Snickers Apple Pudding Salad

 

 

 

The crunchy apples and chewy candy bar pieces are the perfect compliment to the pudding base. I don't recommend making this the night before because the apples tend to get a little mushy (I think that it tastes better when they are really crunchy).

Snickers Apple Pudding Salad

Ingredients:

1 large tub (16 oz) Cool Whip, thawed
1 large package (6 oz) vanilla instant pudding
1 cup milk
6 regular-sized Snickers candy bars, cut in bite size pieces (or 12 fun-sized bars)
3 medium size Granny Smith apples or other tart apple, cut up into small chunks

 

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine milk and pudding, then mix in the cool whip. Add the Snickers and then the apples (cut the apples after you have mixed the other ingredients so that they aren't brown when you add them).

Favorite Green Salad

This recipe came from my sister in law.  You can visit her cooking blog HERE.

This is a salad that the family requests every time we get together.  Needless to say, I thought it should be posted on my blog, because, it's that good!

3/4 lb sliced mushrooms
2-3 bunches of spinach
3/4 lb grated Swiss cheese
1 c. drained and rinsed cottage cheese
1 small head iceberg lettuce
1/2 lb crisped and crumbled bacon

Combine and toss with the following dressing just before serving:

1 1/2 t. poppy seeds
3/4 c sugar
1 1/2 t. salt
1 purple onion, thinly sliced
3/4 c. vinegar
1 1/2 c oil
3/4 t. dry mustard

Make ahead of time. Stir before putting on salad. This makes a lot of dressing, more than you need for a single batch of salad. Enjoy!

Kneaders Chicken Salad Sandwiches Recipe

Kneaders Chicken Salad Sandwiches Recipe:

(makes approx. 6-8 sandwiches)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup white vinegar
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
1-1/4 cup mayonnaise
1-1/4 cup sour cream
4 stocks celery, chopped
1 bunch green onion, chopped
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; cooked and shredded

Directions:
Mix vinegar, salt, pepper, mayonnaise and sour cream together.  Mix celery, green onion and chicken in separate bowl. Mix all ingredients together. Let set overnight or for a few hours for the best flavor.  Serve on buns or rolls.

Quinoa Salad

1 cup red quinoa  

1 cup red onion, diced

1 cup white quinoa                                         

½ bunch cilantro

2 quarts water                                                
½ pound frozen corn
½ cup red bell pepper, diced                          
1 cup black beans, rinsed &drained

½ cup green bell pepper, diced                      

1 cup Craisins

Bring the water to a boil.  Add quinoa and cook until it sprouts about 20 minutes.  Drain and blast chill.  Once it’s cold add onions, peppers, cilantro, corn and beans then add dressing below.

Dressing

¼ cup vegetable oil                                       
2 teaspoons kosher salt

3/8 cup red wine vinegar (half of ¾)             
1 ounce minced garlic
½ teaspoons coarse pepper                             
½ cup agave               

Quinoa can be found in any health food store or like a Whole Foods.  If you are in Utah, you can find it in the bulk section of Smiths.

Warm Macaroni and Mozzarella Salad with Herbs

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces (2 cups) macaroni
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Set aside

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Drain the macaroni and transfer to a medium serving bowl. Add the basil and oregano and half of the dressing. Stir to combine. Let it sit for 1 minute to cool slightly, then add the mozzarella and the remaining dressing. Serve warm.

Cucumber, Tomato and Onion Salad

Ingredients

• 1 pound cucumbers (about 2 cucumbers), peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 Vidalia onion, very thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a large serving bowl, toss together the cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, onion, parsley, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper, to taste. Let the salad stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Bacon and Egg Macaroni Salad

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• 1 pound macaroni
• 1 pound good quality bacon
• About 1/4 cup grated onion and its juice
• 1 clove garlic, grated or pasted
• 1 rounded tablespoon Dijon mustard
• About 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 (4-ounce) jar chopped pimientos, drained
• 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the eggs in a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover the pot, turn off the heat, and let the eggs stand for 10 minutes. Submerge the eggs in cold water to shock them. Crack the eggs and soak in the cold water. When cool, peel and chop.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil to cook the macaroni. Arrange all but 6 slices of bacon on a slotted baking sheet and put into the hot oven. Bake for 15 minutes, or until bacon is crisp. When cool enough to handle, chop and reserve.

Chop the remaining bacon and add to the boiling water along with the macaroni. Cook until the pasta is al dente. Drain, rinse, and discard the boiled bits of bacon from the pasta.

