Taco Chicken and Quinoa Salad bowl

I have been doing the 21 Day Fix since last August... I have lost 20 pounds and last time I measured 16 inches over all. I FEEL better and have more energy and eating healthy has become a happy habit and exercising is my way to unwind after a day a work instead of vegging on the couch and eating.... My challenge is to come up with healthy recipes that are ok for the 21 day eating plan. I love making meals that aren't just meat and salad but a little more exciting. I came up with this recipe the other night and it's delicious! Feel free to substitute things that you have on hand... I just added things I thought would be delicious. Enjoy!

Taco Chicken and Quinoa Salad bowl
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 taco seasoning packet (your choice of brand)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Lime juice , optional
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (I only used about 1/2 a can)
1 can corn, drained and rinsed (I only used about 1/2 a can)
Salt and pepper
Cumin, if desired

1 cup Quinoa, cooked according to package directions
   Salt and Pepper, Garlic powder, and onion powder for seasoning, unless you use an already       seasoned package of Quinoa

Salad mix
Grated cheese
Salsa
Ranch dressing

First- Mix the taco seasoning with 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and a couple of splashes of lime juice in a large bowl. Slice your chicken into thin bite size strips and place in bowl with marinade. Toss to coat. Set aside.
In Large skillet heat a Tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced bell pepper and onion and saute about 5-10 minutes until tender. Add the Black beans and corn and saute another minute or two, season to taste with a little salt and pepper and cumin if desired.
When veggies are tender remove to plate and heat another Tablespoon of Olive oil in your skillet and add the chicken-marinade and all to the pan. Cook over medium high heat until chicken is cooked thru and no longer pink. Your marinade should evaporate or become thick as well.
When chicken is done , add your veggie mixture and toss until combined and warmed thru.

While the veggies are cooking start your Quinoa. I followed the directions on the package and since mine wasn't already seasoned I added a dash or two of salt and Pepper and a little onion powder and garlic powder.  Could also add a little cumin to this if desired.

 When everything is cooked Assemble your salad.
I did this by placing 2 cups of my salad mix to a bowl. Then I added a 1/2 cup of Quinoa, then 1 cup of my chicken mixture. Next came about a Tablespoon of grated cheese, A Tablespoon of Salsa sprinkled around and A light drizzle of ranch dressing...
YUMMO!

Salad with Grilled Shrimp with a Lime Vinaigrette

Since starting my 21 day fix journey, I have been eating healthier... I love trying to find healthier recipes to try and experiment with. And you know I LOVE watching the food network on my Saturday mornings, so when they did a version of this recipe I just HAD to try it out. I love shrimp and Jamaican flavors so I tweaked this recipe just a bit to my taste. Loved it. And a salad like this a great light evening meal. The original recipe is here but I did tweak it a bit. Enjoy!

Salad with Grilled Shrimp with a Lime Vinaigrette
Shrimp Marinade:
2 Tablespoons Olive oil
1 Tablespoon Lime juice
1/2 (scant) teaspoon Jamaican Allspice
1/4 teaspoon smokey paprika
1/8 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 heaping teaspoon minced garlic
Whisk this together in a large bowl, then add:
1 to 2 pounds large Shrimp, peeled and deveined and tails removed
Let your shrimp marinade while you prep the rest of the salad.

3 ears corn, cooked and cut of the cob (you can grill this or cook in the microwave)
4 cups Spring Mix Salad
1/4 to 1/2 cup lightly chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 to 1/2 cup lightly chopped fresh parsley
1 avocado, pitted and diced
One 14-ounce can chick peas, drained and rinsed
One 14 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 jalapeno, diced
1/4 of a red onion, finely diced
Place salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss together. Set aside while you make your salad dressing.

Salad Dressing:
1/4 cup lime juice
1/8 heaping teaspoon smokey paprika
a dash or two chipotle powder
1-2 teaspoons agave (to taste)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Whisk these ingredients together then drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil while still whisking until it comes together. 
This is your salad dressing, add more salt and pepper to taste.
Now grill your shrimp.
Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. If you are grilling on an outside grill preheat your veggie grill pan (I used this then I didn't have to skewer my shrimp and it didn't fall through the grates).
Grill the shrimp until  no longer pink, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
Drizzle the salad with your desired amount of dressing. Serve in individual bowls or plates and top with grilled shrimp. Enjoy!!

