Chopped Mango Chicken Salad

About a month ago, my husband and I went to TRADER JOE'S and I discovered something amazing—Roasted COCONUT Chips! The moment I opened the bag and sampled the "chips" I starting DREAMING of this salad. It is refreshing and light and absolutely DELISH!

Chopped Mango Chicken Salad
Romaine lettuce, chopped
Chopped cooked chicken (I cooked mine with olive oil and Montreal Chicken Seasoning)
Red bell pepper, chopped
Red onion, chopped
Fresh ripe mango, chopped
Extra sharp white cheddar cheese, cut into little pieces
Avocado, chopped
Trader Joe's Roasted Coconut Chips
Wonton strips (I buy these on the "salad" aisle at Target, or you could just make some!)
Kraft's Mango Chipotle salad dressing

Build your salads on individual plates starting with a handful or two of lettuce, then top with the chicken, bell pepper, onion, cheese, mango, avocado, wonton strips, and the coconut chips. Drizzle dressing over top.

TIP: Mix and match your salad toppings! I think chopped macadamia nuts would be fantastic in place of the wonton strips, and gorgonzola cheese might be fun instead of the extra sharp white. :)

Simple Chef Salad

It's that time of year when SALADS are starting to sound really good. Like, I want them for DINNER all of the time. This is one that I grew up on. I LOVED chef salad night! So it has carried over and shows up on my family's TABLE every so often. It's delicious and it's easy, and that's BASICALLY all you can ever ask for, right?

Simple Chef Salad
Chopped or torn romaine lettuce
Sliced good-quality lunchmeat turkey (and ham if you prefer)
Sliced and cubed cheddar cheese (I sometimes add monterey jack as well)
Diced red bell peppers
Shredded or thinly sliced carrots
Sliced green onion
Cucumber, quartered and sliced
Frozen peas, thawed
Sunflower seeds

Layer each of the ingredients on individual plates and serve topped with your favorite salad dressing. Easy!

TIP: You can obviously use whatever veggies you have in your fridge (probably what your family likes!), I just try to use different colors for variety. Our favorite dressing is ranch, or maybe blue cheese, but any would be good!

Roasted Brussels Sprout Salad

I've been seeing a lot of Brussels sprouts RECIPES floating around and decided to try one of my own. It ended up being a slightly DECADENT side dish. I seriously can't tell you how much I LOVED this dish. I may or may not have eaten all the LEFTOVERS for lunch the next day. (Please excuse the terrible pic—I really need a different camera!)

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad
About 1 pound Brussels sprouts, washed and quartered
1/2 small sweet onion, chopped
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup craisins
1/2 cup gorgonzola crumbles
Crumbled cooked bacon (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the sprouts, onion, and garlic in a baking dish that has been lightly coated with olive oil. Drizzle a little oil over top and season lightly with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and then place in the oven. Bake for about 30 minutes or until tender, and tossing after 20 minutes. When sprouts seem tender, stir in the pecans and craisins and bake a few minutes more. Remove from the oven and then stir in the cheese. Add bacon if desired. Mmmmmmm!

TIP: Again, I seriously loved this recipe! Just go easy on the salt because the cheese is very salty, as well as the bacon if you use it. I'm sure walnuts or even slivered almonds would be just as yummy in this, and a true blue cheese would be great if you like a stronger blue cheese. Either way, hope you like this as much as I do!

Chopped Mango Salad

As many of you know, I LOVE salads! Obviously, since I have a couple cookbooks that focus only on SALADS. Anyway, this yummy mango salad is a gem! I found a new dressing that sounded pretty SCRUMPTIOUS, so I needed a tasty and REFRESHING salad to go with it. Here it is!

Chopped Mango Salad 
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
1 head red leaf lettuce, chopped
1 ripe mango, peeled and chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
1 cup frozen super sweet white corn, thawed
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
6 to 8 ounces extra sharp white cheddar cheese, cubed into small pieces
1/2 cup craisins (I used cherry-flavored)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 (8-ounce) bottle Kraft's Chipotle Mango Salad dressing

In a pretty large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and toss with the dressing to coat. Serve immediately. Makes a ton, roughly 18 to 20 servings.

