Polynesian Chicken Salad

As a ginormous fan of chicken salad, I am always on the look out for a good recipe.  I also love to try to make it as healthy as possible. 

I took this gorgeous salad from Stone Creek Market and subbed some of the mayo for greek yogurt and used light mayo and light sour cream.  The results were fantastic!  I loved it!  It was light and refreshing and super delicious!

Tropical Chicken Salad
Adapted from Stone Creek Market

1 8 oz. package of shell shaped pasta, cooked, rinsed and drained, (I used gluten free)

2 cups cooked/shredded chicken or you can use drained chicken from the can
1 8 oz. can drained pineapple, I used chunks but cut them (save the juice for dressing)
1 10 oz. can drained mandarin oranges, I gave them a rough chop
3/4 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/2 cup of your choice of chopped nuts (walnut, pecan, cashew)


Cook, rinse, drain and cool pasta. In a large bowl combine all above salad ingredients.

Mix dressing in a separate bowl:

1/2 cup mayonnaise, light
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup sour cream, light
2-3 tablespoons reserved pineapple juice (to thin dressing)
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste


Add dressing to pasta salad, fold in to blend. Cover salad and chill for at least 2 hours.

One Year Ago...

Salsa Bacon Baked Beans


This is my submission to Presto Pasta Nights hosted this week by Juli from Pictures of all my Princesses. 
This is linked with:
$5 Dinner Challenge at $5 Dinners
My Meatless Monday at My Sweet and Savory
Mouthwatering Mondays at A Southern Fairytale
Your Recipe, My Kitchen at Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker
Just another Meatless Monday at What's for Dinner, Mom?
Midnight Maniac Meatless Monday at Midnight Maniac
Made By You Mondays at Skip to my Lou
Mangia Mondays at Delightfully Dowling
Tuesday at the Table at All The Small Stuff
Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
Hearth & Soul at Mom's Sunday Cafe
Tasty Tidbits at Permanent Posies
No Whine Wednesday at Food on the Table
Let's Do Brunch at My Sweet and Savory
Works for me Wednesday at We are THAT Family
Real Food Wednesdays at Kelly the Kitchen Kop
What's on your Plate? at Good Cheap Eats
What's on the Menu at Dining with Debbie
Made it on Monday at Lark's Country Heart
My Best Recipes at This Chick Cooks
The Mommy Club at Crystal and Co.
Recipe of the Week at Family Fresh Meals



garage sales in Maple Grove onYard Sale Search.

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Menu Plan Monday ~ September 5 - September 11, 2011

Monday: Spicy Mexican Torte

Tuesday: Chicken with Spicy Peach BBQ Sauce

Wednesday: Savory Garlic Marinated Steaks & Garlic Smashed Potatoes

Thursday: Spaghetti

Friday:  Peanut Butter Granola with yogurt & eggs

Saturday: Apple Dumplings (project with the kids)

Sunday: Crockpot falafel

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This is linked with Menu Plan Monday over at I'm an Organizing Junkie

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And some Teddy Bear love... ♥

A cama da Conchinha...

Conchinha's bed...

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Butterscotch Snack Mix

This is like sugar addiction in a bowl. I could not stop eating this!  I made it for a party and everyone LOVED it! I was asked for the recipe several times.  It's super simple and so good.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Butterscotch Snack Mix
Adapted from Eat at Home

Cinnamon Graham Crackers - broken into bite size pieces - 2 packages of the 3 packs that come in the box
1 large box of rice chex cereal (I used Honey Nut Chex and just used less honey)
2 cups pretzels
1 - 2 cups pecans
1 1/2 sticks of butter
1/2 cup honey (I used about 1/4 cup as I used honey nut chex)
1 bag butterscotch chips

Combine the crackers, pretzels, nuts and cereal in a large bowl.  In microwave, melt the butter and honey together.  Drizzle over the mix and stir to combine.  Put it out onto two cookie sheets that have been sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake for 12 - 15 minutes, stir a couple of times during the cooking.  Don't burn.  Cool the mixture completely before stirring in the butterscotch chips.  Store in an air tight container.

One Year Ago...

Santa Fe Spaghetti Squash Casserole

This is linked with Sweets for a Saturday at Sweet as Sugar Cookies
Weekend Wrap Up Party at Tatertots and Jello
Sharing Sundays at Everyday Sisters
Ingredient Spotlight: Butter at Eat at Home
Recipe of the Week at Family Fresh Meals

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Sweet details

Ainda falta o papel-de-parede, acabar de pintar a secretária, pôr mais umas prateleiras. Falta uma arca, alguns lençóis (agora são duas camas), mantas quentinhas para o Inverno. E as almofadas! E falta acabar de pintar a casinha-de-bonecas. Mas já começa a ficar o quartinho que as minhas filhas adoram - não saem de lá! Eu vou-vos mantendo actualizados, ok?

We still have to hang the wallpaper, finish painting the desk and install some more shelves. We need a chest, a few more sheets (it's 2 beds now) and some warm blankets for colder times. And the cushions! And we still have to finish painting the dolls house too. But the little bedroom is becoming the place that my daughters love - they don't leave the room! I will keep you posted on its evolution, ok?

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New little things...

...for my daughters. 

These are some vintage fabrics that I'll be using for pillows (bellow) and a lovely lilac lamp, for a beautiful shades of lavender bedroom... 

I hope that they keep images of their little things in the memories of their childhood. The same way that I kept images of pretty things from when I was a kid... the most important time of our lives must be filled with beauty and love!

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Slow Cooked Bean Casserole

You know what I love about this casserole?  It's super thick, it's incredibly delicious and it can be made in the slow cooker!  I'm pretty sure the original recipe was made in the oven and not the slow cooker but you know how much I LOVE my crock pot! 

It's not the healthiest with the sausage and bacon but really, it tastes SOOOOOO good! 

A little goes a long way too, as it is packed with protein, about a cup will fill you up completely!  My kind of food!

Bean Casserole in the Crock Pot

Adapted from One Crazy Cookie

All beans are the 15 oz. cans

1 can Pork & Beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can chickpeas
1 can black beans
1 can great northern beans
1 pound ground turkey
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons mustard
1 small onion, chopped (or about 1/2 cup)
1 Polska Kielbasa or beef smoked sausage
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1/2 package bacon


Cook bacon, set aside.  Save 1 tbsp. bacon grease and saute onion and ground turkey until done.  Pour turkey onion mixture into crockpot.  Crumble bacon and add to crockpot.  Add beans and the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.  Cook on low for 5 - 6 hours.  Serve.


Oven Method:
Brown and drain hamburger. Cook bacon until crisp and break into pieces. Cut sausage into small pieces. Drain and rinse beans except the pork and beans. Add all ingredients into a bowl and mix together.


Pour into a 13 x 9 casserole dish and bake at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

Total calories = 3667 calories
10 slightly heaping cups = 367 calories per cup



One Year Ago...

Taco Twist Bake

This is linked with:

Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage
Tasty Traditions at Coupon Cookin'
Cooking Thursday at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
Things I Love Thursday at The Diaper Diaries
It's a Keeper Thursday at It's a Keeper
Ultimate Recipe Swap-Side Dishes at Life as Mom
Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum
Friday Favorites at Simply Sweet Home
Recipe Swap at The Grocery Cart Challenge
I'm Lovin' It at Tidy Mom
Fresh Food Friday at LaBella Vita
Friday Potluck at EKat's Kitchen
Foodie Friday at Not Your Ordinary Recipes
Weekend Wrap Up Party at Tater Tots and Jello
Crockpot Wednesday at Dining with Debbie

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