Candida Egg Salad

Note:    One thing I am discovering is that there is no such thing as breakfast/lunch/dinner food on this eating plan.     If it is on the plan and it sounds good, go for it.    Which that means this egg salad will work for any meal of the day.

Candida Diet Egg Salad

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Greek yogurt (I used 2%)
paprika
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
rice cakes

1 clove of garlic, peeled
4 large eggs, hard boiled, cooled, and peeled

Directions
In a small bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, paprika, salt and pepper, and chives.  Mix well, and set aside.
Gently rub the clove of garlic onto the rice cakes.  In a medium bowl, combine the eggs and lightly mash with a fork.  Add the yogurt mixture to the bowl and mix to gently combine.  Place some of the salad onto each rice cake.  Enjoy.

BLT Salad

Note:   I am trying to enjoy every tomato I can before summer is over.   Nothing is better than a homegrown tomato.   Those hot house varieties just don't do it for me.


BLT Salad

Ingredients
1/4 c. buttermilk
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. sour cream
1 T. fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 t. dried basil
1/4 t. dried oregano
1/8 t. garlic powder
8 c. lettuce, torn
1 lg. tomato, sliced
8 bacon slices, crisply cooked and crumbled

Directions

Blend together buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, parsley, basil, oregano and garlic powder; refrigerate one to 2 hours or until chilled. Combine lettuce, tomato and bacon; toss with dressing.

Cornbread Salad

Note:  Another really great potluck food is cornbread salad.    Sounds really weird, but it is so delish!    If you have never tried cornbread salad, I challenge you to make some and invite friends over to try it with you.

Cornbread Salad

Ingredients
1 cup of mayonnaise
1 cup of sour cream
1 envelope of Ranch dressing mix
2 teaspoons of sweet pickle juice

2 (6 to 8 ounce) packages of Jiffy Mix or half a pan of homemade cornbread
2 cans of black-eyed peas or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans of whole kernel corn, drained
1 cup of chopped red onion
1 cup of chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup of chopped sweet pickles (optional)
1/4 cup of chopped pickled jalapeño
1 cup of chopped turkey, chicken or ham
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
10 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

Directions

Mix together mayo, sour cream, Ranch dressing, and sweet pickle juice.  This creates the dressing for your salad.     Set aside.  Prepare cornbread and let cool completely.    Crumble cornbread into either a trifle bowl or a 9 x 13 glass pan.   Layer black eyed peas, corn, onion, bell pepper, pickles, jalapeno, turkey, tomato, and cheese on top of the crumbled cornbread.     Pour dressing evenly on top.    Cover tightly and put in the refrigerator overnight.   However, it is best if you can leave it in the refrigerator for 24 hours.  

Before you serve, top with bacon.   

Church Potluck 7 Layer Salad

Note:    I grew up in a church believed (and still believes) in potluck dinners.    There were certain dishes that always seemed to be on those groaning tables.    This 7 layer salad seemed to be there all the time during the summer.

Church Potluck 7 Layer Salad

Ingredients
1-1/2 to 2 cups of mayonnaise
2-3 tablespoons of dry ranch dressing mix
2 tablespoons of sugar
4 tablespoons milk
1 large head of iceberg lettuce, shredded
8 Roma tomatoes, cleaned, seeded and dried well, chopped
Salt and pepper
7-8 boiled eggs, reserve a couple for slicing
1 to 1-1/2 cups of frozen green peas, lightly steamed
1/2 to 1 cup of chopped celery
8 slices of cooked bacon, chopped
1 to 1-1/2 cups of cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions



Mix the mayo, ranch dressing mix, sugar and half and half together; set aside.In a small, clear glass bowl, add half of the shredded lettuce. Lightly squeeze the chopped tomato in layers of paper towels. Sprinkle the tomatoes on top of the lettuce layer, sprinkling all around the outside edges first and working toward the middle. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Slice enough of the boiled eggs to line completely around the outside of the dish first, then chop the remaining eggs and sprinkle all around the inside on top of the tomatoes. Add the peas, again starting from the outside edges and toward the middle. Repeat with the chopped celery. Sprinkle lightly with more salt and pepper. Add the remaining shredded lettuce, top with the chopped bacon and the shredded cheese. Drop the dressing over the top in dollops and spread evenly across the top all the way to the edges, sealing the salad. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

Copycat Suddenly Salad

Note:  My Big Guy loves Suddenly Salad.    Don't ask me why, but he does.    However, it seems crazy to me to spend that much money on a box when I can make tons of us homemade and get the same taste.    Just don't tell him!!

