Wild rice, chicken and mango salad with poppyseed dressing

For the salad:

The meat from 1 rotisserie chicken
1 Celery heart
1/3 bunch of parsley
3 Mangoes (I used Champagne mangoes, they're smaller than traditional mangoes)
4 Cups cooked wild rice
3-4 cloves garlic

Cashews or almonds for topping if desired.

For the dressing:

1/3C sour cream
1/4C mayo
3T honey -or- 3T frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed (do not add water).  Add more if needed.
1/2C milk
1tsp Dijon mustard
1T poppy seeds
1/4 tsp salt
fresh ground black pepper

Chop all of the salad ingredients and place in a large bowl.  When cutting your celery, make sure you also chop the leaves, they're the most flavorful part of the celery.

Combine all of the dressing ingredients - I just put everything in my Tupperware salad dressing shaker. You can also whisk or use an immersion blender.

Pour half of the dressing over the salad and stir to coat.  Continue adding dressing as desired.
Top with cashews or almonds just before serving.

Caprese Salad

1pkg grape tomatoes, halved
1 ball soft mozzarella, cubed*
3-4T fresh basil, torn
4T olive oil
1tsp balsamic vinegar
sea salt to taste

Mix everything together and serve right away.

To cut soft mozzarella, put it in the freezer for 15 minutes before cutting. It will make it much easier to cut!

Oriental Chicken Pasta Salad

From Marshall Fields MarketPlace

1 package long fusilli pasta (or any large pasta), cooked
2C cooked chicken breast
2C pea pods, sliced diagonally
4 green onions, sliced
1 1/2C baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
1/2 package fried wonton crisps
1C mandarin oranges
3T toasted sesame seeds

DRESSING
1 egg yolk
1/4C sugar
1/4C soy sauce
1/4C Rice white vinegar
1/4tsp white pepper
2T sesame oil
1C vegetable oil

Whisk or blend dressing (should be thick). Toss with salad fixings, except for the wonton crisps. Chill for 1-4 hours in fridge. Just before serving, top with wonton crisps.
**Wonton crisps are next to the crunchy Chinese noodles in the Asian section at the grocery store.

Cold Veggie Salad

From TN

5C broccoli, chopped
5C cauliflower, Chopped
2C shredded cheddar cheese
1/2C golden raisins
1 small white onion, chopped
1/4C salted sunflower seeds
6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

DRESSING

1C mayo
2tsp red wine or cider vinegar
1/4C sugar

Mix dressing. Combine veggies, sunflower seeds and bacon, stir in dressing. Chill and serve.

Cold Lemon Chicken Salad

From TN's mom

6-8 Chicken breasts, grilled, sliced then chilled
1 red bell pepper, cleaned and sliced
1 green bell pepper, cleaned and sliced
2 C snow pea pods, halved
Juice of 2 lemons
1/4C olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Combine chicken and veggies. Toss with dressing and Chill for 1 hour before serving.

Veggie Salad

From TN and KJ

1/2 head broccoli, chopped
1/2 head cauliflower, chopped
2 C pea pods, halved
1 pkg grape tomatoes, halved
1 green pepper, sliced
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 cuke, sliced
5 sliced provolone cheese, halved and julienned
1/4 lb deli salami, julienned
1/2 pkt dry Italian dressing mix
3/4-1 bottle Newman's Light Italian Dressing

Whisk dressing and dry dressing mix together, toss with veggies, cheese and salami. Chill and serve. Can substitute grilled chicken for salami.

That Good Salad

From NK
Serves 14

DRESSING

3/4C vegetable oil
1/4C lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Mix well and chill.

SALAD

2 bunches romaine (2 lbs)
2C chopped tomatoes
1C shredded Swiss cheese
2/3C slivered almonds, toasted
1/4C Parmesan cheese
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1C Caesar salad croutons

Combine all salad fixings and toss with dressing. Serve immediately with croutons on top.

Greek Summer Salad

1 large container grape tomatoes, halved
1 container or 1/2 C Feta cheese
2 large or 6 mini cucumbers, sliced and halved
1/2 small purple onion, minced
2T lemon juice
1 C Greek dressing (bottled)
salt and pepper to taste

Combine everything and refrigerate for 1/2-1 hour. Serve cold. Excellent side to grilled chicken (marinated in 1/3C olive oil, 1T oregano, 3T lemon juice and salt and pepper).

Fruit and Romaine Salad

SALAD

2 hearts of romaine, chopped
1/4C Crasins
1 apple, chopped
1/2 C salted cashews
1/2 C Parmesan cheese, grated or paper thin sliced

DRESSING

1/3C blood orange olive oil
2T Dijon mustard
2T lemon juice
2tsp poppy seeds
3T sugar
2T minced scallions

Mix and refrigerate dressing. If you're unable to find the blood orange olive oil, use 1/3C olive oil and 1/4 c orange juice.
Combine everything right before mixing. Add grilled chicken and make it a meal.

Fruited Chicken Wild Rice Salad

1 package chicken, cooked and shredded, or 1 rotisserie chicken (preferred)
2-3C wild rice, cooked and cooled
1 apple, chopped
2 carrots, shredded (use cheese grater)
3 ribs celery, chopped
2T chives, diced
2C grapes, halved
1 small container mandarin oranges
1C REAL mayo
3/4C sour cream
3/4 C Poppy seed dressing
1T Dijon mustard
2tsp salt
1tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients and chill. You may need to add more mayo or poppy seed dressing to accommodate for amount of chicken used.
Serve on croissants.