White Bean Tuna Salad

Sorry I haven't posted in so long. My husband got laid off from his job three weeks ago and I kind of was in a tail-spin. Blogging has been the last thing on my mind. I am so grateful for family members and my church to give us reassurance and knowing they are there if we need anything. We have been doing good, but have a very limited budget for food so........... I've been trying out some food storage meals lately and it's been going great!

I know I post a lot of recipes from Mel's Kichen Cafe, but she's so awesome! I love her and when I found this simple recipe for a light tuna salad, AND I had all the ingredients on hand, I had to try it. Boy, am I glad I did! Such a delicate, light salad that mixes so well with crunch, crisp lettuce. I gobbled it all up.

White Bean Tuna Salad
by Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:
½ cup chopped red onions
The zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 (5 or 6-ounce each) cans of tuna (I prefer albacore tuna packed in water)
2 (15-ounce each) cans of Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
A few splashes of Tabasco sauce or other hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt and olive oil to taste

Directions:
In a small bowl, sprinkle some of the lemon juice over the chopped onions while you prepare the other ingredients. This will take some of the oniony edge off the onions.
Drain the tuna and put it into a large bowl. Add the beans to the tuna and gently stir to combine. Add the onions, parsley, black pepper, lemon zest and lemon juice and mix to combine. Add Tabasco or hot sauce to taste. If the salad needs more acid, add a little more lemon juice. If the salad seems a little dry, add a little bit of olive oil. Add salt to taste.
Serve chilled or at room temperature. The salad develops great flavor if tightly covered and refrigerated for a couple hours, or up to a day, before serving. Serve with crackers, lightly toasted bread, lettuce cups/leaves, fresh vegetables, etc.

Here are my results:

Easy Grape Salad

I brought this to my family's Easter Party yesterday. I kind of feel bad even putting this on my blog because it was just an OK recipe. Nobody asked for the recipe, but it was all gone when we went home. I didn't get a picture, but if you click on the link, you'll see the pics other people have taken at allrecipes.com. It was REALLY EASY like the title said. Whipped it together in about 7 minutes.

Easy Grape Salad

Ingredients:

1 pound seedless green grapes

1 pound seedless red grapes

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese,softened

1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow creme

1 (6 ounce) package slivered almonds

Directions:

1.Wash grapes in a colander under running water, and remove all stems. Place in a large bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, stir together the cream cheese and marshmallow creme until smooth and creamy. Pour the mixture over the grapes. Using a rubber spatula or large serving spoon, fold the mixture into the grapes until well coated. Fold in the almonds.

3.This salad may be served immediately, or covered and refrigerated for 1 hour to set slightly, and to allow flavors to blend.

Cheesy Potato Salad

I'm not a fan of the traditional potato salads. I do, however, like potato salads that taste like a loaded baked potato and that's exactly what this recipe is. I've taken this to a few gatherings and most of the time it gets great reviews. If you were at my last family holiday party, my apologies. I must have used too much green onion and I totally forgot the bacon bits and salt and pepper. It turned out not so well. Just remember all the ingredients and it will be a hit!

Cheesy Potato Salad
Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds red potatoes, cubed
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 bunch green onions, chopped
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon real bacon bits
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Place the potatoes into a pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. Drain, and set aside to cool.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the sour cream, mayonnaise, sugar, half of the onions, and half of the cheese. Gently stir in the cooled potatoes. Top with remaining cheese and onions,salt,pepper, and sprinkle bacon bits over the top.

Here are the results:

Jana's clean-out-the-cupboard Pasta Salad

I used to never make up my own recipes. I really only do so now if there is a need. The other day I NEEDED to use up some produce and so this recipe came about. Pretty tasty if I do say so myself.

Jana's clean-out-the-cupboard Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
6 oz cooked pasta shells
2 tomatoes, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 can olives, sliced
1/2 cucumber diced
Italian dressing to coat

Directions:
Combine all ingredients.

Here are the results:

Asian Chicken Salad

I saw this on the side panel of a Keebler box one day and thought it looked yummy, so I tried it and it was! A nice change from a tuna sandwich. You can serve it on crackers or make a sandwich out of it. Here's the recipe:

Asian Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

* 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
* 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
* 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
* 2 cups finely chopped, cooked chicken breast (I use canned chicken)
* 1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
* 1/2 cup sliced green onions
* Keebler® Club® Crackers
* Coarse ground black pepper

Directions:
1. In small bowl stir together mayonnaise, soy sauce and sesame oil.

