Chicken Salad

It's hard to find a good chicken salad recipe.  I have only found 2 out there that I really like and I'm going to list one of them here.  This is my mom's recipe.  I have no idea where it came from, but she has been making it before I can remember.  This recipe is simple and it calls for simple ingredients.  There is nothing fancy about this recipe and that is what I like about it. 

I tend to go easy on the mayonnaise because I have found that some people don't like a lot of mayo in their chicken salad and some do.  The ones who want more (like my husband) can add some additional mayo onto their sandwich bread.  Feel free to increase the mayo in this recipe to get the amount you like.  Also - this is very important.  This salad tastes better when you finely chop up the celery and onions.  I use the Pampered Chef food chopper.  Works excellent and it's so fast.  I anybody needs a Pampered Chef order...let me know.  My friend sells their products and I can get you a great connection!

This one is Gluten Free and goes well on sandwiches, crackers and salads.  If you are gluten free - make sure you check your crackers and bread to ensure there is no gluten.  My hubby eats this one with saltines, Ritz Crackers and sandwich bread.  It has become one of his frequent requests!

Enjoy :)

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken breasts
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
2-3 tablespoons of finely chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/3 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup of red grapes sliced in half
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Boil the chicken breasts in a pot of water until done and no longer pink.  Once done, set aside to cool.  Chop your onions, celery, pecans and place them in a big bow.  Add your mayo and red grapes to the big bowl with your onion, celery and pecans. 

Once your chicken is cooled, finely shred it and drop into the bowl of ingredients.  Once that is complete, add your mayo and stir with a fork.  Add any salt or pepper that you need for taste and any additional mayo that you need.

Keep this one in the fridge - but you are ready to go!

Thai Peanut Chicken Pasta

Ok, so - this recipe is one of my hubby's favorites and if you like peanut butter...you'll like this one.  I found this recipe years ago from South Beach and it has stayed with us!  This one is really easy to make but you will need to go to the grocery store because it calls for ingredients that you may not have in your kitchen...like napa cabbage, dark sesame oil, rice vinegar and soba noodles

Let's talk about Soba noodles for a minute because some are gluten free and some are not.  If the Soba noodles you get are pure buckwheat noodles then you are gluten free.  Just read your ingredients.  Buckwheat is not a wheat but a plant in the carrot family, it is the seed kernels of the flowers, and is low in fat, high in iron, and gluten free.  Eden Foods makes a 100% buckwheat Soba noodle.  If you are not interested in Soba noodles for this dish and you want to have just make this with regular wheat pasta, use linguine. 

Dont make this pasta dish with Quinoa noodles.  Quinoa is naturally dry and the pasta needed for this dish needs to have some moisture to it.

So - here is the recipe.  I hope you enjoy it!  I serve this with a salad and for my non Gluten Free hubby, a side of garlic bread :)

Ingredients:

4 Ounces Soba noodles
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
3 teaspoons dark sesame oil, divided
1/3 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter (I LOVE crunchy)
2 Tablespoons Gluten Free Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
2 Tablespoons water
1 head of Napa cabbage, shredded
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Salt and Black Pepper

Directions:

Cook noodles according to package directions; run under cool water and drain. 

Season chicken well with salt and pepper and toss with 1 tsp of sesame oil.  Heat grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat; cook chicken until browned and no longer pink in the middle. 

Whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, water and remaining oil in a large bowl.  Thinly slice chicken and add to peanut butter mixture.  Add noodles, cabbage and scallions.  Toss gently to combine all and serve.

Makes 4 servings
Per Serving
370 calories, 13 grams fat, 2.5 saturated fat, 42g protein, 19g carbs, 2 grams dietary fiber, 500 mg sodium

Mexican Chopped Chicken Salad

My hubby found this salad recipe for me.  Yes - he found it on our Ranch dressing bottle but I don't care....it was tasty!  Don't you just love a good salad?  I have run into 2 salad recipes this week that have been really good!  I'll post the other one this week!

