pasta salad from the box is really good for hot summer months when you need something to go with dinner in a pinch.  i decided to kick it up a notch and make it from scratch.  it’s my first pasta salad (other than making mom’s pasta crab salad, which is something that i’ll have to add soon!)

• 1 12 oz. box whole wheat pasta
• 10 slices bacon, cooked until crispy and chopped
• 1 c mayo
• 1 pkg. ranch dressing mix
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 c milk
• 1 pkg. cherry tomatoes
• 1 c shredded cheddar cheese

1. bring a large pot of water to boil and cook pasta until al dente.  drain and rinse with cool water.
2. in a large bowl, mix mayo, ranch dressing mix, garlic powder and pepper.  stir in milk until smooth.
3. 15 min. before serving, place pasta, bacon, tomato, cheese and coat with dressing. keep chilled until ready to serve.

enjoy!

when you first see the ingredients to this salad, you’ll think eww.  that sounds awful.  but it’s not.  it’s quite delicious.  in fact, it was the first ranch dressing free salad i ever liked!

• 2 pkg. fresh baby spinach, rinsed and dried
• 1 1/2 qt. fresh strawberries, sliced
• dried cherries
• slivered almonds

dressing:

• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 c apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/2 c vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

1. in a large serving bowl, toss together the spinach, strawberries, cherries and almonds.  refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. in a salad dressing shaker, combine all ingredients shaking well.  refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. when ready to serve, toss salad with dressing.*

*if you’re not planning on eating the salad in one sitting, i would not recommend tossing the dressing into the salad.  i’d serve the dressing on the side, that way your leftovers will be fresh.

enjoy!

i’m going through this stage where i’m missing all of my flint food.  some things just can’t be recreated, like vanilla coke zero, red ox breadsticks and koegel’s hot dogs and bologna.  i’m working on re-creating a few things.  one of which is aida’s chicken salad.  this comes kind of close!  i have served it on a multi-grain with flax flat-out wrap made in no better place than saline, mi!  i love supporting the michigan economy all of the way in nashville.

source

• 2 1/2 – 2 c diced, cooked chicken
• 1/2 c diced celery
• 3-4 tbsp finely chopped onion
• 1/4 – 1/2 c mayo
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• dash pepper
• 2-3 tsp pickle relish
• dash (or more to taste) cajun or creole seasoning
• salt, to taste

1. combine chicken with celery, onion, 1/4 c mayo, lemon juice, pepper, relish, seasoning and salt.
2. add more mayo, as needed.

enjoy!