Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Heyyyyy... remember me? This month has been crazy so far! I traveled to Boston by myself for a conference and had so much fun exploring on my own. I never expected to enjoy the experience but I really did! I also taught a PD class for my district, have been going to the beach/splash grounds/and parks with my son, and just really enjoying summer. With that said, I have thought of you guys here often, but didn't take the time to really come and update. I apologize! I do have so many yummy things to share so I will be here more!

This salad was a list minute idea. We were going to dinner at my sister's house but didn't decide to do this until close to 4, I hadn't bought anything in preparation of making a side dish to share, and decided to just use what I had. It ended up being quite good! It wasn't an original idea, I had seen this somewhere online but couldn't find the recipe so I ended up just winging it. It came out pretty good! A nice easy side dish or meal for the summer!

Ingredients:
1 head of romaine lettuce
1 tomato
1 carrot
1 cup chopped grilled or rotisserie chicken
2 cups cooked pasta (any shape)
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Caesar dressing, to taste

Directions:
1- Toss all of the ingredients above together in a large bowl. Add the dressing slowly and toss until lightly coated. Serve immediately.

BBQ Chicken Salad

I don't typically make salad for dinner because it's usually not enough for John... and, well, I don't really think of salad as a dinner food either if I'm being honest. Lunch, sure, but dinner... not usually. However recently we had a night where John and I both weren't particularly hungry. John had been watching football with some friends, I had been snacking on and off, and a big meal wasn't necessary for either of us. Cue this salad. When Sarah posted it a few weeks ago I instantly pinned it on Pinterest and was eager to try it. However when I made it I honestly made it from memory without looking back at her recipe and what I ended up with was delicious, but not really too similar to the original. None the less it was delicious. I'm still in my BBQ chicken phase (this has been a long phase- it's been a couple years now!) so this was perfect for me. I liked the crunch that the corn chips added to contrast the soft chicken, cheese, and tomato. In this house BBQ sauce and ranch are favorites so it was clear from the beginning that this would be a hit around here, and it was.

Source: Inspired by A Taste of Home Cooking
Serves 2-3

Ingredients:
1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 head of iceberg lettuce, chopped
1 tomato, diced
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup Mexican blend cheese (or cheddar, Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, etc.)
1/3 cup shredded carrots (forgot to add them before I photographed)
1/2 cup crumbled tortilla chips
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
3 tbsp BBQ sauce
Ranch salad dressing

Directions:
1- In a small bowl combine the chicken and BBQ sauce. Stir well until evenly coated.
2- In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients. Add the chicken. Top with ranch dressing, to taste, and toss well until well coated.
3- Serve immediately.

Grilled Chicken Caesar Flatbreads

This summer I've become a very lazy blogger. In fact, this past week I've become a very lazy cook. To the point where I've only cooked one meal in the whole week... or if I'm being honest one meal in the past ten days. I need to get out of this funk, but as someone who hates heat, 5+ days of ninety degree days that feel well over 100 is killin' me. I don't even want to order take out because I don't want to interact with the delivery man at the door and let the heat in my house. It's that miserable. Ick.

However, if you feel like braving the heat to turn on your grill, this is a light and refreshing meal, perfect for these dog days of summer. I've had this meal on my radar for quite some time. Typically if I find a recipe on both Cassie's and Sarah's blogs I know I'll love it. And sure enough this was delicious. I ate it with a fork and knife, John rolled it up into a wrap, and both of us were happily eating away. I know we'll have this again and again this summer!

Source: Slightly adapted from  Cassie Craves

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup Caesar dressing, plus more for the salad
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Chopped romaine lettuce
Parmesan cheese
2 flatbreads

Directions:
1. Combine 3/4 cup dressing, lemon juice, and Worcestershire in a plastic container or a large resealable plastic bag. Add chicken; seal container and marinate at least 2 hours, up to overnight.
2. Heat grill to medium-high heat and grill chicken until cooked through. For the last couple minutes of cooking, add flatbreads and grill each side until marked and slightly crispy. Let chicken rest, then slice on an angle.
3. Combine romaine lettuce, Caesar dressing, and Parmesan cheese. Add some of the salad mixture to each flatbread. Top with sliced chicken. Serve immediately.

Corn and Barley Salad with Fresh Tomato Vinaigrette

Since I've had my grill I've been making tons and tons of meals outside on that bad boy. A few nights ago I was grilling steaks and wanted a simple and light side dish. I decided to go with this corn and barley salad I had seen on Pinterest. The original recipe  had the most amazing photographs of a delicious piece of grilled chicken served over this incredible looking salad. I had never worked with barley before but decided to give it a shot because the pictures were calling me- well, haunting me actually- it was all I could think about. I had the original recipe including the chicken on the menu for two weeks but it kept getting bumped by things happening, the tomatoes being rotten once (boo), and just general laziness on my part! Finally I got around to it and I'm so glad I did.

