Olive Garden Style Salad

Last night we had planned on feeding the sister missionaries for our church . It turns out that one of them had the flu so I delivered dinner to them. We made  Pasta e Fagioli Soup, breadsticks, and this wonderful Copy cat salad recipe. The dressing is creamier than the original Olive Garden dressing but it doesn't dissapoint. Turn your kitchen into the "Olive Garden " tonight :) The whole family loved this.

Olive Garden Salad with Homemade Dressing

Time: 15 minutes  ...  Yield: 6-8 servings Recipe from Copy Cat Recipes (Printable Version) 2 romaine lettuce hearts (you just want the hearts, they will give you a crisp crunchy texture.) 3 Roma tomatoes 1/2 red onion 1/2 C medium sized olives 1 C croutons 1/4 C Parmesan cheese Dressing: 1/2 C mayonnaise 1/3 C white vinegar 1 t Canola oil 2 T corn syrup 4 T Parmesan cheese 1 t minced garlic 1/2 t Italian Seasoning 1/2 t parsley, dried 1 T lemon juice 1. Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender or small food processor and mix until well combined. 2. Chop your lettuce, tomatoes and red onion. Add your olives, croutons and Parmesan cheese. Toss to combine. 3. Pour dressing over the top. Toss to coat and serve immediately.

 

Autumn Chopped Salad

Today was the day I tried this fabulous recipe I found on Pinterest...Go ahead and Thank Me...

This is the PERFECT salad for your Thanksgiving Meal. It is amazing....best side salad ever.....

I prefer a homemade dressing over the bottled dressing mentioned ...however this salad is great either way...ENJOY I know you'll love it.

Autumn Chopped Salad(Printable Version)

Ingredients
*6 to 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
*2 medium pears, chopped
*1 cup dried cranberries
*1 cup chopped pecans
*8 slices thick-cut bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled
*4 to 6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
*Poppy seed Salad Dressing (I like T. Marzetti)
*Balsamic Vinaigrette (I like Newman's Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette)

Instructions
*On a large platter, combine the lettuce, pears, cranberries, pecans, bacon and
feta cheese. Drizzle generously with poppy seed dressing, followed by some of
the balsamic vinaigrette. (I would estimate that I used about a cup of dressing:
70 percent poppy seed dressing and 30 percent balsamic vinaigrette) If you
prefer your salad to have more dressing, feel free to experiment with the
combination.

**** My Favorite Option for the dressing comes from Shannon Carlsen recipe to follow:

2 tsp Poppy seeds
2/3 C sugar
3/4 C. vegetable Oil
1/3 C. Red Wine Vinegar
3/4 TBSP onion
1/3 tsp dry mustard
3/4 tsp salt

Put all ingredients in a blender and mix until blended

Berry Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

This fabulous dressing goes well with mixed greens. It is a great addition to a summer meal.

Berry Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
Recipe by Our Best Bites

(printable Version )

1/2 c. white wine vinegar
1/2 c. honey (or sugar)
1-2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon grated onion
1 tsp. kosher or other coarse salt
About 10 cracks of freshly ground black pepper
1 c. raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries
2/3 c. canola oil
1 1/2 tsp. poppy seeds

Combine the vinegar, honey, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, and berries in the jar of a blender. Blend until smooth and then, with the blender running, add the oil in a steady stream. Turn off the blender and whisk in the poppy seeds. If possible, refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Revisiting Mandarin Chicken Pasta Salad

 

I have made this salad over and over again. I first posted the recipe 2 yrs. ago but I did not take a picture. So here it is again in picture form . You can find the recipe here. I did do a couple of things different this time . For one I did not have any bow tie pasta and used small shells instead. I also substituted the orange juice for the juice off the mandarin oranges. Both changes worked perfectly. This is a great salad to entertain with.

BLT Pasta Salad

This was a great addition to our BBQ This Weekend. The Flavors were great. This would be a great dish for a potluck....Enjoy!

BLT Pasta Salad
Recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine
Ingredients
• 2 ounces corkscrew-shaped pasta (or any shape yoiu have on hand)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 12 ounces lean bacon
• 3 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 4 tablespoons chopped chives or scallion greens
• 5 heads Bibb lettuce, quartered, or 5 cups chopped romaine hearts
Directions
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water as the label directs. Drain and toss with the milk in a large bowl; set aside.( Tossing the pasta with milk keeps it from getting gummy)
Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Discard all but 3 tablespoons drippings from the pan. Add the tomatoes, thyme and garlic to the pan and toss until warmed through; season with salt and pepper. Crumble the bacon into bite-size pieces; set aside 1/4 cup for garnish. Toss the remaining bacon and the tomato mixture with the pasta.
Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream and 3 tablespoons chives with the pasta until evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper. Add the lettuce; toss again to coat. Garnish with the reserved bacon and the remaining 1 tablespoon chives. Serve at room temperature.

Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwiches

Chicken Caesar Salad from Cooking Light

Using a precooked rotisserie chicken makes this salad extra easy and fast, although any leftover cooked chicken will work.
Yield
6 servings (serving size: 2 cups)
Ingredients

Salad:
1 (2-pound) whole roasted chicken, skinned
11 cups torn romaine lettuce (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1 cup red bell pepper strips
Vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 1/2 cups plain croutons (I left these out for the sandwiches)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation
To prepare salad, remove chicken from bones; shred with 2 forks to measure 3 cups meat. Combine chicken, lettuce, and bell pepper in a large bowl.
To prepare vinaigrette, combine oil and next 7 ingredients (oil through garlic) in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Pour over salad; toss well. Sprinkle with croutons and cheese; toss gently to combine. Fill Hogie Rolls or wrap in a tortilla for a great easy light dinner or lunch. A side of fruit makes this a well balanced meal.

Chili Lime Steak Salad

This great recipe from our best bites was perfect for dinner tonight, my husband really enjoyed it.....

Chili-Lime Steak Salad Recipe from OurBestBites.com

1 1/2 lb flank steak, cooked with lime-chili rub and sliced into 1/4" slices

1 recipe Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing

1 large head romaine lettuce

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in

red onion, sliced thin

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed in cold water

1-2 avocados,

slicedcilantro for garnish

optional: fried tortilla strips

Start with a nice bed of cold, crunchy lettuce, top with steak, tomatoes, onion, black beans, and avocado. Top with cilantro and fried tortilla strips if desired. Serve with lime-cilantro dressing.

Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing Recipe

1 pack (1oz) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix (regular or buttermilk, and ignore directions on the packet)

1C mayo

1/2 C milk (or buttermilk depending on which packet you buy)

1 lime

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro

1/4 C green salsa*hot sauce

Place milk, mayo, and ranch mix in a blender. Juice the lime in there too, you should get about 2T juice. Toss in the garlic, cilantro and green salsa. Blend 'er up. Sample it and add hot sauce to taste. Make it several hours ahead of time to allow it to thicken.*A note about green salsa:There are several brands of green salsa available in most supermarkets and they have various degrees of heat. One of the most commonly seen brands is Hernandez. Hernandez brand is a lot spicier than any of the others I've tried. Even their medium green salsa is way too spicy for my liking. I like to buy La Costena because their medium is actually really mild. That way I get all of the flavor of the tomatillos but I control the level of heat with the hot sauce.

Lime-Chili Steak Rub recipe

1 t chili powder

1 t granulated garlic

1/2 t cumin

1/2 t coriander

1/2 t oregano

1/8- 1/4 t cayenne pepper*

3/4 t salt

1/4 t black pepper

*If you have chipotle chili powder, you can substitute it for the cayenne or just add a little in addition

1 lime (about 2 T lime juice)

1-2 lbs flank steak, or other good grilling cut (tenderloin, NY strip, and tri-tip all work well)

Juice the lime into a small bowl. Add spices and stir to combine. Some limes have more juice than others, so sometimes the mixture will be more liquid-y and sometimes it will be more pasty. If you find you're a little short on lime juice, just add a teaspoon or two of extra virgin olive oil to stretch it out.Place the steak in a shallow dish and pour the spice mixture on top. Use your hands to massage it in there. Let it sit for 15 minutes. During that time preheat your grill.Place meat on hot grill (bbq is best, but an indoor grill pan or broiler will work just fine too). If you're using flank steak it should take about 5-7 minutes on each side. Here's a great tip for testing meat doneness in other cuts.When steak is finished, remove from grill and let sit for 5 minutes before cutting into it. Slice in strips against the grain. Thanks OUR BEST BITES !!! This is a keeper.

Granny's Potato Salad

GRANNY'S BEST POTATO SALAD
This is a basic potato salad nothing fancy but it tastes good!
4 med. potatoes
4 lg. eggs
4 lg. pickles (Granny likes garlic or banquet dills)I used dill pickle relish and 2 tbls of pickle juice.
2 green onions
Tiny dab of mustard
¾ C.Best Foods mayonnaise
½ C. Miracle Whip
Salt and pepper to taste
Boil potatoes until done, yet still firm. Let cool, peel, and chop into half inch cubes. Hard boil eggs. Let cool, peel, and chop. Chop pickles; slice green onions. Combine above 4 ingredients. Mix mayonnaise,miracle whip* adjust the mayo to your liking some people enjoy more mayo than others , mustard, and salt and pepper. Serve immediately or chill first. Enjoy. Serves 6.

