chicken and rice salad with peanut sauce

Another great salad from taste of home.
2 packages (8.8 ounces each) ready-to-serve long grain rice
2/3 cup Thai peanut sauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons water
1 package (16 ounces) coleslaw mix
2 packages (6 ounces each) ready-to-use grilled chicken breast strips
1/2 cup torn cilantro leaves
1-1/2 cups dry roasted peanuts
Directions
Prepare rice according to package directions; remove to a large bowl. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the peanut sauce, oil and water until blended; set aside.
Add the coleslaw mix, chicken and cilantro to the rice. Drizzle with peanut sauce mixture; toss to combine. Sprinkle with peanuts; serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings.

crunchy cool coleslaw

This is a yummy twist on regular coleslaw. This is also a taste of home recipe.

2packages (16 ounces each) coleslaw mix
2 medium Honey Crisp apples, julienned
1 large carrot, shredded
3/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup canola oil
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coarsely chopped dry roasted peanuts or cashews
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, oil, sugar, celery seed and salt.
Just before serving, pour dressing over salad; toss to coat. Sprinkle with peanuts. Yield: 16 servings..

hearty 6 layer salad

This is a quick and easy make ahead salad and is perfect for bbq's for potlucks. This is also a taste of home recipe.

1-1/2 cups uncooked small pasta shells
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 cups shredded lettuce
3 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas, thawed

DRESSING:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 green onions, chopped
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
TOPPINGS:
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Colby or Monterey Jack cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse with cold water. Drizzle with oil and toss to coat.
Place the lettuce in a 2-1/2-qt. glass serving bowl; top with pasta and eggs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Layer with chicken and peas. In a small bowl, mix dressing ingredients until blended; spread over top. Refrigerate, covered, for several hours or overnight.
Just before serving, sprinkle with cheese and parsley. Yield: 12 servings.

Pasta and sun dried tomato salad

This salad recipe also comes from taste of home and it is very tasty!

1 can (49 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 package (16 ounces) orzo pasta
1/4 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes plus 2 teaspoons oil from the jar
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
4 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
Optional toppings: crumbled feta cheese and canned garbanzo beans

Directions
In a large saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Stir in orzo; return to a boil. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
Drain orzo; transfer to a large bowl. (Discard broth or save for another use.) Stir in the tomatoes, oil from sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, salt and pepper; cool completely.
Add Parmesan cheese and basil; toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Serve with toppings if desired. Yield: 8 servings.

Dijon baby red potato salad

2lb. Baby C Red Potatoes (the really small red skinned ones)
1 Scallion, chopped
1 tsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
1/3 c. Hellman's Mayonnaise
2 tbsp. Grey Poupon Mustard
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste


Add potatoes to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and let cook until fork tender. Remove from heat, drain water and add cold water to bring down the temperature of the potatoes. (You may have to do this 2-3 times). Cut the potatoes in half, then add to a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, rosemary, salt and pepper until creamy. Add to the potatoes and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to give the mayonnaise a chance to penetrate the potatoes. Serves 8.

Recipe comes from pinterest

Summer time pasta salad

I found this recipe on pinterest and cannot wait to try it out. We love pasta salad at our house.

Sherry Shallot Vinaigrette
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup Sherry Vinegar
1 Shallot, chopped
1/ 2 clove Garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Lots of fresh ground black pepper to taste

Puree the ingredients together in a small processor or blender. Set aside.

1 pound riccioli shaped pasta, or any favorite shape
2 medium sized zucchini, or 1 large thinly sliced into half moons
1 cup chopped scallions
3-4 ripe Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 recipe Sherry Shallot Vinaigrette
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil the pasta according to the package directions in heavily salted water. Drain and rinse in cold water.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the Sherry Shallot Vinaigrette.

3. Toss the pasta together in a large bowl with the dressing and the rest of the ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or store covered in the refrigerator until chilled.

Notes: Next time I might throw in some dried or fresh parmesan, and a handful of sliced olives to add another element of flavor. Shredded asiago cheese might also work well.

Recipe by Laura Flowers

Thai pasta salad

I came across this recipe along time ago in a cooking magazine and adapted it to my liking. It is super easy to make and very addicting!!