TIP: I think that chopped salads should be full of crunchy things! Feel free to add or take away anything you want to make it your own. I think cashews would be yummy in place of the sunflower seeds, or even some fried wontons broken into pieces. A bit of diced up pineapple would also be super YUM!

Blackened Salmon Salad

OK, so I'm slightly obsessed with blackened SALMON, especially when combined with my FAVORITE basil dressing. (Just check out previous posts!) Sooooo, simply put, this SALAD is to die for. And that's ALL I'm sayin'!

Blackened Salmon Salad
Blackened Salmon (just follow salmon prep)
Leafy green lettuce, chopped
Iceberg lettuce, chopped
Cucumber, quartered and sliced
Red bell pepper, chopped
Shredded Parmesan cheese
Sunflower seeds
Green onions, sliced

Creamy Basil Dressing
1/2 cup light mayo or nonfat Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup white vinegar (I like apple cider vinegar with the Greek yogurt)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh basil
Dash of dried oregano, parsley, and garlic powder

Prepare the salmon as directed; break into small pieces. Layer all salad ingredients on a plate and top with the dressing. Enjoy!

TIP: The bell pepper could be replaced with tomato if you prefer! I love sunflower seeds on a salad, but some chopped cashews or chopped dry roasted almonds would also be nice. And, I prefer the dressing with the yogurt—it definitely cuts calories that way and I can hardly tell the difference!

BBQ Chicken and Cilantro Lime Quinoa Salad

I've recently seen some RECIPES floating around for BBQ chicken and quinoa, and also some recipes for cilantro lime quinoa. I decided to COMBINE the two for my own special eating PLEASURE. It turned out pretty FABULOUS if I do say so myself!

BBQ Chicken and Cilantro Lime Quinoa Salad
8 to 10 chicken tenders
1/2 red onion, sliced
1/2 to 3/4 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup quinoa, uncooked
1 to 2 limes
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (plus more for garnish)
1 cup super sweet white corn
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
Shredded cheddar cheese, optional

1 avocado

Place the chicken, onion, and barbecue sauce in a crockpot on low heat and cook 6 hours or until done. Shred the chicken with two forks and then set aside.

Prepare the quinoa according to package directions; let cool slightly and then squeeze the lime(s) over top, add the cilantro, and then stir together. Scoop the quinoa onto a plate, top with the corn, black beans, barbecue chicken, cheese, avocado, and cilantro to garnish. Makes 4 servings.

TIP: I loved it with cheese, so don't be shy about adding any. White cheddar or even a smoky gouda or mozzarella would be tasty as well. I also think more lime squeezed over the top of the whole dish is a great addition. I could honestly eat this about every night of the week. I LOVED IT!

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes Salad

I've posted this recipe before, but since all of the FOURTH OF JULY feasts are starting 

this week,  this is one salad you won't want to miss! This recipe is from my sister-in-law, 

and it is so AMAZINGLY good and refreshing! The dressing is SPECTACULAR and 

just bursts with flavor in your mouth. Speaking of which, mine is watering right now!

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes Salad

Creamy Basil Dressing

1/2 cup mayo (I used light)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 cup oil (I used the oil from the marinated mozzarella)

1/3 cup white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh basil (plus more for salad)

Spring mix salad

Cherry tomatoes, halved

Marinated mozzarella balls (from Costco)

Fresh basil, chiffonade

Blend all of the dressing ingredients together until smooth. Taste and adjust as necessary.

Lay some salad mix on a large platter, top with the tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Drizzle
dressing over top as desired.

TIP: I made this recently with some cold chopped up rotisserie chicken layered on top as
well so it could be our main course for dinner. It was delicious that way too!

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

I've been a little OBSESSED with beets lately, so when I did a quick weekend trip to visit a friend in Philly and she made this SALAD, I was a very happy girl! It was a fantastic and LIGHT lunch that she just threw together. It was that EASY.

