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Cottage Pie with Yukon Potato Topping

Posted by in Step-by-Step Recipes

Tasty Kitchen Blog: Cottage Pie with Yukon Potato Topping. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Sheilah of Sheilah's Kitchen.

 
How many of us grew up with Cottage Pie? Or maybe you knew it as Shepherd’s Pie. I know I certainly did! The main difference between the two is that Cottage Pie is made with ground beef and Shepherd’s Pie is traditionally made with ground lamb. And while both are delicious, I think ground beef is a little more widely used, so we totally have to make one!

This recipe for Cottage Pie comes to us from TK member Sheilah. Ready for this? Okay, let’s go!

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Cottage Pie with Yukon Potato Topping. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Sheilah of Sheilah's Kitchen.

Let’s start by sautéing some onions, since they are the base of this flavorful recipe. After the onions sweat it out for a few minutes, go ahead and add a bunch of chopped carrots. Give the onions and the carrots a quick mix and then let them sauté over medium high heat for a few minutes.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Cottage Pie with Yukon Potato Topping. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Sheilah of Sheilah's Kitchen.

Next, add the ground beef and break it up so it cooks evenly and is crumbled into little bits. Give it a good stir until all the meat has been cooked and is no longer pink.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Cottage Pie with Yukon Potato Topping. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Sheilah of Sheilah's Kitchen.

Next we are going to start layering in some flavor! Let’s start with a bit of cinnamon, followed by a pinch of thyme. Give that a quick stir to make sure the herbs are evenly distributed throughout the pan.

Then we are going to add in some flour. Stir everything around so the flour soaks up all the excess liquid and the mixture thickens up a bit.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Cottage Pie with Yukon Potato Topping. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Sheilah of Sheilah's Kitchen.

Look at it. Doesn’t it look good enough to eat right now? But let’s make it a little more delicious, shall we?

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Cottage Pie with Yukon Potato Topping. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Sheilah of Sheilah's Kitchen.

Add a squeeze or two of tomato paste, followed by some stock. Give everything a good mix and let it cook for a bit.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Cottage Pie with Yukon Potato Topping. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Sheilah of Sheilah's Kitchen.

You just want to cook down the liquid so it continues to thicken and form a gravy-like consistency. Once it’s simmered, remove it from the heat and set it aside.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Cottage Pie with Yukon Potato Topping. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Sheilah of Sheilah's Kitchen.

Now let’s make some tots. Put a bunch of chopped Yukon gold potatoes into a pot of water and boil them off until they are fork tender. Drain the potatoes and then season them with salt, butter and a splash of milk.

Next we are going to add in some cheese! Oh yes. Lots and lots of cheese. I added about an extra ½ cup because who doesn’t want a cheesier topping?

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Cottage Pie with Yukon Potato Topping. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Sheilah of Sheilah's Kitchen.

Go ahead and mash everything up, skins, cheese and all! Side note: I typically leave the skin on Yukon gold potatoes because I’m not into peeling them when the skin is delicious, but you could take the skin off before cooking the potatoes if you want. Mmm, love me some mashed potatoes.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Cottage Pie with Yukon Potato Topping. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Sheilah of Sheilah's Kitchen.

Next, place the meat mixture into the bottom of a casserole dish and then layer on the mashed potatoes. Place the whole thing into the oven. Bake until the top is golden brown and then dust it with some salt, pepper and paprika.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Cottage Pie with Yukon Potato Topping. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Sheilah of Sheilah's Kitchen.

And then serve it up because it’s going to be delectable!

A huge thank you to Sheilah, who blogs at Sheilah’s Kitchen, for such a fun, easy and delicious recipe. This would be a super great idea to make when you have guests over!

 
 

Printable Recipe

Cottage Pie with Yukon Potato Topping

See post on sheilahskitchen’s site!
5.00 Mitt(s) 1 Rating(s)1 vote, average: 5.00 out of 51 vote, average: 5.00 out of 51 vote, average: 5.00 out of 51 vote, average: 5.00 out of 51 vote, average: 5.00 out of 5

Prep Time:

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Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 6

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A unique and tasty alternative to your everyday Shepherd’s Pie.

