the taco to melt the flavors together.

Avocado Cream Sauce for Tacos

What is avocado cream sauce made of

Avocado cream sauce is made with thick plain yogurt which gives the crema a thick base.

The yogurt mixed with avocado makes the sauce creamy and full bodied. It has a strong lime flavor to the avocado crema that finishes the sauce off well.

Can you make avocado crema spicy

If you’re looking for a taco avocado sauce that has bit more spice to it, you can add a jalapeno with the seeds removed. Jalapeno can add a punch to the sauce that some people crave in tacos!

What can you add avocado cream sauce to

Avocado cream sauce can be added to:

  • shrimp tacos
  • pulled pork tacos
  • chicken tacos
  • vegetarian tacos
  • coleslaw
Avocado Cream Sauce for Tacos

You can add your avocado crema sauce to coleslaw for your tacos.

Mix a couple of spoonful’s of avocado cream sauce and some red and green slices of cabbage.

Add this to your taco for the base, then add any meat on top of the coleslaw. Top with a bit more avocado cream sauce and your taco is ready to serve.

Avocado Cream Sauce for Tacos
Avocado Cream Sauce for Tacos
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Avocado Cream Sauce for Tacos

How to make avocado cream sauce for tacos
Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: condiment
Keyword: sauce
Yield: 1 cup

Equipment

  • Food processor

Materials

  • 1 medium avocado
  • 1/2 cup cilantro
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt 5-10% fat content or Greek
  • 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

  • Cut avocado in half. Remove the pit and scoop out the insides of the avocado. Place the insides of the avocado in a food processor.
  • Add cilantro, garlic, lime juice, yogurt, olive oil, and salt to the food processor.
  • Pulse only for 1 second at a time. Pulse until the avocado cream sauce comes together. It should take about 8-12 pulses before the avocado crema is ready.
  • Add avocado cream sauce to your tacos as a sauce. Alternatively, this avocado crema can be added to coleslaw (red and green cabbage slices) to create an avocado creamy coleslaw for tacos.

Chocolate Bark Meaning

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Chocolate bark is a dessert that is made of a variety of dried fruits, nuts, or candy, which is embedded into a layer of chocolate.

The foods that are added to the top of the layer of chocolate are not pressed in, only the weight of gravity will solidify them into the chocolate.

The meaning of chocolate bark is for the chocolate dessert to resemble the look of a tree branch. Having a variety of foods on the top of the chocolate gives the chocolate bark a rustic, abstract look to it. This is why it is called chocolate bark.

Chocolate Bark Meaning

How is chocolate bark made

  1. Chocolate is first melted down or tempered. The melted chocolate is spread by a pastry scraper or spatula on a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
  2. Nuts, dried fruit or candy is dropped from approximately 12″ to let it fall into the chocolate.
  3. The chocolate is placed in the fridge for about an hour until it’s fully hardened.
  4. Chocolate bark is broken up into smaller pieces to serve. Each piece is about 2″- 3″ for each person to have a couple of bites of chocolate bark.
  5. Store excess chocolate bark at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
chocolate bark meaning
How is chocolate bark made

How to Clean a Garlic Press

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  1. Open the garlic press to expose the garlic trapped inside the press.
  2. Some garlic presses have an easy removing feature. It will look similar to the makeup of the garlic press, but generally it’s rubber. Fold the garlic press in the opposite direction to remove the garlic residue from the garlic press.
  3. If your garlic press does not have the easy removal option, add a little oil to the garlic that is trapped inside the press.
  4. Take a flat ended sturdy metal kitchen utensil (a butter knife or the end of a measuring cup) and scrape the garlic press clean. Do not remove the garlic with your fingers, or your fingers will smell like garlic.
  5. Soak the garlic press in warm soapy water, and use a cloth to clean the garlic press. If you prefer to use a dishwasher, lie the garlic press flat and place it on the top rack. The garlic press will come out spotless when cleaned with a dishwasher. However, there is a risk of the rubber or plastic parts of the garlic press deteriorating over time.
How to Clean a Garlic Press

Can you use a garlic press without peeling

You can use a garlic press without peeling the garlic first, but it does make cleaning the garlic press much more difficult.

