Chicken "BACH-BACH" Salad!

This is hands down, the best chicken salad I've ever tasted! It won 1st place in the Taste of Home magazine way back around 1996! It's been a hit at Baby and Bridal showers ever since.

Last week the weather was amazing here, so we ate outside. Garrett had just finished loading up his plate and had set it on the ground. Our dog Jake seized the moment and went straight for the chicken salad! He left everything else alone! Garrett was pretty bummed, but I took it as a compliment! That dog's got taste!

Dog-Gone Good Chicken Salad

4 cups cooked chicken-cubed
1 1/2 cups seedless grapes, halved
1 cup finely chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped green onions
3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 Tb regular mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp celery salt
1/8 tsp ground mustard
1/8 tsp paprika
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

In a large bowl combine, chicken, grapes, celery, onions and eggs. In another bowl combine the next 9 ingredients-stir until smooth. Pour over chicken mixture and toss gently. Stir in almonds and serve immediately-or refrigerate and add the almonds just before serving.

Gives you about 6 servings, plus one for the DOG!

Vinaigrette's Galore!

I don't know what it is about this time of year, but this is when I really start to CRAVE salads. They just seem to taste better! Although it's still crazy cold here-I know spring is coming, because every morning I'm rudely awakened to the many different sounds of VERY LOUD chirping birds!! They weren't this loud in Utah!

Chicken Berry Salad

adapted from Pampered Chef

1 romaine heart

2 cups shredded chicken(rotisserie is perfect for this)

1 cup fresh raspberries or strawberries

1 cup sugar snap peas, cut diagonally

1/4 cup toasted pecans(candied almonds taste divine on this!)

1/4 cup red onion, sliced thin

Shredded provolone cheese-amount to your liking

Citrus Vinaigrette

1/4 cup orange juice concentrate

2 Tb oil

1 Tb white wine vinegar

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

Whisk ingreds. together store in a jar in the frig. until your ready to serve salad. Make dressing a day or two ahead for even better taste.

Raspberry Vinaigrette

This is the only vinaigrette dressing Dave and Garrett like!

1 cup Light extra-virgin Olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tb red onion
1 1/2 tsp poppy seeds
3/4 cup raspberries(if frozen,thaw)

In blender add: vinegar, oil, sugar, onion, salt, and mustard's. Pulse a few times to blend. Add raspberries pulse a few more times to incorporate. Store in a jar. Refrigerate. Flavor improves if made in advance!

Poppy Seed Dressing

recipe from Laura

3/4 cup oil
1/3 cup honey

1 Tb mustard

2 Tb apple cider vinegar

1 tsp salt

2 Tb poppy seeds

1 Tb red onion finely diced

Add ingreds. to a jar with lid. Shake to combine. Store in frig.

ALIVE AND COOKIN'!

( Still learning how to crop on this! Say hello to Garrett's finger top left!)

On our road trip across America (that sounds so cool) we stopped at Zana's house in St Louie for some marathon Christmas cooking - then hit the road on Christmas day headed for VA! The only bummer was all my favorite holiday recipes were in the moving van. I had to google similar recipes but they weren't the same. Yet another reminder why I do this blog...once my tried and true babies are posted, I'll never be without them again! OH WHAT A FEELING!

~FAVORITE CHRISTMAS RECIPES~

FAVORITE CHRISTMAS CHEESE BALL

Recipe from Carol Smith

1 jar Roka Blue Cheese (Kraft makes this, it's usually next to the velveeta)

2 jars Old English Cheese " "

2 8 oz blocks of cream cheese (use Kraft, I think it makes a difference)

2 Tb grated onion

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (who named this, I mean really!)

1 cup ground pecans- DIVIDED

1 /2 cup chopped parsley -DIVIDED - I sometimes use dried just use less if you do.

Combine all ingredients except 1/2 portions of nuts and parsley. Spread into desired small serving bowl and sprinkle with remaining nuts and parsley - or you can divide mixture and make a ball and roll the nuts and parsley onto it. Refrigerate -

I love this with wheat thins or use your favorite crackers. Enjoy!

CHRISTMAS WASSAIL

In a large pot boil:

5 quarts water

2 tsp whole cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

Remove whole spices and add:

6 oz frozen lemonade

6 oz. frozen apple juice or apple cider

12 oz frozen orange juice

3 cups sugar

Let it simmer to combine flavors. When it gets low add apple cider and reheat. Should last through the holidays. Store in refrigerator.

There are a lot of different names for this one so we just call it...

Garrett's Whipped Cream Dream Salad!

This is one of those throw in whatever you like kind of recipe, so here goes:

About 4 crisp apples - Fuji or gala

1 or 2 pomegranates

About 2 cups miniature marshmallows (the more the merrier!)

a couple handfuls of crasins or raisins

1 sliced banana - (I never use)

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (not for Garrett!)

1 pint heavy whipping cream - whipped and sweetened to your liking

Mix all together and I'll see you on cloud 9!

I need some major tech/blogging genius to help me with formatting! I'm going crazy trying to figure this out!!! Thanks!

Classic Tuna Salad

Because of this yummy recipe, I always make sure I have fresh parsley on hand. It really makes a difference! The recipe calls for albacore tuna, but I read that it has a lot more mercury then chunk light.

2 cans solid white tuna in water or chunk light tuna
2 T juice from 1 lemon
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground black pepper
1 small celery rib, minced
2 T minced red onion
2 T sweet relish
1/2 small garlic clove - pressed
2 T minced fresh parsley leaves
1/2 c mayonnaise - I do alittle more then 1/4 c and use light mayo.
1/4 t Dijon mustard

Drain tuna. In bowl combine all ingred. Can be covered and refrigerated up to 3 days.