Orange Mango Salad

I'm so sad I don't have a picture, but my Italian friend is going to make a cook out of me yet! Why didn't I think to take a picture? Next time I make it---Picture coming!

Salad Dressing
Ingredients:
1/3 cup White Vinegar
3/4 cup Vegetable Oil. Do not use Olive Oil or Canola Oil. Just regular Vegetable Oil.
1/3 cup Sugar
1/8 of a large onion or 1 TBSP finely grated onion
3/4 tsp Salt
1/8 cup Mustard

Blend all these ingredients together. Blend well so that onion is undetectable

Salad (This makes a large bowl)
Ingredients:
Butter Lettuce cleaned and fill bowl 3/4 of the way to top
3 11 oz cans Mandarin Oranges (fully drained)
1 pound Mozzarella Cheese
1 whole Chicken cooked, deboned, and shredded
1 cup whole Almonds cracked (Or you can use slivered Almonds. I liked the whole Almond cracked in pieces.)
3 TBSPS Sugar

You need to caramelize the Almonds. Do this by placing the 3 TBSPs of Sugar in small frying pan with the 1 cup cracked Almonds. Turn the heat on medium. Stir Almonds in the sugar until the sugar caramelizes around the almonds. The white in the sugar will slowly disappear as you stir. DO NOT BURN! When all the white is gone the Almonds are ready.

Place clean lettuce in bowl, top with Mandarin Oranges, Chicken, and Cheese. Sprinkle Almonds on top. Pour dressing over everything and toss well.

(You can double the dressing. I think I will the next time I make it. It's nice to have some extra!)

This salad is divine! Just like my friend!

CIAO

Grape Salad

All credit for this recipe goes to my cute little daughter in law! 

Missy, this is delicious. 

Hope you don't mind sharing it with the world!

Mix and cream the sour cream, sugar, vanilla.

Clean and pull grapes from stem.

Mix grapes in with creamed mixture.

Serve and sprinkle with Brown Sugar and pecans.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, this recipe!

Sesame Seed Dressing! YUM

I was shopping today and had the cutest little clerk share a yummy recipe. She wrote it down on a little shred of newspaper. You know very well what's going to happen to that... In a half of a heart beat, it's going to get lost in my sea of endless junk piled high on my desk. I decided NOT to procrastinate. So here it is! YAY!!!

This recipe uses a Cup of Oil! With that being said, here is the scoop on the oil!

1/2 Cup Sesame Oil. If you use toasted Sesame Oil then decrease the amount. Apparently toasted has a much stronger taste.

1/2 Cup Grapeseed Oil. Again if you are using Toasted Sesame Oil, add more Grapeseed oil and less Sesame Oil.

2 tsps of Sea Salt

1 tsp of Pepper

1/4 Cup Lemon Juice.

Now if you really want to enjoy this dressing, buy a bag of Eat Smart Sweet Kale Vegetable Salad at Lee's Market. Costco also has a great vegetable salad mix.

Here's to eating healthy!

Quinoa Edamame Salad

Trying to eat healthier is no easy task! Going to be trying this! If you have never looked at the recipes in "Our Best Bites" you should check it out. I can honestly say it's one cook book worth having. Look them up online! One of my faves! (Thanks Em, for sending me this yummy recipe to try!)

Quinoa Edamame Salad

Recipe adapted from Thermador Kitchens by Our Best Bites

1 c. black quinoa (if you can find it–try the bins at Whole Foods. But really, any type of quinoa will work)

2 c. water

1/2 c. rice wine vinegar

6 Tbsp. grapeseed oil*

2 Tbsp. flax oil*

*You can substitute 1/2 c. light olive oil here–extra virgin will have too strong of a flavor

1/3 c. chopped fresh cilantro

2 limes, juiced

1 T. honey

3/4 tsp. salt (plus more to taste, if desired)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 lbs. frozen, shelled edamame (green soybeans)

4 green onions, thinly sliced

½ c. chopped peanuts (optional)

Cook quinoa (click here to find out how!) While the quinoa is cooking, whisk together the vinegar, oil, lime juice, honey, salt, cilantro, and garlic. Allow it to stand while you prepare the rest of the salad.