Taco Salad in a bag

We eat taco salad very frequently in our home and recently I decided to have some fun and make the Walking Tacos like I'd had in Utah . You can use fritos or any individual bag of taco chips.
All I did was cut open the bags and add our usual taco meat and toppings. It was a little different and therefore a little fun. You can either cut the bag like the picture above or just open it at the top. Great way to use leftover taco fixings as well. Enjoy

Chicken Salad

The light sweetness of green grapes and the crunch of almonds provide perfect counterpoint for this creamy chicken salad." recipe courtesy of AllRecipes.com
INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups diced and chilled,
cooked chicken meat
1 cup chopped celery(optional )
2 green onions finely diced
1 cup sliced, seedless grapes
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons chopped fresh
parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS:
1.In a medium bowl, whip cream to soft peaks.
2.Combine meat, celery, green onion, grapes, almonds, parsley, salt, and mayonnaise with whipped cream. Chill. This great served in a croissant

Mandarin Chicken Pasta Salad

Mandarin Pasta Salad

This fresh, Asian-inspired main dish is ideal for impromptu entertaining. This amazing recipe came from a Pampered Chef friend of mine....yet another reason to go to a Pampered Chef Party.

(Printable Version)

Dressing:
1 teaspoon finely chopped/grated, peeled fresh gingerroot
1/3 cup rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 envelope Lipton® Recipe Secrets® Onion Soup Mix
2 teaspoons sugar
1 garlic clove, pressed

Salad:
8 ounces uncooked bow tie pasta
1/2 cucumber, scored, seeded and sliced
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup coarsely chopped red onion
1 package (6 ounces) fresh baby spinach leaves
1 can (11 ounces) mandarin orange segments, drained
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1. For dressing, finely grate gingerroot using a food grater. In Small Bowl, combine gingerroot, vinegar, orange juice, vegetable oil, sesame oil, soup mix, sugar and garlic pressed with Garlic Press; whisk until well blended. Cover; refrigerate until ready to use.
2. For salad, cook pasta according to package directions in (8-qt.) Stockpot; drain and rinse under cold running water using large Colander. Place pasta Large Bowl. 3. Meanwhile, score cucumber using Lemon Zester/Scorer; remove seeds . Slice cucumber , cut slices in half. Dice bell pepper Coarsely chop onion 4. Add cucumber, bell pepper, onion, spinach, mandarin oranges, chicken and almonds to pasta. Pour dressing over salad; toss Serve immediately.
Yield: 12 servings
Nutrients per serving (11/2 cups): Calories 210, Total Fat 9 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 20 mg, Carbohydrate 21 g, Protein 11 g, Sodium 210 mg, Fiber 2 gPampered Chef

Chopped Salad

Serve this with a loaf of French Bread for a great Summer Evening Meal

4 oz salad pasta (ditalini) *small tube shaped pasta (1 cup)
10 oz torn Romaine lettuce(8 cups)
2 Cups cooked diced chicken
1 medium tomato (seeded)and diced
1 firm ripe avocado peeled and diced
1/2 Cup sliced green onions with the tops
6 slices bacon cooked crisp, drained and crumbled
1/4 C. crumbled blue cheese(optional)
1/2 C. Italian dressing

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water using a large Colander.
2. Meanwhile chop lettuce into bite sized pieces. Dice Chicken,tomato and avocado and slice green onions.
3. In a large serving bowl, combine pasta,lettuce,chicken,tomato,avocado,green onions,bacon and blue cheese. Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat. Serve Immediately

Sweet Pork Salad

This recipe tastes just as good as Cafe Rio and Costa Vidas Versions
(Printable Version)

8 lbs. pork (can be roast, tenderloin, etc.)

Sauce:
4 8oz. canned tomato sauce
2 (8oz) can El Pato spicy mexican tomato sauce
2 c. brown sugar

Mix sauce ingredients and pour over pork in slow cooker. Cook on low for one 8-10 hours. One hour before serving, shred meat and put back in slow cooker in sauce. Can keep on warm for several hours.



Cafe Rio House Dressing

Buttermilk ranch packet (make as per directions)
3 tomatillos
1 C. cilantro chopped
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp cayenne pepper

Mix in blender / Chill

To make the Pork Salad:

Grill in a skillet individual tortillas topped with cheese until cheese melts.
Place on the tortilla the following ingredients:

• glob of spanish rice or cafe rio rice (below)
• glob of cooked, seasoned black beans
• glob of the cooked sweet pork
• cover with lettuce
• top with tortilla strips
• dab of sour cream
• dab of guacamole
• lime wedge (to look authentic)

Cafe Rio Rice option 1
4 tsp chicken bouillon
2 tsp garlic (freshly minced or chopped)
½ bunch cilantro
¾ tsp salt
1 Tbs. butter
2 cups rice
4cups water
the juice of 2 limes

Blend all ingredients in blender then put in pan; add 4 cups water and bring a boil; add 2 cups rice and simmer 30 min.

CILANTRO-LIME RICE Option 2
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 ad enough water to make 2 cups of liquid
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.