Loaded Potato Salad

• I love potato salad. Sunday I decide to make Ribs and BBQ pork tenderloin since I was in the mood for BBQ sauce. I always love potato salad with ribs and grilled things but I was tired of the usual potato salad. I can't remember how I ran across this recipe but I thought I'd give it a try. I did tweak it a bit for my taste but it's yummy. My husband was skeptical at first  but he liked it as well. I thought it wouldn't be good cold but it is and reminds you of a loaded baked potato. I thought I better hurry and post this recipe since the 4th of July is coming up fast and it's grilling season! This is yummy. I just might have to make at my 4th of July BBQ. Enjoy!
• 
  
• Loaded Potato Salad   --Serves 8

• 2 pounds red potatoes, quartered and sliced into bite size pieces

• 1/2 pound bacon strips, chopped

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 1/4 cup ranch salad dressing

• 3 tablespoons sour cream

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 3 green onions, chopped

• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

• Salt and Pepper to taste

• 
  

Directions

• Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until tender.

• Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, until

• crisp. Remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 3 tablespoons

• drippings. Chop bacon when cool enough to handle.

• Drain potatoes and place in a large bowl. Add bacon and reserved drippings; toss to coat. Refrigerate until chilled.

• Whisk the mayonnaise, dressing, sour cream and mustard in a small  bowl. Pour over potato mixture; toss to coat. Stir in onions and cheese. Sprinkle with  salt and pepper to taste. 

• Yield: 8 servings.

Chinese Chicken Salad

Lately Jim and I have LOVED eating salads in the evening. We feel better and less bloaty and full to go to bed. We have also started exercising.... I splurged and got T25, awesome workouts! But anyway, any time I run across a YUMMO looking salad I give it a try to add variety to our dinners... this one was amazing! I followed the recipe pretty much as it was written, but I garnished with just a few Chinese noodles... had them left over in the fridge and it was a good way to use them up. I love crunchy toppings on a salad. Enjoy!

Chinese Chicken Salad
adapted from America's Test Kitchen

INGREDIENTS:
2 oranges 
1/4 cup rice vinegar 
1/4 cup soy sauce 
3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger 
3 tablespoons sugar 
1 Tablespoon Asian chili-garlic sauce 
3 tablespoons vegetable oil 
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 
4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed 
2 romaine lettuce hearts (12 ounces), sliced thin 
1/2 small head Napa cabbage, cored and sliced thin (6 cups) 
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks 
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves 
1 cup salted dry-roasted peanuts, chopped 
6 scallions, sliced thin 
Chinese noodles for garnish, if desired

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut thin slice from top and bottom of oranges, then slice off rind and pith(the pith is the white stuff under the rind) Working over bowl, cut orange segments from thin membrane and transfer segments to second bowl; set aside. Squeeze juice from membrane into first bowl (juice should measure ¼ cup).

2. Combine orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, sugar, and chili-garlic sauce in bowl; transfer ½ cup orange juice mixture to 12-inch skillet. Slowly whisk vegetable oil and sesame oil into remaining orange juice mixture to make vinaigrette; set aside.

3. Bring orange juice mixture in skillet to boil. Add chicken, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until meat registers 160 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to plate and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, boil pan juices until reduced to 1/4 cup, 1 to 3 minutes; set aside. Using 2 forks, shred chicken into bite-size pieces (or you can do what I did and slice into bite size pieces. Off heat, add chicken, any accumulated juices, and 2 tablespoons vinaigrette to skillet. Toss to coat and let sit for 10 minutes.

5. Toss romaine, cabbage, bell peppers, cilantro, peanuts, and scallions with remaining vinaigrette in large bowl. Transfer to serving platter and top with chicken and oranges. Garnish the top with Chinese  noodles if desired. Serve.

Sweet and Sour Cucumber Salad

I love fall... and harvest time and the fact that my garden seems to be exploding with produce. I have an abundance of cucumbers right now. I don't really like to make pickles since we don't eat them that much, but I got this recipe at the kitchen meetings I go to. This was supposed to be a zucchini salad but I thought I'd try it with cucumbers. It was good made with zucchini, but cucumbers are better! Love it! This is a refreshing side dish to serve with grilled meat. I grilled steaks and we had this on the side along with roasted potatoes. YUM! Would be good to take to a pot luck too! Enjoy!

