Spinach Teriyaki Pasta Salad

16 oz bowtie (or what you have) pasta. Cooked al dente

1 10 oz bag fresh spinach

1 6 oz bag craisins

3 11 oz cans mandarin oranges

1 8 oz can of water chestnuts (drained)

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

1 bunched green onions, chopped

1/2 cup sesame seeds, toasted

6 oz honey roasted peanuts

2 cups cooked chicken-diced or pulled into small pieces

Dressing:

1 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup bottled Teriyaki sauce

2/3 cup white wine vinegar

6 T. sugar

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

ò Blend dressing ingredients together in a blender. Mix 1/2 of dressing, pasta, chicken and water chestnuts overnight in refrigerator.

ò Before serving, combine spinach, craisins, oranges, parsley, onions, sesame seeds, and peanuts together. Add marinated mixture and remaining dressing and toss.

Aunt Kathryn's Shower Salad

This is a TRUE MEAL salad. It fills up my 6'5" jock brother-in-law. End of story.

1 bag spinach

1 head red leaf lettuce

1 head romaine lettuce

1 box or bag sliced mushrooms

i jar artichoke hearts

i purple onion

1 avocado, sliced in chunks

1 pkg. cherry tomatoes (I cut them in half)

1 pkg chicken tenders (marinate w/ honey mustard dressing and grill!)
1 pkg grated Parmesan

1 pkg butter garlic croutons

1 pkg cheese tortellini (cooked)

Combine above ingredients -- add tortellini and croutons just before serving. Also, make sure lettuce is rinsed and very dry before tossing together with other ingredients.

For dressing mix in blender:

2 1/2 t salt

1/2 c balsamic vinegar

2 T onion

2 cloves garlic

2 T garlic powder

3/4 c canola oil

2 T parsley

4 t Dijon mustard

1 t Worcestershire sauce
8 t sugar

Blend and drizzle over salad (you don't have to use all this dressing for one recipe of salad. You'll likely need most, but not all of it. I added all of it once and it made the salad so soggy it was kind of a bummer.) You don't want the salad to loose it's crispy freshness!