Poppy Seed Chicken Salad

My Version: 

2-4 chicken breasts, cooked and diced or 1 can of chicken from Costco 

16 oz bow tie pasta cooked and cooled             

1 cup red seedless grapes, halved

20 oz puneapple tidbits, drained      

2 Golden Delicious Red Apples peeled and sliced                   

 1 pkg (1/2 a bottle) poppy seed dressing

 1 cup mayo

Mix all ingredients. Reserve dressing and mayo if you are not serving immediately. I like it chilled for an hour or two before serving so I put in the dressing and mayo and stick it in the fridge right away.  

My Mom's Version: 

8 oz colored spiral pasta, cooked and cooled     4 chicken breasts, cooked and diced

8 oz bow tie pasta cooked and cooled               1/2 cup red seedless grapes, halved

20 oz puneapple tidbits, drained                        1/2 cup green seedless grapes, halved

2 small cans sliced water chestnuts, drained      1 can cashews or 1 cup sunflower seeds

s cups celery, chopped                                     1 pkg poppy seed dressing

4 green onions, chopped                                   1 cup mayo

1 pkg craisins

mix all ingredients except last three.  Mix mayo and dressing and stir into salad just before serving. Add nuts or seeds just before serving.  Feeds 20!

Zucchini Bread from Book Club

"Sophie's Zucchini Bread" from Allrecipes  (In case you want to read the reviews and tips)

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 c whole wheat)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup vegetable oil (I used 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup greek yogurt...you could also use 1/2 applesauce, sour cream, plain yogurt, vanilla yogurt, etc)
• 3 cups grated zucchini (I squeezed most of the water out of the zucchini that I grated finely; I grated some finer and some thicker for more variation in texture)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Sift together flour, salt, soda, cinnamon, baking powder.
3. Beat eggs. Add and mix well sugar, vanilla, and oil. Add zucchini to egg mixture. Add dry ingredients, mixing well. Stir in nuts if desired. Pour into 2 ungreased loaf pans. (I thought it was hard to get out - I would grease them!)
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour. (I thought mine was  little dry...maybe because of the fat free yogurt...if you substitute, watch the baking time and consider pulling it out a few minutes early)

ENJOY!

Amberlee