Sweet and Sour Cucumber Salad
Servings: about 7

In a large bowl, empty one (1 oz.) package Dry onion soup Mix.
Pour 1/2 cup White Wine Vinegar over the onion soup mix and let stand for 5 minutes.

Next add:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground Black pepper
1/3 cup vegetable oil (or olive oil)
2/3 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
7 medium cucumbers (each about 5 to 6 inches long) thinly sliced

Toss to coat the vegetables with the vinegar mixture. Chill in refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours--stirring occasionally. Hint--I put mine in a large Tupperware bowl with a tight fitting lid, and every hour I would turn mine upside down, then the next time I'd turn right side up, kept doing that until I was ready to serve.
Drain off any extra liquid before serving.
Enjoy!!

Santa Fe Salad with Cilantro-Lime-Peanut Vinaigrette

Just got back from spending the weekend with my daughter in Salt Lake city. While there we HAD to eat at Cheesecake factory and one of my fav things is to get the Santa Fe Salad... Love the Cilantro-Lime peanut dressing. I have tried to make it before and came close but when I ran across this clone of it  I just had to give it a try....and it was delicious. You can find the original recipe here but I did tweaked it a bit to my taste which is the way I'm posting it. You can marinate and grill your chicken or use up leftover chicken. I hope you enjoy as much as I did! YUMMO!

Santa Fe Salad with Cilantro-Lime-Peanut
Vinaigrette
Ingredients
4 grilled chicken breasts, Sliced into thin strips
1 head romaine or leaf lettuce ( or packaged salad Spring mix)
1 large tomato, diced
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed
1 (16 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 cup fresh cilantro, stems cut off
1 1/2 cups grated Monterrey Jack cheese
1 avocado, diced
2 cups toasted corn tortilla strips **see tip at the bottom

Cilantro-lime-peanut vinaigrette
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 cup fresh cilantro (I used 1/2 of a bunch)
1/4 cup peanut butter
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed (or 1 scant Tablespoon of the minced or garlic in a tube)
1 Tbsp. Honey
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp. lime zest (approx. zest of one lime)
1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
Dash of salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon of water or so (If necessary)

Method
To make vinaigrette, mix the first 10 ingredients in a food processor. Then slowly add olive oil to
mixture, and blend until smooth. Add freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste. Add water if your dressing is thicker than you like and blend again for a 2nd or two.
****You can add more or less peanut butter, lime juice or honey to adjust to your taste. Just experiment a bit.
To prepare salad,  slice cooked chicken into thin strips.
Wash and dry the lettuce, then cut into bite-sized pieces. Mix in cilantro then dress with desired amount of vinaigrette. Toss so your lettuce is evenly coated.
Divide the mixture between the four plates, and top each salad with chicken, then cheese,  corn, black beans, tomatoes, avocado and then tortilla strips. Finish with freshly-ground black pepper.
Enjoy!!
Inspired by The Cheesecake Factory--this is what the dressing looks like. I store my leftover in this handy dressing bottle...it has a plunger in it so I can re-mix when eating it again.

**Tip: Ok, I may be overly enthusiastic about these little tortilla strips -- love them!! In case you've never
purchased them, they are usually available at the grocery store, often found in the salad dressing aisle. (I
found these at Kesler's market ) If you feel like going the extra mile, though, they're simple to make homemade. Just cut up your favorite flour or corn tortillas into 3 even columns, and then cut them again horizontally into matchsticks. Add salt or other seasonings if you'd like. Then pop them in the oven (or toaster oven - yay!)

Chicken Salad

I am funny when it comes to chicken salad. I don't like it when you aren't sure what's in it....  and I really don't like grapes and nuts and all that in my Chicken salad. I will eat it if I'm served it like that but I like a more savory salad I guess. I ran across this recipe on Pinterest, but tweaked it a bit to suit my taste. It was delicious in my home made Pitas with lettuce! Enjoy!

Chicken Salad
3 or 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 stalk celery
1/8 of a medium size onion
Salt and pepper
Place all the ingredients above in a large soup pot with a couple of dashes of salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Turn heat down a bit and simmer the chicken for about 20 to 30 minutes until its cooked through and tender. Strain the chicken by dumping the broth into another container through a strainer. Remove chicken to cutting board and let cool. (I like to freeze my broth for use in soup or something at a later time). Throw away the cooked celery and onion, it's used to help flavor the broth and chicken. After the chicken cools, shred or chop it and set aside.