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
  • 2 whole Large Carrots, Peeled And Chopped
  • 1 pound Ground Beef
  • ½ teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons Thyme, Chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon All-purpose Flour
  • 1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
  • 1-¼ cup Beef Broth
  • 1 pound Yukon Golden Potatoes, Peeled And Diced
  • 3 Tablespoons Butter
  • ⅔ cups Milk, Cream, Or Half And Half
  • ½ cups Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
  • 2 pinches Paprika

Preparation Instructions

In a large frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and simmer until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and cook for another five minutes.

Add the meat to the same pan with the onions and carrots and cook on medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Continue to break up the meat with your spoon. When meat if fully cooked, carefully spoon off any fat. Return pan back to stove top on medium heat and stir in the cinnamon, thyme and the flour (the flour will help thicken things up and make your gravy). Once all of the ingredients are coated in the flour, add the tomato paste and gradually add the beef broth. Simmer for 30 minutes which will make a nice thick gravy.

While the meat is simmering, boil your potatoes in a pot of water until done. Depending on the size of the dice this will take between 10 and 20 minutes. When done drain the potatoes.

Preheat oven to 400 F.

In a large bowl, mash the potatoes and add the butter, milk and cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In an 8×8 square or pie pan spread your meat mixture, top with the cheddar potatoes and spread evenly.

Bake in a 400 F oven for 25-30 minutes until golden. Sprinkle with paprika and serve.

 
 
_______________________________________

Gaby Dalkin is the young lady behind What’s Gaby Cooking, a food blog that’s bursting at the seams with incredible recipes and food photography. She’s a personal chef and professional recipe developer, and if you follow her on Twitter, you’ll soon discover her two-fold obsession: guacamole and cheese. She has small feet, a large heart, and a smile that can light up the whole building. We’re pretty stoked to have her here.

 

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Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Posted by in Step-by-Step Recipes

Tasty Kitchen Blog: Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Serena of Serena Bakes.

 
Hi! Oh my goodness, I’ve missed you guys over here on Tasty Kitchen! The last few months have been a whirlwind, with getting married and finishing a super fun project that’s due out next month. I’m so jazzed to be back and I’m kicking things off with basically the most amazing soup to ever come into existence: Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Swoon!

This recipe from Serena is loaded with everything you could possibly want on a baked potato: piles of shredded cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, a handful of green onions, and a dollop or two of Greek yogurt. You guys are going to love it!

Here’s the drill.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Serena of Serena Bakes.

Bacon. We’re going to need a fair amount of it. Go ahead and cook it off in whole pieces, we’ll break it up further down the line.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Serena of Serena Bakes.

Once it’s cooked, lay it on a paper towel to dry. Serena says to drain the fat from pan. If you do that, make sure you leave those little bits of bacon stuck to the pan. We need that flavor!

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Serena of Serena Bakes.

Chop up the insides of a few baked potatoes.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Serena of Serena Bakes.

Reserve the skin of the baked potatoes for some extra deliciousness coming up at the end. You guys are going to freak. It’s so good.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Serena of Serena Bakes.

Throw a pat of butter into the same pot you used to cook the bacon.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Serena of Serena Bakes.

Sauté some chopped yellow onions.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Serena of Serena Bakes.

Then add in the garlic and give it a quick toss.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Serena of Serena Bakes.

Add the flour and stir until the flour is cooked through.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Serena of Serena Bakes.

Pour in the stock and whisk the whole time, making sure the flour doesn’t clump anywhere.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Serena of Serena Bakes.

Carefully add in the insides of the baked potato that we chopped earlier.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Serena of Serena Bakes.

Season it up with some kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Now let this cook for a bit and let’s move on to the part that is going to blow your mind. Ready?

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Serena of Serena Bakes.

Add some butter into a medium skillet over medium high heat.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Serena of Serena Bakes.

