Rotisserie Chicken Salad

This is my go to chicken salad recipe.  I have made it for many baby showers and always get asked for the recipe which makes me chuckle because it is so easy and basic.  The key is to use a Rotisserie chicken all that flavor is what makes people think you are a genius!  I LOVE the ones from Sam's Club but any rotisserie chicken would work just fine.

Rotisserie Chicken Salad
(8 to 10 servings)

1 Rotisserie chicken, skin and bones removed and roughly chopped
2-3 ribs of celery, chopped
1/2 - 1 cup pecans, chopped
1-2 cups red grapes, cut in half
mayonnaise to desired consistency (I LOVE Hellman's lite)
fresh ground pepper to taste
salt to taste (I usually don't need any)

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl to combine.  Serve on toasted whole wheat bread (as shown), on croissants, or anything else that suits your fancy!

Poppy Seed Dressing

I got this recipe from my SIL Adena.  It is wonderful! I altered it slightly but will put the original on here with my modifications in parenthesis.  This dressing is quick and easy and I LOVE having it in my fridge!

Poppy Seed Dressing

1 1/2 T poppy seeds

3/4 cup rice vinegar (I used 1/2 cup rice vinegar and 1/4 cup red wine vinegar)

1 1/2 cups oil (I used canola)

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 t grated onion

1/2 t salt

3/4 t dry mustard

1/2 cup very thinly sliced red onion (I omitted this)

1 lb. Mushrooms, sliced (I also omitted this)

Mix all the ingredients together in a salad shaker or whisk in a bowl.  I served this over Spring mix, crumbled Feta cheese, craisins, and candied pecans (recipe coming soon!).

Caprese Salad Skewers

I have seen this salad pop up all over the internet. I love that these are bite sized and individual.  Besides they are so easy and beautiful.  I have made them a couple of times now and they are always a hit.  The last time was for this Fall Baby Shower I put on with my BFF Abby.

Caprese Salad Skewers

Cherry tomatoes

fresh basil leaves

fresh mozzarella (I used and LOVE these little marinated mozzarella balls.  I found them at my grocery store.  The brand is Galbani)

balsamic vinegar

toothpicks

sea salt (optional)

fresh ground pepper (optional)

Place a tomato, basil leaf and mozzarella on a toothpick and repeat until you have the desired amount.  Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

(If you don't use the marinated mozzarella, you may want to sprinkle the skewers with sea salt and fresh ground pepper)

Chicken Salad Wraps

Gotta LOVE an easy meal! Seriously, this is faster than Fast Food! Thanks Abby for reminding me about this great "go to" quick lunch.

Chicken Salad Wrap

(4 servings)

1 can of white chicken, in water, drained (or about 1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded chicken, or hey, left over turkey!)

a couple of spoonfuls of lite mayo (NOT miracle whip, unless your into that)

craisins

chopped nuts (I use pecans)

chopped celery

salt and pepper to taste

spring greens

tortillas

Mix together the chicken, mayo, craisins, nuts, celery salt and pepper. I just add mayo until the chicken mixture holds together a bit. Put a big ol' spoonful in a tortilla with some spring greens and roll that puppy up. Now how fast was that?!

My Favorite Pasta Salad

I love this salad because it is SO easy, quick and yummy. It is really more of a list of ingredients than a recipe. But hey, easy is good and maybe I am just LAME but I didn't make pasta salad forever because I had no idea how easy it really was. So if any of you out there are like me, well, let me save you the hassle and give you the list right here!

Pasta Salad

16 oz spiral pasta (I like the multi colored) cooked and drained

red onion

broccoli

squash (zucchini or yellow)

carrots

tomato

olives

1 bottle of Italian dressing

fresh grated Parmesan cheese

I just take whatever veggies I have on hand or feel like and chop them to bite size pieces. Now mix these with the pasta and pour the bottle of dressing over the top. Mix it well and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or over night. The dressing seems to soften the veggies a little so leave them raw. Make sure to toss the salad before serving as the dressing settles at the bottom. Sprinkle with Parmesan right before serving.

Broccoli Salad

I love this to go with anything BBQ or just when I need some veggies with dinner. This salad is so fresh and I love the sweetness of the grapes with the crunch of the fresh broccoli.

Broccoli Salad

2 bunches fresh broccoli
red grapes, cut in half
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 oz sunflower seeds

mix together and set aside
then mix...

1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sugar
2 T red wine vinegar

Put the dressing over the broccoli mixture right before serving and toss until coated.

Taco Salad

This has been a usual in my house since I was little. Although it is always deemed a summer only dish. It is quick and easy and totally an "I want seconds" kind of meal.

Taco Salad

1/2 pound ground beef or turkey breast
1 can pinto beans, drained
salsa
lettuce
tomato
avocado
cucumber
cheddar cheese, shredded
tortilla chips, crushed
Catalina dressing

Brown meat and add beans. Mix in your favorite salsa to taste. Mix up your veggies, the ones I listed are a must have but you can use anything you like. We usually just grab whatever we have in our garden. Put beans and meat mixture in the bottom of individual bowls. Top with salad, cheese, and crushed tortilla chips. Add Catalina dressing to taste. The dressing is the key in this salad, it gives it the right flavor.

Sweet Pork and Tomatillo Dressing

While we lived in Utah we became addicted to Cafe Rio's sweet pork salad. Now that we live on the other side of the US recipes like this are priceless! Now, I know that this isn't exactly the same, but all you who live near a Cafe Rio or Costa Vida can just turn your back and go get yourself the real thing. But for those of us less fortunates, here are some great recipes!

Sweet Pork

3 lb pork roast (butt or shoulder) I like tenderloin
1 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 t dried oregano
1 t powdered ginger
1 t salt
1 t chili powder
1 t garlic powder
1 T dried minced onion
2 cans red enchilada sauce
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar

Cook all the ingredients except the enchilada sauce and brown sugar in you crock pot all day. One hour before serving, remove pork and shred, dump out the cooking juices. Put shredded pork back in crock pot and add enchilada sauce and brown sugar, let cook for one hour. This will make a lot of pork. We like to do it Cafe Rio style with a fresh tortilla on the bottom and then piled high with pork, beans, rice, lettuce, pico, guacamole etc. It is also great as a tamale filling or for tacos, ok it is great anyway you eat it! Oh, and don't forget the dressing...

Tomatillo Dressing

Place all the following in a blender, blend until smooth:

3 tomatillos, cut into 1/4's
juice of half a lime
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
1 pkg dry ranch buttermilk dressing
1 cup fresh cilantro
4 green onions
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 t sugar
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, to taste*

*I usually put in less than half, it gets spicy fast and the longer the dressing sits the more spicy it gets.

Chopped Chicken Salad

This is a great recipe, so flavorful and fresh. Do you ever have left over BBQ chicken that you don't know what to do with? Well, this salad will make you BBQ a few extra pieces just to be sure you have leftovers. Besides, once the chicken is cooked this is the easiest dinner you will make all week! Now what is not to love about that?

Chopped Chicken Salad

1/2 head iceberg lettuce
1/2 head romain lettuce
1/2 bunch cilantro
6-8 fresh basil leaves
2 green onions
2 tomatoes
1 avocado
1 can black beans, drained
1 cup frozen corn
2 pieces grilled BBQ chicken, cold
shredded jack cheese
ranch dressing
BBQ sauce
crushed tortilla chips

chop all the veggies and chicken. Saute corn in olive oil until lightly browned and let cool. Toss the first 11 ingredients together. Top with ranch dressing, BBQ sauce, and crushed chips.