Mandarin Pasta Salad (my new favorite, yep I'm obsessed...)

So this is seriously my new favorite things! I'm obsessed, I've made it every week since I learned about it (and I like lots of variation, I HATE eating the same thing over and over again.) Thanks Megan let me just tell ya this girl can cook, I've loved everything of hers that I've tried. But this is my FAVORITE! So fresh, healthy, loaded with nutrition and lets not forget unbelievable flavors. It's such a nice take on pasta salad, without the MAYO!!! It might just be the perfect side dish to your 4th of July BBQ. I also load up on spinach and make it more of a salad. Somehow I feel like that is gonna give me a six pack!

Mandarin Pasta Salad


Dressing

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

1 clove garlic, diced

1/3 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp sesame oil

1 envelope Lipton onion soup mix (I've used 2 different generic brands and both turned out great!)

4 tsp sugar

Mix well and refrigerate. It is best if you can give it at least 30 minutes for the flavors to marry!


Salad

8 oz bow tie pasta, cooked

1/2 of a cucumber, seeded and sliced

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper (when red are super expensive I go with green, they are just not as sweet)

1/2 cup chopped red onion

6 oz. baby spinach

11 oz can mandarin oranges, well drained

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted (350 for 8 minutes)

Toasted sesame seeds (optional, I think they go well with the sesame oil in the dressing)

Toss and serve immediately. Or add all ingredients minus the spinach and dressing to a large Tupperware and refrigerate. Then it can sit and be dished out and dressed to suit your needs. I double the batch and have a yummy quick dinner/lunch or side dish for days.

To make this salad more of a meal, add 2 cups cooked diced chicken. May I recommend grilled lemon chicken. (scroll down that post is LONG)

Balsamic-Marinated Chicken with Orange Aocado Salad

With the day full of sunshine, I felt like grillin. I actually love to grill all year long, just love the end result. I do not however love it when it is snowing, my toes FREEZE. So thank you Spring for poking your beautiful lil head out. I found this recipe (chicken) in In the kitchen the Costco way. Sounds weird, but it has some great recipes. This has become a favorite. My husband just loves it! Also don't tell anyone but this is super good for you SHHHHHHHH.

Balsamic-Marinated Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halved (or use 10 tenders)
1 cup balsamic vinaigrette (I use Kraft reduced fat Balsamic Salad dressing, remember I'm watching my calories.)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbs frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp crushed garlic

Combine all ingredients

Place chicken in lg. ziplock bag. Add marinade to chicken. Squeeze air out of bag and seal. Marinate in fridge 4 hours (the longer the better, on Sunday mornings I make it early and let it marinate for 6-8 hours.)

Set up grill on medium high heat. Oil grate when ready to start cooking. I brush with Olive oil or use Pam for grilling, this is very important or chicken will stick. Remove from marinade, grill for 3-4 minutes per side until chicken is no longer pink.

Variation: Can be cooked under broiler. Broil 6-8 inches under heat source. Broil for 5-6 minutes per side or until chicken is no longer pink.

Orange Avocado Salad


I came up with this when I wanted something new, delicious and light. I love the flavor combinations and the simplicity.

Dressing
Zest 1 orange take care to not zest the white
To Zest add 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil, whisk
Add 3tbs sugar
Add 3tbs red wine vinegar
pinch of salt

Taste at this stage and adjust as desired. I like mine tart and sweet. Refrigerate until serving.

Cut the remaining white peel off orange. then slice for salad
slice 1 avocado
baby spinach

I assemble each salad individually. Spinach on bottom, then avocado slices and orange. Then spoon dressing over. Now you have a perfect light summer salad.

Cafe Rio Pork Salad Yummo

So many copy cat recipies out there. This one is delicious and proably much healthier then going out to the restraunt.

Try just making the pork and using it for tacos or burritos.

SWEET PORK

2 pounds pork
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can sliced green chilies
3/4 can RED enchilada sauce (I used Old El Paso brand, medium spiciness)
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty Ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry). Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it!


CILANTRO-LIME RICE

1 c. uncooked rice
1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.


BLACK BEANS (of course you could always use canned and no one will know but you!)

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro. (**NOTE** we added a can of corn, drained, to the beans with a dash of cumin and chili powder, it was AWESOME! We recommend doing this even though it's not "traditional Cafe Rio")


CILANTRO RANCH

1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. buttermilk
2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno (we like it SPICY so we kept the seeds in it, if you like it mild, just remove the seeds)

Mix all ingredients together in the blender. That's it!

Here is how we put it all together: First of all, we bought the aluminum deep-dish pans (they had these at the grocery store, you will know when you see them.. they look JUST like the Cafe Rio tins). Lay a tortilla ( i love the costco bake youself kind SOOOOOOOOOO good) in the bottom of the pan, sprinkle cheese on it, and put in the oven at 375 for about 5 min or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven, add beans, rice, pork, then lettuce (not iceberg, I vote we stop calling iceberg lettuce) and a little scoop of diced tomato and onions (pico de gallo). Add guacamole (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) and sour cream. Add crushed tortilla chips, a shake of Parmesan cheese, and top with a few cilantro leaves. Serve with the cilantro ranch dressing and there you have it!

Strawberry Summer Salad with Fav dressing

Strawberry salad

1 lg bowl spinach ( I love spinach, if you don't use your favorite greens)
1/2 package bacon cooked and crumbled
Cashews
1 sliced purple onion
1 cup sliced strawberries
15 fried won tons cut into strips (I also use fried flour tortillas)

Dressing (my fav in the world)

2 tbs. red wine vinegar
3 tbs. sugar
1/2 cup oil (good quality)
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup strawberry jam ( this is where I have fun, I substitute with blackberry or raspberry or boysenberry jam)

Combine all ingredients and whisk in oil in a steady stream. Dress salad just before serving. I make 2 batches of dressing and save the rest for a quick salad. We often just have a salad of grilled chicken, berries, and the dressing delicious. I love it because you can alter it any which way. add you fav nuts candied or not and omit whatever ingredients are not on hand. Also try a little cheese, blue perhaps. the possibilities are endless. Have fun.