Add those potato skins that we chopped up earlier and sauté the heck out of them.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Serena of Serena Bakes.

They are going to get extra crispy and you’re going to love them. Once they are golden brown, you can remove them and place them on a paper towel to dry.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Serena of Serena Bakes.

Now, let’s take an immersion blender to the potato soup and make things nice and smooth.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Serena of Serena Bakes.

Once the soup is smooth, add the broken up bacon, shredded cheddar cheese and a whole lotta scallions.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Serena of Serena Bakes.

And don’t forget about the Greek yogurt! Give it all a stir and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Serena of Serena Bakes.

Serve it up with extra bacon, cheese, scallions, and those awesome crispy potato skins as garnish and call it a day! I promise you guys are gonna love this one!

A huge thank you to Serena from Serena Bakes Simply from Scratch for such an awesome recipe!

 
 

Printable Recipe

Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup

See post on serenabakessimplyfromscratch’s site!
4.71 Mitt(s) 7 Rating(s)7 votes, average: 4.71 out of 57 votes, average: 4.71 out of 57 votes, average: 4.71 out of 57 votes, average: 4.71 out of 57 votes, average: 4.71 out of 5

Prep Time:

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Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 5

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Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup. This soup is made over the top by adding crisp potato skins to the top before serving!

Ingredients

  • 4 whole Extra Large Baked Potatoes Or 8 Regular Baked Potatoes
  • 6 slices Bacon, Diced
  • 6 Tablespoons Butter
  • ½ whole Onion, Chopped
  • 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
  • ⅓ cups All-purpose Flour
  • 4 cups Chicken Stock
  • ½ teaspoons Sea Salt (or To Taste)
  • 2 teaspoons Ground Pepper, Or To Taste
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 3 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
  • 4 whole Scallions (Green Onions), Sliced
  • 1 cup Greek Yogurt

Preparation Instructions

Scoop the white insides out of the baked potato skins. Roughly chop the white insides and set them aside. Chop potato skins and set aside.

In a large stock pot brown the diced bacon over medium heat. Once it’s crispy, remove bacon from the pan and drain off the grease.

Add 4 tablespoons butter to the brown bits at the bottom of the stock pot. Add onion and continue to cook over medium heat until onion is caramelized. Add minced garlic and flour. Stir flour until absorbed by the butter and cooked, about 1-2 minutes.

While stirring, slowly add chicken stock to the flour mixture to prevent lumps. Bring to a simmer then turn heat to low. Add the insides of the diced baked potato. Add sea salt and pepper. Cover pot and continue to cook over low heat.

In a large saute pan add 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat and heat until all of the butter is melted. Add the chopped potato skins and fry them until crisp and heated through.

Add 1/2 of the crumbled bacon, 2 cups of cheddar cheese, 2/3 of the scallions and Greek yogurt into the pot of soup. Stir well and continue to cook over low heat until heated through and cheese is melted.

Serve soup topped with remaining bacon, cheedar cheese, scallions and crisp potato skins.

 
 
_______________________________________

Gaby Dalkin is the young lady behind What’s Gaby Cooking, a food blog that’s bursting at the seams with incredible recipes and food photography. She’s a personal chef and professional recipe developer, and if you follow her on Twitter, you’ll soon discover her two-fold obsession: guacamole and cheese. She has small feet, a large heart, and a smile that can light up the whole building. We’re pretty stoked to have her here.

 

Profile photo of whatsgabycooking

Sweet Pulled Pork Tacos

Posted by in Step-by-Step Recipes

Tasty Kitchen Blog: Sweet Pulled Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submmitted by TK member Tonya of 4 Little Fergusons.

 
I’m a sucker for anything with pulled pork. When I first stumbled onto this recipe for Sweet Pulled Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce from TK member 4littlefergusons, my heart literally skipped a beat. Pulled pork tacos with an avocado cream sauce? Heck yes! As the self-proclaimed queen of all things avocado I knew that I had to try this recipe immediately.