How to Clean a Garlic Press

Is using a garlic press the same as mincing

Mincing garlic is chopping garlic up into very small pieces. Whereas, using a garlic press crushes the garlic. A garlic press exposes more the edges of the garlic than chopping. Therefore using a garlic press is just about the same as mincing garlic, but with a lot less effort.

Is using a garlic press the same as mincing

Can you grate garlic

If you don’t have a mincer, you can grate garlic by rubbing it up and down on a grater with the smallest holes. Be careful when you get close to the end of the garlic, as you may have the potential to hurt your fingers if they come in contact with the grater.

Can you use a garlic press for Ginger

You can use a garlic press for ginger with a bit more force. Ginger can be quite large, make sure to cut your piece of ginger so it fits nicely in your garlic press. Then use quite a bit of strength to push the ginger through the press.

How to Make a Dome Mousse Cake

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Dome mousse cakes are eye catching since they are full of layers of dessert. When you cut the dome mousse cake, you can see how intricate the dessert looks.

Creating a mousse cake is more about preparing each component individually, and then assembling it at the end.

A dome mousse cake is made by using 1 flavor of mousse, a center filling, and a base for the cake to sit on.

How to Make a Dome Mousse Cake

Select flavor of mousse for dome cake

To make a dome mousse cake, you’ll need to pick the main flavor of mousse that your dessert will be based around.

  • Lemon Mousse
  • Raspberry Mousse
  • Blackberry Mousse
  • Blueberry Mousse
  • Honey Mousse
  • Guava Mousse
  • Vanilla Bean Mousse
  • Cheesecake Mousse
  • Durian Mousse
  • Chocolate Mousse

Prepare your mousse and let it chill for 4 hours prior to assembling your dome mousse cake.

flavor of mousse for dome

Select your center filling of your dome mousse cake

The center filling of your dome mousse cake should compliment the flavor of mousse you selected.

  • white chocolate ganache
  • dark chocolate ganache
  • maraschino cherries
  • jam
  • caramel sauce
  • chocolate sauce
  • strawberry purée
  • raspberry purée
  • fruit sauce (blackberry, blueberry, strawberry)

Use a melon baller to spoon out a perfect sphere of center filling for your dome mousse cake.

Select your center filling of your dome mousse cake

For center fillings like sauce or purée, you can just spoon a little of the filling into your mold. Shape the mousse so that there is a half circle area for you to place your center filling in.

Base for dome mousse cake

Prepare your dome mousse cake base. You can bake the crust in a 9″x13″ pan, and then let it cool down.

Use a cookie cutter or glass to “cut” out a perfect circle that will fit your silicone half sphere mold. You’ll have to measure to make sure it will fit.

Using an empty silicone mold, match it up with a glass that will be a similar size to fit just inside the mold.

Coating for dome mousse cake (optional)

Coating for dome mousse cake

Garnish ideas for dome mousse cake

Garnish ideas for dome mousse cake

How to make a dome mousse cake

To make a dome mousse cake, prepare it in a silicone half sphere mold.

  1. Press the chilled mousse of the dome mousse cake into the silicone half sphere mold, making sure to fill all of the crevasses. Press hard to make sure there are no blemishes that will appear when you remove the mold.
  2. Place the center filling of the dome mousse cake using a melon baller. At this point you can put more of the mousse around the center filling on the edges. Another option is to put the mousse completely over the center filling to cover it. The center looks well presented this way. It will look like it is encased.
  3. Use a cookie cutter or glass to “cut” out a perfect circle of cake base that will fit your silicone half sphere mold. You’ll have to measure to make sure it will fit. Using an empty silicone mold, match it up with a glass that will be a similar size to fit just inside the mold.
  4. Place the dome dessert cut out base onto the mousse and center filling. Press it in well so it sticks to the body composition of the dome dessert.
  5. Place the dome mousse cake in the freezer overnight with it upside down. The mold should be on the bottom, and the base of the cake on top. Place the molds on a plate or in an airtight container.
  6. Remove the silicone mold from the dome dessert. Use your fingers to gently pry the mold from the body of the dome mousse cake. Press down on the top of the silicone mold to remove the frozen dome dessert.
  7. Place the dome mousse cake on a wire rack with a plate underneath to catch any drippings.
  8. Pour your glaze coating over your dome dessert. (optional)
  9. Add your garnish to the dome mousse cake and serve immediately. If it’s too hard to serve, let it thaw for about 10-15 minutes before serving.
  • Raspberry Mousse for Entremet
  • Select your center filling of your dome mousse cake
  • Center of Frozen Dome shaped Dessert
  • Shortbread Cookie Cake Base for Entremet
  • base for entremet cake
  • Base of Frozen Dome shaped Dessert
  • flavor of mousse for dome
  • dome mousse cake
  • dome mousse cake
how to make a dome mousse cake

