2 1/2 lb. chicken breast
1 lb. small shell pasta
3/4 cup thinly sliced celery
3/4 cup chopped red onion
5 oz. dried cherries or cherry flavored Craisins
4 cups baby spinach, stems removed
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
1 1/2 cups mayo
1 1/4 cups Brianna Poppy Seed Dressing
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Combine may, dressing, salt and pepper and set aside.  Cook chicken in small amount of oil till juices run clear.  Don't overcook.  Drain and cool and cut in chunks.  Kitchen Shears work well.  Cook pasta, drain and cool with cold water.  Mix chicken, celery and pasta.  Mmix in 1 3/4 cup of the dressing mixture (reserve 1 cup).  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Just before serving add remaining dressing, toasted walnuts and spinach.
Serves 12
Note: We tend to use the whole bottle of Brianna Poppy Seed Dressing

1 cup mayo
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 T. lime juice
1 t. wine vinegar
1 t. sugar
1 garlic clove
1 t. garlic salt
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
1/8 t. black pepper
1/4 t. cumin
1 T. parsley
1 t. dill
1/2 t. beau monde

Whip in Blender.

Chicken Marinade:
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (2-3 limes)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Black Bean Salsa:
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 sweet onion (I used vidalia), diced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
Yellow Pepper Salsa:
• 1 yellow pepper, seeded, and diced
• 1 tomato, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 can large olives, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 sweet onion (I used vidalia), diced
Avocado Salsa:
• 2 ripe avocados, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Toppings:
• 4-5 large eggs
• 6-8 slices thick-cut bacon (I used turkey bacon – it was delicious)
• 1 medium head romaine lettuce, washed, dried and torn into 1-inch pieces
Green Goddess Dressing:
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 bunch chives, coarsely chopped (about 1/4 to 1/3 cup)
• 2 green onions, white and green parts, cut into thick chunks
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon coarse or Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

1. For the chicken marinade, in a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup lime juice, olive oil, soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon cumin and red pepper flakes. Place the chicken breasts in a ziploc bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Close the bag and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to overnight.
2. Heat a grill to medium-high heat (an indoor grill pan or skillet could be used also). Grill the chicken until it is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes per side. Cool the chicken completely then cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.
3. Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Cover and remove from the heat. Let the eggs sit for 13 minutes then rinse them under cold water until they are completely cooled. Peel and coarsely chop the eggs. Set aside.
4. Cook the bacon over medium heat until it is crisp. Drain on paper towels. When cool, crumble and set aside.
5. In a medium bowl, combine the yellow pepper, tomatoe, olives, and 1/2 of the sweet onion. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
6. In another bowl, combine the black beans, 1/4 cup cilantro and onion. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
7. In another bowl (don’t worry, we are almost done with the excess of bowls), combine the avocado, 1/4 cup cilantro, juice of 2 limes, cayenne pepper and 1/2 teaspoon cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
8. On a large platter (or large bowl), arrange the romaine lettuce. Arrange the chicken in a strip down the middle of the romaine. On either side, make piled strips of the eggs, bacon, yellow pepper mixture, black bean mixture and avocado mixture. Drizzle with dressing or serve it on the side. The easiest way to serve this on a platter is with a pair of tongs. If using a large bowl, gently toss to combine all the ingredients before serving.
9. For the dressing, combine all the ingredients together in a blender. Process until smooth. Thin with additional buttermilk (adding it one teaspoon at a time), if desired. Store the dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Ok, the dealio with homemade croutons is that they are 100 times tastier than store-bought and require minimal effort. I don’t stress over what kind of bread to use. I open up my freezer and pull out baked rolls or homemade hamburger buns I’ve been storing there. A delicious rustic ciabatta loaf works well, too. Basically, I don’t think you can go wrong if you use a hearty, sturdy loaf or roll that won’t fall apart on you. For today’s purpose, I am using some homemade buns I used with this recipe (subbing whole wheat for half the flour). Start by cutting them into about 1/2-inch strips.

My rolls were thick enough that I then took those strips and cut each slice in half again lengthwise, as shown.
Cut each strip into about 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubes.
You’ll end up with a big pile of yummy bread cube goodness.
Place the bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and oh yeah, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Drizzle the bread cubes with about 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss well with your hands so the cubes are evenly coated, for the most part.
Next, take about a teaspoon of coarse/kosher salt and sprinkle it over the bread cubes.
Do the same with about 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
Toss again until the spices are evenly distributed. Then pop the croutons in the oven for about 8-10 minutes, checking often and baking until the cubes are golden brown and toasted.
Serve them on this gourmet green salad or your favorite salad and try not to let your kids eat too many as a snack or your salad will look a little sparse.
Find Pictures here.