Copycat Suddenly Salad

Ingredients
2 cups Rotini pasta
1 cup peas, frozen
2/3 cup Mayonnaise (Hellmanns or similar)
1 package ranch dip mix
1/4 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup bacon — cooked crisp & crumbled (or bacon bits)
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Directions
Bring water to a boil in a saucepan.  Add pasta and carrot shreds, allow them to boil, uncovered, for 10 minutes.  Drain into a strainer and rinse under cold water.  In a medium sized bowl, mix together the peas, the entire packet of ranch dressing mix, bacon bits, onion powder, and mayonnaise.  Add pasta and carrots. Stir together until everything is combined. Chill and serve.

Summer Pasta

Note:    Who can be hungry when it is so hot?  Apparently my guys.    I just don't know how.  This 105 heat has zapped all my energy and appetite, but they keep saying, "What's for lunch/supper?"     I put together a bunch of salads tonight and put them in the refrigerator so that I know the boys aren't starving, but so I don't have to actually cook.      My guys love pasta salad so I made this one up to put with the tuna salad and ham salad.    If you need me I'll be standing in front of the freezer!

Summer Pasta

Ingredients

2 packets italian dressing mix
1/2 c. vinegar
6 Tablespoons water
1 c. oil
16 oz. garden rotini pasta (cooked)
1 c. mozzarella cheese (shredded)



Directions

Mix dressing according to package using vinegar, water and oil. In a large bowl combine dressing, pasta, and cheese, and onion. Chill.

Tomato, White Bean and Shrimp Salad

Note:   Another great restaurant in the Asheville area is the Early Girl Eatery.    This is southern food at its best.   Biscuits with tomato gravy.    Peanut butter pie.    Apple stack cake.   Grilled pimento cheese sandwiches.      This is a southern girl's food heaven!

Tomato, White Bean and Shrimp Salad

Ingredients

2 Cups White beans (cooked)
2 Large tomatoes (sliced)
15 Large shrimpv
2 Stalks celery (fined diced)
2 Carrots (fined diced)
1 Red pepper (fine diced)
2 Tbs Fresh Basil
3 Bay leaves
2 Tsp Paprika
1 Tbs Olive oil
Salt
White pepper
Mixed greens


Directions
Poach shrimp in pot of boiling water with the bay leaves and paprika. Drain and cool. In mixing bowl combine white beans, celery, carrots, red peppers, salt, white pepper and olive oil. Add shrimp and basil and finish tossing. To set up plate, put down bed of mixed greens, topped with tomato slices and white bean and shrimp mixture.

Raspberry Spinach Salad

Note:     This is a pretty salad to serve at Valentine's Day, but a delicious salad to eat any day!    Now if I can just make it pretty enough to make hubs not realize that he is eating spinach.      Oh, well, Little Guy and I will love it!



Raspberry Spinach Salad

Ingredients


2 Tablespoons Raspberry Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Raspberry Jam
1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
8 Cups Spinach, rinsed, stemmed and torn into pieces.
3/4 Cup coarsely chopped Macadamia nuts or toasted almond slices
1 Cup Fresh Raspberries
3 Kiwis, peeled and sliced

Directions

Dressing: Combine vinegar and jam in blender or small bowl. Add oil in thin stream, blending well.

Toss spinach with 1/2 of the nuts, 1/2 of the raspberries, 1/2 of the kiwi's and the dressing. Top with the remaining ingredients (nuts, raspberries and kiwis.) Serve immediately.

Tuna Salad with Cranberries

Note:    I love tuna salad.    As much of a creature of habit I am, when I find something delicious I am willing to break the routine.     I enjoy this fall version of tuna salad.

Tuna Salad with Cranberries

Ingredients

1 (6 ounce) can solid white tuna packed in water, drained
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons dried cranberries
1 1/2 tablespoons slivered almonds
salt

Directions
Place the tuna in a bowl, and mash with a fork. Mix in mayonnaise to evenly coat tuna. Mix cranberries and season with salt. Serve on crackers or in a sandwich.

Taco Pasta Salad

Note: My baby sister sent me this recipe a few weeks ago. I made a double batch recently when my husband's cousin came home from the hospital. They loved it and we loved it!

Taco Pasta Salad

Ingredients
2 cups uncooked spiral pasta
1 pound ground beef
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
3 cups shredded lettuce
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup Ranch (or catalina) salad dressing
Tortilla chips (optional)
salsa (optional)

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook beef and onions over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in taco seasoning and let cook a little bit.