Next, in a large bowl mix the following:
1 to 1-1/2 cups mayonnaise (start with 1 cup and add more if necessary)
1/2 teaspoon ground chili powder
1/2 teaspoon smokey paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Mix together then add the following:
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1 stalk celery, diced
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 small can sliced water chestnuts, rinsed and drained, (then I roughly chop them)
the shredded  chicken
1/2 cup grated cheese
Toss everything until it's all combined.
Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
Remember you can add more bell peppers if desired or onion or cheese according to your taste.
Serve in Pitas, or sliced croissants or dinner rolls. YUMMO!

Creamy Pesto Ranch Dressing

I like experimenting with salad dressings... which is a funny thing because growing up I never ate salad dressing on my salads, I always ate salad plain or dry you could say. I guess I was scared of it. Now I love the stuff.... have you ever been to the Spaghetti Factory? They have a House dressing that is a creamy pesto ... and it's way Yummo... I crave it sometimes. I had some buttermilk in my refrigerator that I needed to use up and some basil pesto so I thought hmmmmmm and then I had some Ranch dressing mix too and thought that would be yummy... So I gave it a shot and this is what I came up with. It's pretty close to what the Spaghetti Factory has but mine might have a little more Ranch flavor to it, but I just LOVE the Basil Pesto in it ! I like a mixed salad with a little grated cheese and homemade croutons with dressing drizzled over it! YUM!

Creamy Pesto Ranch Dressing
1/2 cup Real Mayonaise
1/2 cup Buttermilk
1- 1/2 teaspoons Ranch dressing mix ( can add a little more if you like more Ranch flavor)
1 heaping teaspoon Basil Pesto ( I buy mine in the jars that's usually by the spaghetti sauces)
1 Tablespoon milk (to thin the dressing out just a bit if it's too thick)

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until all of the ingredients are incorporated and smooth. Taste and add more Ranch dressing mix or pesto as desired.
Drizzle over prepared Salad and enjoy. Store leftover dressing in the refrigerator.
YUM!

Italian Pasta Salad

I LOVE pasta salad... I make different versions all the time just by adding different veggies and different shaped pasta. I saw this new Ronzoni Garden Delight Radiatore Pasta and had to make it into a Pasta Salad to go with my Ribs on Sunday. YUM!!

Italian Pasta Salad
1 (12-oz) Ronzoni Garden Delight Radiatore Pasta (or pasta of your choice
1/2 of a red bell pepper, diced
1/2 of a green bell pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large or two small carrots, grated
1/2 (14 oz) can olives, drained and sliced
1/2 to 3/4 cups Kraft Light Zesty Italian Dressing
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to your taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, slice and dice your veggies and olives and place in a large bowl.
When pasta is done, drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again (I dump mine out onto a kitchen towel to make sure the water is mostly soaked up before adding to my salad.) Then add pasta to the bowl with veggies. Pour in your salad dressing (Start with smaller amount and add more if needed) and sprinkle in the parmesan cheese. Toss until everything is coated with salad dressing and parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper, if you desire, to taste. Set in fridge until ready to serve.
I find that pasta soaks up the dressing while waiting to serve, so I taste right before serving and if necessary add a bit more salad dressing and toss to combine.
Enjoy!!

Sesame Ginger Salad Dressing

I'm not sure where I got this recipe, I was blog surfing the other day. Like I've said before I've been on a salad kick lately, and thought I'd give this dressing a try. It was yummo!!! I suggest making a salad like I did for my Grilled Chicken and spinach and salad and giving this dressing a shot. Except, marinade the chicken in 1/4 cup hoisin sauce with 2 Tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and 4 shakes of hot sauce in a ziploc bag. Cook like I did in the previous salad. YUMM!!

Sesame Ginger Salad Dressing

1/4 cup canola oil
3 Tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
3 green onions, chopped into pieces (you will puree these in a blender)
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced (I'm plugging the kind you get in the tube at walmart in the produce section again!! love it)
salt to taste


1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
 
In a blender or food processor, combine all of the ingredients except sesame seeds. Puree until smooth and creamy. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
Stir in toasted sesame seeds. Drizzle over salad of your choice (see my Grilled chicken and spinach salad with Sweet and Sour dressing post-- I did that same combination.)
Enjoy!!