This one is Gluten free as long as you read your tortilla chips label and get 100% corn tortillas. The Hidden Valley Ranch Bottles are Gluten Free so enjoy!! ( YEAH!)!!  If you opt to season your chicken - make sure your seasoning has no gluten in it.  Read your labels! This one is a fast make and tasty for lunch with a sandwich or soup. Here it is!  Simple!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

6 cups shredded lettuce (I like Romaine)
1 bag corn tortilla chips
2 cups cubes cooked chicken
1 1/2 cups of canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
1/2 shredded cheese
tomatoes and olives for garnish

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in large bowl.  Garnish with tomatoes and olives.  Makes 6 servings.

Peanut Butter and Yogurt Dip

My hubby found a good and and healthy snack recipe out there!  I'm so proud of him!!  LOL!  I'm always looking for a healthy  snack for my kids and one that they will enjoy! Your kiddos will love this and it's good from them.  It's a great way for them to get in their Vitamin C and Calcium! You can eat this dip with assorted fruits like bananas, strawberries, apples, and peaches!

This one can be Gluten free if you ensure your Peanut Butter and Yogurt is Gluten Free.  Make sure to read your labels!

Here's the recipe!!

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup of Creamy Peanut Butter Spread (Your Favorite)
• 1 container (6 oz.) nonfat vanilla yogurt
• 3 cups assorted sliced fruits

Directions

1. Combine Peanut Butter Spread with yogurt in medium bowl. Serve with fruits.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving
Calories 130
Calories From Fat 70
% Daily Value*
Total Fat	8 g
Saturated Fat	1.5 g
Trans Fat	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	75 mg
Total Carbohydrate	13 g
Dietary Fiber	3 g
Sugars	8 g
Protein	5 g
Vitamin A	0 %
Vitamin C	80 %
Calcium	13 %

Potato Salad

I am not a fan of potato salad but a good friend of mine brought this recipe to work back in 2006 and I just had to have the recipe!  This recipe is for a dill potato salad.  I don't like sweet relish potato salad so this dill version was perfect!  My sweet friend Jennifer shared this with me and it has quickly become a family favorite.  My husband loves it and asks for it often. I also take it to family reunions a lot.

This is one of those recipes that you really have to judge the measurements by taste.  I'm going to do my best to guide you on the measurements, but I taste this one like 10 times while making it to ensure it's exactly how I want it to taste.  It's Gluten Free and needs to be chilled for about 2-3 hours after you make it!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
5-6 whole potatoes
1/4 cup of mayo (not Miracle Whip)
3 Tbsp Mustard
1/4 cup celery - chopped finely
1/4 of a small red onion - chopped finely
4 Tbsp Dill Relish
Salt and Pepper to taste (at least 1/4 tsp of salt if not more)

Directions:
Boil the whole potatoes in a big pot with the skins on and not cubed. (I know - my mom always wonders why I do this but it makes them so much easier to peel and chop if you do it this way and it changes the consistency of your potato salad...it makes it more smooth and velvety).  After the potatoes are done boiling (the skins should be pulling back a little bit), drain them and let them cool for about 30 min.  Then you need to peel and throw the peelings away and cut the potatoes into cubes and place them in a big bowl.  Add the mayo and mustard.  Keep in mind my measurements above are a guesstimate so if you need to add more mayo you can, just make sure you don't get it too mushy.  Add the relish, red onion and celery and salt and pepper.  Stir and go back and taste it and add more of an ingredient if you think it needs some. 

I have found it tastes the best if you make it the night before and let it sit so the taste of the onions and celery really come out!

Quinoa Banana Bread

I have talked about Quinoa before on my recipe blog and how good it is for you.  Did you know that Quinoa can also provide small amounts of the omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)? Recent studies are providing us with a greatly expanded list of anti-inflammatory phytonutrients in quinoa. This unique combination of anti-inflammatory compounds in quinoa may be the key to understanding preliminary animal studies that show decreased risk of inflammation-related problems (including obesity) when animals are fed quinoa on a daily basis.  I found this chart interesting.  Here are the nutrients breakdown in uncooked Quinoa in 0.25 cups. For more Quinoa benefits - check out this link http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=142&tname=foodspice
manganese58.5%

tryptophan31.2%

magnesium29.6%

phosphorus28.1%

fiber20.7%

folate19.4%

copper18%

Calories (222)12%

Now - onto my recipe :)

My suggestion for this recipe is the riper the bananas, the better.  This recipe also doubles very well.  I found this recipe at livingwithout.com and they have a lot of great gluten free recipes!  Take a look at this site. I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:

½ cup + 2 tablespoons quinoa flour
⅓ cup quinoa flakes
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt, more to taste
2 or 3  very ripe bananas, peeled
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons honey or pure maple syrup
(add some walnuts if you would like- makes it even better!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
2. Place dry ingredients in large bowl and mix together until well combined.
3. In smaller bowl, mash bananas. Mix in the eggs and honey until combined.
4. Add banana mixture to dry ingredients and beat until combined and batter has a smooth consistency.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until done.

