Spinach, Strawberry, and Feta Salad

This salad is light and refreshing... but it's the dressing that really makes it!

Spinach
Sliced strawberries
Crumbled feta
Sliced almonds or pine nuts (optional)

Dressing:
1 lemon - zest and juice (2T juice, 1/2 t zest)
2T white wine vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1T vegetable oil
1t poppyseeds

Mix well and toss with salad

Oriental Chicken Salad

Dressing:

• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil 

Salad:

• 1 half skinless boneless chicken breast
• 3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
• 1 cup napa cabbage, shredded
• 1/2 carrot, julienned or shredded
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon sliced almonds, toasted
• 1/3 cup chow mein noodles (NOTE: we used RICE chow mein noodles, we have found these at Walmart)

1. Blend together all ingredients for dressing in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Grill chicken breast. To do this: heat up your grill, then turn down to low. On grills with a temperature dial – 250 degrees approximately. Spray one side of the breast with non-stick oil, put chicken on grill with the oiled side down. Spray other side of chicken and sprinkle with seasoning salt. Close lid on grill. Cook for approximately 8 minutes. Turn and cook until done – but watch carefully and don’t overcook!
3. Let chicken sit for 5 or so minutes – then cut into strips.
4. To assemble salad – mix cabbages, lettuce, carrots and green onions.
5. Place greens on plate. Top with slices of chicken, sprinkle with almonds and chow mein noodles.
6. Serve with dressing on the side or toss greens with dressing before putting on plate.

Tortellini Salad

A bright, colorful, yummy salad! This recipe makes a LOT of food, so it's great for company.

2 bags frozen tortellini, cooked
3 bunches broccoli, cut and separated
12 oz. marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
12 oz. black olives, sliced
16 oz. each garbanzo beans/kidney beans/lima beans, drained and rinsed
2 red onions, chopped
1 bottle creamy Italian dressing

Just before serving add:
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 orange bell pepper, chopped
2 avocados, chopped
40 grape tomatoes, sliced
1/2 lb salami, chopped
2 cucumbers, chopped

Ribbon Jello Salad

This is beautiful during the Christmas holidays.

3 oz. package lime jello
3 oz. package lemon jello
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained (RESERVE juice)
4 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
3 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup mayonaisse
1 cup whipping cream
3 oz. package raspberry jello (or any other flavor red jello)

Dissolve lime jello in 2 cups boiling water. Pour into 9x13 pan. Put in fridge till set. Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to make 2 cups liquid and heat to boiling. Remove from heat and stir in lemon jello and marshmallows. Stir till jello is dissolved. Place in fridge in bowl and allow to partially set. Mix cream cheese with mayo. Add crushed pineapple and fold into lemon jello mixture. Whip cream until stiff. Fold into mixture. Spread over SET lime jello. Seal to sieds of pan and put in fridge till firm. Dissolve raspberry jello in 2 cups boiling water and COOL! Pour over other layers. Allow to set in fridge till red is firm.

Spinach Salad

I think this is a nice holiday salad... I love the green color of the spinach, and there's just the right amount of sweetness!

Spinach, torn into pieces
Mandarin oranges
Parmesan cheese
Roasted pecans (see instructions below)
Brianna brand poppyseed dressing

To Roast Pecans: Chop pecans. Put brown sugar in small fry pan. Add pecans. Cook over medium heat (careful, they can burn) for approximately 1-2 minutes. Spread pecans on wax paper to dry. Use approximately even amounts of pecans and brown sugar.

Chicken Orzo Salad

1/2 box orzo

2 chicken breasts

1/2 bag spinach

small jar sun dried tomatoes

small jar marinated artichoke hearts

Kalamata Olives

small container Feta cheese

balsamic vinaigrette

Boil chicken breasts, cool.

Shred chicken and season with pepper and dried basil or Italian seasoning.

Cook orzo pasta. When done rinse with cold water until completely cool.

Drain (don't rinse) sun dried tomatoes and chop in pieces

Drain (don't rinse) artichoke hearts and chop in pieces

In large bowl, combine cooled pasta, shredded chicken, spinach, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, Kalamata Olives and Feta cheese. Add Balsamic dressing to your taste. Store in the fridge. In the morning, I've been putting in a small container to bring to work and sprinkling with a tiny bit of straight balsamic vinegar.

This makes 6-7 lunches.

Tomato Cucumber Feta Salad

I have tomatoes coming out of my ears, so I decided to try out something new. I just threw all this together (after hearing of something similar) and it actually turned out to taste pretty good!

cucumber, chopped
tomatoes, chopped
small onion, chopped
1 package tomato-basil feta cheese
1 package dry Italian dressing
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup oil

Mix everything together for a yummy summer salad!

Broccoli Salad

2 heads of broccoli, chopped finely
1 lb bacon, fried and crumbled
1 small package(2 oz) almonds, toasted
1/2 small red onion chopped finely
1/2 pkg. light golden raisins
1 cup frozen petite peas

Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
2 T vinegar
salt and pepper

I love this salad. I've seen lots of alterations, but this way is my favorite. Some omit the peas and almonds and add sunflower seeds, others use grapes instead of raisins. I usually use rice vinegar and add the almond accents and bacon just before serving. I don't like soggy bacon. Suit yourself.

Em

Sweet Pork Salad

1 Pork Roast
3 cans Mexican style tomato sauce (Pato brand, yellow can)
3 cans tomato sauce
1 cup brown sugar
4 cloves garlic

Cook roast until tender (6-8 hours on low in a crock pot), shred and season with salt and pepper. Put in a large pot with tomato sauces, sugar and garlic. Simmer for about one hour.

To make salads, cook flour tortillas on a griddle with a little vegetable oil until brown. Put in bowl with meat, mexican rice, beans (black or pinto), lettuce, fresh diced tomato and top with a sprig of fresh cilantro and parmesan cheese. Top with dressing.

Dressing:

Mix the following in a blender:

1 envelope buttermilk ranch dressing
1 cup mayo
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup sour cream
1 cup fresh cilantro
3 tomatillos
3 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

I got this recipe from my friend Mary Rogers. It is the closest thing to Cafe Rio's sweet pork salad I've tried! Above is the original recipe. You may want to adjust the amounts of tomato sauce and brown sugar depending upon how big your roast is and how sweet you want it to be (but the Pato brand tomato sauce is the secret). I also like to put cheese on the tortillas and bake them in the oven until the cheese melts. So Yummy!