Grilled Chicken and Spinach Salad with Sweet and Sour Dressing

I've been in the mood for dinner salads lately... maybe from too much cake from my cake decorating class or too many whopper eggs from Easter?? I don't know. I ran across this Sweet and Sour Dressing Recipe and it went with a spinach salad. I got it from a co-worker a few years ago. She brought it to a pot luck we had at the office, I just had forgotten about it until now. It was good, but  I added a few things like grilled chicken  for protein. The recipe also said to put hard boiled eggs in it, but since I don't like them I left them out, but feel free to add whatever you want to this salad.  You could also add fresh sliced mushrooms, but I didn't have any.This dressing was Yummo!!

Grilled Chicken and Spinach Salad with Sweet and Sour Dressing

For the Dressing:
1/2 cup minced sweet onion (if you use a strong onion, use a little less or it will overpower the dressing) I think I will cut back to 1/4 cup minced onion next time I make this.... We had onion breath long into the night! :o)
1/2 cup sugar (I used a little less than 1/2 cup, dressing was still sweet)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 Tablespoon honey (or more to taste)
1 cup salad oil (I used canola)

For the salad:

4 small chicken breasts
1 small bag fresh baby spinach
1/2 head napa cabbage, diced into bite size pieces
1/2 small bag romaine salad mix
1 cup snow peas, sliced in bite size pieces
1 carrot, sliced thin
1/2 cup grated cheese, your choice (I used cheddar, and you can add more if you like)
4 slices bacon, cooked crispy and diced
1/2 cup chinese noodles for garnish on top

First, make the dressing by mincing the onion in a food processor or blender. Next add the rest of the dressing ingredients except for the oil, and pulse to combine. Then with the processor or blender going, slowly pour in the oil and puree until it's emulsified (or creamy looking and combined) You can add more honey to your taste, I only used about a Tablespoon.
*This makes enough dressing for two salads. Or you can marinade your chicken in about a 1/4 cup of the dressing sprinkled with a dash or two of hot sauce in a ziploc bag. I let my chicken marinade for about 1/2 an hour.
Heat your grill, and cook chicken at medium heat for about 6 or 7 minutes per side, depending on how thick the chicken is. Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice into this strips.

To assemble the salad, place spinach, napa cabbage, lettuce, snow peas, and carrots in a large salad bowl, toss a bit to combine. Then sprinkle the cheese and bacon over the top. Drizzle with dressing. (I used about half of what was left of the dressing after taking out 1/4 cup to marinade my chicken.)
Then place sliced chicken on the top and sprinkle with the chinese noodles.
Serve and enjoy!! YUMMO!
My salad served 3 adults, and 2 of them were men.
Also this dressing could be warmed up if you like, just drizzle warm dressing on salad right before serving, it's great either warm or cold.

Leftover Steak Salad

I had a couple of leftover T-bone steaks in the fridge and had to come up with a way to use them up. When I was in Salt Lake City with Sarah looking for wedding dresses we ate at The Cheesecake Factory and I got the Santa Fe Chicken Salad that has a Cilantro dressing on it. So I thought why not try something like that but with steak. Here's what I came up with, turned out Yummo if you ask me!

Leftover Steak Salad

Ingredients for the dressing:
1/2 cup Real Mayonaise
1 Tablespoon Lime juice
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 chipotle pepper with a little adobo sauce (save the rest in the freezer for use at another time)
1 heaping Tablespoon minced cilantro (I use the pre-chopped stuff you can get in a tube in the produce section at walmart, or use half a bunch fresh cilantro, chopped)
1/2  to 1 teaspoon sugar (depends on your taste and how sweet you like your dressing)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
a little olive oil

Salad ingredients:
Leftover steak, sliced thinly (I had 2 T-bone steaks)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 can corn, drained
1 bag salad mix
grated cheese
3 corn tortillas, sliced as thinly as possible

Preheat oven to 350.
Spray baking sheet with non-stick spray, add Tortilla strips and spray with more nonstick spray until the strips are well coated, and sprinkle with salt. Bake in hot oven for 10 to 12 minutes until good and crispy.
For the salad dressing, combine all the ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth. Add a little olive oil if the mixture is a bit too thick. Set aside.
Add a little dollop of olive oil to a hot skillet and then toss in the steak, stir fry a minute or two to heat up steak and crisp the edges.
When you are ready to eat, add the bag of salad in a large bowl with the beans and corn. Pour the dressing over this and toss all together until everything is well coated with the dressing.
Place on serving plates, sprinkle with cheese then add steak to each portion. Top with crispy tortilla strips and Enjoy!
This makes  2 or 3 large portions, but when that's all you're having for dinner, that's all you need right?

