Chicken Salad

My poor friend Tonya. Every time I host anything, I want to make this yummy recipe. However, I can never find the recipe. I have gotten it from her probably 4 or 5 times. I'm happy to post it here for everyone to enjoy, but I'm more excited to have a permanent home for it! I'll never have to ask her for it again!

FYI: This recipe calls for 1 tsp. Accent - which is MSG. I'm sure it tastes a bit better with it, but I can't bring myself to add it. I debate it in the spice aisle every time I go to make it. I think it tastes awesome without it.

Chicken Salad

4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

2 cups chopped celery

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1 Tbs. dried onion flakes

1/2 tsp salt

sprouts

Prepare chicken.

Mix chicken with celery, mayo, almonds, onion and salt. Chill.

Fill sandwiches with salad and top with sprouts.

I like this best on croissants.

Tri-Color Pasta Salad

Can this photo do this salad justice? Never. This pasta salad is AMAZING. It has toasted pine nuts, fresh roma tomatoes and basil pesto that make it unique. Mmmmm. My mouth is just watering looking at the picture. I've made this several times and every time it is a HUGE hit. Make it for your next BBQ - or just come to mine; it'll be there for sure!

Oh! and I got it from Mel's Kitchen Cafe (formerly known as "My Kitchen Cafe.")

Tri-Color Pasta Salad

1 12 oz. package Tri-Colored Rotini Pasta, cooked and drained

3 Roma tomatoes, diced

1 small can sliced black olives

1/4 cup red onion, finely diced

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

6 fresh basil leaves, diced (important that they're fresh, not dried - it does make a difference)

4 Tbs. basil pesto

2/3 cup creamy Caesar dressing

1 tsp. saute spice (equal parts black pepper, salt and garlic powder)

1 cup toasted pine nuts.

Cook pasta, drain and coat with Caesar dressing while still warm. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the pine nuts) and toss. Top with toasted pine nuts.

Spinach, Orange and Cranberry Salad

OK, so this recipe isn't "impressive," but if you're looking for ideas for something to eat...and you don't want to eat fat, and you're trying to cut calories...you might be interested in this. (Story of my life this year!) My brother Russell - my competitor in our "Biggest Loser" contest - gave me this idea. I eat this almost every day for lunch - or some variation of it!

All it is: spinach leaves, orange slices and dried cranberries. What? No Dressing? Yep, you actually don't need dressing if you get some fruit in each bite. Plus, the vitamin c from the oranges helps in the absorption of the iron from the spinach. (HA! I sound like I know what I'm talking about.)

If we had some kind of meat the night before for dinner, I'll sometimes slice it up and put a little on top...then I feel indulgent!

It actually is really yummy and I look forward to eating it!