Buffalo Chicken Salad

Buffalo Chicken Salad, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

Here's another use for Buffalo chicken. This is a Rachael Ray recipe. It makes a lot of dressing; you can probably use only half.

BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD
Serves 4

2 hearts romaine lettuce, chopped
1 cup shredded carrots, available in pouches
2 ribs celery, chopped
1/2 cup ranch salad dressing
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
3/4 pound chicken breast or tenders, cut into bite size pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 turn of the pan
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and black pepper
1/4 cup Frank's hot sauce

Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat.

Combine lettuce, carrots and celery in a salad bowl. Combine ranch dressing and blue cheese crumbles in a small bowl.

Add oil and butter to hot pan with the chicken. Season with salt and pepper and sear for 2 or 3 minutes, then add hot sauce. Reduce heat a little and cook 5 minutes more.

Top salad with chicken and drizzle on the dressing. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Per Serving: 493 Calories; 32g Fat (57.2% calories from fat); 38g Protein; 16g Carbohydrate; 8g Dietary Fiber; 99mg Cholesterol; 1136mg Sodium. Exchanges: 4 Lean Meat; 3 Vegetable; 5 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

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Potato Salad

Potato Salad, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

My mom would make a wonderful potato salad. I've been making it since I was girl and it never seems to fail to get compliments. People like their salad either with or without mustard and with dill or sweet pickles. This salad has a nice tang with mustard, and dill pickles.

POTATO SALAD
Serves 8

1 russet potato
8 red potato
5 hard-boiled eggs, minced
3 egg whites, hard boiled (discard yolks from 3 eggs)
4 stalks celery, strands removed and minced
4 green onions, chopped
16 dill pickle slices, minced
2 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup mustard
dill pickle juice
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Cook potatoes until tender but not overcooked. Chill and peel skin. Cut into small cubes. Combine with remaining ingredients. Cover and chill for several hours or overnight. Adjust mayonnaise and flavorings, if necessary, when ready to serve.

Caesar Salad with Make-Do Croutons

Caesar Salad with Make-Do Croutons, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

Caesar Salad with Make-Do Croutons

Caesar salad is my everyday salad. Kyle will eat huge bowlfuls of it, so that's a good thing. I usually just throw together torn romaine hearts, grated Parmesan, and a nice dressing (we like Cardini's brand). If I feel like splurging, I'll add some homemade croutons. Honestly, I'm the only one who likes the croutons, so the splurging is really for me and not for anybody else.

I didn't have any crusty bread and wanted some garlic croutons in the salad tonight. I used some regular good-quality sandwich bread (buttermilk, in this case) and sliced it into 1-inch cubes. I think it would have been better to tear the bread into pieces.

MAKE-DO CROUTONS

3 slices buttermilk bread, or other firm sandwich bread
1/2 stick unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
Dash salt

Tear the bread into approximately 1-inch pieces.

Melt the butter in a medium skillet. Stir in the garlic and simmer on very low heat until the garlic softens and is fragrant. Stir in the bread and season with salt. Stir until the bread is evenly coated. Toast over a low heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Sprinkle with salt.

Makes enough croutons for 2 salads.

Insalata Caprese

Insalata Caprese, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

We grew basil for the first time last year and tried some new recipes. This salad is refreshing on a hot summer day and simple to put together. Fat content can be controlled by the amount of cheese that is eaten. Be sure to use fresh mozzarella, packed in water. (usually found in the gourmet cheese section of the supermarket) - the mozzarella found in the deli case would be rubbery and not a good substitute.

INSALATA CAPRESE
Serves 4

3 roma tomatoes, sliced
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, fresh, sliced
10 basil leaves
extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper

Alternate slices of tomato and cheese on a serving platter. Tuck basil leaves around the salad. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Nutrition Facts:
Per Serving : 291 Calories; 21g Fat (65.1% calories from fat); 19g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 76mg Cholesterol; 362mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 2 1/2 Fat.