When it comes to dinner, I try to make things that are not only tasty but things that use fresh ingredients.  I love making salads for my kids to encourage them to eat healthy and to always try fresh foods. One kid eats his salads with no dressing, he just loves the greens.

This simple, assembly only required salad is perfect for those holiday gatherings. The cranberries, apples, pecans and raisins add the perfect touch of fall.



I like that he enjoys a good salad and I like that my other children, now all in their teens, do not turn their noses up to a bowl full of fresh veggies and leaves. For this dinner, my daughter asked for a rainbow salad. She asked for these ingredients so of course, mama complies. This salad was the perfect introduction to the creamy bacon-y goodness that was our chicken and spinach pasta. Oh lawd, this was good. The sauce is simple and only takes minutes to make.



Pasta
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Salt to taste
1 bag fresh spinach
2 diced garlic cloves
8 strips of bacon (cooked, drained and chopped)
2 cups of heavy whipping cream
1 cup of shredded parmesan cheese
Cooked noodles of your choice
Parmesan for garnish

In skillet, heat butter on medium until melted. Add in diced garlic.  Season chicken with salt and pepper to your liking and place in skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes each side, then cover skillet and cook for about five more minute. Flip chicken over and continue to cook until it is not pink in center or rubbery. 

Once chicken is done, remove from heat and place on cutting board. Cut chicken into strips, cubes or leave whole as I did.

Pour in heavy whipping cream, add cheese, black pepper and chopped bacon. Stir well so that it does not stick. Add in chicken and then fresh spinach, stirring to mix well. Reduce heat to medium low and cover.

Cook on low for about five minutes until spinach is wilted and cooked. Stir well and leave on low heat until ready to serve. 

Add in salt to taste after cooking because the bacon adds in a bit of saltiness. 

Serve over pasta or pour over pasta and mix.




Rainbow Salad
Golden raisins
Chopped pecans
Diced sandwich meat of your choice
Shredded sharp cheddar/colby cheese
Cubed Granny Smith apples
Dried Cranberries
Shredded Carrots
Lettuce of your choice

Clean lettuce and place in your serving dish. Arrange your ingredients as I did or toss together!

3 cups of heavy whipping cream
1 cup of parmesan cheese
2 tbsp of italian seasoning
Creole seasoning to taste

Artichoke hearts (quartered, drained and rinsed)
shrimp
fresh baby spinach

In skillet, put in 2 tbsp of butter and let melt on medium heat. Add in rinsed artichokes and let them cook for about 10 minutes, stirring so they do not burn. Add in shrimp and add in creole seasoning and dash of italian seasoning. Once cooked, pour in heavy whipping cream, add parmesan and seasoning. Stir constantly, add in fresh spinach and stir. The spinach will cook down in a few minutes. If it is not enough sauce, add more whipping cream. Serve over your pasta.

*I kinda go a bit heavy on seasoning, so add it slowly and taste to make sure it is seasoned to your liking.

Here is another idea for a lunch. If your children do not mind cold pasta like mine, then this is perfect. My daughter loved taking this to school and said it was perfect by lunchtime. I packed it with an ice pack and by the time lunch rolled around it was not as cold as I thought it would be. She enjoyed it and asked for more pasta for lunch.