2. In medium bowl toss together chicken, bell pepper and onions. Add mayonnaise mixture. Toss to coat. Serve on crackers. Sprinkle with pepper.

Here are the results:

Some of Saving Dinner's Food

I am a big fan of the Saving Dinner book and website. Here are a few pics of recipes from the book.
Fish in a Bag:







Skillet Chicken with Spinach:


Parmesan Drumsticks:


Warm Spinach Salad


Caramelized Garlic Chicken

Honey Fruit Salad

I am in LOVE.......... with this fruit salad. I've made it twice now, once with strawberries, blackberries, and mandarin oranges and once with strawberries, blueberries, and mandarin oranges and both times it was delicious! 5 stars for sure!Perfect for summer gatherings.

Honey Fruit Salad

Ingredients:
2 medium firm bananas, chopped
2 cups fresh blueberries
2 cups fresh raspberries
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries 5 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon poppy seeds

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine the bananas and berries. In a small bowl, combine the honey, lemon juice and poppy seeds. Pour over fruit and toss to coat.

Here are the results:

San Antonio Salad

I love taco salad. I particularly love this recipe for taco salad because it's all in one bowl instead of adding everything individually. I modified it just a smidge from the original.

San Antonio Salad
Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 package taco seasoning
1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 (15.5 ounce) can pinto beans
2 tomatoes, cubed
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 (12 ounce) package corn tortilla chips,broken
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped(optional)
1/2 cup chopped green onion (optional)
1 cup salsa (optional)
Directions:
1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef. Season with taco seasoning and follow directions on packet. Remove from heat when beef is cooked through.
2. In a large salad bowl, toss together the lettuce, tomato, Cheddar cheese, cilantro and pinto beans with their juice. Mix in the ground beef and corn chips. Toss in the jalapeno, green onion, and salsa, if desired.

Here are the results:

Kidney Bean Tuna Salad

I was looking for something to make that I had all the ingredients on hand and that was light. This fit the bill and was delicous. I'm keeping this one.

Kidney Bean Tuna Salad

1 cup canned kidney beans, rinsed and
drained
1 (6 ounce) can water-packed tuna,
drained and broken into chunks
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons sliced ripe olives
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro DRESSING:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon dill weed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Lettuce Leaves

Directions:
1. In a bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. For dressing, in a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, dill, salt and pepper. Pour over tuna mixture and toss lightly. Serve on a bed of lettuce if desired.

Here are the results:

Romaine and Mandarin Orange Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

I'm always afraid of being too extreme when preparing food for other people. When I was asked to make a meal for this couple in our church, I decided the main dish would be main stream, something everybody likes so I made chicken parmigiana. I decided to go out on a limb for the salad though. When I saw this recipe, I knew I would love it for some strange reason. I was right. It was fabulous. My changes are in bold.

Romaine and Mandarin Orange Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Ingredients:
6 slices bacon
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup white sugar (I reduced to 1/2 C)
1/2 red onion, coarsely chopped (I reduced to less than 1/4 red onion)
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
10 cups torn romaine lettuce leaves
1 (10 ounce) can mandarin orange segments, drained
1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

Directions:
1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
2. Place vinegar, sugar, red onion, mustard powder, and salt into the bowl of a blender. Cover, and puree on high until smooth. Reduce blender speed to medium-low; slowly pour in the vegetable oil and blend until incorporated and the dressing is creamy. Stir in the poppy seeds and set aside.
3. To serve, toss the romaine in a large bowl with the crumbled bacon, Mandarin oranges, and enough dressing to moisten. Place onto salad plates and sprinkle with toasted almonds.

Again, I apologize for no pictures, but it was divine. The dressing is pink because of the red onion and it looks so pretty!

My Valentine's Day Recipes Part 5

I'm always on the hunt for an interesting salad recipe, especially ones I can take to an outdoor event. I absolutely loved this recipe for Byrdhouse Marinated Tomatoes and Mushrooms. The only thing I changed is that I added cubes of mozzarella cheese to it right before serving. The fresh basil is a must and it was divine. My sister had the leftovers and totally agrees that it's fabulous!

Byrdhouse Marinated Tomatoes and Mushrooms

Ingredients:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
1 (8 ounce) package fresh mushrooms
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
I added 1/2 cup cubed mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1.Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, vegetable oil, sugar, salt, and pepper in a bowl; add the tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, and basil; toss until evenly coated. Cover and chill in refrigerator at least 3 hours. Stir before serving.