How to Make a Frozen Dome Shaped Dessert

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Create your own frozen dome shaped desserts right at home with colorful layers and textures of dessert.

To make a dome shaped dessert, you’ll need half sphere silicone molds to create the shape for your decadent frozen dessert.

How to Make a Frozen Dome Shaped Dessert

Outer Layer of the Dome Shaped Dessert

The outer layer of the dome dessert will be the primary color showing.

You can cover the outer portion of the dessert in a coating. The coating could be a

For the outer layer, you can add a small garnish to finish off the dessert.

Garnish Ideas for Dome Shaped Dessert

How to make Entremet dome Cake Recipe with Mirror Glaze

Inner Layer under the coating of the Dome Shaped Dessert

The inner layer under the coating of the frozen dome dessert is going to be a primary flavor for your dessert.

The primary flavor of dessert sets the tone and texture for your dessert. Ice cream or mousse work very well as a primary flavor.

Select your mousse or ice cream and press it into the half sphere silicone mold. Make sure you put this layer right to the edges of the silicone mold. Press this layer very hard into the mold. This will ensure there are no blemishes in your final dessert when you remove it from the mold. You’ll want this layer to be about an inch thick. Try to make it fairy even all around the mold. Use the back of a spoon to guide the primary layer into place.

If you’re working with layers of ice cream, you’ll have to pop it in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Then add your next layer of ice cream in the same way. Make sure to leave room for your center filling. Place it in the freezer again for 30 minutes prior to adding the center filling.

For mousse layers, there is no need to freeze the dessert when creating your dome dessert. Just fill with your primary layer and center filling, and add your base. Then place it in the freezer for 4 hours to let it set.

Center of Frozen Dome Dessert

Center of Frozen Dome Shaped Dessert

The center of the frozen dessert is filled with a sweet filling.

  • white chocolate ganache
  • dark chocolate ganache
  • maraschino cherries
  • jam
  • caramel sauce
  • chocolate sauce
  • strawberry purée
  • raspberry purée
  • fruit sauce (blackberry, blueberry, strawberry)

Use a melon baller to spoon out a perfect circle of center filling for your dessert. Gently place the perfect circle of filling into the center of the half sphere mold.

Frozen Dome Dessert with layers

Base of Frozen Dome Shaped Dessert

The base of the frozen dome dessert is the bottom of what your dessert will sit on. You could also use a different cake base if you wanted. A cookie crumble cake base would also work well with raspberry mousse.

Create the base of your dome dessert using a 9″x13″ pan. Line the pan with parchment paper, then put your base into it and bake it.

Since you have a large amount of base, you can use a glass or something similar to “cookie cut” the bases of your dome cake.

If you’re creating a mousse dome dessert, layer your primary flavor, center filling, and base. Press the base firmly so it adheres together. Freeze for 4 hours, then remove it from the freezer and

Base of Frozen Dome Dessert

How to make a frozen dome shaped dessert

To make a frozen dome dessert, prepare it in a silicone half sphere mold.

