Category: Chicken

Chinese Chicken Salad with Cranberries and Oranges

Chinese Chicken Salad with cabbage and cranberries!

I’ve had this salad many different ways but this is my favorite way to have it. I use cabbage, Ramen Oriental Noodles, sliced almonds and mandarin oranges and dried cranberries. I make the dressing with oil and rice vinegar and sugar and the noodle seasoning packet. It always turns out delicious, crispy and fresh looking. And the best part is…..it will feed a huge crowd!

I love this crunchy Chinese Chicken salad! You can add green onion to each serving if you like it. 

I like that it is super easy and quick too. When I’m not in a cooking mood I usually pick up a cabbage and have some chicken breasts in the freezer, and those ramen noodles last for like 10 years in your pantry so I buy them in bulk…. a whole box at a time. We usually use them up in a year.  I also buy all my nuts  from Costco in bulk, so I know I’ve got my ingredients on hand.

Mandarin oranges, Ramen noodles raw, sliced almonds and dried cherries go into my Chinese Chicken Salad. I got dried fruits at the downtown Farmer’s Market.. …Yum! 
Don’t ya LOVE this cutting board I just picked up at Hobby Lobby for 50% off?  I diced up the chicken on it…

Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe
1 medium cabbage chopped coarsely
2 packages ramen noodles broken up (oriental style) reserve the 2 packets of sauce mix
1 larger or 2 small cans mandarin oranges (add them just before tossing salad)
1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds
1/3 cup dried cherries or cranberries
3 chicken breasts cooked and diced into chunks
green onion for garnish.

This dressing is really flavorful and tart….

Delicious Dressing

2/3 cup canola oil (I’ve used olive oil and I don’t like it as much)
1/3 to 1/2 cup rice vinegar (or apple cider or red wine vinegar but I prefer the rice vinegar)
1/4 cup sugar
2 seasoning packets from the Ramen
pepper
1 Teaspoon of lemon or lime juice (optional) for a zingy flavor
A shake of Lawry’s season salt if needed (or Johnny’s season salt – get at Costco)

Break up the Ramen Noodles in the chopped cabbage and fruit and sliced almonds…
Then add the dressing  and chicken for the Chinese Chicken Salad, and toss a few times! 
That’s it!

Whisk the dressing  up in a small bowl till sugar is dissolved. Taste it.. if it is not flavorful enough add a dash of rice vinegar…not sweet enough add a shake of sugar, not seasoned enough add a shake of Lawry’s Season Salt.  I can’t remember a time I have not messed a little with homemade dressing of any kind. You get better at it the more you make it.

These plates are so cute for a summer Chinese Chicken Salad, aren’t they?

Here is my finished salad. It’s delicious on a warm, fall day when you don’t want to cook!  Great with homemade muffins or some rustic, crusty bread and butter.And how do you like my new stoneware? It’s from Smiths Marketplace! It was a buck a plate! I think it’s so pretty! Boo yah!  I bought a set of 12 with bowls too. I think they will look cute in the Spring and Summer for dinner parties.

WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

Well Brucie? What are we gonna make for dinner tonight? I want something fast and I’m kinda tired because, well,  school started and teachers are ALL tired out from standing and talking ALL DAY! 
So let’s make some easy white chicken chili! 
Here’s all my ingredients…..2 kinds of white beans….onion….and some squash from my garden (optional) I’ve GOT to start using up my garden veggies. It seems like I get a new Zucchini every day! 
Chop up a cup of onion and a 1/2 cup of celery (and I added 1/2 cup yellow crookneck squash) 
You could also use a 1/2 cup of frozen yellow or white corn just as easily…both optional.
A small can of chopped green chili peppers go GREAT in white chicken chili….
I used these spices….dash of lemon pepper, parsley, chili powder, onion salt, and Season Salt.... And I added 2 slices of lightly microwaved bacon….