I whipped up these tacos and avocado sauce for a girls night in a few weeks ago and every single person gobbled them up. There were even leftovers that my fiancé devoured the next day. Basically, here’s the bottom line: you need these tacos in your life asap!

Here’s the drill.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Sweet Pulled Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submmitted by TK member Tonya of 4 Little Fergusons.

Start with a little bit of your favorite salsa.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Sweet Pulled Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submmitted by TK member Tonya of 4 Little Fergusons.

You’ll also need some roasted green chiles.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Sweet Pulled Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submmitted by TK member Tonya of 4 Little Fergusons.

Throw some cooked black beans into a little bowl.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Sweet Pulled Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submmitted by TK member Tonya of 4 Little Fergusons.

A touch of brown sugar is needed, too! This is what’s going to give the tacos a hint of sweetness.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Sweet Pulled Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submmitted by TK member Tonya of 4 Little Fergusons.

And lastly, grab some salt.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Sweet Pulled Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submmitted by TK member Tonya of 4 Little Fergusons.

Throw all the above ingredients into your slow cooker. Give them a good mix to evenly distribute all the flavors.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Sweet Pulled Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submmitted by TK member Tonya of 4 Little Fergusons.

Cube up a piece of pork butt/shoulder. You can cut off some of the excess fat and then trim the pieces into 1 ½ inch pieces. Add the pork to the slow cooker and turn it on. You can forget about the pork for a few hours while it does its thing. And trust me, it’s going to be delicious.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Sweet Pulled Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submmitted by TK member Tonya of 4 Little Fergusons.

Now let’s prepare the life-changing avocado cream sauce. Start by slicing up some scallions.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Sweet Pulled Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submmitted by TK member Tonya of 4 Little Fergusons.

You’re going to need 2 avocados too.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Sweet Pulled Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submmitted by TK member Tonya of 4 Little Fergusons.

Combine the avocados and scallions in a little mixing bowl.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Sweet Pulled Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submmitted by TK member Tonya of 4 Little Fergusons.

Add a dollop or two (or three) of sour cream.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Sweet Pulled Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submmitted by TK member Tonya of 4 Little Fergusons.

Toss in some lime juice and salt.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Sweet Pulled Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submmitted by TK member Tonya of 4 Little Fergusons.

Add the cilantro.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Sweet Pulled Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submmitted by TK member Tonya of 4 Little Fergusons.

Mash everything together until you have a creamy consistency and then set the sauce aside. If you are going to be eating in a few hours, cover the sauce with a piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate it.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Sweet Pulled Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submmitted by TK member Tonya of 4 Little Fergusons.

Once the pork is done, take a few spoonfuls and place them into a warmed corn tortilla. Throw in a few cherry tomatoes for good measure and then top it with as much avocado cream sauce as you want. Serve it up and prepare to be wowed!

You guys, this dish is kind of-life changing. Like, you should absolutely make it in the next 24 hours. Trust me!

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Sweet Pulled Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submmitted by TK member Tonya of 4 Little Fergusons.

A huge thank you to Tonya from 4 Little Fergusons for sharing such an awesome recipe! This one is absolutely going to the weekly dinner rotation. Happy cooking!

Note: Credit goes to The Meal Planner for the brilliant idea of combining Jamie Cooks It Up’s Sweet Cafe Rio Pork and Ellie Krieger’s Avocado Cream.

 
 

Printable Recipe

Sweet Pulled Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce

See post on 4littleFergusons’s site!
5.00 Mitt(s) 1 Rating(s)1 vote, average: 5.00 out of 51 vote, average: 5.00 out of 51 vote, average: 5.00 out of 51 vote, average: 5.00 out of 51 vote, average: 5.00 out of 5

Prep Time:

Cook Time:

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 12

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If you like cilantro, this is the dinner for you! Fresh, easy and oh-so delicious!

