Melissa's chicken ramen salad

A few years ago, some friends and I started a "lunch bunch" playgroup. We'd each bring something to eat and the corresponding recipe to share with each other. This is the best chicken ramen cabbage salad I've had, so I thought I should include it on my blog. I think you'll enjoy it too!

1 head of green cabbage, shredded or thinly sliced
8 green onions, chopped
1/2 c. almonds or sunflower seeds (shown)
2-3 bags ramen noodles, crushed
about 4 chicken breasts, cooked, cooled and diced

Mix salad ingredients together in large bowl.

Dressing:
2/3 c. salad oil
2/3 c. rice vinegar
1/2 c. sugar (I add a little extra)
1 T. ck. boullion (or just use the seasoning packets from the ramen noodles)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper

Combine ingredients in blender or shaker. Pour over salad (you might not need all the dressing, so start with half, and add more to taste).

Three Cheers for Homemade Pizza!

Jenna and I love to make homemade pizza together, and she's quite the little helper. Because we enjoy pizza so much (and it's fast!), I've put together three different pizza recipes here. The sauce and toppings are the same for each recipe. Just pick the crust that matches your taste and time frame. The recipes are in order based on the time it takes to make them, longest to shortest. Happy eating!
My mom's pizza crust 

2 c. warm water
2 T. yeast
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. oil
4 c. flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Sprinkle sugar on after o

ne minute. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes, or until bubbles form. Add remaining ingredients. Roll out into two rectangles, and place on cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Allow dough to rise about 15 minutes. Add sauce, cheese, and desired toppings. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. This dough also makes good breadsticks.

For a crispy crust that's easy, and my favorite actually, I use Rhodes Rolls.  Just follow the directions on the bag.  When the rolls have risen (usually about 3 hours) flatten them with your hands until they reach the desired thickness.  We like thin crust pizzas the best, so we stretched the dough 6-8 inches across.  Place sauce (Prego is my favorite), cheese, and toppings on top of crust, and bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes.  

Cooking Time: 20 minutes, start to finish
Ingredients:
4 pitas
1 sm. can tomato sauce
Italian seasoning
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Cheese
Your favorite pizza toppings—pepperoni, olives, mushrooms, peppers, pineapple, ham, etc.

Instructions:
Spray cookie sheets with cooking spray, and place pita bread on trays. Season tomato sauce with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder. Spread ¼ of sauce on each pita bread. Sprinkle with cheese and other toppings. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and pita bread is lightly browned.
Serves 4

Mom VDG's Incredible (and easy!) Salsa

My mother-in-law came up with this wonderful recipe for a fresh-tasting salsa without all the cutting, chopping, and prep time.  It's the best!

Here are the ingredients:

Your favorite store-bought salsa (I use Pace brand, medium heat)

Fresh pico de gallo (the refrigerated kind found in the salad section of the grocery store)

Cilantro

Basically, you make the salsa to your individual taste and how much salsa you need (it only keeps in the fridge for a day or two).  Roughly, the measurements are 1 cup salsa to 1-2 big spoonfuls of pico to 1 T. cilantro.  Put ingredients in the blender, and blend for just a couple seconds (just 'til cilantro is chopped up).   You still want chunks of tomato, onion, etc. in the salsa. You can always add a little more pico de gallo if you blended it too much.  

Enjoy with your favorite tortilla chips!  Thanks Mom!

Chicken Wraps

6-8 flour tortillas

1-2 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into strips

Lettuce

Tomatoes

Avocado

Cheese

Bacon

Mandarin oranges

Pineapple

Almonds

Salad dressing

 

All wraps use tortillas, chicken, and dressing.  Add or omit ingredients to create any combination!

 

BLT Wrap-  Use lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, bacon, and ranch dressing.

Oriental Wrap-  Use lettuce, Mandarin oranges, almonds, and honey mustard dressing.

Cowboy Wrap-  Use lettuce, bacon, cheese, pineapple, and BBQ sauce.

California Wrap- Use lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, cheese, and Caesar or ranch dressing.

 

Warm tortillas to room temperature so that they are easy to fold.  Spread a thin layer of dressing on each tortilla.  Fill with desired toppings.  Fold and enjoy!  (You may need to add more dressing depending on how many toppings you add.) 

Taco Soup

1 qt. tomato juice
1 can corn, drained
1 sm. can tomato sauce
1 pkg. taco seasoning
2 cans kidney beans and juice (I like to use 1 can kidney beans and 1 can chili beans with sauce)
1 lb. hamburger
1 sm. onion

Brown hamburger in large pot with onion; drain fat. Add all ingredients to hamburger, and stir well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for at least 10 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, etc.
Sometimes I double the recipe and freeze the leftovers. (I don't double the meat though).

Chicken Ham Sandwich

Colorful with red and yellow peppers, and spiced up with pepperjack cheese, this sandwich is perfect for lunch or dinner.


Cooking Time: 20-30 minutes
Ingredients:
4 sub sandwich-type rolls (I like the deli rolls in the bread section at Costco the best.)
Ranch dressing
3 large chicken breasts, cooked and cut into strips (McCormic’s Montreal Steak Seasoning works well)
1 large red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 large yellow or green bell pepper, cut into strips
Pepper jack cheese
4 thin slices of ham (optional—Joe likes extra protein!)

Instructions:
Open the rolls, and place them face up on the cookie sheet. Spread a thin layer of ranch dressing on each side of the roll. Place chicken strips, ham, and bell pepper strips on bread. Top with cheese. Place sandwich under broiler for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove sandwiches, place tops on them, cut in half, and enjoy!
Serves 4.