For the edamame, you have a few options. You can steam it in a steamer or the microwave until the desired doneness is reached, you can rinse the beans under some hot water for about a minute or two, or you can briefly rinse the beans and then toss them with the hot quinoa when it is done cooking–it just depends on how done you prefer your edamame. Whichever option you choose, you’ll toss the beans with the green onions and the cooked quinoa. Toss with the dressing and then season to taste. Garnish with fresh peanuts and enjoy! Makes a lot–like 18-20 small servings.

Cucumber Salad

I haven't posted a recipe forever. I need there to be three of me. I'm going to get back to posting recipes, even if I forget to take a picture! Today I made this salad. I was delicious if you like a little bit of a sweet vinegar taste. I only used 1/4 cup of sugar and it was still delicious!

3 Large Cucumbers peeled and sliced.

1 Cup Large Cherrie Tomatoes cut in half.

1 Cup White Vinegar.

3/4 Cup Water.

1/2 Cup Sugar.

1 Tsp Agave Syrup.

1 Tsp Salt

Dash Course Ground Pepper.

Dash Dried Basil

Dash Parsley

Dash Cayenne Pepper

I like a lot of the seasonings, so I added more than a dash. I also like colored peppers so I chopped some of those up into large strips and then cut the strips in to fairly large chunks big enough to stab a fork in and added those. I really like this salad. Next time I'm going to try it with some onion. And I suppose you could use any kind of tomato in it. I've seen Roma's quartered and that's really yummy too.

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salad

Do you love Cafe Rio and Costa Vida? Try this copy cat recipe.


It really is easier than it looks. It only took me about an hour to make (after the pork was in the crock pot). The rice and beans are SUPER easy, you definitely want the beans and rice to get the whole experience! Also, be generous with the cilantro! 

6 large Tortillas 
Shredded cheese, Mexican blend
Cafe Rio Rice 
Cafe Rio Black Beans 
Cafe Rio Sweet Pork 
Lettuce (NOT iceberg, use leafy green or Romaine)
Diced tomato, onion, and cilantro (pico de gallo)
Guacamole 
Sour cream
Tortilla Strips 
Cotija cheese, crumbled (or you can use Parmesan)
Cafe Rio Cilantro Ranch 
OR ***NEW*** Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette 

Here is how we put it all together: First of all, we bought the aluminum deep-dish pans (they had these at the grocery store, you will know when you see them.. they look JUST like the Cafe Rio tins). Lay a tortilla in the bottom of the pan, sprinkle cheese on it, and put in the oven at 375 for about 5 min or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven, add beans, rice, pork, then lettuce and a little scoop of diced tomato and onions (pico de gallo). Add guacamole (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) and sour cream. Add crushed tortilla chips, a shake of Parmesan cheese, and top with a few cilantro leaves. Serve with the cilantro ranch or vinaigrette dressing and there you have it! (makes about 6 salads)

(scroll down to see the rice, beans, pork, and ranch recipes all together...)

SWEET PORK:
2 pounds pork (use boneless pork ribs)
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can diced green chilies
3/4 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce (Old El Paso brand works well, medium spiciness)
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty Ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry). Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it!


CILANTRO-LIME RICE:
1 c. uncooked rice
1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.


BLACK BEANS:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro. (**NOTE** you can add a can of corn, drained, to the beans with a dash of cumin and chili powder if you like. It's not "traditional Cafe Rio", but it tastes great.)


CILANTRO RANCH:
1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. buttermilk
2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno (Want it SPICY? Keep the seeds in it. Want it mild, just remove the seeds.)

Mix all ingredients together in the blender. That's it!
Complements of Favorite Family Recipes.