 Well, and of course the chicken broiled and then diced up….I added a few cups of milk and dumped the beans in after the veggies were tender….it’s so easy…takes about 20 minutes to make.   And it’s great with hot bread sticks!

  WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

 Recipe for White Chicken Chili
3    chicken breast boiled and cubed
1    cup sauteed onion in butter
1/2 cup chopped celery boiled for 10 minutes
2    cans white beans any variety, butter, limas, great northern (1 use 2 varieties) add the liquid too.
1    small can chopped green chilis
1/2 cup yellow squash or frozen corn (optional) I just did this to use up my garden veggies….
2    dashes of spices to taste  (onion salt, chili pepper, lemon pepper, parsley, Seasoning Salt)

2 -3 cups of milk
2 slices of microwaved bacon

After onions are sauteed and celery and chicken are boiled and chopped add them to a pot of beans, chilis, milk and then add the spices. Boil for about 10 minutes. Serve with bread sticks and a salad.

We saw a marvelous balloon launch at a park practically in our backyard…..it was really cool…..
I’ve never seen one before….but it is so exciting and beautiful to watch!
Here’s my hubs. I’m taking a picture of him taking a picture….snicker….
I got a close up view to “feel the heat”….It is awesome! But I don’t think I would try it….
There they go! It was all over in 10 minutes…..Bye guys!  

Chicken Enchilada Casserole.

Well my husband’s birthday was this week and so I had the whole family over for dinner including my in laws. It was fun to let off some fireworks for my little grand kids too. He hit 55 so everybody was teasing him about being a senior citizen! (hmmmm…..I wonder if we get movie discounts now?)

My in laws Merlene and Don and Johnny is in the back.  

 I made 2 pies instead of birthday cake; fresh peach and fresh strawberry pie. I think I’m on a pie kick.



Here’s the Drink Tub my daughter did the lettering on before the party.
She’s got a cool “Cricut” machine. I love those things!



Strawberries for the Strawberry pie…Link HERE for my Strawberry Pie Recipe and Directions.
Fresh peaches for the Peach pie!

The main dish was a chicken enchilada casserole. It is just as yummy as chicken enchiladas but a lot quicker and easier to make. Here is the recipe;

Enchilada Casserole Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 to 4 cups cubed cooked chicken (I used 3 breasts and 2 thighs de-boned)
  • 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies
  • 1/2 tub of sour cream regular size
  • 1 plus cups of milk (just enough for a thick, rich, soupy texture)
  • 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
  • 1 small jar of medium salsa
  • 1  onion, finely chopped and slightly browned (leave a crunch in them)
  • 12 or more corn tortillas
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar or Mexican mix  cheese
After cubing the chicken I mix the onions and all the sauces and chilies together and add the milk.  Then spray a 9 x 13 pan with Pam. Layer torn tortillas (I tear into thirds) into the bottom of the pan overlapping. Then spread a layer of the chicken mixture. Top that with cheese. Repeat with the tortillas, then chicken, then cheese. It should use up all your tortillas.  If you have more then use a meat loaf pan ( I usually do) and layer the remaining and freeze it for a future lunch date! Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes covered with foil. Let set for 15 minutes on the stove to be able to cut it into squares. It is always gobbled right up. Then longer it sets the easier it is to cut. I try to have it finished 30 minutes before people sit down to eat.
Chicken Enchilada Casserole! Yummy!
It looks kind of pink and soupy when it goes in the oven, but trust me it tastes yummy. It is even better the next day warmed up in the microwave. And it is easy to take to work for lunch. You can taste the green chilis and the tomatoes from the salsa and it is yummy with those cubes of chicken and the cheesiness.
Fresh Spinach Salad…Good and Good FOR you!
My peach and strawberry pie were gobbled right up too. I bought new larger pie dishes to make enough for a crowd. But alas, even then, there were not many leftovers on this one.  I also made spinach salad with candied pecans, strawberries, red onion, mushrooms and avocado. And of course I used my yellow squash and zuchini from my garden and made my zuchini casserole side dish. The  Link for Zuchini Casserole is HERE.
Easy to make toasted candied pecans…just add regular sugar and dust
 with cinnamon and toast them in a pan! Keep adding sugar till pecans are good and covered.
It’s probably my favorite salad of all time. I make a raspberry vinaigrette to go over it and it is a fun, sweet salad with a kick. Pass the toasted pecans around in a small bowl with the salad so they don’t lose their crunch. Also some people have nut allergies so it’s best not to add it to the salad. The link for Spinach Salad is HERE.
Spinach, avocado, strawberries, red onion, mushrooms and toasted sweet pecans.
He got some cute presents from my kids too. I think this one from my daughter was his favorite since he closely follows the Tour de France. 😀 He is a biker dude through and through. I think he wore it all the next day!
John is a Mark Cavendish and George Hincapie fan and follows the Tour de France.



