Greek Grilled Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

3 Tblsp. red wine vinegar
6 Tblsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tblsp. chopped fresh oregano
1 Tblsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
12 oz. chicken breast strips (fully cooked, fajita chicken strips)
10 oz. (6 c.) romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 c. grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1/4 small red onion, sliced lengthwise
1/4 c. pitted kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese

Pour vinegar into mixing bowl and whisk in olive oil until incorporated and it thickens. Whisk in oregano, garlic, salt and pepper.
Heat chicken in microwave according to package directions. Immediately transfer hot chicken to the bowl of dressing and toss to coat in the vinegar mixture. Remove coated chicken to a plate.
Add lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, onion, and feta to the bowl of dressing and toss to coat. Remove the salad to a platter or plates. Arrange the sliced chicken over the top. Serve with olives, croutons, and/or lemon slices.

This recipe came from the Panera website originally, but I altered it by using the precooked fajita chicken. You can use 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts and grill them yourself if you'd like, but my way makes a quick summer meal. The original recipe also called for adding the olives to the salad mixture but since I'm the only one in our family that likes them, I decided to just serve them on the side. We were surprised at how filling this salad is, and it was a delicious as it sounded.

Taco Pie

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, diced
2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
2 frozen pie crusts, deep dish
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 16oz. can refried beans
1/3 c. taco sauce
24 tortilla chips, crushed
lettuce
tomato
sour cream

Preheat oven to 400. Pre-heat cookie sheet to 400 also. Thaw pie crusts 10 minutes. Prick bottom and sides of crusts with fork. Bake crusts on cookie sheet for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce to 350. Brown ground beef and onion, drain fat. Add taco seasoning mix according to package directions. In small bowl, combine beans and taco sauce. Layer 1/2 of bean mixture in bottom of each crust. Top with 1/4 of meat, 1/4 of cheese and 1/2 the crushed tortilla chips. Using the remaining 1/4 of the meat and 1/4 of the cheese, repeat layers of the meat and cheese. Bake on cookie sheet for 20-25 minutes. Slice into pie wedges and serve with taco toppings like lettuce, diced tomatoes and sour cream.

I love the flavor of the crust with all of the taco ingredients. For our family, after I assemble the pies, I usually bake just one pie for dinner and freeze the other. Then we can have a good, home-cooked meal anytime.