Chicken Rice Salad

This salad works well for a large group. We've served it at baby showers, book clubs and countless gatherings. It needs to be started the night before you serve it, so please keep that in mind:) Recipe from family friend Valerie Terry. Serves about 12-14.

Mix in a large bowl: Cover and refrigerate overnight:

2 Tbs. brown sugar

1 tsp. salt

3 Tbs. oil

1 Tbs. white vinegar

3 c. cooked rice, with no salt added

4 chicken breasts, cooked & cubed

1 (20 oz.) can well-drained crushed pineapple

Next day, add and combine well. Refrigerate until serving:

1 cup chopped celery 

1/2 cup each red & green peppers

1/2 cup seedless green grapes

1/2 cup seedless red or black grapes

2 cans mandarin oranges, drained

3/4 cup cashews (optional)

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Christmas & holiday recipe roundup!

Christmas season is in full swing and we wanted to highlight a few of our favorite holiday recipes. Christmas for me is about Christ, family and friends, giving and generosity and... food! Food always seems to play a part in creating memories, traditions and comfort. So, enjoy baking and giving away yummy treats, making memories over delicious meals, celebrating with friends at a party or giving your children something to get nostalgic about when they think back about Christmases of their childhood.

Happy holidays from all of us at Boy Cheese Sandwich!!!

• For Christmas morning:

Sausage Breakfast Casserole
German Pancakes
Apple Puff Pancakes
Amish Breakfast Casserole
Chile Casserole
Kathy's Coffee Cake
French Toast Casserole

• Christmas cookies and home-baked gifts:

Nana's Caramels
Chocolate-Dipped Pretzel Rods
Hot Fudge Sauce
Mom's Sugar Cookies
Waffle Brownies
Earthquake Cookies
Mint Brownies
Meltaways
Sand Art Brownies
Peanut Butter Bars
Easy Pretzel Turtles
Thin Mint Crackers

• Non-food gift:

Christmas Potpourri

• Christmas appetizers:

Cranberry Salsa
Wassail
Artichoke Dip

• Christmas salads:

Christmas Salad
Winter Fruit Salad with Lemon Poppyseed Dressing
Pear Salad

• Christmas desserts:

Gingerbread White Chocolate Blondies
Mom's French Pear Pie
Eggnog Cupcakes
Cranberry Bundt Cake with Warm Butter Sauce
Apple Torte with Lemon Sauce

• Meals for Christmas day, after presents -or- for Christmas Eve:)  Most are make-ahead, so you can just warm it up or bake it when family is around and hungry!

Three-Bean Christmas Chili
Classic Cheese Fondue
Chocolate Fondue (pictured below)
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Ski Country Pasta
Mom's Minestrone Soup
Cranberry Chicken
Mimi's Cafe Corn Chowder with Ham
Mom's Lasagna

Salad de Maison

Salad:

2 heads romaine lettuce, washed and torn
2 c. cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 c. grated Swiss cheese
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2/3 c. slivered almonds
salt and pepper to taste
1 c. croutons

Dressing:
1/2 c. canola oil
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 cloves garlic, crushed

*Dressing is best if made the night before and refrigerated.

Serves: 10

Asian Spinach Pasta Salad

Ingredients
16 oz. tri-color spiral pasta
3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 bunch green onion-thinly sliced
1 red pepper- diced
1 yellow pepper- diced
1/3 cup sunflower seeds- lightly toasted
1 bag baby spinach

Dressing
1/2 cup canola oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup white vinegar
3 Tbs. sugar
1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook chicken and pasta. Combine all dressing ingredients and pour over chicken and pasta. Cover and chill overnight. The next day add onions, peppers, and sunflower seeds. Add spinach and toss  immediately before serving. Hint: I usually make a little extra dressing and add it before serving because the chicken and noodles soak it all up!

Slow-Cooker Apple Pork Roast

We LOVE this recipe and have been making it often lately because it's so easy! There are only 5 ingredients and it doesn't get much easier than throwing it all in the crockpot. It works well for burritos, salads or sandwiches and because it serves 12, we use it for 2 different meals. I hope you enjoy this one as much as my family does:) Recipe adapted from 30 Meals in One Day.

1 (4-pound) boneless pork roast
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups apple juice
½ teaspoon salt

Place pork roast in a large slow-cooker (lined with a Reynold's Slow-Cooker liner for easy cleanup). Mix Worcestershire, brown sugar, apple juice and salt and pour over pork. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours. Remove pork and place it in a large bowl and shred with 2 forks. Spoon remaining juice over the shredded pork and mix well. Can use for pork sandwiches, salad or burritos. Serves 12.

Winter Fruit Salad with Lemon Poppyseed Dressing

I love this salad! It's a great one to take to a party or just to eat at home. I have been eating varied versions of it for lunch pretty much every day lately. I will just throw in whatever fruit or nuts I have on hand. Yum! 

