Oriental Chicken Salad and Dressing

Oh my goodness!  Yum! 

Can I have this at least once a week!?  Or everyday?

This was sooooo good and everyone devoured theres!  It was such a good summer meal, especially since it is soo easy to prepare!

A great easy salad that had great flavor too!

Oriental Chicken Salad and Dressing

(http://www.chef-in-training.com/)

• Romaine lettuce, chopped
• Mandarin Oranges
• Cooked, seasoned and sliced chicken (used Montreal Steak Seasoning for Chicken to season mine)
• Sliced Almonds
• Chow Mein Noodles

Dressing

• 1/4 cup mayonaise
• 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp sesame seed oil
• 1 tsp dijon mustard

Get all your ingredients prepared and ready.  I opened 2 cans of oranges and just made enough chicken for my family with a little left over.  You can adjust this to as many or as little people as you need to feed.

Keep your ingredients separated so that you can have leftovers another day.  I put my sliced chicken in one bowl, then the oranges in another and so forth.  You then start with placing your lettuce in your bowl or on your plate.  Top with your oranges, chicken and then top with your almonds and chow mein noodles.  Now you are ready for your dressing.

Combine all your dressing ingredients and whisk until smooth and blended.  Pour over your individual salads and enjoy! 

Todd took this to work and I separated it into small containers with the lettuce in the biggest and then he put it together and it was a great leftover lunch!

Zesty Blue Cheese Dressing and Dip

I found this dressing/dip in my new Our Best Bites cookbook.  This dressing has become a favorite!

It definitely has a bite to it, but I really like blue cheese and really liked the flavor this had.  We have only had it as a dressing and put it on a cobb salad (which I will post later!)

ENJOY!!

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Zesty Blue Cheese Dressing and Dip

(Our Best Bites)

• 1 cup mayonaise (DO NOT USE MIRACLE WHIP!! but can use light mayo)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp minced garlic (about 1-2 cloves, minced)
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1-2 tbsp milk or buttermilk (optional - for thickness of dressing or dip)

Whisk mayo, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar and garlic together.  Add in your blue cheese crumbles.  Depending on how thick you want it, add your 1-2 tbsp milk or buttermilk.

Best if you can refrigerate for several hours before serving!  Eat with our favorite Barbeque Chicken Cobb Salad or any of your favorite salads or vegies!

Ranch Dressing

We are not big Ranch dressing eaters! I know sounds weird, but for some reason we like it but it is not a necessity of life in our house. Well I decided to try a homemade version and see what we all thought!

I think it turned out good, it was easy and it had ingredients that I normally have on hand!

Ranch Dressing

(from Annie's Eats)

• 3/4 cup mayonaise (she used light)
• 3/4 cup sour cream (she also used light)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4-1 cup buttermilk (she used 1 cup I used about 3/4 cup)
• 1 small bunch of chives (didn't have this, added some onion powder, just a dash or so)
• 1 clove garlic chopped (I minced mine)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• black pepper

Combine all of the above ingredients in a blender or food processor starting with 1/4 cup of the buttermilk and blend for 10 seconds. Check the consistency and taste and blend in additional buttermilk as desired. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Store in an airtight container in refrigerator!

Citrus Salad and Sugared Pecans

After a long adventure up in the mountains this summer, I am officially back and ready to try new recipes again!

I made this salad a few nights ago and it is one my mom makes that we enjoy!

It is light and fresh for summer time and my most favorite part about it is....

putting the sugared pecans on top! They are sooo yummy that I always make extras to just eat! I don't know why I don't make these more often, probably because I would sit and eat them all day!
Citrus Salad
(from my mom and ???)

• 8 cups lettuce
• 8 cups romaine
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 pint strawberries, halved
• 1 orange, peeled and cubed
• 2 avocados, sliced

Citrus Salad Dressing

• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp orange zest

Sugared Pecans

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup pecan halves

Mix sugar and pecans, cook over low heat until sugar melts, stirring to coat - spread on tin foil to cool.

Spinach Mandarin Poppy Seed Salad

This recipe came from Our Best Bites and it is super yummy and easy to make! I have almost all the ingredients on hand (except the avocado) and it is a great change to the normal boring salad!

Spinach Mandarin Poppy Seed Salad

(http://www.ourbestbites.com/)

• 8 oz (1/2 bag) of baby spinach
• 1/2-1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped
• (for both lettuce I just used what I had on hand)
• 1/2 thinly sliced medium red onion
• 1 large avocado, cubed
• 8 oz mozzarella or swiss cheese, shredded
• 1 12 oz pkg. bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 large can mandarin oranges, drained

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. When ready to serve, toss with desired amount of salad dressing and serve immediately. If you anticipate leftovers, just let you eaters dress their own salads!

Poppy Seed Dressing

• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• a few turns of freshly ground black pepper (or a little of the regular stuff)
• 3/4 cup sugar (I may use less sugar next time and taste!)
• 1 tsp ground mustard
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 tsp poppy seeds

In a blender, combine vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar and mustard. While the blender is running, add the green onion. Continue running the blender and add the oil in a steady stream and is fully incorporated into the dressing.

Pour the dressing into a serving or storage container and whisk in poppy seeds. Serve over your leafy greens!

Festive Salad

This is one of my favorite salads! I made it last night and didn't end up with a picture, because it was all gone!!! My mom brought this recipe home for a Relief Society dinner she went too and it is definitely a winner!!

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Festive Salad

1 head iceberg lettuce

1 bunch spinach

1 bunch green leaf lettuce

(This makes alot of salad, I often add what lettuce I have for the amount I need!)

2 cans mandarin oranges, drained

2 granny smith apples, cubed

1/2 lb bacon--crumbled

1 pkg. slivered almonds

1 small bag shredded mozzarella cheese

~Clean lettuces and tear apart. Chill lettuces, oranges, and cubed apples. Just before serving put the rest of the salad together and pour dressing over and enjoy!!

Raspberry Vinaigrette

3 ounces raspberry vinegar (1/4 cup + 2 tbsp)

1/4 cup sugar

3-4 tbsp grated red onion

3/4 tsp salt

pinch of dry mustard

3/4 cup oil

3/4 tbsp poppy seeds

Mix all ingredients together and pour over salad!

Salad Dressing

My sister gave me this recipe which came from one of her friends! I end up making this a lot and put it on any green salad!

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup rice vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

2-3 tbsp sugar

Directions:

Mix well and serve on your favorite green salad