Chicken & Strawberry Spring Mix Salad

Today's post is a bit different.  My BFF, Jenn over at Mom vs the Boys asked me to review the Trudeau Salad Spinner & accessories for her.  I was completely thrilled to do such an awesome favour for her. So, if you like all the fun accessories you see, head over to her blog , read my review and enter to win your own set. Like seriously you're going to want to enter! (click HERE to go right to the contest/review page)

Chicken & Spinach Spring Mix Salad

Chicken & Strawberry Spring Mix Salad

Ingredients:

1 - 5 oz pkg Spinach & Arugula mix
2 Chicken breasts
3 - 4 Strawberries
4 Green Onions, chopped
1/2 tsp Paprika
Salt & Pepper
Raspberry Vinaigrette (or your favourite dressing)

Directions:

1. Season your chicken breasts with the paprika, salt, and pepper and grill, either on the bbq or since when I made this salad we were in the middle of a torrential down pour I used my cast iron grill pan.

2. Wash and spin dry the greens and strawberries.  Thinly slice the strawberries.

3. Once the chicken is done, let cool and slice into bite size pieces.

4. Lightly toss the chopped green onions with the greens in a bowl. Then layer in the chicken and strawberries. Add your dressing & voila! Done.

I love this salad. It's super easy to make and very good for you too.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Stay Sweet
Tammy

Creamy Potato Salad

Well folks it's been a lovely spring and summer, the whole 7 days of it, but alas winter has returned on this fine March day to my Southwestern Ontario town. I'm sure we'll see temperatures returning to normal soon, right? All I can ask is, what happened to this global warning thing? I was all for it! Hopefully, in your part of the world you can think about picnic's or dinner on the deck while I watch softly falling snow cover my backyard. Again :( .

Anyone want to send a ticket south to me?  I'll make the potato salad, wink, wink :D

Creamy Potato Salad

Ingredients:

5 medium Potatoes

2 Green Onions

3 Eggs

1 1/2 cup Mayonnaise

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp Onion Powder

1/2 tsp Paprika

Salt & Pepper

Directions:

1. In a pot of salted water boil potatoes and eggs.  Yes, you can boil them together.  You want the eggs hard boiled and the potatoes fork tender.  Once done, strain the water, remove the eggs & transfer potatoes to a large bowl. Let cool.

2. Chop the green onions, peel and slice the eggs (once cool enough to handle) into small cubes.  I have an egg slicer that I picked up at the dollar store that does the trick quite nicely.  

3. Add all the ingredients to the potatoes and stir until well combined.

NOTE: This is a great salad to take to those large potlucks. Here's my ratio's to increase the amounts if you need it.  One potato per adult.  One egg for every two potatoes.  One green onion for every 2.5 potatoes.  Increase the spicing & mayo to taste.

Stay Sweet!

Tammy

Is it SPRING yet?

I think I'm coming down with cabin fever!  Seriously; who ever pissed Elsa off please apologize so we can get back to normal temperatures. I haven't been outside for any length of time in days.  I'm not the biggest fan of winter.  If you can wrap your head around this I do love snow, snowman building, tobogganing, skiing, skating - love it all.  It's the extreme cold I have issues with: -10*C is ok, perfectly acceptable - this is Canada after all; -40*C consistently for a month and half is down right ridiculous!  Thankfully, according to Environment Canada things are warming up this week.

To kick off this fantastic occasion, I'm posting my favourite summer salad.  A pasta salad that while great freshly made is even better the next day.  It's perfect to make ahead for those family get-together's that is inevitable over the warm, long, beautiful, summer days.

Ingredients:

3 cups Uncooked Macaroni Elbows

1 cup Diced Medium Cheddar Cheese

1 156 gram Can of Flaked Ham, Tuna, or Chicken (I've made this salad with all three variations - either is a winner)

1- 1 1/2 cups Mayo

2 Green Onions, chopped

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp Onion Powder

1 tbsp Parsley Flakes

Salt & Pepper (Give your salad a taste test prior to adding salt.  The flaked meats can be salty on their own and sometimes adding even more salt is unnecessary - use caution!)

Directions:

1. Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions.  Drain and allow to cool.  You can speed this process up by running the pasta in a colander under cool water for a minute or two. 

2.  Open & drain your canned meat.  In a large bowl mash the meat with a fork so there's no large chunks.  Add the cooled pasta and the rest of ingredients stirring until well combined.  Remember to give the salad a taste test prior to adding any extra salt.  

NOTE:  If you prepare this a day ahead you may need to add some extra mayo prior to serving to give it back the creaminess.  The pasta will absorb it over night.

Bring on Summer!

Stay Sweet!

Tammy