Almost famous salad dressing

This is my favorite homemade salad dressing. It's kind of a combination of the Olive Garden salad dressing and the creamy pesto salad dressing that you get at Spaghetti Factory. I like to serve like Olive Garden, drizzled  over a big bowl of salad with olives, croutons, and banana peppers. Or you could put in a container and drizzle over individual salads. Yum!

Almost Famous Salad Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 cup real mayonaise
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (or 1 small clove, minced)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried italian seasoning
4  fresh basil leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil)
1 Tablespoon Corn syrup

Combine all the ingredients into a blender with 1 Tablespoon of water. Puree until smooth. If too tart for your taste, you can add 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar.

Place in container and keep in fridge until ready to serve. Stir to re-blend before serving.
Drizzle over a large bowl filled with Garden salad, black olives, banana pepper slices and croutons.
Serve immediatly! Enjoy!

Cilantro Coleslaw

I came up with this recipe because I was trying to imitate the coleslaw that was put on our fish tacos in Walla Walla. It turned out Yummo!!

Cilantro ColeSlaw

1/2 cup mayonaise (Real Mayonaise)
1/2 of a bunch of fresh Cilantro (maybe a little less than half) chopped fine in a food processor
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon minced garlic (or 1 clove)
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1/8 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper powder
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 regular size bag Coleslaw mix

Whisk the first 8 ingredients together in a large bowl.  I taste the sauce to see if I need more sugar, or chipotle pepper. Add Colseslaw mix, and toss to coat.
Enjoy plain or on tacos !

Macaroni Salad

I love salads, and macaroni salad is one of the best! It's about all I get at Pizza Hut's salad bar! hahaha! Here's my recipe for it! Enjoy!

Di's Macaroni Salad

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1 cup Best Foods REAL Mayonaise
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 Tablespoon French's mustard
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup celery, thinly sliced
1 cup chopped red and green bell peppers
1/4 cup onion, diced small
3/4 cups cheese, diced into about 1/4 in cubes--any kind of cheese works, I like cheddar or monterey jack

Cook macaroni in a pot of salted boiling water for about 10 to 12 minutes or to desired doneness. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking and cool noodles, and drain throughly.
Combine the mayo, vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth. Then add the celery, bell peppers, onion, cheese and macaroni. Stir to coat.
Cover and chill in fridge until ready to eat!
Yummo!!

Roasted-Pepper Pasta Salad

I made this recipe for our 4th of July BBQ on Saturday. I love trying out new recipes. The family seemed to love it! I did do a few things different than the recipe said to, see comments with the *'s by them. Otherwise I followed it pretty closely. This is a recipe from my food network magazine, and the picture too, I forgot to take a picture of mine before we ate it. Looked similar but I couldn't find the mozzarella balls

Ingredients:
Kosher salt
12 ounces rigatoni or other short tube-shaped pasta
2 bell peppers (red and/or yellow), halved, stemmed and seeded
   **I used a jar of roasted red peppers instead of roasting my own
6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
   **I roasted a whole garlic bulb in the oven--see my recipe for garlic mashed potatoes on how to do that.
1/4 cup almonds ( **I bought the slivered almonds and toasted those, then chopped)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon
8 ounces bocconcini (small mozzarella balls)
    **I couldn't find these, so I just cut up mozzeralla cheese into small cubes
1 bunch fresh basil, leaves torn (I chopped)
Freshly ground pepper
Directions:
Preheat the broiler. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Shake off the excess water.
Meanwhile, place the bell peppers cut-side down on a foil-lined broiler pan, add the garlic and broil until charred, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a bowl, cover and set aside about 5 minutes.
Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Add the almonds and toast, shaking the pan, 4 to 5 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
Squeeze the garlic from its skin onto a cutting board. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt; mince and mash the garlic into a paste with a large knife. Peel the roasted peppers and slice into strips; transfer to a large bowl. Add the garlic paste and drizzle with the olive oil. Finely grate about 1 teaspoon lemon zest into the bowl and squeeze in all of the lemon juice. Add the bocconcini, basil, almonds, pasta, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; toss.

