Quick Brunch w/ Better Bakery & a Side Salad Recipe for your Next Play Date

Oh fun day! We were among the lucky Mommies to get samples of the new Artisan Melts by Better Bakery. They looked so good that we decided to host a play date and serve these handcrafted, baked sandwiches to our Mommy friends.

The Better Bakery frozen sandwiches are fresh-baked in your oven so it’s like having access to better food on the fly. The company’s promise of “Always Handcrafted” means that each sandwich is hand cut, stuffed and rolled to perfection and I’m excited to tell you that they truly exceeded our expectations! We picked up the Cheese & Pepperoni Pizza and Chicken & Bacon Club varieties at Walmart and began to plan our party. I invited three Mommies and their children including Lea, a Mommy blogger at Free To Be Lea. In case you’re wondering…..yes we let the children run around and snack on cheese and fruit while we sat at the table and dined like queens!

The frozen sandwiches by Better Bakery would be the main course and I could easily pop those in the oven but I wanted a special side dish to share. So I decided to make my Mom’s Famous “Baby On Board” Salad. It’s a recipe my Mom invented for me when I was pregnant and now it’s a weekly staple in our house. It’s made with grains and veggies tossed in a yummy dressing and the best part is that you can substitute the grain and use whatever veggies you happen to have in the fridge. The secret is the super simple and tasty sauce that adds a kick to the basic ingredients. See the complete recipe below. Thanks, Mom! It’s something I’m proud to serve and I hope you enjoy it.

Our lunch was a hit with the Mommies (even if they had to jump up once or twice during the meal to chase kiddos)! If you are looking for a frozen option that will wow guests, these sandwiches by Better Bakery are it. I have to tell you, ladies, there’s nothing as delicious on the market and honestly, your guests will think you purchased them at a fancy store or slaved over them unless you reveal your secret. Better Bakery just launched new packaging so be sure to look for it on your next grocery trip. They are currently available at WalMart, Kroger, Meijer, HEB and Harris Teeter.

Thanks so much to Better Bakery for inviting us to try this new product. It’s now top of mind for my impromptu entertaining! We often have weekend drop-in visitors and I’m called on to manifest a quick, homemade lunch. I know our guests would LOVE these hearty, warm and satisfying Artisan Melts so I’m stocking them in our freezer.

Click here to to learn more about Better Bakery Artisan Melts and find a store near you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

BABY ON BOARD SALAD RECIPE

1 CUP Brown Rice

1 Carrot, medium, peeled and grated

1 CUP Tomatoes, cut into chunks (we used a mix of home-growns from my Hubby’s garden!)

1 Avocado, cut into chunks

1/4 cup Rice Vinegar (we used plain but it comes in many flavors)

1/4 cup Olive Oil

1/4 TSP Sea Salt

1/4 TSP Black Pepper

1/4 TSP Garlic Powder (or chopped fresh garlic if you love that as I do!)

Cook the rice according to the directions on the package. When the rice is done let it cool a bit, so that it’s still warm but close to room temperature when you mix in the veggies.  While it’s cooling chop all of the veggies and place them into a large bowl. In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, rice vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper to create the dressing. Season to taste, meaning add a bit more or less of the vinegar depending on how much zing you like. Set aside. When the rice is cooled add in the chopped veggies and stir it gently. Then pour the sauce over and gently stir just to mix. Serve warm. Feeds 2-4. The variations you can create with this recipe are endless: substitute Quinoa or Barley for the grain and any combination of your favorite vegetables will work. You can also use fresh lemon juice instead of the rice vinegar. I recreate it often but this particular combo seems to be the one we make most often. Some people prefer to serve the salad chilled and you can even make it in advance, but in that case I recommend adding the tomatoes and avocado just before serving. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

This blog post was sponsored by Better Bakery but the opinions are all my own. #ad #BetteryBakery