Kardeas Chefs Salad Recipes

CHEF'S SALAD

Steps:

• Cook bacon: Heat a large skillet over medium. Add bacon, and cook until browned and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to cool. Place in a resealable plastic bag; store at room temperature.
• Prep lettuce, meats, and cheese: Cut romaine into 1-inch ribbons; wash well, and dry. Place in a resealable plastic bag; refrigerate. Cut turkey, ham, and cheese into bite-size strips. Place in an airtight container; cover, and refrigerate.
• Make dressing: Squeeze lemon into a small bowl. Mince scallion; add to bowl, along with sour cream, mayonnaise, and 2 tablespoons water. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Cover and refrigerate.
• Toss salad: In a large bowl, combine lettuce, meats, and cheese. Add dressing, and toss to coat. Serve salad topped with crumbled bacon.

KARDEA'S KITCHEN SINK COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Beat the butter and both sugars in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat on low speed until the yellow of the egg disappears, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed just until everything is combined. Set aside a handful of chocolate chunks and chips for topping the cookies, then stir in the remaining semisweet and white chocolate along with the potato chips, cranberries and pretzels.
• Scoop the dough into golf ball-size balls using a medium-size cookie scoop (2 1/2 ounces each). Arrange the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 3 inches apart. Insert the reserved chocolate chunks and chips into the cookie dough balls. Bake until the edges of the cookies are crisp and centers are still soft, 16 to 18 minutes. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if using, while still warm. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

CHEF SALAD

Steps:

• Combine romaine and butter lettuce in a large bowl and tear into bite-sized pieces. Toss to mix.
• Add turkey, turkey ham, Swiss cheese, Cheddar cheese, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, croutons, and eggs; mix to combine. Drizzle with ranch dressing and toss to combine. Another option is to place all the ingredients into individual dishes to allow guests to customize their chef salads to taste.

MAC SALAD

Steps:

• If using taro, put on kitchen gloves and wash the taro. Bring 1 to 2 inches of water to a boil in a pot with a steamer insert, then put the taro in the insert and cover tightly with a lid. Steam until tender, about 3 hours. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Use a paring knife to remove the skin, then cut into 1-inch cubes.
• Fill a large saucepan with water and add a generous pinch of salt, so the water tastes like the ocean. Scrub the potatoes, then add to the saucepan - there should be just enough water to cover - and bring up to a simmer over medium-high heat. (Don't go for a roiling boil because you want to keep the potatoes intact.) Simmer until a paring knife inserted in the center goes in and out smoothly, 20 to 40 minutes. The potatoes should look barely translucent and have small cracks and a slightly crumbly texture on the surface. Drain carefully and turn out onto a sheet pan. When cool, peel and cut into 1-inch cubes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the eggs and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and immediately transfer to a bowl of ice and water. Replenish the boiling water, if needed, and add the macaroni. Cook until softened all the way through, at least 2 minutes past al dente. Drain well and immediately run under cold water to stop the cooking.
• When the noodles are cool, drain well and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Peel the eggs and grate them on the large holes of a box grater. Add them to the bowl, along with the potatoes, taro (if using), carrot, mayonnaise, garlic salt, sugar, black pepper, apple cider vinegar and hot sauce. Mix well with a spoon and adjust the seasonings to taste. Eat immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days.

CHEF SALAD FOR ONE

Steps:

• Place torn lettuce leaves on a dinner plate.
• Evenly distribute sliced cucumber and bell pepper strips around the plate, and sprinkle carrots on top.
• Add cherry tomatoes, all around the plate, and sprinkle on sliced black olives.
• Place alternating pieces of turkey and ham around the plate, then likewise, with the cheeses.
• Arrange the hard-boiled egg slices on top, and sprinkle with bacon crumbles.
• Drizzle dressing of choice over all and serve.