  1. Press the body of the frozen dome dessert into the silicone half sphere mold, making sure to fill all of the crevasses.
  2. Place the center filling of the dome dessert using a melon baller. At this point you can put more of the body around the center filling on the edges. Another option is to put the body component completely over the center filling to cover it. The center looks well presented this way.
  3. Prepare your cake base for your dome dessert. You can bake the crust in a 9″x13″ pan, and then let it cool down. Use a cookie cutter or glass to “cut” out a perfect circle that will fit your silicone half sphere mold. You’ll have to measure to make sure it will fit. Using an empty silicone mold, match it up with a glass that will be a similar size to fit just inside the mold.
  4. Place the dome dessert cut out base onto the silicone half sphere mold. Press it in well so it sticks to the body composition of the dome dessert.
  5. Place the dome dessert in the freezer overnight.
  6. Remove the silicone mold from the dome dessert. Use your fingers to gently pry the mold from the body of the dome dessert. Press down on the top of the silicone mold to remove the frozen dome dessert.
  7. Place the dome dessert on a wire rack with a plate underneath to catch any drippings.
  8. Pour your glaze coating over your dome dessert.
  9. Add your garnish to the frozen dome shaped dessert and serve immediately. If it’s too hard to serve, let it thaw for about 10-15 minutes before serving.
How to make a frozen dome dessert

Greek Pita Bread Fillings

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Greek pita bread wraps are filling and packed full of flavor. You can fill your Greek pita wraps with a variety of different sauces, vegetables, meat and cheese of your choosing.

In fact, in Greece, they actually serve fresh, warm French fries inside of their Greek pita bread wraps.

Greek Pita Bread Fillings

How do you stuff pita bread

You can fill your pita bread in a couple different ways.

One way to fill your pita wrap is by cutting open the pita to expose the inside; it will be pocket you can use for your pita bread fillings. It can be difficult to cut the pita bread and not rip it, it’s kind of like an art to get it just perfect. However, warming up the pita in the microwave or in the frying pan prior to cutting it open, will make cutting it open much easier.

Once you stuff your fillings in your Greek pita bread, hold the contents of the pocket, and roll the pita. This will close off the pocket and you can eat it without loosing anything. Don’t overfill it, or it might rip.

Another way is to fill it in the center of the pita, and eat it taco style. This way is much easier, but it’s also a recipe for a huge mess. Delicious!!

Sauces

  • tzatziki
  • hummus
  • tahini
  • tomato sauce (similar to pizza sauce)
Greek Pita Bread Filling ideas

Vegetables

  • lettuce
  • tomatoes
  • cucumbers
  • red onions
  • avocado
Greek gyro Filling ideas

Meats

  • lamb
  • chicken
  • beef
  • prawns
  • pork
meat fillings for Greek pita bread gyros

Cheese

  • feta cheese

Other fillings

  • French fries
  • roasted chickpeas
  • olives
  • fresh cilantro
  • fresh mint
  • fresh basil
  • fresh parsley
Greek Pita Bread Fillings

Light and Fluffy Cheese Scones without Buttermilk

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Light and fluffy cheese scones are so tasty right out of the oven.

Warm cheese scones served with broccoli and cheese soup is one of my favorite meals.

Dip your warm cheese scone into your soup for an extra special savory treat.

Light and Fluffy Cheese Scones without Buttermilk

What makes a light and fluffy scone

Scones can be dense if they are overmixed. Scones are unique in that they have a wet dough and should only be mixed until just combined.

The light mixing, combined with the leavening agents create a light and airy scone.

The cold butter is cut into coarse crumbs, which makes the scone have a flakey pastry. The flakey pastry creates a delicious buttery scone that everyone loves.