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

Pickled whole beets, chilled (just the kind in the jar at Walmart)

Spring mix lettuce blend

Oil & vinegar dressing (we used Paul Newman's)

Goat cheese
Sunflower seeds

Slice or cut the beets into bite-size pieces; set aside. Place desired amount of lettuce on a plate or in a bowl. Drizzle with a little dressing and toss to coat. Top with the beets and some crumbled goat cheese as well as some sunflower seeds. Simple but amazing!!

TIP: You could obviously add any other yummy veggies to this salad and I'm sure it would be amazing. Cooked and crumbled bacon would be fabulous too. However, I love it as is!

Orzo Chicken Salad

This recipe was INSPIRED by the chicken salad I enjoyed recently at a BRIDAL shower in my neighborhood. It's LIGHT and REFRESHING—perfect for summer, and actually pretty darn good for you! Hope you love it.

Orzo Chicken Salad

1/2 cup orzo, cooked

1/2 cup chopped celery

2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken

1 cup red grape halves

3/4 cup cashew pieces and halves

1 green onion, sliced

1 (6-ounce) container Honey-Flavored Greek yogurt (I used Chobani)

2 to 3 tablespoons mayonnaise

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix together all ingredients and serve on a croissant, soft flatbread or pita wrap, or a large leaf of iceberg lettuce. Makes about 4 to 6 servings.

Double Layer Orange Cream Salad

This one of those traditional (and tasty!) FAMILY favorites that everyone loves. It's a great combination of pudding and Jell-O, and super REFRESHING this time of year. Everyone thinks it tastes like a DREAMSICLE—you know, the orange popsicle with vanilla ice cream in the middle? YUM! The best part is that, just like the majority of the recipes on this blog, its SUPER easy!

Double Layer Orange Cream Salad

1 large box orange gelatin

1 small box Cook & Serve lemon pudding

3 (15-ounce) cans mandarin oranges, drained

1 small box instant lemon pudding

1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Make orange gelatin as directed on package and then set aside, but do not put in fridge to set. Make the Cook & Serve lemon pudding as directed on box. Gently stir liquid orange gelatin and cooked lemon pudding until smooth.

Place the mandarin oranges in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch glass dish (if you have an extra deep one use that!). Next pour the gelatin-pudding mixture over top and smooth with a spoon. Refrigerate overnight until set.

Make the instant pudding as directed. Fold the whipped topping into the pudding and then spread over the set gelatin-pudding mixture. Refrigerate 1–2 more hours before serving. Makes 12–14 servings.

TIP: Try using other combinations of the Cook & Serve puddings and Jell-Os to make your own unique dish! Vanilla pudding and raspberry Jell-O would be yummy with a layer of raspberries in the bottom!

Southwest Pasta Salad

We love TEX-MEX foods at our house, so this recipe really hits the SPOT. It's great to take to potlucks, or add some CHICKEN and have it for dinner. Either way, it's DELISH! (Sorry for the terrible picture! I really need a nice new camera . . . and maybe some cuter dishes!)

Southwest Pasta Salad
1 (16-ounce) box penne or rigatoni pasta, cooked according to directions
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup corn
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped (optional)
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
3/4 cup cooked and crumbled bacon
1/2 cup roasted and salted pepitas (dark, small pumpkin seeds)

1 bottle Hidden Valley Farmhouse Southwest Chipotle dressing

1/4 to 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, chopped

In a bowl, combine the pasta, beans, corn, peppers, cilantro, bacon, and pepitas. Stir in about 1 cup of the dressing and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours. Just before serving, stir in the lettuce and more dressing to moisten. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

TIP: Add some cooked or grilled chopped chicken to make this a main course meal. Another great addition is some sort of cheese. I've added shredded taco blend cheese, and I think cubed pepper jack or cheddar would also be good. For tomato lovers, add tomato. And if anyone decides to add beef (shredded, ground), let me know how it turns out!

Fresh Italian Pasta Salad

We love SALAD at our house and we love PASTA too, so why not combine them when we can, right? This is the perfect combo of salad—it's FRESH, cool, and crisp. Not to mention, full of FLAVOR!

