Crispy Chicken Salad

The Crispy Chicken Salad from Dairy Queen is a favorite meal that I crave every time of day. It is $5.39 in the restaurant, so I order it very, very rarely. Plus, I can barely handle the guilt when I make my family eat off the dollar menu just so we can afford my salad. I now make it at home and eat something similar enough to fool my taste buds about every other day. It is so good!

• One head of lettuce, 75 cents, is enough for 4 generous portions
  
• 3 frozen chicken nuggets, baked and cut up (you'll never know they were once shaped like dinosaurs)
  
• Grated cheddar cheese
  
• Grated baby carrots
  
• Bacon, cook an entire package and it will last for about 8 salads (keep what you don't use in the freezer), or use chopped ham
  
• Hard boiled egg, chopped (the original doesn't have this, but I like the addition)
  
• Grape tomatoes
  
• Dressing of your choice
  

I tried to figure out the cost of one home made salad, but it proved too difficult since many of the items are very small portions of things I keep in the fridge anyway, like carrots. How do you figure the cost of 3 baby carrots? I need a 5th grader. Due to laziness and lack of math skills, I'm going to speculate that the salad costs less than $1.50 per portion.

In any event, my Crispy Chicken Salad is quite affordable, delicious, filling, and packed full of protein and veggies.

Couscous Salad with pork or chicken

My mother-in-law made this salad while we were visiting and it is so yummy. I couldn't seem to get enough of it!

1 cup uncooked couscous
2 cups shredded cooked pork or chicken (she used chicken)
1 cup coarsely chopped, seeded, unpeeled, cucumber
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes
1-2 chopped green onions

You have an option of dressings:

Sweet and sour dressing: (this is the one my mil used)
1/2 t. salt
2 T. sugar
1/2 packet oriental seasoning from ramen noodles
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar or lemon juice

Curry dressing: (this one sounded good to me to, I like curry)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. cumin
1/4 t. curry
pepper to taste

Cook couscous according to package directions. Cool 20 minutes. In a large bowl combine salad ingredients, couscous, chicken or pork, and toss. Combine dressing ingredients in a jar and shake to mix well. Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine. Store in refridge. Keeps for a couple days.

Cheesy Potato Salad

Found this on allrecipes, modified it a bit, and made it for a potluck. It was a hit!

2 1/2 lbs red potatoes (I used about 5 large Yukon golds cause that's all I had)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 bunch green onions, chopped (I used 4)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 (or more) slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Place the potatoes in a pot and fill with water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until easily pierced with a fork (10-20 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes). Drain and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl mix together the sour cream, mayo, half the onions and half the cheese. Gently stir in cooled and cubed potatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with remaining cheese, onions and crumbled bacon.

Fruit Romaine Salad

This recipe is one of my mother in laws most famous salads. I am planning on making it for Easter this year.

1 BUNCH RED ROMAINE LETTUCE
PURPLE ONION RINGS
PITTED DATES STUFFED WITH CREAM CHEESE (they’re usually already split to remove the pit…just use a little spoon or knife to stuff)
RED SEEDLESS GRAPES, HALVED
1 CUP TOASTED ALMONDS
1 CAN MANDERINE ORANGES, DRAINED
1 LARGE AVACADO

DRESSING:
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
¼ cup orange juice
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 cup oil

Shake the dressing well, and refrigerate till needed.

My New Favorite Fall Salad

Spring mix
Diced apples
Raisens
Ken's Steakhouse Reduced Calorie Raspberry Walnut Vinegarette (it still has 80 calories per serving)
Mix it all together and serve as an accompaniment to a yummy fall soup. To jazz it up a little more, top the salad with candied pecans.

Panzanella Salad Skewers

I made this recipe while camping last weekend. It was wonderful!

Crowd Pleasing Chicken Salad

This chicken salad is awesome. I had some for breakfast this morning right out of the mixing bowl. The rice gives it enough substance that you can serve it as a main dish and it will actually fill you up! If you use fat free mayo and sour cream and skip the cheese, it's only 31/2 POINTS (for any Weight Watchers out there) for a 1 cup serving. I hope you enjoy it!

3 cups cubed chicken
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Combine in large bowl. Fold in:
2 cups cooked white rice
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 can (20 oz) pineapple tidbits, drained
1 can (8 oz) sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted (optional)
Serve alone, with sliced cantaloupe, on bread, or in a tortilla as a wrap.
As a hot sandwich, spread on one half of a hoagie roll and sprinkle the cheese on top. Broil until the cheese melts and the bread is crispy.

*Recipe taken from The Best of Country Cooking 1999