Here are the results:

Sesame Pasta Chicken Salad

I think I've mentioned before that I am always on the quest to find the perfect salad recipes. I'm always asked to bring them to events and I never feel like I have conquered the perfect salad. Well, I think I have found my perfect pasta salad recipe. I really liked using the mini bow tie pasta this time because I thought they were the perfect size for for our event and there were lots of dishes to pile on your plate. This recipe is pasta salad meets oriental chicken salad. Adults and kids seemed to like it and I was asked for the recipe by a few people!

Sesame Pasta Chicken Salad
Ingredients:
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used 1/4 cup)
1/3 cup light soy sauce
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast meat
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup chopped green onion
I added some cooked peas

Directions:
1.Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add sesame seeds, and cook
stirring frequently until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and
set aside.
2.Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta,
and cook for8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain pasta, and
rinse under coldwater until cool. Transfer to a large bowl.
3.In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine vegetable oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, sesame seeds, ginger, and pepper. Shake well.
4.Pour sesame dressing over pasta, and toss to coat evenly. Gently mix in chicken, cilantro, and green onions.

Here are the results:

Simple Side Salad

I'm always trying to find different salad dressings that I love besides Ranch. I found this dressing made by Kraft called Roasted Red Pepper Italian with Parmesan and I do like it a lot! I decided to make a salad out of it with what I had on hand. It consists of the following:

Leafy green lettuce
Feta Cheese
Chopped tomatoes
Kraft Roasted Red Pepper Italian with Parmesan Dressing

Very Delicious. Here are the results:

Tuna Nicoise Salad

This recipe from Saving Dinner was probably the most picture perfect recipe I've ever made! Although I'm not posting the recipe, you can basically see what's in the salad. I couldn't find any tuna steaks so I just used salmon and it turned out wonderfully! A deliciously light meal on a hot Summer Day!

Toasted Cousous Salad with Chicken

Another DIVINE recipe from Saving Dinner. There are a few recipes out of this book that I consider 5 stars, meaning to me, they are spectacular, my husband LOVED them,I will make them several times and often, and if I were to have this dish at a restaurant, then I would order it in the future. This recipe fits that description and it was sooooooo yummy!

Toasted Couscous Salad with Chicken

Buy the book and try it out!

Black Bean and Rice Salad

You're probably going to get sick of me posting recipes from Saving Dinner. I went shopping last week so I should have recipes to last me through about two weeks (since I don't cook every night). The Black Bean and Rice Salad was one of the recipes from Saving Dinner. It was vegetarian but it turned out to be a nice,quick, and refreshing on a hot summers night.

Here's a pic:

Almond Mandarin Salad

I always hated being asked to bring salads to get togethers. I could never figure out what to bring. And I did NOT want to bring those yucky grandma salads! I think I've made my weaknesses into strengths by experimenting with salads. This Asian themed salad tasted alot like Wendy's Mandarin Salad but better! I always splurge and buy the pre-cooked bacon because I haven't mastered THAT art yet.

Almond Mandarin Salad

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound bacon
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon dry hot mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground paprika
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 head red leaf lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 (15 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
• 1 bunch green onion, diced
• 3/4 cup slivered almonds

Directions:

1. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon until evenly brown. Drain, cool, and crumble.
2. To make the dressing, thoroughly blend the vinegar, honey, dry mustard, celery salt, paprika, and olive oil.
3. Place lettuce, oranges, green onion, bacon, and almonds in a serving bowl. Toss with dressing and serve.

Here are the results:

Tomato Bread Salad

I think I was watching a cooking show (surprise, surprise) when I saw this guy making a bread salad. I searched the Internet and couldn't find his exact recipe but I found this recipe that came pretty darn close. The only changes I made were to saute the onions until soft, toast the bread a little, and I also added about a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar to the dressing mix.

Boy was it tasty! My husband said it didn't fill him up, but taste wise, it was excellent. It was a great way to get rid of my bread. This was certainly a risky recipe but I'm proud to say it turned out great!

Here are the results:

Tomato Bread Salad

INGREDIENTS
8 cups Italian bread cubes
3 cups chopped tomatoes
1 cup minced fresh basil
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion (I cooked mine until soft)
1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cider or red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine the bread, tomatoes, basil and onion. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients; drizzle over bread mixture. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes before serving.