These girls cut up all the fruit for my pies for me! Caitlin and Tiffany…great kitchen staff!  



 I hope he enjoyed his birthday party! Here are some more of the guests…. 





My daughter Tiffany, granddaughter Marisa and Gary
My granddaughter Little Josie, Wendy and my son, Jeff.
And my little shadows Megan and Marisa….I caught them on the stairs and made them pose for a picture.  Happy Birthday Grandpa!
We love you Gampa…now can we go in the “coozie”? (jacuzzi)
Doesn’t she look like she’s thinking up some mischief?  Mmmmhmmm…she usually is….. 

Chicken and Rice Casserole

I like a lot of crunch in my Chicken and Rice. So I add slivered or sliced almonds and celery.  I love white chicken diced up along with a few pieces of dark thigh meat too. It just makes it more tasty. And I usually add a few diced eggs and some cheese and potato chips crushed on top. It’s kinda yummy!

Chicken and Rice Dinner….

Here’s my recipe:
3-4cups of mixed white and brown rice steamed in a rice steamer
add 2 can cream of chicken soup. I’ve done it with one can but it’s less creamy.
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup mayo
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced sweet onion, carmelized in a fry pan
2 hard boiled eggs diced up
slivered or sliced almonds
2-3 chicken breasts boiled & diced up (or 2 breasts and 2 thighs diced)
Lawrys season salt & regular pepper
Suddenly Salad, 1/2 teaspoon or to taste
3/4 cup grated cheese over the top.
crushed potato chips on top of the cheese if you like a crispy top

Chicken and Rice   is a great family casserole dish! It will feed a crowd….and it’s easy and  filling!  

My kids used to call it GORP. Ya well, you know boys…..they will eat anything no matter how long it took you to make it.  For the sauce I usually make it with 2 cans cream of chicken soup, a 1/2 cup scoop of sour cream and a 1/3rd cup of mayo. And to that I add some Lawry’s season salt and  Salad Supreme Seasoning  (a super great secret to making any kind of veggie, potato or pasta salad better…you can buy the generic and it’s just as good). 

Here’s my finished Chicken and Rice Casserole

I usually make it when I have leftover plain rice that I need to use up.  I take probably 3 to 4 cups of rice, 2 chicken breasts and 2 chicken thighs, some white, sweet onion about 1/2 cup diced and then carmelized in a fry pan for 5 minutes. I boil the eggs and chicken together and at the last 5 minutes I add diced celery about 3/4 cup into the chicken boiling water. .

Try some Chicken and Rice Casserole for your next family get together….it’s pretty easy and you will
get lots and lots of compliments…..and hardly any leftovers!  

Then when everything is cooked and tender, pour it all together in a big tupperware bowl and mix in the sauce. Then spread it in a 9 x 13 pan and cover with some grated cheese and crushed potato chips,  . Bake it for 20 -25 minutes in 350 oven. It’s even more delish the next day for leftovers. It’s great to take to work for your lunch too.  I love a good casserole!