by Lisa | Mar 14, 2018 | Appetizers, Salads
This is an updated version of the classic frozen fruit salad. It is simple and delicious. You will be amazed at how delicious it is! I love this recipe! It comes together so fast, it has marshmallows in it (my favorite!) and it is a nice cold treat for a hot day! It is sweet, fluffy and a perfect dessert! The classic recipes for frozen salads include mayo and serving it on a piece of lettuce. There is something about adding mayo to a dessert that just doesn’t settle with me. Mayo belongs on a sandwich or chicken salad, but a dessert? No thanks! This recipe uses cool whip and sweetened condensed milk for its creamy delicious base. Add in a little lemon juice, some fruit and marshmallows (just because I love them!), mix and freeze. Seriously, this frozen fruit salad is so good and so simple. I like to make it the morning of or the night before I want to serve it. You can use whatever fruit that you want. I picked pears, maraschino cherries and pineapple for this one, but strawberries, blueberries and mandarins would work too! Or any other fruit you could think of! I also used canned fruit but this will work with fresh fruit too. It is so easy and so delicious! I also love to take fresh strawberries, slice them into large slices and dip them in this delicious creamy dessert. It is seriously so good you must try it! Did you grow up eating frozen fruit salad? What was your favorite version? Let me know in the comments...
by Dana | Feb 23, 2018 | Appetizers, Dressings and Sauces, Easy Recipe, Pasta, Recipes, Salads, Seafood, Side Dishes, Snacks
Shrimp Pasta Salad, a perfect side dish, lunch, or party food! This cold shrimp pasta salad has all the good stuff - bowtie pasta, grape tomatoes, zucchini, and shrimp all tossed in a yummy pesto vinaigrette. It is a little different than your average pasta salad, but isn’t it fun to mix it up sometimes?! Pasta salad, in general, is one of my favorite summer snacks. You can load them up with fresh veggies and you have a refreshing snack for you in the fridge whenever you want! This recipe is the best shrimp pasta salad I have tried. I think it is really all about that dressing you use! The dressing for this recipe is super bright, flavorful, and easy to make! Of course, you can purchase a premade Italian style dressing. But, there is just something special about making it on your own. Shrimp and Pasta Salad Recipe Directions: Cook Pasta per the direction on the back of the box, rinse with cold water and let drain thoroughly. Roughly chop the cooked shrimp, thinly slice the zucchini, and cut the grape tomatoes in half. Throw everything into a large bowl. In a small bowl, make the dressing consisting of vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, prepared pesto, and more. Place pasta in the bowl with the other ingredients, pour the dressing on top and mix everything until well coated. Cover and place in the fridge for at least an hour, serve and enjoy. As with most recipes, you can use this as a base to add more things that you love. Alternatives and Add-Ons: You can definitely add lots...
by Dana | Feb 16, 2018 | Chicken, Recipes, Salads
Chicken Salad with Grapes, rotisserie chicken, sliced grapes, walnuts, and celery. Simple, easy, and delicious! Chicken salad, in general, is one of my all-time favorite lunches. It is super versatile, but yet light and refreshing… the perfect lunch! I’ve been asked a lot how to make chicken salad. The answer is easy, just chop up some cooked chicken, add any veggies you like, toss them in a yummy mayonnaise-based sauce and you are good to go! I made this version extra special by making this a chicken and grape salad. You can make chicken salad with red grapes, but this time I decided to use green. They were on sale at the grocery store, so I thought why not! You can serve this chicken salad with grapes on a bed of lettuce, with crackers, or even in sandwich form. The possibilities are endless! Chicken Salad with Grapes Recipe Directions: Dice cooked chicken, place it in a large bowl. Add sliced grapes, scallions, walnuts, and celery. In a small bowl make the creamy dressing including mayonnaise, parsley, dijon, and more. Stir to combine. Pour the dressing on top of the chicken salad ingredients and stir to combine, try not to break up the chicken too much. Serve and enjoy! I personally like my chicken salad more on the chunky side, with bigger pieces of chicken. If you like it more of a smooth spread consistency, I suggest shredding the chicken instead. Alternatives and Add-Ons: Again, this is one of those amazing recipes where you can make it your own. Add whatever grapes you want, if you like red grapes, add...
