“The first lily of June opens its red mouth.
‘All over the sand road where we walk
multiflora rose climbs trees cascading
white or pink blossoms, simple, intense
the scene drifting like coloured mist.
The arrowhead is spreading its creamy
clumps of flower and the blackberries
are blooming in the thickets. Season of
joy for the bee. The green will never
again be so green, so purely and lushly
new, grass lifting its wheaty seedheads
into the wind. Rich fresh wine
of June, we stagger into you smeared
with pollen, overcome as the turtle
laying her eggs in roadside sand.”
– “More than Enough” by Marge Piercy
The first day of June always seems like the onset of summer. It’s our wedding anniversary, so it has always felt like new beginnings. When the girls were younger, June was the month filled with school concerts, piano recitals, soccer games: more than enough activity. Now that my youngest daughter’s in her final year of high school, she has spent an intense month preparing for school summatives, essays, presentations and debates: more than enough schoolwork. June’s exams seem almost idyllic in comparison.
She’s in her last month now of living at home full time. She and her older sister are working at camp most of the summer, and she’ll be heading off to university in the fall. We have had an abundance of shared memories and joy, but somehow “more than enough” doesn’t seem like quite enough.
Whatever your summer looks like, this chicken taco salad is a perfect summer entree – light, filling and delicious. Whenever I find a recipe that everyone in my family likes, I make a big deal about it on this blog, and it enters my permanent rotation. We all loved this salad more than enough.
Chicken Taco Salad
(adapted from Julia’s Album)
Ingredients
Chicken:
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 chicken breasts
2 Tbsp taco seasoning
Salad:
4 cups spinach, torn into bird-sized pieces
4 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1 1/2 to 2 red peppers, thinly sliced and halved lengthwise
2/3 cup corn
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
Tortilla chips, crushed
Ranch salad dressing
Instructions
Season the chicken breasts with taco seasoning on both sides. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool the breasts then slice them into small cubes.
Toss all salad ingredients (chicken, spinach, green onions, red onion, red pepper, corn, grated cheese) together in a large salad bowl. Serve on individual plates, top with tortilla chips and drizzle with ranch dressing.
I love taco salads and this one definitely looks a little healthier than the average!
Sues
i love taco salad! this is very similar to something i eat for lunch at least once a week.
happy anniversary!
Tortilla chips always add just the right crunch to salads.
Changes are very tough, but hopefully things will work out for you and your family just great!
A very delicious and healthy taco salad! Happy Anniversary!!!
OMG Chicken Taco Salad!? Yes, please! It looks gorgeous! Happy Anniversary!
I can see why everyone in your household enjoys this salad. Here's to a summer of change; hope it will be joyful for your family.
Happy Anniversary! Ours is tomorrow, June 2nd! 🙂 Love the poem and what it represents and also love that you and I agree, time with our children is never enough. I like the look of the taco salad, seems just enough of just the right ingredients! Hope you have a great day of celebrating!! xo
Happy Anniversary! June is one of the loveliest months, the best of spring & summer. This salad looks fantastic, not too heavy but seasoned enough to keep things interesting.
Happy Anniversary!! You're so right, never "more than enough". My son is thousands of miles away in California. We've been apart for more years than I can count but it never gets any easier. I cherish every moment we're together!!
Congratulations to your daughter as well, big step in her life and fun times!!!
Our wedding anniversary was on the 24th of May! This is a beautiful salad and I would very much enjoy it! Happy month of June!
Happy anniversary! Sounds like there are some changes to come with your daughter, so I'm sure you'll be soaking up every minute with her that you can! This salad looks so perfect for summer eating.
June is a big month at our house too and there's always a lot going on with year-end activities for school and the start of all the summer activities! Happy anniversary to you guys and here's to new adventures for your daughter. Hope you all get to sit down together at home to good meals like this salad for as much as possible.
I always need 'more than enough' salads for summer! It's all I want to eat in the summer heat. This one looks perfect.
Happy Anniversary Beth! sounds like this is going to be a summer of many changes for you and your family. Love this taco salad…….
Happy Anniversary! And when it comes to the ones you love, more than enough really isn't. Anyway, great salad — I love taco salads, and yours looks wonderful. Thanks!
LOVE this entree salad—hoping my carnivore will, too—or maybe I'll just make it for my lunches this coming week.Nick is home this summer which has really been nice—but he'll be a college grad by this time next year. Boy, the time went by like the blink of an eye. Enjoy your summer and your girls. xo
Happy Anniversary Beth! The chicken taco salad looks delicious, I remember seeing this at Julia's blog…
Enjoy the rest of the week 🙂
Hope you had a Happy anniversary!! Love this salad!!
Happy anniversary Beth! Busy times – I remember those days. Somehow with both my kids out on their own, I feel busier than ever 🙂 Have a great weekend!
Wow our anniversary is June 1 too. I always think of the bridal wreath spirea which were in bloom all over when we got married–I even planted some at our current house for that reason.
You are right that the end of senior year is absolutely crazy–and so full of heart-tugging "lasts." But I guess that means they have beautiful, full lives (she writes, tearing up)