Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Marinated Chicken Salad

submitted by Carrie

Dressing:
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbl. soy sauce

Chicken marinade:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup water
2 Tbl. white vinegar
1 Tbl. brown sugar
2 Tbl. oil
1/2 tsp. pepper

Crunchies:
2 pkg. Ramen noodles, without flavoring
4 Tbl. butter
2 Tbl. sugar
1/4 cup sesame or sunflower seeds
3/4 cup slivered or sliced almonds

3-4 lbs. boneless chicken breasts, cut in strips
1 16 oz. can mandarin oranges
2 heads (approx.) leafy greens of your choice

1. Combine dressing ingredients in a tightly-sealed jar. Set aside.
2. Combine marinade ingredients in a large measuring cup. Set aside.
3. To make crunchies (can be done ahead):
- break noodles into tiny pieces (I just crush 'em up wiht my hands while they're still in the package)
- melt butter in large skillet
- add sugar, noodles, seeds and almonds
- brown over low-med heat until golden in color and toasted
- be careful not to burn; stir frequently
- let cool and set aside
4. Pour chicken marinade into large skillet and add cut chicken strips to marinade. Cook in marinade over med. heat for 15-20 minutes. (I find it doesn't usually take nearly that long though.) Stir frequently to be sure all the chicken is cooked evenly.
5. Wash greens and tear into bite sized pieces. Place in large serving bowl.
6. Drain mandarin oranges and place on top of greens in bowl.
7. When chicken is cooked through, remove from marinade with slotted spoon and place on top of greens. Discard marinade.
8. Just before serving, place crunchies on top of greens.
9. Shake the dressing thorgouhly and immediately before serving and pour evenly over salad. Toss to combine.
10. Serve and enjoy!

Thursday, March 09, 2006

Layered Tortellini Spinach Salad

submitted by Mrs. T

1 9-ounce package frozen or refrigerated cheese tortellini
2 cups shredded red cabbage
6 cups torn fresh spinach (or use whole baby spinach)
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 8-ounce bottle ranch dressing
Cooked crumbled bacon if desired

Cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water; set aside. In a large glass bowl, layer cabbage, spinach, tortellini, tomatoes, and onions. Pour dressing over top; sprinkle with bacon if desired. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Yield: 8-10 servings.

This great recipe is from Taste of Home magazine. I make this every year for the season-opener potluck at our favorite campground. It is so easy, but very delicious.

Hot Ham and Potato Salad

submitted by Mrs. T

2 lb. red potatoes, scrubbed and cut in 1-inch cubes
8 ounces smoked ham steak, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 Tblsp. cider vinegar
1 Tblsp. honey
2 tsp. coarse-grained mustard (I often use the Dijon pub-style with mustard seeds)
1/3 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise (light works fine)
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
Chopped parsley to taste
Hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered (optional)
Plum tomatoes, quartered (optional)

Place potatoes in saucepan; cover with lightly salted water. Bring to boil, cover, lower heat, and simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook ham in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove ham to a large bowl, using a slotted spoon. Add celery and onion to the bowl.
Pour vinegar into warm skillet, stirring to dissolve browned bits in bottom of pan. Stir in honey and mustard. Slowly whisk in mayo. Add salt, pepper, and Tabasco.
Drain cooked potatoes and, while still warm, add to mixing bowl. Pour dressing over potatoes. Toss gently to combine, then sprinkle on the chopped parsley. Serve salad in a shallow bowl (or even in the skillet) encircled with egg and tomato quarters (sprinkled with salt & pepper) if desired. Serve warm. Yield : 4 servings.

Greek Pasta Salad

submitted by Mrs. T

2 cups cold cooked chicken in bite-size pieces
8 ounces rotini, cooked as package directs
2 ribs celery, chopped
1/2 large sweet red pepper, chopped
3 or 4 green onions, thinly sliced
Small can sliced black olives, or as many whole black olives as you like
2 to 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Mustard-Tarragon Dressing (recipe follows) OR 1 cup Italian dressing

Mustard-Tarragon Dressing
:
2/3 cup vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, split (or use 1/2 tsp. dried minced garlic)
1 Tblsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 tsp. pepper
Combine all in a jar and shake very well.

Combine dressing with salad ingredients in a large bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
It should be served cold. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

This recipe is from Cook & Tell, my favorite cooking newsletter. This salad always goes over well whenever I serve it. If I want to make it as a side dish, I just leave out the chicken.

Chicken Rice Salad

submitted by Mrs. T

5 cups cubed cooked chicken
3 cups cooked rice
1 1/2 cups diced green or red pepper
1 1/2 cups sliced celery
1 20-ounce can sliced pineapple, drained and cut into tidbits
3/4 cup mayonnaise (light works fine)
4 tsp. orange juice
2 tsp. vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
Garlic powder to taste
1 15-ounce can mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, rice, diced peppers, celery, and pineapple. In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, orange juice, vinegar, salt, ginger and garlic powder for dressing. Just before serving, gently fold in the oranges and almonds. Yield: 10-12 servings

This wonderful recipe is slightly adapted from Taste of Home magazine. I get together with a small group of ladies every month for lunch or tea, and this salad was a big hit with that group. It's delicious!

Monday, March 06, 2006

Cobb salad

1 small head of lettuce, spinach or romaine leaves
2 cuts cut-up chicken
3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1-2 ripe avocados, chopped
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Lemon vinaigrette
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic finely chopped

1. Prepare lemon vinaigrette by shaking all ingredients in a tightly covered container. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Wash and tear lettuce into pieces. Place into large serving bowl (or do individual salad bowls if you prefer). Top with remaining ingredients. Serve with vinaigrette.

I often make this salad without the chicken and I add a few more veggies like carrots or celery - whatever I have on hand. The best part about this salad is the combination of bacon, blue cheese (one of my all time favorites!), avocado and egg. Enjoy!