Autumn Apple Pecan Chicken Salad

A crisp, apple studded, protein rich chicken salad that's perfect for a hearty autumn lunch or even a simple weeknight dinner that won't weigh you down.

It's made healthier with a combination of Greek yogurt and a little mayo, and it pairs beautifully with a hearty whole grain bread. Or you can serve it lower carb over lettuce leaves for another nutritious option.

This version is made with rotisserie chicken but you can use leftover cooked chicken breasts as well. I just recommend that you avoid canned chicken for a better chicken salad.

It's simple to make and worthy of your recipe collection!

Try serving it with baked sweet potato fries or sweet potato chips for a colorful fall pairing.

Want to try a different type of burger next? Go for my Turkey Burgers or Black Bean Burgers to switch things up sometimes.

An Easy Classic Burger Recipe

Burgers have long been a staple food in our family. So I guess you can say we are a typical American family.

Growing up we had them cooked to that hockey puck doneness, overly well, but as a kid I didn't care it was a burger. One thing my mom never got wrong though was that she never used the pre-formed patties. That's burger mistake number one in my mind.

Shaping your own burgers from fresh ground beef will give you a fair superior result.

Helpful Tips

After 20 years of experience making hamburgers I've learned several other things along the way to create the perfect burger:

• Use a high quality bun for the base as this makes up a huge portion of the completed burger. Homemade or bakery fresh is best.
• Go for a good fat ratio within the beef for tenderness (personally I prefer 85%).
• Adequately season the meat with salt, this is a big one people often miss.
• Careful not to overwork the beef as you shape the patties so it's not tough.
• Use a food thermometer to cook to the right temp so it's not undercooked and dangerously rare, or over-cooked and dry and rubbery.
• Preheat pan/grill and maintain that proper temp. Otherwise you'll end up with a pale steamed-like patty or overly charred burger.
• Cook at a fairly high temp without disturbing as it cooks, this helps create a beautifully brown crust. The only way I could achieve this in the oven was to start that pan out super hot and not turn the burger until the end, for one nicely browned side at least.
• Slice toppings fairly thin. For texture and this allows the flavor of the beef shine if we don't go overboard on toppings.
• Toast the buns so they don't get soggy and they hold up better.
• If grilling burgers don't leave them unattended. Grills can have dangerous flare ups if you don't keep an eye on things. You should also be cleaning the fat from the grill regularly.

Over the years I've also tried different things like seasoning the beef to build in other flavors, creating various sizes of burgers, and trying various toppings.

I've settled on simple, and freshest is best but you are always welcome to change things up and go more bold (unique toppings, hot sauce/ peppers, blue cheese, etc).

And of course if you are a cheeseburger fan don't forget to add the cheese after turning the burger (during cooking) for perfectly melty cheesy goodness.

If you are wondering what my personal favorite method of cooking is here it's easily the cast iron stovetop method. But the others are nice for convenience as well and I use all three.

Where Did Cucumber Sandwiches Originate? 

Cucumber sandwiches are often thought of as an English tradition. So, you might be surprised to learn that they were originally created in India. From there, they spread to China, the Middle East, and Europe. 

It is said that the sandwiches were created by British colonists in India who were trying to find foods that would fill their bellies and relieve them from the intense heat. The sandwiches then made their way back to England and became a staple component of Victorian-era high teas. 

Today, they remain a popular recipe and are enjoyed all over the world. Quick, easy, and delicious, it’s not hard to see why they have been enjoyed for thousands of years. I’ll show you how to make them in minutes for the perfect snack, appetizer, or light lunch! 

What is a Tuna Melt?

A tuna melt is similar to a classic hot grilled cheese sandwich but with the addition of tuna salad included.

It's layered with a tuna filling made from canned tuna, along with shredded or sliced cheddar cheese, optional tomatoes and it's all sandwiched between fresh bread slices that are slathered in butter. From there the sandwich is pan fried until cheese is melty, the filling has warmed and the bread has taken on a gorgeous golden brown, crisp exterior.