2- grilled chicken breasts cooked and diced
1/2 bag of shredded cabbage and carrots - I buy the coleslaw mix without the dressing on it
1 lb of rotini pasta - or any other twisty pasta
1/3 c. canola oil
1/4 c. sesame oil
1 t. red pepper flakes, crushed
1/4 c. honey
3 T. soy sauce
1/3 c. peanuts, chopped
1/4 c. green onions, chopped
2 T. toasted sesame seeds

Cook your pasta and drain and rinse well with cold water

While pasta is cooking, prepare your sauce by adding the canola oil, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, honey, and soy to a small sauce pan. Cook, stirring often until the honey is fully incorporated and the sauce thickens just slightly.

Pour the sauce over the pasta reserving about 1/4 cup and refrigerate overnight.It is important not to skip this step cuz it makes the pasta taste so good !

When you are ready to serve, pour the remaining 1/4 cup of sauce over the pasta and add chicken and carrots and cabbage toss. Then, top with chopped peanuts, green onions, and toasted sesame seeds.

Enjoy!

Strawberry spinach salad with chicken

I love eating salads for dinner on warm nights in the summer time. This salad is so yummy and it is a great way to use up those summer strawberries.
recipe - adapted from life as a lofthouse

1 bag spinach or you can also use a spring mix bag of salad. Both taste good !
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts grilled and sliced
1 cup strawberries cleaned and sliced
1 sm pkg slivered almonds
1 cup bottled poppyseed dressing
1/2 cup raspberry vinegarette dressing

Place salad in a bowl and add the chicken,strawberries and almost. In a seperate bowl combine both dressings and mix well. Drizzle over salad and enjoy !

Chili cheese frito corn salad

I know this recipe sounds very weird ! My cousin brought it to a family BBQ recently and everyone loved it ! It was gone quick. It is the perfect summer side dish for any meal or BBQ.

1 can yellow corn -drained
1 can white corn-drained
2 cups shredded cheese - I use the cheddar and jack
1 cup real mayo - I used best foods
1 medium bell pepper diced into small chunks
2 green onions chopped
1 11 oz bag chili cheese Frito's
salt and pepper to tast

In a lg bowl combine all the ingredients except Frito's. Mix well and refrigerate for an hour. Add fritos before serving and mix well.

Ranch Chicken salad sandwich

I love chicken salad especially in the summer time when i dont feel like cooking a big meal some nights. It also makes the perfect sandwich for lunch.

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup Hormel Real Bacon Pieces
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon garlic powderhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
5 teaspoons Ranch dressing mix
croissants

Cook chicken, then chop. Chop celery and green onions as well. In blender blend mayo, milk and ranch. Then add seasonings. Let chill for at least two hours. Serve on croissant.

Recipe courtesy of our family treat

Cucumber salad

I love this cucumber salad ! It is a great summer time salad or perfect to take to a bbq.

1 cucumber sliced and seeded
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro
6 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp dried dill

Mix everything but the cucumber, then add the cucumber in. Refrigerate and serve.

Meri's chicken salad

I love chicken salad and i came across this recipe on the tlc website and it is one of the sister wives recipes.


INGREDIENTS
romaine lettuce
chunk or tidbit pineapple
cucumbers
ramen noodles, uncooked & crushed
chicken breast chunks, cooked in soy sauce & pineapple juice
DRESSING
1 cup mayonnaise
4 Tablespoon soy sauce
2 Tablespoon pineapple juice
2 Teaspoon lemon juice
2 Teaspoon sugar
PREPARATION:

Combine dressing ingredient and toss all ingredients together.

Pineapple salad

I love this cold salad ! It is a great salad to take to bbq's or other get togethers or just make it for yourself like i do =)

1 c sour cream
1 can pineapple chunks
1 can mandarin oranges
1 c mini marshmallows
1 c flaked coconut

In a lg serving bowl mix all ingredients together. refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving to blend flavors.

Warm bacon salad

This isnt your ordinary salad but it is tasty !

1 sm bag romaine lettuce
1/4 to 1/2 cup vinegar
4 slices bacon crisply cooked and diced
salt and pepper to taste

Place lettuce in a lg serving bowl.In a lg saucepan heat vinegar and bacon until boiling, add lettuce and toss to coat. transfer back to serving bowl sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Homemade croutons

I love croutons on my salad ! Most of the time i just buy them at the store but than i figured they cant be that hard to make at home. This is the recipe i use for mine. I dont have any real measurments because it do it all to taste.

2 slices of day old bread - I use french bread because it holds up nice. Regular old bread doesn't do well.
olive oil
garlic salt
ground pepper

Cut the bread into bite sized cubes.Place the cubed bread into a saute pan over med-high heat. Drizzle some olive oil on the bread and stir until each piece is coated in olive oil. Sprinkle on the garlic salt and pepper a little at a time until it is to your liking. Saute until the croutons are a nice golden brown.Stir them around every so often so they will cook evenly.