Fresh Italian Pasta Salad

3 cups mini farfalle pasta (little bow ties)

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup sliced olives (green, black, or a combo)

1 to 1 1/2 cups cubed pepperoni or salami (or both)

1/4 to 1/3 purple onion, chopped

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 cup Bernstein's Cheese & Garlic Italian dressing, plus more if necessary

4 to 5 cups chopped iceberg lettuce

Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and cool. Combine all ingredients except the lettuce in a large bowl and chill until ready to serve. Toss in the lettuce just before serving and add more dressing if salad seems dry.

TIP: Just like most pasta salads, this one is easy to customize for your family! If you don't like peppers, leave them out. You could add things like fresh tomatoes or mushrooms, or even cubes of fresh mozzarella (the marinated balls would be delicious!).

Easy Winter Fruit Salad

This time of year, the FRUIT starts to get boring, doesn't it? Well, to dress it up a little, I like to make this super EASY salad. My family always enjoys it—it just seems like an extra special TREAT.

Easy Winter Fruit Salad
1 to 2 red apples (I like Gala or Fuji)
1 to 2 Granny Smith apples
2 to 4 clementines
2 bananas
1 container Yoplait blackberry or raspberry yogurt
1/2 to 1 cup Cool Whip, to taste

Chop the apples and place in a large bowl. Peel the clementines and put the segments into the bowl with the apples. Slice the bananas and add to the other fruit. Pour the yogurt over the fruit as well as the Cool Whip and mix all together. Chill until ready to serve.

TIP: The bananas and apples may turn brown if you make the salad in advance. Try tossing with some lemon juice, orange juice, or even pineapple juice before mixing into the salad to prevent browning. Also, another great addition to make the salad go a little farther . . . mini marshmallows and/or chopped nuts!

Sweet Pork Salad

MERRY! MERRY!

This yummy salad has become a CHRISTMAS dinner tradition with my extended FAMILY and we look forward to it every year. The BEST thing about this pork is that it's not only great on a SALAD, but it is also AMAZING in burritos, tacos, quesadillas, and even as a baked potato topping. The POSSIBILITIES are endless!

Sweet Pork Salad

1 1/2 pounds boneless country-style pork ribs

1/2 cup sweet barbecue sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 to 6 tortillas, warmed

Grated cheddar cheese

1 (15-ounce) can black or pinto beans, rinsed and drained

Lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

Cubed avocado, optional

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

Cilantro to garnish (optional)

Put the pork ribs, barbecue sauce, and brown sugar in a slow cooker for 4 hours on high heat, or 8 hours on low heat. When done, shred with two forks and keep on low or warm heat. Lay tortillas on individual serving plates and sprinkle with the cheese and beans. Top with the pork, lettuce, and avocado, if using. Serve with the super yummy dressing on the side (which is also great for dipping quesadillas).

TIP: For something totally different with the leftovers—try using any leftover meat (warmed) and dressing on a hoagie bun with a little lettuce and cheese (melted on top) the next day. It makes one yummy sandwich!

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes Salad

We FEASTED on this fine salad at my sister-in-law's house a few weeks ago. It was so AMAZINGLY good and refreshing! I'm not sure where she got the RECIPE, so I hope whoever created it will FORGIVE me for passing it on to you!

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes Salad
Creamy Basil Dressing
1/2 cup mayo (I used light)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup oil (I used the oil from the marinated mozzarella)
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh basil

Spring Mix salad
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Marinated mozzarella balls (from Costco)
Fresh basil, chiffonade

Blend all of the dressing ingredients together until smooth. Taste and adjust as necessary.

Lay some salad mix on a large platter, top with the tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Drizzle dressing over top as desired.

TIP: I made this recently with some cold chopped up rotisserie chicken layered on top as well so it could be our main course for dinner. It was delicious that way too!

Spinach Artichoke Dip Salad

I've always LOVED the dip, so I figured it had to be good as a SALAD! And, if you've got lots of spinach on hand, this is a TASTY way to get everyone to eat their greens. :)

Spinach Artichoke Dip Salad

1 (6- to 8-ounce) bag baby spinach

1 (7.5-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 1/2 cups Italian-blend cheese

1 to 1 1/2 cups crumbled garlic cheese croutons

1 bottle Hidden Valley Creamy Parmesan dressing

In a bowl, combine the spinach, artichoke, cheese, and crouton crumbles. Gradually drizzle some of the dressing over top and toss to coat. Add more dressing to reach desired consistency. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

TIP: I think adding some cooked and crumbled bacon would be delicious, or you could get really creative and try tossing in some chopped cooked shrimp or crab meat like some restaurants add to their dip!