Drain pasta and rinse in cold water. Stir in meat mixture, lettuce, tomato, cheese, onion, green pepper and dressing. Toss to coat. Serve with tortilla chips (optional).

Optional: Add black olives and jalapenos to taste!


Add this recipe to your recipe box and then grab a pen and head over to Tempt My Tummy Tuesday for a lot more delicious recipes!

Shrimp Salad

Note: We are vacationing on the beach so we have access to plenty of fresh seafood. I am trying to cook in the condo to stick to our budget but that doesn't mean that we can't eat really well!

Shrimp Salad

Ingredients:
2 lb. med. shrimp, boiled, peeled and deveined
3/4 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup sweet salad cubes
1/4 cup capers
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and enjoy!

BLT Pasta

Note: I try to keep a pasta salad in the refrigerator all the time. My boys LOVE pasta salad. The best thing about pasta salad is that if you have veggie noodles you can add whatever you have in the pantry (corn, beans, olives, pepperoni, cheese, etc...) to it and have a salad. However, when I find a great pasta salad I have to try it. I found this one at the Homesteading Housewife and it is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.! Start planting those tomatoes because you will want to make this all summer long.

BLT Pasta

Ingredients:
1 (10-12 ounce) package pasta cooked and drain
1 pound (10-12 slices) bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons sugar
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup green onion, sliced
2 teaspoons chicken flavor instant bouillon
4 cups lettuce, thinly sliced
Black Pepper, freshly ground is best, to taste

Directions:
Combine mayo, lemon juice, sugar and bouillon for the dressing.
Combine all remaining ingredients -- wait until you are ready to serve before mixing in the lettuce. so it doesn't wilt. ENJOY!!

Egg Salad

Note: We have a deli just up the street from our house and for a while every time I went I would order egg salad. After I realized what a waste of money that was when I could make it so easily and inexpensively at home. Because we eat it on toast, it really is something that we will eat for breakfast (minus the lettuce) or lunch.

Egg Salad

Ingredients:
6 large eggs
1-2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
A tiny squeeze of lemon juice
2 stalks celery, washed and chopped finely (optional)
4 leaves of lettuce
8 slices of bread, toasted

Directions:

Boil eggs. Peel and chop eggs. (Different people have different preferences to size of "chop". I like my eggs chopped fairly small.) Add the mayonnaise, a couple generous pinches of salt and pepper, now mash with a fork. Don't overdo it because you still want the egg mixture to have some body and texture. At this point, if you need to add a little more mayonnaise, go right ahead.

Stir in the celery. Taste, and adjust the seasoning - adding more salt and pepper if needed.

To assemble each egg salad sandwich: place a bit of lettuce on a piece of toast, top with the egg salad mixture, and finish by creating a sandwich with a second piece of toast.

Pimento Cheese

Note: Just like the Fall makes me think of soups, Spring makes me think of salads. I love having a variety of salads in the refrigerator for our busy schedules and so we can stay outside in the late evening hours as long as possible. I will admit that although this is my favorite pimento cheese recipe for now, it is not the best one I have found. The best one I have ever tasted is my neighbor's mother's recipe. It is divine. She hasn't given it to me.... yet!

Pimento Cheese

Ingredients:
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup grated sharp cheddar
1 cup grated Monterey Jack
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Lawry's Season Salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons pimentos, smashed
Cracked black pepper

Directions:
Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Add all of the remaining ingredients and beat until well blended.

To serve: You can eat this on bread for sandwiches or you can spread this on toasted French bread and put under the broiler under warm and bubbly.


Grab a glass of tea and enjoy me for a visit with Lana and Lisa over at Tempt My Tummy Tuesday. I dare you not to go away with new recipes for your recipe box!

Broccoli Slaw

Note: This slaw gets better over time. It also makes a good amount which means it is good to share or take to a potluck.

Broccoli Slaw

Ingredients:

2 bags of broccoli slaw

2 bags of chicken ramen noodles

4 Tbsp sugar

6 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup canola oil

1 bag sliced almonds

Directions:

Crunch up uncooked ramen noodles and add almonds. Toast these in the oven together. Combine oil, vinegar, sugar and small bags of flavoring from the ramen noodle package. Combine toasted almonds and noodles with broccoli slaw. Pour liquid on top and stir, stir, stir! Let sit overnight. Serve.

Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

Note: Does it matter that I may be the only person in my house that will eat this if I make it? Not to me!

Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

Ingredients:

1 large head broccoli (or) 1/2 broccoli and 1/2 cauliflower

10 slices crispy bacon

1/2 red onion, diced fine

1/2 cup raisins

2/3 cup mayo

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tbsp lemon juice

sunflower seeds, cashews, pumpkin seeds (your preference)

Directions:

Combine mayo, sugar, and lemon juice. Pour over broccoli, onions and raisins. Marinate at least three hours before serving. Stir in bacon and sunflower seeds just before serving.

My Favorite Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Note: Having this salad in my refrigerator is dangerous for me. I can eat this salad for breakfast, lunch and supper and nothing else. It is a very pretty color red which makes it perfect for Christmas (or Valentine's Day or 4th of July!). To me, it is perfect anytime.

My Favorite Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Ingredients:
2 cups crushed pretzels
3/4 cup melted butter
3 tablespoons sugar, plus 3/4 cup sugar
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1 (8-ounce) container whipped topping
2 (3-ounce) packages strawberry gelatin dessert mix
2 cups boiling water
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen strawberries
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple (Optional – I usually leave these out!!!)
Whipped topping or whipped cream, to garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. For the crust, mix the pretzels, butter, and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Press this mixture into a 9 by 13-inch pan and bake for 7 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool. In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and 3/4 cup of sugar. Fold in the whipped topping, and spread over the cooled crust. Refrigerate until well chilled. In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water, and allow to cool slightly. Add the strawberries and pineapple, and pour over the cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate until serving time. To serve, cut slices and serve with a dollop of whipped topping.

I hope that you will Tempt My Tummy Tuesday one of your New Year's resolutions! Spending Tuesday with Lana and Lisa is one of my favorite parts of the week!

Pasta Salad

Note:  This recipe is great to make ahead on Saturday and serve to friends after church on Sunday.     Go ahead and make that call and invite some friends over!

Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
4 chopped carrots
Fresh chopped cauliflower
Fresh chopped broccoli
2 cans pitted black olives, drained
Feta cheese
Chopped celery (to taste)
Cooked chicken (1 breast per guest)
Pepperoni (to taste)
2 tablespoons McCormick Salad Supreme seasoning
2 (8-ounce) bottles Wishbone Salad Dressing
2 (16-ounce) packages small screw pasta, cooked and drained

Directions:
Combine all salad ingredients except the pasta in a large bowl. Add Salad Supreme seasoning and dressing and toss. Store in refrigerator overnight. Toss in the pasta.

Caramel Apple Salad

Note: Since Little Guy has been studying Johnny Appleseed it has had me thinking about apple recipes. This recipe was all the rage around here about two years ago. I think every Pampered Chef party or baby shower or church dinner had at least one of these salads.



Caramel Apple Salad


Ingredients:
6 (2 1/4 ounce) Snickers candy bars, chill and chop
6 apples, cored and chopped into bite sized pieces (Granny Smith and/or Red Delicious)
1 (12 ounce) container Cool Whip
1 (5 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding or butterscotch pudding mix (dry mix – do not prepare!)


Garnish:
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping or caramel apple dip (optional)
1/2 cup chopped peanuts, can also sprinkled on top (optional)



Directions:
Mix cool whip and dry pudding mix together. Chop apples and chilled Snickers. Mix together.
Heat caramel sauce a bit in the microwave- just enough to drizzle, not enough to heat up salad.
Drizzle caramel sauce over salad and sprinkle peanuts on top. Chill for at least an hour.

Pantry Pasta Salad

Note: I used to buy those boxed pasta salad mixes, but then realized one night that I could make a huge batch really inexpensively. The boys love just grabbing whatever we have in the pantry and making something new everytime which is how we came up with the name.



Pantry Pasta Salad



Ingredients:

1 box garden rotini

Your choice (use as many or as little as you like):

1 can of sliced olives

1 can of shoe peg corn

1 can of black beans

1 can of mixed vegetables

Fresh garden vegetables - tomatoes, zucchini, cucumber, squash, etc...

Meat of your choice - shredded chicken, tuna, taco meat (whatever leftovers you may have or nothing at all)



Seasoning:

1 pkg. Hidden Valley ranch seasoning mix

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup vinegar



Directions:

Stir ingredients for seasoning together and refrigerate. Boil rotini noodles and drain. Add your choice of pasta ingredients. Pour seasoning mix over pasta salad and toss. Serve or refrigerator until ready to serve.