by Dana | Feb 14, 2018 | Appetizers, Desserts, Recipes, Salads, Side Dishes
Easy Waldorf Salad is bursting with fresh fruit in an addictive pineapple yogurt dressing! The original Waldorf salad recipe might have you asking lots of questions. There is fruit.. with mayonnaise… and a whole lot of different things going on. Today’s recipe is slightly different from the original, yes there is still fruit (and celery! trust me… it’s good!), but it’s my version of the Waldorf salad dressing that makes it updated and oh, so yummy! Greek yogurt, crushed pineapple, honey, and a touch of parsley really sets this salad apart! Still sounds a little weird? Believe me, I get it! But, once you try this Waldorf salad recipe you will be hooked! It’s basically a fruit salad with a little extra pop! It’s crunchy, creamy, sweet, fresh, and delicious! A mixture of apples, golden raisins, grapes, celery, and walnuts all tossed in a sweet Greek yogurt dressing… I mean that sounds pretty darn good to me! Waldorf Salad Recipe Directions: Dice Gala apples, slice celery, slice grapes, and toast walnuts if needed. Place into a large bowl with golden raisins and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, crushed pineapple with juice, honey, and parsley. Pour dressing on top of salad ingredients and toss to combine. Serve classically in lettuce cups or eat on it’s own! One of the ingredients that is actually my favorite is probably the one you think is the strangest. The addition of a little chopped flat leaf parsley in the dressing gives the whole salad this super fresh taste that I just can’t describe. Do NOT...
by Lisa | Jan 17, 2018 | Chicken, Salads
Alright, so this isn’t your typical southwest chicken salad recipe. Most other southwest chicken salads have corn and black beans in them. Well, since I can’t stand beans (I know I’m weird) and I didn’t have any corn on hand, I came up with this delicious and filling salad! The star of this salad is hands down the chicken. Letting the chicken marinate in the lime juice and other seasonings for 10-15 minutes is all you need to make some of the best chicken ever! This time around I decided to cook my chicken in a skillet, but you can totally grill it too! Either way will get you a nice flavorful outside and a delicious juicy inside. I opted to go for some favorite salad toppings this time that definitely give it a southwest flair. Chopped jalapenos- yes please! Red onions and tomatoes- you bet! Avocado- of course! Cilantro- no brainer! Olives- yum! I whipped up some avocado dressing and then called my husband in from working on the cars. He sure was hungry and he said this southwest grilled chicken salad was awesome! Win! I’m so glad he likes what I cook! When making the chicken, I made sure to pick out medium/small chicken breasts. They cooked quickly and were super juicy. Everything else was as simple as chopping up and putting in a big bowl! You can use any dressing for this salad. If you do happen to make the avocado dressing, I like to add extra olive oil to make it a little less thick and I’ve noticed the flavor gets even better if I...
by Lisa | Dec 22, 2017 | Salads
You guys have got to try this creamy cranberry salad! It is so amazingly delicious and super light and fluffy. It has all the flavor of cranberries combined with the tanginess of an orange and then the fluffiness of not only cool whip but marshmallows! AMAZING! When I was trying to come up with a cranberry salad I knew I had to do two things. 1. Start with the best cranberry sauce base- which is actually a cranberry relish. And 2. Call my mom! Now let me explain…. First off, ever since I can remember, every Thanksgiving and Christmas we have had cranberry relish. I never understood why people would eat cranberry sauce from a can or cooked cranberries, except, I figured, they had never tried cranberry relish, so they just didn’t know better. Well, the relish is still a holiday staple even though I’ve moved out on my own and gotten married. It is simply a cup of frozen cranberries, 1 cup (or less!) of sugar and one orange (with the peel left on!). You throw those 3 ingredients in the food processor and blend! It is amazing. And in recent years I’ve come to find out the relish is the recipe on the back of the cranberry package! Regardless, my mom has always made it and it is now and will always be her cranberry relish. Okay so now that I explained the relish, let me explain calling my mom. Every year for holidays, she also makes Orange Salad. Her Orange Salad, contains crushed pineapple, canned mandarins, cottage cheese, cool whip and orange jello powder and maybe...