Lemon Chicken Pasta Salad

We had a SALAD similar to this one at a local restaurant that was DELICIOUS, so I tried making my own VERSION. It's very light and refreshing, perfect for a nice SUMMER meal!

Lemon Chicken Pasta Salad
Lemon Tarragon Dressing

1/2 cup olive oil mayonnaise

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 tablespoon minced or grated shallot

1 heaping tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried

Dash of salt and paprika

3 cups uncooked large shell pasta, cooked and drained

2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

1 cup sliced celery

1 cup cashew pieces

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1 to 1 1/2 cups seedless red grape halves

In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients and refrigerate until ready to use.

In a bowl, combine the cooled cooked pasta, chicken, celery, cashews, onions, and grapes. Toss with the dressing and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

TIP: Feel free to add more of any of the ingredients to this recipe. I think if you add extra tarragon to the dressing, it is VERY refreshing!

Chinese Chicken Salad

This is a recipe that has been around for AWHILE, but this version is by far my FAVORITE. We always eat it with some sort of YUMMY bread and have a big bowl of it for DINNER.

Chinese Chicken Salad
Dressing
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup sugar
1 seasoning packet from ramen noodles

1 head cabbage, chopped or thinly sliced
1 to 2 stalks celery, halved and sliced
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
1 package Oriental ramen noodles, broken up
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds

In a bowl, combine the dressing ingredients and set aside.

In another bowl, combine the salad ingredients and then toss with the dressing. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

TIP: You can leave out the chicken if you'd rather this be a side dish. Also, feel free to add another package or ramen noodles and even some finely diced onion or thinly sliced green onion. Either way, it's gonna be good!

Jo's Chicken Wonton Salad

This is such a refreshing, CRISPY salad, it's super hard to stop eating. It has a slight Oriental TASTE due to the sesame oil in the dressing, and it's FABULOUS! Thanks so much to my husband's aunt JOANN for sharing this yummy recipe with me.

Jo's Chicken Wonton Salad
3 to 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (or shredded)
1 head iceberg lettuce, torn or cut into bite-size pieces
2 cups chopped celery
5 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1/2 cup toasted sliced or slivered almonds
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
12 to 14 wonton wrappers, fried in oil and broken up

Dressing
6 to 7 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons dried mustard
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
4 to 5 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Toss all salad ingredients together except wontons in a large bowl. Combine dressing ingredients and toss onto salad (but don't saturate) just before serving. Add wontons. Makes 4 to 6 main dish servings.

TIP: This makes a big salad, so for just me and my hubby, I only use half of the salad mixture, wontons, and dressing. Then we make the other half the next night for dinner too, or sometimes for a big lunch. That way it doesn't get soggy. Try serving with your favorite bread on the side.

Mom's Potato Salad

So, is it weird that I've been WANTING some of this yummy POTATO salad? Once you try it, you'll want it at more than just summer BBQs too! (I am pregnant . . . with twins . . . so that might be another reason I want it soooo bad!)

Mom's Potato Salad

5 to 6 large red potatoes, cooked and cubed

4 to 5 hard-boiled eggs, chopped with a few slices reserved

1/2 cup chopped pickles

1/2 cup finely chopped onions

1 cup mayonnaise 

1 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon mustard

1/4 cup milk

salt and pepper, to taste

In a large bowl, mix together the potatoes, eggs, pickles, and onions; set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, and milk until creamy and smooth. Spoon over potato mixture and then gently stir until completely covered. Season with salt and pepper and top with reserved egg slices for garnish. Makes 8 to 10 servings.


TIP: I use light mayo and light sour cream, and it's still delicious but has a lot fewer calories and fat! I also like to sprinkle a little paprika over the sliced eggs on top. OK, so let me know if I'm crazy! :)