Broccoli Slaw

Everything comes in the bag at Costco and Wow is it delicious!!! It kind of has an Asian flavor and comes with Chinese crunchy noddles and sliced almonds. It's great just the way it comes or I bet if you wanted you could add green or red onion and chicken chunks too.

I first tried this at our ward Mother's Day dinner and it was my favorite thing there! Then I used it at our cousin Garden Party tonight and again it was so yummy!!! So if your out of time an need a great salad give this a try, my mom and I love it!

Hawaiian Edamame

1 pound edamame in the pod (you can buy these frozen and thaw
by running cool water over them)
3 Tablespoons sesame oil, divided
2 teaspoons finely minced fresh garlic
1 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 to 2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Heat a large wok over medium-high heat (or use a large skillet).
Add 2 Tablespoons of the oil, then the edamame. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until wellcoated with the oil. Move the edamame to the sides and add the remaining 1 Tablespoon oil, garlic, and ginger in the middle. Stir-fry for 20 to 30 seconds, until barely light golden brown, then add the sesame seeds. Stir to mix evenly, coating the edamame. Sprinkle the sugar in and toss several times, allowing the sugar to melt and coat the edamame. Add the soy sauce and red pepper flakes, and mix well. Season with salt if needed. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately.

I found this recipe online at http://tammycirceo.typepad.com. I wanted to do something extra special with edamame for our cousin Garden Party and found this recipe. Well lets just say... AMAZING!!! It is defiantly my Favorite of the evening.and will be making this again soon! Maybe tomorrow for lunch ;)

Bruchetta

2 C diced tomatoes (squeeze out seeds before dicing)
1/3 C diced red onion
1/2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp kosher salt
a few cracks black pepper
1/4 C chopped fresh basil leaves
1 french baguette or bread of your choice
Butter & additional olive oil
1 large garlic clove
optional- fresh mozzarella cheese


Combine tomatoes, onions, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and 1 tsp olive oil in a bowl and mix to combine. Add basil and gently toss to distribute. Give it a taste and add additional salt and pepper if necessary. Cover and chill.

Slice baguette into half inch slices. Lightly spread both sides if sliced bread with real butter. In a lg pan over medium heat drizzle a little olive oil and then brown both sides of the bread. Remove from pan. Slice garlic clove in half and rub cut side down on each piece of bread. Top with about 2 tablespoons of the tomato mixture.

Recipe by Our Best Bites

I made this tonight for our cousin Garden Party and they were a HIT!!! Rubbing the garlic on the bread was great and the kick of balsamic vinegar was a great addition all together the flavors made the PERFECT BITE!!! I can't wait to make this all summer with garden fresh tomatoes! Even my son Mahonri loved this and he usually HATES tomatoes!

Chicken Oriental Pasta Salad

1 box Bowtie pasta
3 Chicken breasts, cubed
2 Green Peppers
1 Yellow pepper
1 Read Bell pepper
1 Bag spinach
Candied almonds or pecans

Dressing:
¼ c. Sesame seeds
½ c. Chopped parsley
1/3 c. Red wine vinegar
1/3 c. Soy sauce
½ c. Canola oil
3 Tb. Sugar
½ tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Pepper

Boil pasta, drain, chill. Cook the chicken breast at 375 degrees for 1 hour, sprinkled with lemon pepper. Cut vegetables. Toss all ingredients together. Mix with dressing and serve. Dressing: Blend all ingredients together.

This recipe is submitted by Valerie Crawford.
She brought it to our farewell to the Agrens moving party and it was Super!!! I had to have the recipe!!! I just made it tonight for our cousins Garden Party and again it was absolutely amazing! The only this I did different is I just cut the raw chicken breasts into chunks and browned them in a pan with olive oil and some lemon zesty seasoning then chilled them before adding them to the salad. Just an note this makes a HUGE bowl of salad, so it's great for big gatherings.

Sorry no picture I will have to take one the next time I make it.

Italian Salad

Mixed Greens
Black olives, small
Grape tomatoes
Purple onion, sliced
Cucumber, sliced
mushrooms, sliced

Cesar or Creamy Italian dressing
Parmesan Cheese, shredded
Croûtons
Black Pepper

Combine first 6 ingredients then just before serving toss with dressing, croûton, cheese and black pepper.

Wanton Salad

Iceburg lettuce, chopped
green onion, sliced on diagonal
Chicken, cooked, chilled and chopped, optional
sesame seeds

Asian sesame soy Dressing
Crispy Wantons (in Asian section or raw in produce or freezer section, you will then need to fry)

Combine and toss first four ingredients then just before serving toss with dressing and wantons.

Great with or without chicken.

Spinach Salad

Fresh Spinach
Fresh Strawberries, sliced
Purple onion, sliced
Glazed Pecans (in the baking-nut section)
Poppyseed dressing

Mix all ingredients then add dressing just before serving. Disappears every time.
Can substitute canned mandarin oranges (drain the juice) for strawberries.

BBQ Chicken Salad

Lettuce, chopped
Baby spinach, optional
Cucumber, sliced
Roma Tomatoes, diced
Purple onion, sliced
Grated cheese
Hard boiled eggs
Bacon, cooked and crumbled
BBQ Boneless Chicken pieces, heated (either bought from deli or in freezer section)
Ranch Dressing

Layer in large bowl, serve then let individuals add dressing.
Just don't let your boys pick out only the chicken like mine do!!! Gotta eat your greens!

Broccoli Salad

6-8c. Broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
1 lb. Bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2c. Red Onion, small diced
3/4c. Raisins
1/2c. Sunflower Seeds or Chopped Pecans

Dressing:
1c. Mayo
1/2c. Sugar
2 Tb. Cider Vinegar

Combine ingredients and toss with dressing, Chill and serve.

Once I used some leftover Poppyseed dressing I had in the fridge and it turned out great.

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

2lb Elbow Macaroni
1/3 c. Cider Vinegar
2/3-1c. Milk
5c. Best Foods Mayo
3 Green Onion, sliced very thin
1 Lg. Carrot about 1/2c., grated
1/3-1/2 c. Sugar
Salt, Pepper and Garlic to taste
1 Lg. pkg. Imitation Crab Meat, optional

It is very important you make this the night before, this is the secret to good Mac Salad.
Boil noodles for 20-30 mins. They will be overcooked and very soft, this is OK (but not so overcooked that they are breaking). Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Sprinkle with vinegar and sugar stir to coat evenly. Add Mayo, milk and spices. Then fold in carrots and onion. The sauce should taste balanced between sweet and salty and will be on the soupy side. This is OK because as it sits in the fridge overnight the flavors will marry and the noodles will absorb the sauce and become thicker. We really like to add chopped crab meat and I add this when I fold in the carrots, EXTRA DELICIOUS!! Enjoy!