Ingredients

  • FOR THE SWEET PULLED PORK:
  • 2 cups Your Favorite Salsa
  • 4 ounces, weight Canned Green Chilies
  • ¼ cups Packed Brown Sugar
  • 15 ounces, weight Black Beans, Rinsed And Drained
  • 3 pounds Pork Shoulder Roast (or Loin Roast Is Fine, Just Pricer)
  • Kosher Salt
  • FOR THE AVOCADO CREAM SAUCE:
  • 4 whole Green Onions, Sliced
  • 2 whole Avocados
  • 4 Tablespoons Lime Juice
  • 2 Tablespoons Sour Cream
  • ¼ cups Snipped Cilantro
  • 4 cloves Minced Garlic
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • FOR THE TOPPINGS:
  • Stand And Stuff Taco Shells
  • Shredded Lettuce
  • 4 whole Green Onions, Sliced
  • Cherry Tomatoes, To Serve

Preparation Instructions

For the pulled pork, in the bottom of a large crock pot, mix salsa, green chilies, brown sugar and black beans. Add the pork roast (salted with Kosher salt) and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours. Take the meat out of the crockpot and shred with 2 forks. Return to the pot and mix with the sauce and beans. Leave the lid off as you continue making supper to cook away some of the juices.

To make the avocado cream sauce, slice green onions and mash the avocados. Add lime, sour cream, snipped cilantro, garlic and salt.

To serve, scoop sweet pork into a baked hard shell. Top with a dollop of avocado cream sauce and shredded lettuce and green onions. Serve with cherry tomatoes on the side.

Dig into these fresh, easy, delicious tacos! Yum!

Note: My only complaint was that if I made 2 tacos at the same time, the second taco shell got soggy while it waited. Just an FYI, not a deal breaker!

Recipe credit: Sweet Pulled Pork recipe from Jamie Cooks It Up and Avocado Cream recipe from Ellie Krieger of Food Network. The idea to combine both recipes comes from The Meal Planner, via Laughter and Lattes.

 
 
_______________________________________

Gaby Dalkin is the young lady behind What’s Gaby Cooking, a food blog that’s bursting at the seams with incredible recipes and food photography. She’s a personal chef and professional recipe developer, and if you follow her on Twitter, you’ll soon discover her two-fold obsession: guacamole and cheese. She has small feet, a large heart, and a smile that can light up the whole building. We’re pretty stoked to have her here.

 

Profile photo of whatsgabycooking

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes

Posted by in Step-by-Step Recipes

Tasty Kitchen Blog: Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Kelsey of K&K Test Kitchen.

 
Quinoa is kind of my life. You see, I’m on the “pre-wedding healthy eating try to fit into a bikini for my bachelorette party” diet. Whew! That was a mouthful. And since I’m down to the last 4 months of the pre-wedding cleanse, I’ve been eating a whole lotta quinoa. It’s healthy. Easy to make. And it’s light. Three very important things I’m keeping in mind these months.

When I came across this Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado from TK member Kels, I basically smiled from ear to ear. It’s genius. Plus there’s spinach in it—ummm, yes please! If I weren’t on the pre-wedding cleanse, I would have added some fresh mozzarella balls to the finished salad and turned it into a fun caprese-ish quinoa salad. Either way though, you guys are going to love this one!

Here’s the deal.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Kelsey of K&K Test Kitchen.

Start with some quinoa. Isn’t it cute in this little mason jar? Love it!

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Kelsey of K&K Test Kitchen.

Cook it according to the package directions. Typically it’s a 2:1 ratio of water to quinoa.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Kelsey of K&K Test Kitchen.

Once the quinoa is cooked, give it a good fluff with a spoon or fork and then set it aside.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Kelsey of K&K Test Kitchen.

Throw a few handfuls of halved cherry tomatoes into an oven proof dish.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Kelsey of K&K Test Kitchen.

Add some olive oil …

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Kelsey of K&K Test Kitchen.

And some balsamic vinegar …

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Kelsey of K&K Test Kitchen.

Throw in a pinch or two of salt and some freshly cracked black pepper.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Kelsey of K&K Test Kitchen.

