Craisin Coleslaw

When it comes to coleslaw people, either like it or they don't. I think a lot of mediocre restaurants have given coleslaw a bad wrap with their so-so soggy sidedish. When you do it right, coleslaw is tangy and crunchy and oh-so-good. I like to add different things to mine such as sesame seeds or craisins. If you do not want to make your own dressing there are plenty of prepared ones available that you can use and then add your own touches to. Try this craisin coleslaw with your next barbeque.
1/2 c. mayo
2 1/2 Tbs. cider vinegar
4 Tbs. milk
1 Tbs. sugar
1/4 c. craisins
1/2 tsp. poppy seeds
salt/pepper
16 oz bag cabbage-carrot coleslaw blend
In a medium bowl whisk mayo, vinegar, milk, sugar, poppy seeds, salt and pepper until smooth. Taste dressing and adjust seasoning as you see fit. Add cabbage blend and craisins. Refrigerate for an hour and enjoy!

Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad

I love making cold pasta salads when it is warm outside. They are easy to make, can change with whatever ingredients you have on hand,  are a great side dish for dinner and pack up nicely for lunch the next day. For these reasons, you can look forward to many pasta salads in the upcoming months! When making this dish and others like it, remember that the pasta will continue to absorb whatever dressing/sauce you put on it. I like to add a little extra dressing when I know that the pasta will be sitting in the refrigerator overnight. Unfortunately I forgot to measure ingredients while I was making this so please use the recipe below as a starting point.
Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad

1/2 box bowtie pasta

2 tomatoes, chopped

3 Tbs. red onion, diced

1/4 c. pepperoni slices, quartered

3-5 Tbs. olive oil

1/2 c. sundried tomato vinaigrette dressing

salt/pepper
1/4 c. shredded parmesan cheese
parsley
Boil pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse in cold water. In a large bowl combine all ingredients and toss until well combined. Season to taste.
Printable Recipe

Grilled Chicken Salads

We broke a record yesterday with a high of 64 degrees, proving that spring has sprung in more ways then on our clocks. After a walk around our neighborhood, it was official...springs arrival was confirmed with the smell of charcoal and barbequing which was as thick as the fog we experienced last week. We put some chicken breasts in a bag to marinade, chopped up our favorite salad toppings and fired-up the grill for a light and delicious grilled chicken salad. We grilled extra chicken so that we could have a grilled chicken sandwich for the next day's lunch...yum-o!
Grilled Chicken Salad
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 c. lemon juice
lemon zest
3 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Place all ingredients in a large ziploc bag and close. Toss bag around until chicken is well coated and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Grill chicken until internal temperature reaches 165 F on a meat thermometer.
Let rest for 5 minutes and then slice and serve on your favorite salad.
The salad we made tonight:
leafy green lettuce
craisins (my favorite salad topping)
pecans
carrots
green onions
peas
feta cheese

Printable Recipe

Chicken Salad Croissants

I think this chicken spread is for a croissant in the same way that butter is for bread. I can not think of anything I would rather enjoy on a soft and flakey croissant. If you are making this for a group of people a rotisserie chicken works well for your meat. In this case, I wanted to make a little different sandwich to pack in our lunches for work so I used canned white chicken breast. (I keep canned chicken breast in my pantry solely for this recipe.) I scooped the chicken salad and placed it between two leaves of lettuce so that my croissant would not get soggy during the day. Give your sack lunch a facelift with this yummy chicken salad croissant!
Chicken Salad Spread 
small can of white chunk, chicken breast
3 Tbs. onion, diced
salt/pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika or "Salad Supreme Seasoning"
1 Tbs. roasted red pepper, diced
1/4 c. Miracle Whip dressing
2 Tbs. shredded cheddar cheese
Drain chicken and shred with a fork in a small bowl. Add onion, seasoning, red pepper, dressing and cheese and mix well. Refrigerate. Serve on croissants, bread or a wrap.
Tip: If you like a little crunch, you could also add a little diced celery.
Printable Recipe

Crunchy Noodle Salad

I love having cold pasta salads in the summer. They are easy to make, they keep well in the refrigerator, and they can be served as a side dish or as a light meal by themselves. I know it is far from summer, but as we begin February with a week of forecasted snow, a summer inspired meal is the easiest way to transport youself to a warmer season. This pasta salad is Ina Garten's - I followed her recipe pretty closely, making only a few changes to suit what I had on hand. This dish reminds me of a stir-fry since the sugar snap peas and the peppers are crunchy. The noodles are Asian-inspired with a creamy peanut butter sauce that I thought would challenge our pallets since we usually only enjoy peanut butter on toast and in our cookies. We loved this salad!! I made this to be served with grilled sandwiches but this has enough substance and a enough pizzazz to be served by itself.

Crunchy Noodle SaladRecipe from Ina Garten

1/2 pound thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta

1 pound sugar snap peas - I had to use frozen but fresh would be best
1 cup canola oil
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
3 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds, divided
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded, and thinly sliced
4 green onions, sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
In a large pot, boil salted water and cook pasta 7-9 minutes or until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water, set aside in a large bowl.
Meanwhile, bring another large pot of salted water to a boil, add the sugar snap peas and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until crisp tender. Rinse sugar snap peas with ice water and drain. Add peas, sliced peppers and green onions to the pasta bowl.
For the dressing, in a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds and peanut butter. Pour the dressing over the spaghetti mixture. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds and the parsley and toss together.
Printable Recipe

House Salad with Pancetta & Pears

Confession: there are times when I feel a little un-inspired in the kitchen. Ninety-nine percent of the time cooking and baking is my pastime, my personal therapy, my passion, my fun. But once in a while it will lean in the direction of a chore. (Do not be worried, these episodes do not last long!) At any rate, tonight we will feast on my go-to meal for when I want something fabulous in less than 15 minutes. I mix every vegetable I have on hand with a bag of lettuce and top with a good dressing. This salad dressing is my co-worker's "house dressing" and after he shared it with me it became ours. It is light and tangy and keeps well in the refrigerator for weeks. I'll list all of the ingredients we used tonight, but anything goes...be as creative as you'd like.
House Salad with Pancetta & Pears
Butter lettuce blend
Cucumbers, sliced
Cherry tomatoes
Frozen peas (they only take 5 minutes to thaw)
Canned chick peas (rinsed)
Cooked pancetta
Pear, sliced
Pecans
Parmesan cheese
House Dressing
Wisk together:
1/3 c. seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbs. dijon mustard
2/3 c. extra virgin olive oil