John and I were both huge fans. I left out the avocado because neither of us are big avocado people but I know most people love it so I will include it in the recipe. I have to say this is the perfect summer side dish. You can serve it warm or cold, you can make a big batch of it for a party, or you can make a smaller batch for dinner. We loved it and I am confident you will too!

Source: Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

Ingredients:
1/2 cup medium barley
1 cups fresh, canned, or frozen-then-thawed corn kernels
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/2 avocado, chopped (optional)
salt & pepper

Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 clove garlic
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon water
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 Tablespoon red onion
salt & pepper

Parsley

Directions:
1- Cook barley with a pinch of salt according to package directions. Drain when barley is tender to make sure all excess water is removed. Place into a large bowl to cool slightly.

2- Make the Tomato Vinaigrette: Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a food processor or blender, then process until smooth.
3- Stir corn, cherry tomatoes, and red onion into the cooled barley. Stir in the tomato vinaigrette to taste. Gently fold in avocado (if using) then season with salt & pepper to taste.

Pesto Ranch Potato Salad

Please don't disown me, or stop reading my blog, or call me a horrible person... what I'm about to say might shock you... but I just CAN'T eat traditional potato salad. You know the kind... glopped in mayo.. all white and thick and heavy. If you saw my face right now you'd understand (picture me looking queasy)... I just can't do it. First of all- mayo makes me gag. Yes, I can eat things cooked with mayo, like bang bang shrimp or spinach dip (though I do use far less mayo than the recipe calls for), but I CAN'T add it to a sandwich or eat anything where mayo is the starring ingredient. So when we decided to host a Father's Day barbecue I knew I should serve a potato salad, but I knew I'd have to make my own version. I decided to do a more Italian version and came up with this. I made the mistake of serving it cold, it's definitely better at room temperature, but either way it was tasty! If you're making this definitely serve it slightly warm or room temperature, the flavors aren't as strong when it's cold. This will be great for all of the summer picnics and BBQs coming up!

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:

1 pound small red potatoes, diced into small, even parts
1 cup sun dried tomatoes, sliced into thin slices
1/3 cup pesto
1/3 cup ranch
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the potatoes until fork tender, drain and run under cool water to stop the cooking process.
2- Add the potatoes to a mixing bowl- toss in the tomatoes, stir well.
3- In a small bowl combine the pesto, ranch, Italian seasonings, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well.
4- Pour the sauce over the potatoes, mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve at room temperature.

Parmesan Garlic and Herb Croutons

I make light caesar salads as a side dish often. Very often. I don't do anything fancy- just romaine, some parmesan, and a high quality light caesar dressing. Oh- and croutons. Yes- croutons are a must. Only I recently ran out of croutons and kept forgetting to buy them, so we went weeks with coutonless salads- a real cryin' shame.

I realized that enough was enough and it was time to make some croutons. There's really nothing easier in the world- so why not, right? I didn't follow a recipe- I just chopped, tossed, baked, and then ate. Yum- eating these was the best part!

These croutons came out fabulous. I was pleased with how nicely they turned out. And best of all they are much healthier than store bought ones because I used  multigrain bread, less oil, and baked them instead of frying. I will never buy store made croutons again. Oh, and by the way- if you choose to snack on these instead of putting them in a salad, I won't judge you. I promise.

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:
1/2 loaf good quality Italian bread, multigrain preferred
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 350.
2- Line a cookie sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.
3- Taking the  bread, slice it in half horizontally. Then slice each piece in half vertically, so you have four long, thin slices of bread.
4- Cut the four bread pieces into even cubes, placing into a large mixing bowl- set aside.
5- In a small bowl combine the EVOO, garlic powder, Italian seasonings, and a dash of salt an pepper. Stir well.
6- Slowly drizzle the mixture over the bread cubes, stirring well. Continue pouring until all of the mixture is on the bread. (The bread cubes should be saturated in places, but they do not need to be completely covered in the mixture).
7- Toss in the parmesan cheese, stir well.
8- Spread the bread cubes out in a single layer on the sheet. Bake 15 minutes, remove from the oven, and stir well.
9- Bake another 15 minutes. Again, remove from the oven and stir well. At this point if they are hard and crisp, leave them out to cool. If not return to the oven for 10 minutes or so.
10- Allow the croutons to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

My Favorite Salad

Whenever we go to events with this one set of family friends there is always this amazing salad there. I finally asked who makes it, what's in it, and why it's so darn good. Since the first time I made this salad I have made it over and over again. I could just eat it all day. I love how the feta softens into the lettuce, I love the simplicity of the oil and vinegar based salad dressing, and I just love the pleasant taste. This salad is essentially like Greek salad but it's missing olives. Add in some olives and that's where you'd be. Love it- give it a shot with the last of the summer produce.