Place the baking dish into the oven so the tomatoes can roast. Once they’ve roasted, remove them from the oven and set them aside.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Kelsey of K&K Test Kitchen.

You’ll need a bowl of baby spinach too, so might as well get that out and ready to go!

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Kelsey of K&K Test Kitchen.

Let’s get the dressing ready. Add some tahini and olive oil to a mixing bowl.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Kelsey of K&K Test Kitchen.

Add a little warm water, red wine vinegar, and throw in some fresh lemon juice.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Kelsey of K&K Test Kitchen.

Add a squeeze of your favorite honey and some chopped garlic.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Kelsey of K&K Test Kitchen.

Add some of your favorite salt and some freshly cracked black pepper.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Kelsey of K&K Test Kitchen.

Give it all a whisk and then transfer it into a pretty bottle. I threw in an extra handful of chives just for an extra pop of colors!

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Kelsey of K&K Test Kitchen.

Add the roasted tomatoes and their juices into the quinoa.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Kelsey of K&K Test Kitchen.

Pour in the dressing.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Kelsey of K&K Test Kitchen.

Give everything a good toss.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Kelsey of K&K Test Kitchen.

Add the fresh spinach.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Kelsey of K&K Test Kitchen.

Toss everything together.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado. Guest post by Gaby Dalkin of What's Gaby Cooking, recipe submitted by TK member Kelsey of K&K Test Kitchen.

Add some avocado and then serve it up! If you are serving this immediately then you are good to go. If you are waiting a bit to serve it, make sure the avocados are nestled mostly into the quinoa so they don’t turn brown.

So there it is! This is one of the best quinoa salads I’ve had to date! It’s perfect for pre-summer healthy eating or a “pre-wedding healthy eating trying to fit into a bikini for my bachelorette party” diet. Thanks to Kels for the recipe! Go visit her blog, K&K Test Kitchen, which Kels shares with her mom Kim (editor’s note: Awwww!).

Happy cooking!

 
 

Printable Recipe

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado

See post on kandktestkitchen’s site!
4.00 Mitt(s) 3 Rating(s)3 votes, average: 4.00 out of 53 votes, average: 4.00 out of 53 votes, average: 4.00 out of 53 votes, average: 4.00 out of 53 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5

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Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4

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Description

A flavorful salad with a tasty tahini vinaigrette dressing!

Ingredients

  • FOR THE SALAD:
  • 2 cups Water
  • 1-½ cup Quinoa
  • 1 pint Grape Tomatoes
  • ¼ teaspoons Salt
  • ¼ teaspoons Freshly Ground Pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1-½ whole Avocado
  • 1-½ cup Spinach
  • FOR THE DRESSING:
  • ¼ cups Tahini (sesame Seed Paste)
  • 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 3 Tablespoons Warm Water
  • 2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
  • 1 whole Lemon, Juiced
  • 1 teaspoon Honey
  • 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
  • ¼ teaspoons Salt
  • ¼ teaspoons Freshly Ground Pepper

Preparation Instructions

Boil the water. Once the water is boiling, add the quinoa, cover with a lid, and turn the heat down to simmer the quinoa. The quinoa should cook for about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork when it’s done cooking and allow it cool slightly.

Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Cut the grape tomatoes in half and lay them in a single layer in a glass baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Roast the tomatoes for 25-30 minutes, or until they start to caramelize. Allow the tomatoes to cool slightly.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Make the dressing about 15 minutes ahead of mixing it into the salad.

Mix together quinoa, tomatoes, avocado, and spinach. Drizzle with tahini viniagrette (I used about 2/3 of what I made) and season with salt and pepper. Mix well.

 
 
_______________________________________

Gaby Dalkin is the young lady behind What’s Gaby Cooking, a food blog that’s bursting at the seams with incredible recipes and food photography. She’s a personal chef and professional recipe developer, and if you follow her on Twitter, you’ll soon discover her two-fold obsession: guacamole and cheese. She has small feet, a large heart, and a smile that can light up the whole building. We’re pretty stoked to have her here.

 

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