crispy chicken salad...

With warmer days around the corner (fingers crossed!!) salads become a great dinner option. The crispy chicken can easily be substituted with grilled chicken and the results are equally as good. I have three teenage boys though so in order to get them to eat salad for dinner I have to include their favorite popcorn chicken. Whatever, I'll do it and honestly... I love it! 

The dressing I use is the homemade buttermilk ranch on the blog. I just thin it with a little extra buttermilk and it's perfect!

I like to serve this salad bar style with all of our favorite items. And (cough, gasp,...) I buy frozen popcorn chicken and cook it in the oven so it gets extra crispy, then just chop it into smaller pieces.

Frozen popcorn chicken (cooked according to pkg directions); chopped 

Romaine or green leaf lettuce; rinsed & chopped 

English cucumber; diced

Shredded carrots 

Red onion; diced

Tomatoes; chopped 

Grated cheddar cheese 

Black olives; cut in half 

Hard boiled eggs; chopped 

Croutons 

Homemade buttermilk ranch dressing 

brownie trifle...

My oldest boys went to their last prom this weekend (insert mixed emotions here!) The parents decided to provide a nice dinner (in a beautiful home with the most entertaining host & hostess ever!) and one of my contributions was dessert. Someone had mentioned trifle... I had only made a trifle once before but it was the result of a cake mishap. That's all you need to know about that. 

Soooo, I took to Pinterest and this lovely (pictured above) was the first result of my search. I didn't feel the need to search any further. I mean...YUM!

The very best part, aside from the deliciousness, is that it was so easy to make and has to be made in advance. Win/Win!

1 packaged brownie mix 

1 small box instant chocolate pudding 

1/2 cup water 

1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk 

1 8oz tub of Cool Whip

1 12oz tub of Cool Whip

Bake brownies according to package directions in a 9x13 pan. Cool and cut into one inch pieces. In a med bowl combine pudding mix, water and sweetened condensed milk. Fold in 8 oz of Cool Whip until there are no streaks. Begin layering by filling bottom of dish with brownies. Carefully spread half of the chocolate mixture over brownies, follow by half of the remaining Cool Whip. Repeat layers. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for eight hours.