Chicken Fiesta Salad

from The Girl Who Ate Everything

Mix 1 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and rub it into 2 boneless chicken breasts which have been patted dry.  Cook chicken in a skillet with a little bit of oil.  Remove from skillet when done and chop into chunks.

For the dressing, add the following ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.  Chill in the refrigerator until serving.
1 chipotle pepper (in adobo sauce)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp lime juice
1/3 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt

Salad ingredients
10 cups chopped green leaf or romaine lettuce
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (11 oz) can corn, drained
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 large tomato, diced
1 avocado, diced

Greek Salad

2 hearts of Romaine lettuce, chopped
2 T chopped red onion
Kalamata olives
banana peppers
Feta cheese
Chopped tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes

Top with Ghirard's Greek dressing

Greeky Couscous Salad

1 1/2 cups couscous
3 T butter
2 1/4 cups water or broth
2 cups crumbled feta cheese
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat.  Once butter is melted, add couscous and stir until coated.  Add water or broth, bring to a boil, then turn heat to low.  Cover until all liquid is absorbed (about 5-7 mintues).  Fluff with a fork in a large bowl and let cool down.

While couscous cools combine the rest of the ingredients and add to couscous.

Pasta Salad Primavera

8 ounces rotini or bowtie pasta, cooked according to package directions
2 cups broccoli florets
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup frozen peas
1 14 oz can water packed artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 small can black olives, drained
8 oz Mozzarella cheese, diced
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 T chopped basil
1 cup (or more) Bernstein's Cheese Garlic dressing
salt and pepper to taste

Two Cheese Salad

1 head green leaf lettuce, chopped
1 small bunch Romaine lettuce, chopped
3/4 pound Swiss cheese, grated
1 pound cottage cheese
3/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 pound cooked bacon, crumbled
2 T purple onion, diced

Dressing:
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup oil
2 T sugar
1 T poppy seeds
1 T dried minced onion
1 t salt
1 t dry mustard

BBQ Chicken Chop Salad

Marinate 2 chicken breasts in 1 cup BBQ sauce and then bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Chop into pieces and refrigerate.

1/2 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
1/2 head Romaine lettuce, chopped
3-4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 jicama, peeled and diced (optional)
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup sweet corn
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, grated

Layer ingredients, starting with the lettuces, top with chicken.  Serve with Ranch dressing and corn tortilla chips.

Spinach, Chicken and Pasta Salad

16 oz. Bowtie pasta, cooked

1 (10 oz.) Bag fresh spinach

1 (6 oz.) Bag craisins

2 (11 oz.) cans mandarin oranges, drained.

½ C chopped fresh parsley

1 bunch chopped green onions

2 C. cooked, diced chicken

Dressing:

¾ C. oil

2/3 C. bottled teriyaki sauce

2/3 C. vinegar (white, red wine, or apple cider- whatever you like!)

6 T. sugar

½ t. salt

½ t. pepper

Blend the dressing ingredients in a blender.  Mix the dressing and cooked pasta in a large bowl and refrigerate for a while (2 hours).  Just before serving, add all ingredients, minus the spinach. You can either mix in the spinach with the other ingredients, or serve the pasta mixture over spinach in individual servings.  This makes a lot!

Tomato and Zucchini Salad

7 tomatoes, cut into wedges
3 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 medium sweet yellow peppers, thinly sliced

Dressing: whisk
1/3 cup cider vinegar
3 T olive oil
1 T sugar
1 1/2 t salt
1 T each minced fresh basil, parsley and tarragon

Broccoli Salad

3 heads broccoli (about 5 cups)

¼ c slivered almonds

1/3 cup diced red onion

½ cup goldens

4 bacon strips, cut up

Dash of salt

Dressing: ½ cup mayonnaise, 2 T vinegar, 1.5 T sugar

Chilled Shrimp Pasta Salad

Combine until smooth:
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup horseradish sauce
2 T grated onion
1 1/2 t seasoned salt
3/4 t pepper

Add:
3 cups pasta shells, cooked
1 pound peeled and deveined cooked small shrimp
1 large cucumber, seeded and chopped
3 celery ribs, thinly sliced

Refrigerate.

Mediterranean Cobb Salad

1 pkg (6 oz) falafel mix
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped seeded peeled cucumber
1/4 cup 2% milk
1 t minced fresh parsley
1/4 t salt
4 cups torn romaine
4 cups fresh baby spinach
3 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup pitted Greek olives, finely chopped

Prepare and cook falafel according to package directions.  When cool enough to handle, crumble or coarsely chop falafel.
In a small bowl, mix sour cream, cucumber, milk, parsley and salt.  In a large bowl, combine romaine and spinach; transfer to a platter.  Arrange crumbled falafel and remaining ingredients over greens.  Drizzle with dressing, such as balsamic vinaigrette or Bernstein's champagne dressing.

Layered Corn Salad

Combine 1 can corn with 2 T olive oil, 1 t salt, 3/4 t pepper and 3/4 t crushed red pepper flakes.
In a 2 qt glass bowl layer a third of each: corn, diced tomatoes, diced red onion, sliced basil leaves three times.  Pour 1 cup zesty Italian dressing over top.  Refrigerate at least one hour before serving.