Light and Fluffy Cheese Scones without Buttermilk
Light and Fluffy Cheese Scones without Buttermilk
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Light and Fluffy Cheese Scones without Buttermilk

How to make light and fluffy cheese scones
Prep Time20 minutes
Active Time18 minutes
Total Time38 minutes
Course: Side Dish, Snack
Keyword: scones
Yield: 8 scones

Materials

  • 2 1/4 cups flour all-purpose
  • 2 tbsp sugar granulated
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup butter cold
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese grated
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 egg

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix together.
  • Place cold butter in the center of the bowl. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into coarse crumbs (small pea sized clumps of butter).
  • Add cheese to the flour mixture and mix until evenly distributed.
  • Add milk and egg to the flour mixture.
  • Gently mix until the dough is just combined. Scone batter should be very wet.
  • Spoon onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat. You should be able to make 8 large scones from the dough.
  • Bake at 425 degrees F for 15-18 minutes until the tops are golden brown.
Light and Fluffy Cheese Scones without Buttermilk

25 Wedding Cake Fillings

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Wedding cake fillings are what ties the cake flavors together.

The outer layer of the cake is icing, and the cake itself is the sponge part of the cake.

The cake filling is what brings the cake together by filling in between the layers of cake. The cake filling should compliment the flavors of the outer layer of icing, and the sponge cake.

You can choose to add a little bit more flavor to your wedding cake through selecting a fruit, coffee, or chocolate cake filling. This adds a hint of flavor to your cake, and will be the perfect way to finish off you wedding day.

Typically you can taste test your cake fillings, cake icings, and cake from your wedding cake baker to make sure you’re making the best choice for your wedding day.

What is a cake filling

A cake filling is the part of the cake that fills in between the layers of cake.

Fillings can be made of buttercream, pastry cream, mousse, jam, or whipped cream.

What is the best filling to be added into a cake

The best filling to be added into a cake is vanilla custard. Vanilla custard is one of the most popular, rich cake fillings

Wedding Cake Fillings

Wedding Cake Filling Ideas

  • vanilla custard
  • bailey’s mousse
  • hazelnut mousse
  • white chocolate mousse
  • cream cheese icing
  • white chocolate ganache
  • dulche de leche pastry cream
  • mascarpone filling
  • banana cream filling

Buttercream cake filling

  • cookies and cream buttercream icing
  • pistachio buttercream
  • cookie dough buttercream

Lemon cake fillings

  • lemon pastry cream
  • lemon curd
  • lemon mousse

Strawberry cake fillings

  • strawberry buttercream
  • strawberry curd
  • strawberry mousse

Chocolate cake fillings

  • chocolate pastry cream
  • chocolate mousse
  • chocolate hazelnut buttercream icing

Raspberry cake fillings

  • raspberry buttercream
  • raspberry mousse

Coffee cake fillings

  • coffee pastry cream
  • espresso buttercream

23 Wedding Cupcake Flavors

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Cupcakes are easy to serve at a wedding dessert buffet table.

Since cupcakes are already portioned out, you don’t need a cake cutter like you do with a traditional wedding cake.

You can even color coordinate your icing colors with your wedding colors.

Wedding Cupcake Flavor ideas

23 Wedding Cupcake Flavor Ideas

  1. salted caramel drizzled vanilla cupcakes
  2. cream cheese icing topped red velvet cupcakes
  3. caramel bourbon topped vanilla cupcakes
  4. chocolate icing topped chocolate cupcakes
  5. lemon cupcakes topped with lemon buttercream icing
  6. chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter buttercream icing
  7. vanilla cupcakes topped with vanilla bean buttercream icing
  8. vanilla cupcakes topped with champagne buttercream icing
  9. vanilla cupcakes topped with strawberry puree infused cream cheese icing
  10. chocolate cupcakes topped with raspberry infused buttercream icing
  11. dulce de leche cupcakes
  12. chocolate cupcakes with caramel frosting
  13. pina colada cupcakes
  14. cherry almond cupcakes
  15. pecan pie cupcakes
  16. coconut cream pie cupcakes
  17. lemon raspberry cupcakes
  18. blackberry lavender buttercream icing topped chocolate cupcakes
  19. moscato infused buttercream icing topped vanilla cupcakes
  20. strawberry lemon cupcakes
  21. lemon poppy seed cupcakes topped with raspberry buttercream icing
  22. chai cupcakes
  23. vanilla hazelnut cupcakes
Wedding Cupcake Flavor ideas

How many cupcake flavors do you need for a wedding

You’ll want to select a minimum of 2 different wedding cupcake flavors to appeal to the majority of your guests for your wedding.