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:
2 heads of romaine lettuce, diced
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, washed and dried
1 small cucumber, cut thin
Red onion, cut thin (as much as you like)
1 small container reduced fat feta cheese
Croutons
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
1- Combine the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, tossing.
2- In a small container, combine the EVOO and red wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Shake well to combine.
3- Pour the dressing over the salad, toss to coat.
4- Serve immediately.

Italian Pasta Salad

I have mentioned here before that I love pasta salad. My standard pasta salad typically involves some type of pasta with assorted peppers, cheddar cheese, and Italian salad dressing. It's a classic combo that makes for a happy husband and a happy wife in our house. However, last weekend when I decided to make pasta salad I realized I had none of the ingredients needed to make my standard pasta salad! What's a girl to do?!

Well, I got creative and used what I had! I was deciding between going for an Asian inspired pasta salad or an Italian inspired one, and decided Italian went better with the rest of the meal. Don't worry- I intend to make the Asian one soon though! This pasta salad was really quite good and a nice change of pace. I was nervous that John would hate it since he is the biggest fan of my regular recipe, but even he loved this. My only regret was making so little that there were no leftovers and nothing to take to work the next day!

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked pasta (any small shape)
1 cup broccoli, cut into small florets
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, diced in 1/2
3-4 tbsp. parmesan cheese
Kraft Roasted red pepper Italian salad dressing

Directions:
1- Bring a pot of water to boil. Cook the pasta. In the last 2 minutes, throw in the broccoli.
2- Drain the pasta/broccoli mixture. Run under cold water.
3- Allow the mixture to cool completely.
4- Add the grape tomatoes and a few squirts of dressing. Toss well, store in the fridge to allow the tastes to marinade.
5- Right before serving add the parmesan cheese, stir well, and serve cold.

Asian Salad

Applebees. Blech. No offense to anyone who likes it, but I just don't. I like the nostalgia of it- going there after 10 in high school and college for half priced appetizers. But the food is just ok. My mom however LOVES the Oriental Chicken Salad there. Last time I went there I tried it after hearing about it so long and I was pleasantly surprised. It was pretty good. I loved the dressing and the salad itself was not bad. Not good enough to go running back, but good enough that I don't break into a cold sweat if someone suggests going there for lunch or dinner now.

When I saw this recipe pop up in my Google Reader I squealed a little bit. Now I can make that tasty salad at home! The original recipe, linked below, calls for chicken. If I was making this as an entree I would definitely use the chicken. However I was using it as a side dish for a BBQ so I did not. I also did not fry the rice noodles. I chose to boil about 2 ounces and chop it up. I loved this salad so much. The dressing was fabulous and will be one of my go-to salad dressing recipes. A serious must try.

Source: Adapted from Blog Chef

Ingredients:

Dressing-
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil (optional)
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons rice vinegar

Salad-
1 head of lettuce, iceberg or romaine, rinsed and chopped
2 ounces of rice noodles, boiled and chopped
1/2 cup of chow mein noodles
1 small can of mandarin oranges, drained
2 chicken breasts (optional), grilled


Directions:
To make the dressing- In a salad dressing carafe or container combine brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, vegetable oil, and rice vinegar. Shake and mix well (dressing should be prepared at least half hour before making the salad- I made mine the night before and it was perfect)

In a large bowl combine lettuce, cooked chicken (if using), and mandarin oranges. Let chill for 10 minutes in the refrigerator. Just before serving add the rice noodles and chow mein noodles. Pour dressing on the salad or allow everyone to put the dressing on their own plates of salad.

Wagon Wheel Pasta Salad

I tend to take some time to warm up to trends. Uggs. Leggings. Booties (although I'm still unsure about those things.) I have to see it several times, done several ways, and then I decide if it's for me. The same can be said with my food blog. Everyone and their mother made penne a la Betsy. I did too- just way later. Then everyone and their mother made crispy yogurt chicken. Yup- again I made it. Just months later. Then there were the cake balls and best big fat chewy chocolate chip cookies. Again, a little late to the trend. Let's not forget the Oreo truffles. So the newest trend was this pasta salad. Everyone was raving about it, making it, swearing up and down by it. I knew I'd make it eventually, but in true fashion I waited until months after the craze. I guess I'm a follower, and not a very good one at that!