It makes one of the best lunches or a quick and satisfying dinner. And you'll love that it's made with simple ingredients, most of which you likely already have on hand.

Serve it with fresh fruit or vegetables and crisp, salty potato chips for the perfect finish.

Hearty Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

If you love hummus you will also love and appreciate all the similar depth of flavor found in this sandwich!

And if you aren't a hummus fan I've listed an option to make it taste similar to tuna salad instead, with a creamy mayo base (which can also be made vegan). Either way you can't go wrong with this recipe.

It's nutritious, easy to prepare, and it's perfectly filling thanks to those protein filled and fiber rich chickpeas (plus the fiber found in the whole grain bread).

I love to make this for lunch and eat it for several days since it keeps well in the fridge. It makes a great make-ahead meal prep or take along school lunch for the kids.

What to Serve It In

Just like many other similar salads you can serve it in bread, wraps, pita pockets, lettuce leaves, or serve atop avocados, crackers, pita chips, or just eat it plain on its own.

There's so much to love about this versatile, simple, and satisfying chickpea salad sandwich!

This salmon salad recipe is similar to tuna salad but better! It has more flavor and it's a nice change from the same thing we've been eating for decades. I think it may likely become a new favorite!

It's flavorful, filling, contains healthy fats (omega 3 fatty acids), vitamins and minerals, and it is something you can feel great about eating!

And if you make it for dinner for just one or two people you'll be lucky to have some left for an on the go-lunch the next day.

Refreshing Shrimp Salad

This recipe for shrimp salad is a the perfect summer crowd pleaser! It's served chilled making it perfect for a hot day.

It's delicious in buns, over a bed of crisp lettuce, or even plain on it's own.

If you happen to have any left it will keep well in the fridge for a few days for a later meal.

Serve it with fresh watermelon and potato chips for a classic picnic style lunch!

Chicken Salad Recipe

Who doesn't love a good chicken salad? It's the perfect make ahead lunch for a picnic and it's so easy to customize.

This version is made with tender pieces of chicken and a rich, herby, lemony dressing to compliment it. Nothing complicated here just basic ingredients that together make a classic and comforting lunchtime favorite.

Want to take it over the top? Make a layered Chicken Salad Sandwich - served between hearty bread, layered with a bed of lettuce, creamy avocado slices, crisp flavorful bacon, and fresh lightly sweet tomato slices. Who could resist?

Chicken Salad Video

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Homemade Turkey Burgers Recipe

Oh and did I mention there's no grill required here? Meaning no waiting for the grill to preheat, and you can make these 365 days a year even on those cold winter days.

These delicious turkey burgers turn out juicy and flavorful every time! Nothing complicated, just a straight forward method and a good sear and you've got a dinner or lunch everyone will enjoy.

Turkey Burger Video

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Of course they're the perfect thing to make for summer parties but it's also a great recipe for busy weeknights with the minimal prep and short cook time.

I serve them two ways, either in buns with toppings or protein style with just lettuce leaves, mashed avocado and other toppings. They're good enough though you could even just serve them plain.

If you've never tried a turkey burger or if you normally opt for the pre-formed patties I highly recommend trying these, you won't be disappointed!

Best Easy Sloppy Joe Recipe

Who doesn't love a classic sloppy joe sandwich?

They're saucy, messy, good ol' shloppy (yes shloppy) deliciousness. Piled high and spilling over because it's impossible for any bun to fully retain all that tasty goodness.

They may not be the fanciest, most appealing dish, but they are just good for the soul comfort food. You remember the 90's, didn't we all grow up eating these?

You'll love this homemade sloppy joe sauce! It far outdoes that pre-made sauce that comes in a can, which many of us grew up eating.

These sloppy joes from scratch don't take much more effort than a store-bought sauce and it's seriously worth the few extra steps! Made from scratch is always better.

And I think it's fitting to say these are one of the highlights of summer — burger buns piled high with a beefy saucy filling, then paired with all your favorite summer sides, and an ice cold drink to polish it off. This is how you do real people food.