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.

Pina Colada Punch

Despite the less-than-appetizing picture, this drink is so yummy! Just make sure you puree the crushed pineapple well so the texture isn't funky! Put leftovers in a pitcher in the fridge and when you're ready to serve again, put it in a blender with a bunch of ice, and it is as good as fresh!

Pina Colada Punch (from Allrecipes)

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, softened

1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple, pureed

1 8 oz. can coconut cream - I think mine was 16 oz. but the more the better, actually!

1 46 oz. can pineapple juice

1 2 liter bottle lemon-lime soda, chilled

Find a large bowl that will fit in your freezer. Combine ice cream, pureed pineapple, coconut cream and pineapple juice in the bowl. If there is room, add the soda. If not, you can add the soda right before serving.

Place bowl in freezer. Freeze for 4-6 hours, stirring every hour. Pour into punch bowl and add the soda - if you haven't already.

Oreo Truffles

No, I'm not kidding. Yes, they are as good as they sound. And yes, they go straight to your hips/butt/belly. But, you can eat one and then run around the block. See...no harm done! (Just don't come crying to me when you gained five pounds because you couldn't stop at just one!) These are from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Oreo Truffles

1 package (18 oz.) Oreo cookies, crushed into small pieces

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened

1 package Almond Bark

Chocolate chips for drizzling or sprinkles for decoration

Mix crushed Oreos and cream cheese until well-combined. (Use your hands - it mixes best this way - plus clean up is yummy!)

Roll into 1 inch balls and place on a baking sheet or tray. Refrigerate until firm - 3-4 hours (Or freeze for about 1 hour.) After licking your hands clean, run around the block while the truffles chill. ;-)

Melt white Almond Bark according to package directions. Dip truffles in almond bark and put on wax paper to harden.

If using sprinkles, use them right away - the almond bark hardens quickly. Alternately, melt chocolate with a little bit of shortening and drizzle over truffles.

Chill truffles in the fridge - they taste best cold!

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.

Tortilla Soup

Since I came upon this recipe at AllRecipes a couple of months ago, I've made it probably a half dozen times. All of the ingredients are found in my food storage, and it comes together in about 5 minutes. Plus, it tastes pretty darn good. So, when it's dinnertime and I haven't planned anything (ya, like that ever happens!), this is my 'go to' meal. Besides that, without the chips and cheese, it is quite healthy!

Tortilla Soup

1 15 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained

2 14 oz. cans chicken broth (or 28 oz. water and 5 chicken bouillon cubes)

1 10 oz. can chunk chicken, drained

1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 10 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained

Chili Powder according to your own taste - I use about 1/8 tsp. (because we're weak!)

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 Tbs. minced onion

Tortilla Chips

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Pour all the ingredients into a large pot. Simmer until chicken is heated through. Serve with tortilla chips and cheese.

S'mores

Everyone knows how to make S'mores, right? Roasted Marshmallow, Hershey's Chocolate Bar, Graham Crackers - it isn't complicated...until you have a boy who may be allergic to graham crackers. I thought he was just going to have to miss out this time.

I even thought I was clever by buying Nutella to smear on the crackers instead of using the chocolate bar that NEVER melts.

Then, along comes Julie who says using Fudge Striped Cookies is the way to go for S'mores. Indeed, she has it right! Simple and yummy!

Even Shaylor thinks so!

P.S. Try them with Coconut marshmallows - YUM!

P.P.S. Sorry for the blurry picture up top, I was shivering!

Zuppa Toscana

This is my favorite soup at one of my favorite restaurants: Olive Garden.

(I am using a very small, very borrowed picture until I find the one I took, or make it again and take another!)

With the potatoes, bacon and sausage, it is real comfort food. It is also a cinch to make - BONUS! It does require a search for Kale in the produce section - but it is worth it! (The man who helped me at Harmon's said, "Oh, you want the kind to make that Olive Garden soup? We get people in here looking for that all the time!") I guess there are a couple of different kinds. The one you need is dark green with 'ruffled' edges. You can add it sooner to the soup if you want. As it simmers, it softens up a bit. I omit the red pepper flakes because my kids won't touch it with the extra spice. So, season according to your family's liking. This recipe will feed 6-8 people. I got it from Tuscan Recipes

Buon Appetito!

Zuppa Toscana

1 lb. ground Italian Sausage

1 1/2 tsp. crushed (dried) red peppers

1 large diced white onion

4 Tbs bacon pieces (or more - you can't go wrong with more bacon!)

2 tsp minced garlic

10 cups water

5 cubes chicken bouillon

1 cup heavy cream

1 lb. cubed Russet potatoes (about 3 large)

1/4 of a bunch of kale

Saute Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat. Put cooked sausage in a bowl.

In the same pan you cooked the sausage in, cook the bacon, onions and garlic over medium heat until the onions are soft.

Add water and chicken bouillon to pot and bring to a boil.

Add sliced potatoes and cook until soft - about 15 minutes. (Not too soft, they'll continue to cook as you finish up the soup.)

Add the heavy cream and cook until heated through.

Stir in sausage and kale. Let it all heat through and serve.

P.S. Sometimes I have to skim off fat from the sausage as the completed soup heats through. You'll know what I mean if you get orange liquid on the top!