1 head Romaine Lettuce, torn into pieces (or spring mix)
4 ounces shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup cashews
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 apple, diced
1 pear, sliced

Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons diced onion
1 teaspoon Dijon-style prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

In a blender or food processor, combine sugar, lemon juice, onion, mustard, and salt. Process until well blended. With machine still running, add oil in a slow, steady stream until mixture is thick and smooth. Add poppy seeds, and process just a few seconds more to mix. Pour over salad just prior to serving.

Watergate Salad

I really like this fruity Jell-o salad. It makes a nice side dish for a pot luck or even a dessert. Why is it called "Watergate Salad?" If you're curious, here's a link. I always use sugar-free pudding and lite or fat-free Cool Whip to save a few carbs and calories and you can't even tell the difference...

1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained

1 (3.4 oz.) pkg. Pistachio flavor instant pudding mix (I use sugar-free)

1 cup miniature marshmallows

1/2 cup chopped pecans
1-1/2 cups thawed Cool Whip whipped topping (I use Lite)

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl until well-blended. Gently fold in Cool Whip. Transfer to a serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until ready to serve. Garnish with additional Cool Whip and pecans, if desired.  Makes 8 half cup servings. Easy to double!

BLT Coleslaw

I used to make a dish similar to this one when I was first married, but have long since lost the recipe. Last week I recreated it to the best of my recollection and we loved it! This is a perfect side dish for barbecues and Summer meals!

1 (16 oz.) bag coleslaw mix

1 cup halved cherry tomatoes (or diced tomatoes)

6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled 

DRESSING:

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 Tbs. white vinegar

1 Tbs. oil (vegetable, canola or olive)
2 Tbs. light mayonnaise

1/4-1/2  tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Black pepper, to taste

Place coleslaw mix in a large serving bowl. Add bacon and tomatoes and stir well. Mix dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and pour over coleslaw. Mix well. Refrigerate until serving. Serves 6.

Chicken and Rice Salad

Great for showers and luncheons!

Adapted from Sylvia Terry's recipe.

3 Tbs. brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup Canola oil
2 Tbs. white vinegar

Mix together and pour over:

4 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple tidbits, drained
3 cups cooked white rice

Stir together and refrigerate overnight.

The next day add:

1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
1 - 2 cups washed grapes
1/2 - 1 cup cashews
1/2 cup mayonnaise

Stir well. Fold in: 

2 (15 ounce) cans mandarin oranges.

Chill until time to serve. Serves 10 -14.

Spring berry salad

Spring mix greens

Blueberries

Blackberries

sliced strawberries

Mandarin oranges

pineapple tidbits

(may add feta cheese, sliced almonds, dried cherries, Craisins)

Dressing:

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp salt

1/3 cup vinegar

1 cup canola oil

Combine all but oil in blender and mix until well blended.

Pour oil in slowly while blender is on "stir" position. When all oil is in, blend at high speed for 30 seconds.

Stir in 1 tsp. celery seeds

Creamy Tomatillo Salad Dressing

Okay, for those of you who love Cafe Rio salads, this dressing is for you.

I have tried 3 different knock-off recipes, and this one is by far the best & closest to the real thing.
Pair it with our Cafe Rio Pork & Cilantro Lime Rice recipes.

1 c. buttermilk

1 c. mayo

1 pckg. dry buttermilk ranch dressing mix (I use Hidden Valley)

2 tomatillos (husked)

2 Jalapenos (seeded)

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro

Juice from 1/2 fresh lime

1 clove garlic

*Puree all ingredients in a blender.  Refrigerate until chilled.

Makes about 1 quart (so plenty to share)

"Cafe Rio" Pork

**This is my version of one of our SLC favorites! I have experimented and combined many different recipes, and this seems as close to Cafe Rio's as I could get!

**This is the party-sized recipe... it will serve a crowd! Halve it for a family-sized serving, or make the whole recipe, eat what you need and freeze the rest for another day! My kids are always begging for more!!

5-6 pound boneless pork roast
2 liter bottle of Dr. Pepper- Not DIET!!
1/2 cup brown sugar
1-2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 cup water
1 large (7 oz) can diced green chilies
1 large (28 oz) can red enchilada sauce
1 1/2-2 cups brown sugar

After trimming excess fat, put the pork roast in a tupperware or heavy duty ziploc bag to marinate. Add 2-3 cups of Dr Pepper and about 1/2 c. of brown sugar. Marinate in fridge overnight.

In the morning drain marinade and put pork, 2 cups Dr Pepper, 1/2 cup water, and 1-2 tsp garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours or on low for 8 hours (I do mine on high until lunch-time). Remove pork from crock pot, scrape off excess fat and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork with two forks. Return pork to crock pot.

