Chicken Salad with Mango Sesame Salad Dressing

I love salads in the summer.  You can combine so many flavors, and of course the summer makes you want to work with tropical flavors.  This salad does just that.  I added chicken to it, but you can always make this a meatless dish.  The dressing is oh, so good.

Coconut Breaded Chicken Salad with Pineapple Dressing

Still in "staycation" mode here.  I am also trying to come up with ways to make a meal go further.  For example when you mix chicken into a salad, 6 small chicken breasts, will be enough for 6 people.  The chicken can also be eaten plain unto itself, or maybe as sandwich.  You can always turn that Pina Colada Bread into rolls, for this.

Pina Colada Bread

I don't like letting food go to waste, and I had leftover coconut milk from my Pina Colada Muffins.  I had had a pineapple coconut bread in a restaurant, so I thought I would just doctor up a recipe to try and recreate the recipe. 

This is a sweet sandwich bread, and will compliment a turkey or a ham sandwich.  This also made a great French Toast.

Pina Colada Muffins

Summer is just around the bend, actually tomorrow.  With that the mind turns to summer vacations by the beach.  Not just any beach, but where the water is turquoise, and the light breezes lead to the rustling of palm leaves.  Paradise!  Okay, reality check.  You are actually at home with 4 off the wall kids, thrilled that school is over.  You are trying to figure out how to keep them occupied with summer activities until school starts up again.  How about some staycation recipes?  The next bunch of recipes are based on what I would expect to eat in a tropical paradise when I cannot be there.

Pavlova- My New, Most Favorite Summer Dessert

             When my kids and I studied Australia we learned about it's national dessert, The Pavlova.  It was created for a Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova in the 1920's when she was on a tour in Australia and New Zealand.  There has been an ongoing feud between the two countries as to which one actually created this dessert.  After eating this dessert, I don't really care which country created it.  I am just so thankful for it, and thankful that I have a sister-in-law in Australia that honored me with her awesome recipe for it.

Easy Homemade Vanilla Pudding

                 One of my favorite desserts as a kid was pudding.  It was one of the staples of dessert for me at my grandparents' house.  Actually my grandmother didn't make it from scratch when I was a kid.  I guess by that time, plenty of companies were putting out the refrigerated snack packs of pudding.  Nonetheless, those pudding snacks tasted great to my young taste buds.

Butternut Squash Coconut Soup

                      Butternut squash is still abundant in the supermarket.  It is an inexpensive vegetable as well, so it is a great go to food when you are looking to stretch your budget dollars.  I am also always looking for no meat meals for the week and it does create a satisfying meal.   The color is pretty too, and that can help with picky people.