While the pasta cooks, add the grated onion, garlic, Dijon, and vinegar to a mixing bowl. Whisk in the extra-virgin olive oil and season with lots of salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Add the pasta, chopped eggs, pimiento, parsley, and chopped crisp bacon pieces. Toss to combine and serve.

Olive Garden Salad Dressing

1/2 C. Mayonnaise
1/3 C. White Vinegar
1 tsp. Vegetable Oil
2 Tbsp. Corn Syrup
2 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese
2 Tbsp. Romano Cheese
1/4 tsp. Garlic Salt – or one clove garlic minced
1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp. Parsley Flakes
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
sugar (optional)

Place all ingredients in a blender until well mixed. If this is a little to tart for your own personal tastes please add a little extra sugar. You can enjoy your Olive Garden salad dressing for about 10 days if stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator. Another great use for the Olive Garden salad dressing is you can use it for a marinade for vegetables or even meats that you might like to grill. So you can see the Olive Garden salad dressing, can be used in more than one way.

Making Olive Garden Salad Dressing at home is easy to do. You can make other recipes that taste just like they do in a restaurant.

Spicy Chipotle Shrimp Salad

Recipe courtesy of David Bonom

Shrimp salad is an easy make-ahead meal. For a kid-friendly twist, substitute diced red bell pepper for the chiles.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 tablespoons canola mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon chopped chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 8 Boston lettuce leaves

Preparation

1. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle shrimp with salt and black pepper. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add half of shrimp to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove shrimp from pan; repeat procedure with remaining shrimp. Cool shrimp for 5 minutes.

2. Place shrimp in a medium bowl; stir in celery and next 6 ingredients (through cumin). Arrange 2 lettuce leaves on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 3/4 cup shrimp mixture.

Tex-Mex Pasta Salad

Recipe Courtsey of David Bonom

This kid-friendly recipe is a takeoff on macaroni and cheese; it makes a large batch that holds well for two or three days. Serve with pickled jalapeño slices for grownups who like spicy food.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: about 1 1/3 cups)

Ingredients

• 1 pound uncooked radiatore pasta (short coiled pasta)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 (1.25-ounce) package 40%-less-sodium taco seasoning (such as Old El Paso)
• 2 cups (8 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese
• 2 cups chopped seeded tomato
• 1 cup chopped bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup sliced ripe olives
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 (8-ounce) container reduced-fat sour cream
• Salsa (optional)

Preparation

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain; set aside.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add turkey; cook until browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in water and taco seasoning; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates and the turkey is done, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; cool slightly.

Combine pasta, turkey mixture, reduced-fat cheese, and next 6 ingredients (through beans) in a large bowl.

Combine lime juice, salt, cumin, and sour cream, stirring until well blended. Pour over pasta mixture; toss gently to coat. Serve with salsa, if desired.

Romaine and Turkey Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

Recipe Courtesy of Nancy Hughes

Chop oven-roasted turkey breast from the deli counter into chunks for a quick start on this salad. With crisp parmesan toasts, it's a complete meal.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups salad and 2 cheese toasts)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1/2 ripe peeled avocado, seeded and coarsely mashed
• 8 (1/2-ounce) slices diagonally cut French bread (about 1/2 inch thick)
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) preshredded Parmesan cheese
• 4 cups bagged chopped romaine lettuce
• 2 cups diced roasted turkey breast (about 8 ounces)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

Combine first 7 ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth, scraping sides. Set aside.

Preheat broiler.

Arrange bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese on each bread slice. Broil bread slices 2 minutes or until lightly browned.

Combine lettuce and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle buttermilk mixture over lettuce mixture; toss gently to coat. Serve with cheese toasts.

The Wedge

Courtesy of Eating Well

4 servings

Active Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 heart of romaine, quartered lengthwise and cores removed
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
• 2 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
• 2 ounces crumbled blue cheese
• 1/2 cup Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, (recipe follows)

Preparation

1. Place 2 romaine quarters on each of 4 salad plates. Sprinkle with chives, bacon and blue cheese. Drizzle with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing.

Nutrition

Per serving: 111 calories; 8 g fat (3 g sat, 2 g mono); 17 mg cholesterol; 5 g carbohydrates; 6 g protein; 1 g fiber; 481 mg sodium; 97 mg potassium.

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons champagne, or white-wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as chives, tarragon, basil or dill

Preparation

1. Whisk buttermilk, mayonnaise, champagne (or white-wine) vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl until smooth. Stir in herbs.

Nutrition

Per tablespoon: 16 calories; 1 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 1 mg cholesterol; 1 g carbohydrates; 0 g protein; 0 g fiber; 103 mg sodium; 17 mg potassium.