Quinoa Salad with Apples, Cranberries and Feta

I've been reading about blood sugar. I've been searching for foods to eat that don't immediately turn to sugar in your blood. Sugar creates belly fat. I'd like to get rid of some of that. While it's true I need to stop eating so much candy, the research I've been doing also targets foods that quickly turn to sugar, raising your blood sugar levels. 

I've been reading all about Quinoa - pronounced Keen Wah. Quinoa is officially a low glycemic food. Check out this article at Live Strong. I haven't made this salad yet but it sounded good and Craig, my son-in-law, gave me a bag of quinoa to try.  I'm on my way to the grocery store to load up. Try this. See what you think.

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped walnuts, divided
• 3 cups quinoa, cooked (about 1 cup uncooked)
• 2 apples, peeled and cut in 3/4-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
• 2/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 6 green onions, diced or snipped, bulbs discarded
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, a fruity one
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• sea salt and fresh black pepper

Instructions

1. In a small skillet over medium heat toast walnuts about 5 minutes stirring often. Remove and allow to cool. Add olive oil, 1/3 cup of the toasted walnuts and lemon juice to a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
2. In a large bowl combine quinoa, apples, cranberries, feta cheese, green onions and the remaining walnuts. Pour dressing over top and stir well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Best eaten at room temperature.

Notes

-This is lightly dressed, if you like a lot of dressing double the recipe.

-Substitute a different cooked grain or couscous for the quinoa.

Thanks C.G.

Broccoli and Bacon Salad

One last delicious salad from my friend Kelly. You can never have too many salad recipes for summer!

Broccoli and Bacon Salad

2 heads broccoli broken up into small pieces
3 green onions, minced
4 slices of cooked and crumbled bacon
1/2 C. dry cranberries
1/4 C. sunflower seeds (shelled, salted)
2/3 C. mayo
1/4 C. sugar
3 T. cider vineagar
salt and pepper to taste

Toss broccoli, onions, cranberries, bacon and sunflower seeds together. Whisk remaining ingredients together until sugar is dissolved.
Pour dressing over broccoli mixture, toss together and let marinate for an hour before serving.

South West Pasta Salad

She's the Recipe Queen.

And once again I have to thank Kelly Annie for sharing!

Now I haven't tried this yet, but rest assured if it comes from Kelly's kitchen then it's gaurenteed delish!

1 pkg. (12 oz) egg noodles, cooked and cooled
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow or orange bell pepper
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 C. frozen kernel corn, thawed
1 C. jack or pepper jack cheese
1 bottle (12 oz.) creamy French dressing
Salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl, combine all ingredients except dressing. Toss with half the dressing and chill 1 hour. Gradually add remaining dressing to desired consistency just before serving.

This is a great salad. It is different from the usual cookout fare. If you want to spice it up a little add some cayenne pepper maybe? It would be great with a bit of heat.

Baked Potato Salad

I know it's been forever since a new recipe has appeared. 

Don't faint!

Who can't use a new potato salad recipe? Personally God did not make a bad potato in any form and I'm quite certain potatoes were my first real love! To this day I cannot turn one down no matter what it's fashioned like. Whether chip, baked, mashed, fried, or any other form, I love them all. Dress them how you like. They can be draped and drenched in cheese, gravy, butter, ranch dressing, ketchup, you name it. I love potatoes!  Thank you Kelly Annie for sharing this delightful recipe! YUM!

5 russet potatoes, cubed and cooked
1/2 C. finely chopped onion
1 C. mayo
1 C. sour cream
1 Tbsp. mustard
1/4 C. milk
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 C. grated cheddar cheese
2 T. fresh chives, chopped

Mix potatoes and onion together in a bowl. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine mayo, sour cream, mustard, and milk until creamy and smooth. Spoon over potatoes and gently stir until completely covered. Season with salt and pepper. Just before serving, fold in cheese, bacon and chives.