If you’re selecting a champagne or moscato flavor, try picking a non-alcoholic flavor for your other guests that may want something else.

Wedding Cupcake Flavors

How many cupcakes do you need for a wedding

You’ll need a minimum of 1 cupcake per person, but allow for at least 1-2 cupcakes per person. Some guests will eat 3 cupcakes, but some will not eat any. This will give you enough cupcakes for your wedding by allowing for 1-2 cupcakes per guest.

Make sure to bring an airtight container to your wedding for any leftover cupcakes you have at the end of the night. You can freeze them and eat them after you come back from your honeymoon.

What are the most popular wedding cupcake flavors

The most popular, classic wedding cupcake flavors are vanilla, red velvet, and chocolate.

How far in advance can you make cupcakes for a wedding

Cupcakes are best the same day they are made. Therefore, you should be picking up your cupcakes the same day as your wedding, or the day before. Cupcakes age very quickly, and can become dense or tough to eat the longer they sit. If you do pick up your cupcakes the day before, place them in the fridge overnight. This will slow the aging process of your wedding cupcakes.

wedding cupcake flavor ideas

5 Types of Salads with Meat

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There are a few classic salads that are made with meat including chicken caesar salad, and taco salad. But there a ton of main meal salads with protein that will keep you full and have a burst of flavor.

You can add shrimp, steak, chicken, or ground beef to your favorite salads for some added protein to make sure salads a bit more filling for yourself.

Bringing these types of salads can be much more filling than the average meatless salad.

Caesar Salad

Caesar salad is a basic salad that can have meat added to it, including prawns, chicken, steak, prosciutto, or pancetta.

Steak Caesar salad is one of my favorite summer salads to serve with meat.

It’s a light salad, but has that extra BBQ sauce topped steak on it, making it one of the most juicy and tasty salads to have in the summertime.

Caesar salads that have meat in them are best served with garlic bread or focaccia bread on the side.

Types of Salad ideas with Meat

Taco Salad

Taco salad is made with ground beef and black beans, giving it a ton of protein.

Taco salad is made with a main body of lettuce, topped with tomatoes, cheese, corn, avocado, and jalapenos.

Taco salad is a unique meat salad in that it is topped with the same fixings as a taco, including sour cream, cheese, and even tortilla chips.

The tortilla chips are more of a garnish, but they also give the meat salad a crunchy flavor to it, adding a little more texture.

Chicken BLT Salad

Chicken BLT salad is made with chicken, bacon, avocado, cherry tomatoes over a bed of greens.

The chicken in the salad is marinated first with a champagne vinegar marinade, making it have a tangy taste to it.

Chicken BLT salad is topped with a citrus tomatillo vinaigrette dressing.

Shrimp Salad

Shrimp salad is made on a bed of greens, topped with shrimp, avocado, and red onions.

The shrimp are cooked in a frying pan to infuse a citrus flavor into them.

The shrimp are cooked in a combination of orange juice, lemon juice, olive oil, and spices. The shrimp are topped with a bit of parsley, making them have a earthy, lemon to them.

Greek Salmon Salad

Greek salmon salad is made with a base of lettuce, topped with everything you would add to a Greek salad.

The Greek salmon salad is topped with feta, olives, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and red onions.

The dressing is a Greek vinaigrette which compliments the flavors of the vegetables.

The salmon is cooked in the frying pan, and then has a hint of lemon juice added to it.

The Greek salmon salad is best served while the salmon is still warm.

Types of Salads with Meat in it

How to store a salad that has meat in it

When making a salad with meat, make sure to store it in the fridge, and not to leave it out of the fridge for more than 2 hours. Meat is not able to stay out of fridge for longer than 2 hours, as there is a risk of bacteria growth that can make you sick. This has a bit of shorter time frame if the salad is sitting in direct sunlight. If you’re bringing your salad for a picnic on a summer day, pack it with an ice pack to ensure it’s staying at the correct temperature prior to eating it.

Types of Salads with Meat