**I whisked the garlic, olive oil, lemon zest and juice together in a small bowl and then added to the roasted red pepper. Then I tossed it with the pasta, nuts, and chopped basil.
I found I wanted just a bit more flavor, so I added a couple Tablespoons of my homemade basil-pesto. And then I sprinkled on some Parmesan cheese and tossed.
It turned out Yummo!!!

Easy Bowtie Pasta Salad

I love Pasta salads....I'm always trying different variations of them. But this one was yummy! We had a family BBQ for Father's Day  and this is what I came up with! I love Sundried Tomatoes and happen to have some in the refrigerator. I think they gave this the extra little punch it needed! Yum!

Di's Easy Bowtie Pasta Salad

Approx. 4 cups uncooked Bowtie Pasta
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced thinly
1/2 can olives sliced
1/2 cup (appox.) diced sundried tomatoes in oil (you can find this usually by the olives, and pickles, or by tomatoe sauces, they come chopped in a jar with olive oil)
Kraft Tuscan Italian dressing (or your favorite italian dressing)
Parmesan cheese

Cook Bowtie Pasta according to directions on box. Drain. Place in big bowl with green pepper, zucchini, olives and sundried tomatoes. Squirt about 1/2 cup or so of the salad dressing over pasta and veggies, toss to coat. At this point I taste it and see if I need more dressing, if so add a little more and taste again. Sprinkle liberally with Parmesan cheese and a little salt and pepper if desired and toss to mix. Yum!!
**Can use more or less veggies, sometimes I add broccolli florets too, if I have it.

Vegetable Salad

I used to make this salad all the time. I think one of Jim's sister in laws made it at a family BBQ. I loved it! It's different and really good. Just make it the night before or in the early morning before serving. The longer the veggies marinade the better. (Sorry, I dont' have a picture of this one either, if I make it this summer, I'll post a photo later)

Vegetable Salad

4 stalks fresh broccoli (use only bite-sized florets)
8 large fresh mushrooms sliced
1 medium green pepper, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped or sliced
1 small head cauliflower, broken into florets

1 package uncooked ramen  noodles, crushed (save the seasoning packet for something else.)



Marinade:
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 small onion, minced
2 Tablespoons poppyseed (optional)

Combine vegetables in a bowl. Whisk marinade ingredients in a small bowl, pour over veggies, toss to coat. Let marinade for at least 3 hours. The longer the better. Keep stirring the veggies once in a while to make sure all the veggies are getting marinated.
Right before serving, toss in the crushed ramen noodles. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Mexi Frito Salad

This is one of my favorite salad's that I've had at pot luck dinners at the church. I've made it a couple of times at family BBQ's. Always seems to be a big hit. Just don't add the fritos until you are ready to serve, they get soggy after awhile.  Just thought I'd add it since it's getting to be BBQ season.

Mexi Frito Salad

1 large can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 to 6 diced roma tomatoes, diced (depends on the size of the tomatoe)
1 green pepper, diced
1 bunch green onion, diced
1 small bottle catalina salad dressing

1 bag chilli cheese Fritos

Mix together the first 5 ingredients together in a tupperware with lid. Cover and chill in fridge to marinade. This is good to do the night before serving or early in the morning is you're serving in the afternoon.The flavors have a chance to mix.
When ready to serve, add a bag of chili cheese fritos and toss to coat. Yummo!!!

Pretzel Salad

I love pretzel salad.... Yum!! It's more like a dessert than a salad... but I'll eat it any time. You could make it with strawberries too if you like, just change the flavor of jello and fruit. I might give blackberry a try next time I make it.....

Pretzel Salad

1 (8 oz) package pretzels, crushed (2 cups)
3 Tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 (8-oz) package cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 small carton cool whip
1 (6 oz) package raspberry jello
2 cups boiling water
1 (16 oz) package frozen raspberries

* Mix pretzels, 3 Tablespoons sugar, and melted butter together. Press into 9x13" pan. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool
*Cream together cream cheese and sugar til their are no lumps, then stir in cool whip. Spread over cooled pretzel crust and chill.
*Dissolve jello in the boiling water. Cool slightly then add frozen berries. Stir till soft set (about the consistency of eggwhites) and the jello has cooled off. Then pour over the top of the chilled cream cheese layer and chill in the fridge till jello is set. Then serve.
**Note: Be sure the cream cheese is really chilled and the jello is cooled--if jello is too hot it will melt the cream cheese and the cream cheese will come floating up into the jello that's why it works best to add frozen berries, the hot water will help thaw the berries too  : )