Baked Shrimp

Ok guys...we are going to keep this real simple tonight because I'm tired!! LOL!  I try my hardest to my my lunch the night before so I'm not rushed the next morning.  I found this recipe on Pinterest and it takes a total of 20 min.  So easy and Gluten Free!  I plan to serve these shrimp on a bed of spring mix tomorrow for lunch with a little bit of balsamic.  YUMMY!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 Stick of butter
1 bad of 30 frozen shrimp
Packet of Italian Seasoning Mix (Read your ingredients to ensure no WHEAT!!)
1 lemon

Directions:
Melt the butter in a skillet.  Once the butter is melted, slice the lemon and lay on top of melted butter.  Add your shrimp on top of the lemons.  Sprinkle the Italian Seasoning on top.  Stir and then place in a 9X13 Pyrex dish  uncovered at 350 for 15 min.  Then you are ready to eat!

Easy Peezy!!

Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs

I found this recipe on Pinterest for slow cooker BBQ ribs.  I have never cooked Ribs before.  My dad did all the time growing up but I have never ventured it.  I figured a slow cooker rib recipe might be right up my ally!!! I made beef ribs because my hubby wont eat pork, but I would recommend pork if you like pork ribs.  Baby back are my favorite.  But I made St. Louis style beef ribs and they were excellent!  Super easy too - low maintenance.  I worked from home Monday and these babies cooked all day while I worked.  5 o'clock came and dinner was ready and tasted marvelous! 

These are Gluten Free.  Make sure to read your labels on your BBQ sauce to ensure no wheat.  Sauces that contain Carmel coloring sometimes contain Gluten.  There is a BBQ sauce out there that I recommend that is 100% Gluten Free.  It's called Sweet Baby Ray's.  Yummy sauce but check this site for a list of their different sauces and ingredients: http://www.sweetbabyrays.com/Nutrition.aspx

Enjoy these ribs - these are excellent for a summer meal :)

Ingredients:
1.5 tbsp sweet paprika
2 tbsp light brown sugar
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste
2lbs ribs (you can do beef or baby backs) - leave the membranes on the ribs to help hold them together
2 cups BBQ sauce

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix together paprika, brown sugar, cayenne and salt and pepper.  Rub this mixture all over both sides of your ribs well.  Arrange ribs in the slow cooker by standing them up against the wall of the stoneware pot, thicker side down and meaty side against the pot.  Pour BBQ sauce over the ribs.  Cover and cook for 6-8 hrs on low (7 hours worked perfect for me).

After the ribs are done, you will need to brush them with fresh BBQ sauce and broil them in the oven to crisp them up a bit. Make sure the bones side is up.  Broil them for about 5 min on each side brushing fresh BBQ sauce on them at each turn.  Be careful when you turn them because they are super tender and will fall off the bone.  It's ok that they fall off the bone - they are still yummy.

You are then ready to chow down!  I made potato salad, baked beans and broccoli with mine!  Enjoy :)

Kitchen Charts

I follow a blog (A Sweet Pea Chef) and she posted some pretty cool kitchen charts that I wanted to pass them along.  When I cook, I always have questions about measurmement conversions and common replacement ingredients if I'm out of one. These 2 charts will help you and I wanted to pass them along!  Happy cooking :)
 

Thank you!

I get so excited to see so many people in so many different countries around the world following my recipe blog!  When I started this I thought – this would be cool to start for my friends back home in TN because the people closest to me know I love to cook and I hear from others that I’m pretty good at it!  Now, thousands of people are hitting my blog site from 13 countries steadily!  So far people from the US, Australia, Lativa, Canada, Russia, Singapore, United Kingdom, South Korea, Germany, Malaysia, Switzerland, France and Africa!  Thank you all so much for following and sending me messages about the recipes!  Keep sending people my blog site http://amandasgreatrecipes.blogspot.com