Well one thing I have learned is that usually the craze was well worth it. Sure enough the same could be said for this salad. I made it for my neighborhood block party and it was delicious. Being the weirdo that I am I took note of who's plate had it and who's didn't. I saw many plates loaded with this stuff! It is a different take on pasta salad and definitely worth the craze. Enjoy- it's quite tasty!

Source: Cara's Cravings

Wagon Wheel Taco Pasta Salad
1lb wagon wheel pasta
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 10oz package frozen corn
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
8oz shredded Mexican-blend cheese
1 1/2 cups salsa
1/2 cup olive oil
3-4 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp cumin
1-2 tsp chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
freshly ground salt & pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 avocado, diced

Cook the pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.

In a large bowl, combine the black beans, corn, tomatoes, salsa, and cheese. Add the cooled pasta and mix well.

In another bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cumin and chili powder. Pour over the pasta salad, add the cilantro, and mix well. Season to taste with salt & pepper.

Just before serving, stir in the diced avocado.

Japanese Cucumber Salad

I have developed a real love for Japanese food. I am a beginner with this type of cuisine and am just starting to try new things. One thing I tried recently at a local restaurant and loved was cucumber salad. For some reason it popped in my head last night and I knew I had to make it today. John and I agreed that this recipe was so close to the salad we got from the restaurant. I halved the recipe and it was perfect for the two of us as a side dish. Delicious and refreshing- a real must try!

Source: Eating Well

Ingredients:
2 medium cucumbers or 1 large English cucumber
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted (see tip below)

1. Peel cucumbers to leave alternating green stripes. Slice the cucumbers in half lengthwise; scrape the seeds out with a spoon. Using a food processor or sharp knife, cut into very thin slices. Place in a double layer of paper towel and squeeze gently to remove any excess moisture.
2. Combine vinegar, sugar and salt in a medium bowl, stirring to dissolve. Add the cucumbers and sesame seeds; toss well to combine. Serve immediately.

TIP: To toast sesame seeds, heat a small dry skillet over low heat. Add sesame seeds and stir constantly until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool.

** 0 points per serving

Olive Garden Salad

The Olive Garden brings back happy memories for me. I have had many meals there with my friend Maria. I have gone there on a couple dates with John when we were first dating. I went to lunch with just my dad there (something that was rare growing up.) And I can remember the first time I went there- on vacation in Florida when I was under 10. I begged my mom to go since they always played the commercials in New Jersey but there weren't any locally. She finally gave in and we went. My dad got meat loaf which I still remember because I thought that was such a weird choice. The food is decent, the bread sticks are amazing, and the salad is really good. But the happy memories really make me love Olive Garden.

Therefore when I saw this recipe for their salad I knew I needed to make it. Our friend James came over for lunch yesterday and this was one of the things I served. Now I didn't think it tasted exactly like Olive Garden's salad but it was close and VERY good. Don't skip out on the croutons, they were awesome. John and James kept dipping the extra croutons in the left over dressing- they were that good.

Source: The Sisters' Cafe

Olive Garden Salad Dressing:
½ c. mayonnaise
1/3 c. white vinegar
1 tsp vegetable oil
2 Tb. corn syrup
2 Tb. Parmesan cheese
2 Tb. Romano cheese
¼ tsp garlic salt – or one clove garlic, minced
½ tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp parsley flakes
1 Tb. lemon juice

Salad:
1 large head romaine lettuce
slices red onion
black olives
2-4 banana peppers
2 small tomatoes, quartered
½ c. croutons
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

For homemade croutons:
4 slices sandwich bread
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tb. butter
salt and pepper
dried parsley flakes

Mix all dressing ingredients in a blender until well mixed. If this is a little too tart for your own personal tastes, add a little extra sugar.
Chill one salad bowl in freezer for at least 30 minutes. Put lettuce in bowl. Place on top of lettuce red onions, black olives, banana peppers, tomatoes, and croutons. Add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese if you like, and add plenty of Olive Garden Salad Dressing on top.

For the homemade croutons:
Cut off crusts of sandwich bread, and cut bread into cubes. Melt butter in small saucepan and add minced garlic. Toss sandwich cubes in the butter and spread out in a pan. Sprinkle salt and pepper and parsley flakes to taste. Bake for 15 minutes at 350°, turning half way through baking.