In blender combine chilies, enchilada sauce and 1 1/2 to 2 cups brown sugar (you can add a little more or less to taste) and blend until smooth. Pour over shredded pork in crockpot and then mix in 1 1/2 to 2 cups Dr Pepper (add more if sauce is too thick). Cook on low for at least 2 hours. I usually let it simmer on low until dinner-time! Serve with tortillas, black beans, cheese, cilantro-lime rice, salsa, guacamole and lettuce for a deluxe burrito, or with the same toppings over lettuce, topped with Creamy Cilantro-Lime Ranch and garnished with cilantro and crushed tortilla chips, for a fabulous salad!

Kneaders Chicken Ala Mondo Salad

This is my version of Kneaders "Chicken Ala Mondo Salad". It's pretty simple and always a crowd pleaser.

Combine the following in any amount you like:
Spring mix lettuce
Cooked & cubed chicken breasts (I sprinkle with minced onion before baking to add flavor)
Mozzarella cheese
Sliced almonds (I like Accent brand original roasted)
Crumbled bacon
Red onions (optional)

Poppy Seed Dressing: 
1/2 c. canola oil
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. poppy seeds
1/4 tsp salt
1/2-1 tsp. minced onion
1/4 tsp. ground mustard

Combine all ingredients except poppy seeds in blender and blend for 3 minutes. Stir in poppy seeds. Refrigerate if not using immediately.

Pear Salad

Dressing:

2 cups sugar

2 tsp salt

1 small onion, cut up scallions or dried onion flakes

2 tsp. dry mustard

1 cup red wine vinegar

2 tsp celery seed or poppy seed

-Blend above ingredients with 1 1/2 cup oil

Salad:

Mixed greens- iceberg, romaine, red leaf

Roasted walnuts - 350 degrees for 30 min. with 3 T Butter

1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled

4-5 pears, cut and peeled (can do ahead of time if you pour a little 7-Up over to keep from turning brown)

crumbled gorgonzola cheese, or blue cheese

*Go light on salad dressing, don't drown the salad in oil.

Top with pomegranate seeds.

"Christmas" Salad

This salad is one of my favorite things about the holiday season! 

*adapted from Favorites

1 head red leaf lettuce 

1 head green leaf lettuce

2 grapefruits

2 oranges
2 pears

1 large avocado

seeds from 1 pomegranate 

Toss all together or arrange on individual plates. (You can do all the fruit or we like it with just pears and pomegranates.) 

Dressing: 

1 c. sugar

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1 1/2  teaspoon salt

2/3 c. apple cider vinegar (or white)

2 c. vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon poppy seeds or celery seeds (we prefer celery) 

Combine dressing ingredients in food processor. Refrigerate until ready to use.  

Spinach Salad

* from Nancy Miller

Salad:
Mix lettuce and spinach and top with remaining ingredients:
1 head iceberg lettuce, washed and torn in pieces
1 bag spinach
1 1/2 c. grated swiss cheese
1 small carton (16 oz.) cottage cheese
1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
(My in-laws dont like mushrooms, so I sometimes substitute peas instead and it is yummy)

Poppyseed Dressing:
Combine all ingredients, add just prior to serving:
1/3 c. vinegar
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. minced onion
1/8 tsp. dry mustard
2 tsp. poppy seeds
1/4 tsp salt

Serves 8-10.

BBQ Chicken Salad

This is one of our favorites and is great for a crowd.

* from Monica Miles

3 chicken breasts
1 1/2 c. BBQ sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic salt

- Place chicken breasts in a greased 9"x9" pan. Sprinkle garlic salt on chicken, then pour BBQ sauce, coating well. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until cooked through. Let cool, then cube. Pour left over BBQ sauce from the pan over the cubed chicken in a small Tupperware and refrigerate. ( I often cook the chicken the night before so that I can just toss everything together just before).

2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
1 head iceberg lettuce chopped
1/2 c. cilantro, chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 1/2 c. frozen corn, thawed
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 can sliced olives
1 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 avocado, diced
1 bottle ranch dressing (we like Kraft)

-Combine all salad ingredients & chicken in an extra large bowl & toss, coating with ranch dressing.

Summer Berry Salad

• 
  
• Salad greens (I use Spring Mix)
• 4 cooked chicken breasts cubed or shredded (optional)
• Fresh berries (I usually do strawberries and blueberries but any kind of berry works)
• Mandarin oranges
• Feta cheese
• Sliced roasted almonds or candied pecans 
• 
  
• Dressing:
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 red onion minced 
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper 

Mix all ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth. 

* This salad can be served year round just use whatever fruit is in season. 

Peach Salad

Recipe from Marian C.

Dressing:

1 cup oil

1/3 cup vinegar

1/3 cup honey

2/3 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp celery salt

1 tsp paprika

1-2 Tbs. grated onion

Mix all ingredients (except oil in blender then slowly add oil to emulsify.

Serve on a bed of--

salad greens

fresh sliced peaches

roasted pine nuts

crumbled blue cheese

cooked shredded chicken (sprinkled with salt and lemon pepper and baked covered) optional

blueberries and red grapes (optional)