May Salad Cooking Class

Here are the recipes from the May Cooking Class!  Click on Salad title to take you to recipe link.

Applebee’s Chicken Salad

Salad (use any combination of the following)
Romaine
napa cabbage
red cabbage
red pepper
mandarin oranges, juice drained
carrots
cucumber
green onions
sliced almonds
dry chow mien or rice noodles (or dried ramen noodles work too)
cooked breaded chicken, sliced

Dressing:
3 TBS honey
2 TBS seasoned rice vinegar
1 TBS sesame oil
1/4 cup mayonnaise
-Whisk until smooth and creamy

Spinach Chiffonade Salad with Fruit

Spinach 
craisins 
firm pear, sliced (or apples, blueberries, oranges, strawberries)
swiss, gorgonzola or blue cheese
toasted almonds or sugared pecans
bacon, cooked and crumbled

Red onion avocado

Pomegranate Dressing:
1/4 c. pomegranate balsamic vinegar
1/3 c. light olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
14 grinds fresh pepper
1 TBS white sugar

BLT Bliss Bowl

Greens, Quinoa, Avocado, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Feta, Bacon

-Place tomato halves one side of a baking sheet, and toss with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes until skins are blistered.

-Drizzle salad with olive oil, salt/pepper, and Balsamic Glaze

Southwestern Salad

This is a recipe adapted from Cooking Light. It is delicious! Don't be overwhelmed by all the ingredients. I rarely have everything when I decide to make this, but it always tastes good regardless. I also rarely make exact measurements, so don't feel tied to the recipe. This is a PERFECT summer recipe! 

Dressing:

1 tablespoon fajita seasoning

1 1/2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

5 teaspoons fresh lime juice, divided

2 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro

3/4 cup ranch dressing

Salad:

2 cups fresh or canned corn kernels (about 4 ears)

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 red pepper, diced

1/2 cup diced peeled avocado

12 cups chopped romaine lettuce

3 cups chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken

1 1/2 cups pre-shredded reduced-fat Mexican blend or cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups tortilla chips, crumbled

1 cup bottled or fresh sliced peeled mango, chopped

diced cucumbers

diced tomatoes

¼ cup sliced green onions

1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes

-Combine all ingredients together in a BIG salad bowl. Enjoy! 

Ranch Dressing Demonstration:

Homemade Ranch (add extra pepper, garlic, and 1 TBS lemon/lime juice)

BBQ Ranch (add 2 TBS lime juice and ¼ c. BBQ sauce)

TomatilloCilantro Ranch (or Just Cilantro Ranch)

SIMPLE VERSION:
1 ranch dressing packet prepared using pkt. recipe*(see note)
Juice of 1 lime
½-1 bunch of cilantro
EXTRA YUMMY ADD-INS:
2-3 tomatillos (can use 1/3 c. green salsa as a substitute)
1 large clove garlic
freshly ground pepper
1 jalepeno (no seeds)--omit this if you don't like things spicy
-Using a blender, blend all the ingredients until smooth and creamy.  Serve with quesadillas, taco salad, etc.
-*NOTE:  I'm a bit picky when it comes to my ranch...this is best using 1 c. 1% milk and and 1 c. KRAFT mayonnaise (don't use low fat!)