Sweet and Sour dill cucumber salad

This is a great summer time salad or perfect side dish to any grilled meat.

2 European cucumbers or 4 garden cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 T coarse grind kosher salt (or coarse grind sea salt)
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
3 T Splenda or sugar (use Splenda for South Beach Diet)
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill (or more, I used about 1/2 cup)

Cut ends of cucumbers, but do not peel. Slice into thin slicesut cucumbers in a colander placed in the sink and sprinkle with 1 T coarsely ground kosher salt. Mix it around a bit with your fingers so all the cucumbers have some salt on them. Let cucumbers sit and release water for 15 minutes.

While cucumbers drain, wash dill, spin dry or dry with paper towels, then finely chop. Combine white wine vinegar, Splenda or sugar, and fresh ground black pepper, then stir in the chopped dill.

After 15 minutes, pat cucumbers dry with paper towel. (Most of the salt should have been washed off by the water that was released.) Put cucumbers into a plastic bowl with a tight-fitting lid (or use a Ziploc bag.) Pour dressing over cucumbers and stir to combine. Refrigerate cucumbers with dressing for an hour or longer, turning the bowl over a few times if you're around. Serve cold.

This will keep in the fridge for a day or so, although I liked it best after just an hour in the fridge.

Dilled chicken salad

This recipe makes alot of salad so i suggest if you just want to make it for a small family cut the recipe in half.

1 16 oz pkg. spiral pasta, cooked and drained
2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
1 cup celery, chopped
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1 10 oz pkg. frozen peas, thawed
1 1oz env. Ranch salad dressing mix
2 cups sour cream (I used plain yogurt)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup milk
3 Tbsp fresh dill, minced or 1 Tbsp dill weed
1/2 tsp garlic sauce

In a large bowl, combine pasta, chicken, celery, onion, and peas. In a small bowl, combine dressing mix, sour cream, mayonnaise, milk, dill, and garlic salt. Whisk until smooth. Pour over salad, toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Makes 10-12 servings

This recipe comes from WorldWide Ward Christmas Cookbook

Cider Slaw

This is a quick and easy way to make coleslaw.


1 bag (14 to 16 oz.) coleslaw mix
3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoon cider vinegar
Salt

In large bowl, combine coleslaw mix, sour cream, vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; stir until combined; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 5 1/2 cups slaw

Layered southwest salad

This summer salad is perfect to take to a picnic or any get together.

1 pkg texas taost tortilla strips - found down by the croutons at the grocery store
1 1/4 cups ranch salad dressing
1/2 cup salsa
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
2 cups cooked white rice
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 cups canned kidney,pinto or black beans drained and rinsed
2 cups frozen corn thawed
2 green onions chopped
2 cups shredded cheese - i use mexican blend

In bottom of glass serving bowl combine salsa and tomatoes,pat into an even layer.In a seperate bowl combine rice,cilantro and oil. Spoon over tomatoe mixture. Layer beans over rice evenly. Spoon green onions and corn over beans.Pour the ranch over the corn layer.Top with shredded cheese and tortilla strips.

Sometimes i like to add some cooked taco meat or shredded chicken.

BLT pasta salad

If you love traditional BLT sandwiches you will love this pasta salad!

4 strips bacon, diced
1/2 onion, diced
10-12 cherry tomatoes, quartered
15 leaves spinach cut chiffonade
1/2 box pasta of your choice. Rotini works good.
2 T your favorite buttermilk/ranch dressing
2 T sour cream
2 oz extra sharp cheddar cut into 1/2 inch dice

Cut bacon into small pieces. Cook over medium heat in a heavy bottomed skillet. When bacon is about 1/2 done add the onion and finish cooking. Remove and drain bacon and onions once bacon is crisp and onions have browned.

Cook pasta according to package directions in heavily salted water. Drain then cool pasta with cold water to stop cooking. Drain well.

Wash spinach leaves then gather up into a small pile. Tightly roll the leaves to form a cigar shape. Take your knife and slice the spinach roll into very thin strips. This is called chiffonade - a french term for ribbons, which is essentially what you're doing, cutting the spinach into ribbons.

Quarter the tomatoes and dice the cheese. In a large mixing bowl put the pasta, bacon & onions, spinach, tomatoes and cheese. Mix the sour cream and dressing together then pour over the salad. Toss the salad to evenly coat all pieces with dressing.