Caroline's Spinach Salad

Salad:
Package of Raw Spinach
One red onion sliced and separated into rings
Mushrooms washed and sliced (the amount is your preference)
Mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1/2 to 1 cup-whatever your preference)
Package of bacon cooked crispy and chopped

Mix above together and just before serving toss with the following dressing:

Dressing:(Makes 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup veg oil
1/2 cup vinegar
2 TBSP poppy seed
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard

This salad was served at a dinner and made by my great friend Caroline. It was SO delicious and Caroline was gracious enough to give me the recipe! She said it is her grandchildren's favorite and I know why and now it's one of mine too!!

Lauralyn's Chicken Salad

Lauralyn’s Chicken Salad


4-5 chicken breasts:
(You can buy a chicken (rotisserie kind) at the deli and cut that up or you can boil chicken breasts until done or you can buy the chicken breasts with skin and bone on (this is my favorite way because the chicken is so tender and moist!!)

If you do the chicken breasts with bone and skin on, this is what you do:
Place the chicken skin side up on a cookie sheet or baking tray. Coat the chicken skin with olive oil (or you can use canola or any oil if you don't have olive oil). Generously salt and pepper the chicken and place in 350 oven and bake for about 35-45 minutes. The chicken is done when the juices run clear when you pierce chicken with a fork. When chicken is cool enough to touch, pull off skin and remove from bone. Cut the chicken (or you can shred if you like) into bite size pieces.

To the cut up chicken add:
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup pecans chopped-not too fine- or slivered almonds
1 large container grapes (red or green or both-it doesn't matter although red have higher nutritional value) I buy the big bags of grapes or the containers at Costco and use the whole thing because I like extra grapes.
1 cup chopped dried apricots (you can buy them at Wallmart and it will take several packages to get a cup or you can buy them at Costco
Mayonaise (about 1 cup or so-- you will have to add enough until it is moist and the chicken and other ingredients are well coated)
Salt and pepper (be generous)
A titch of onion salt and you can also add a little tiny pinch of poultry seasoning (Do this all to taste)
**Sometimes I add chopped granny smith or fuji or gala apples but when I made it for Jessi's wedding shower, I just used the apricots.

Mix altogether and refrigerate.

Spinach Salad

Spinach Salad
(adapted by Lauralyn)
Salad:
1 bunch Romaine lettuce
1 LARGE bunch Spinach
1 pint fresh strawberries

Wash above and toss together. Serve with spinach salad vinaigrette dressing and sugared pecans.

**For large crowds:
1 large carton of spinach (can be purchased at Costco or Sam’s Club and it’s prewashed).
When using a large container of spinach, add 1 clamshell of strawberries (the large containers strawberries are sold in at Costco or Sam’s).
(Most ALL of the time, I skip the romaine and just use spinach as our family prefers it that way).

Dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 TBPS vinegar
3 TBPS sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp poppy seeds
Mix together and toss over salad RIGHT before serving

Carmelized Pecans:
½ cup sugar
½ cup butter
½ cup orange juice
1 ½ tsp salt
1 ¼ tsp cinnamon
Ground pepper to taste
1 lb. pecans

Preheat oven to 325. Line baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray generously! Heat butter, juice, sugar and spices in skillet until sugar is dissolved and mixture is hot and barely bubbly. Add pecans and stir well. Pour onto baking sheet and bake for about 15-20 minutes. STIR EVERY 5 MINUTES AND WATCH CAREFULLY AS THE LAST FEW MINUTES THEY CAN BURN QUICKLY. The sauce will thicken as they bake and you will be able to tell when they are done. Remove from baking pan and spread onto parchment or wax paper to cool. Break into small pieces for the salad.

TRY NOT TO EAT THE NUTS BEFORE GETTING THEM ON THE SALAD AS THEY ARE SO DANG YUMMY!!

I do not know where I got this recipe (probably from Kim) but I have adapted it from the original and changed the dressing. I do know, it is my most requested recipe and every time I serve it, it is requested. That's okay, cuz we love to share recipes!!

Oriental Chicken Salad

1 large chicken breast, cooked and diced
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds (optional)
1 pkg slaw mix (fine)
4 Tbsp. onion, minced
1 cup almond slivers (optional)
1 or 2 pkg. Ramen noodles (uncooked), broken up
1 to 2 pkg. Ramen noodle flavoring
1/2 cup oil
2 Tbsp to 1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp white or apple vinegar

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. For dressing, mix remaining 5 ingredients until sugar dissolves. Mix into salad.

Rhoda’s Yummy Orange Salad

2 cups water, hot
2 cups water, cold
1 package vanilla COOKED pudding (NOT INSTANT)-the large size pudding
1-8 oz container cool whip
1 package orange jello –the large size
2 cans mandarin oranges

DIRECTIONS:

In a saucepan, place 2 cups water. Pour the pudding mix into the two cups of water and bring to a boil.
Pour one package orange Jello into the boiling water and mix until Jello is dissolved.
Add 2 cups cold water and stir well.
Refrigerate until almost set (about 2 hours) and then add 8 ounces cool whip and 2 cans drained mandarin oranges.

Rhoda (Wendi’s mom) made this salad the day Jax was blessed and it was SO good that I thought I would type it up for all of you. I hope she won’t mind!