Craisins Salad and Apricot Chicken

I love this meal. So much. I love that there are good ingredients that you can find anywhere that make this meal so delicious. I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. After you make it once, you won't be able to go three whole months without making it again. Both of these recipes are found in "The Essential Mormon Cookbook: Green Jell0, Funeral Potatoes, and other Secret Combinations."

Craisins Salad

2 bags of spring greens

8 oz. shredded mozzerella cheese

8 oz. shredded parmesean cheese

1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled

8 oz. Craisins

1 c. sliced almonds, toasted

Don't worry about exactness with these ingredients. I recommend all of them, but use the proportions you like. Even though this is a side dish, this could definitely be the whole meal right here. Make sure you don't combine the dressing and the salad. Let everyone pour it over themselves so it won't wilt as fast. And it makes a lot, so be prepared to share. It also still tastes good the next day, but you want to make sure you eat this as quickly as possible.

Craisins Salad Dressing (aka the best salad dressing ever, and it's homemade!)

1/2 c. red wine vinegar

1 c. sugar

1/2 onion, chopped

1 1/2 t. salt

2 t. mustard

1 c. salad oil (I used vegetable oil)

In a blender mix all the ingredients except oil. Then add the oil and blend again. I put the dressing in a regular-sized mason jar to serve and then keep in the fridge. You'll need to shake it before using again.

Apricot Chicken

8 boneless, skinnless chicken breasts

8oz. Russian salad dressing

1 c. apricot jam

1 pkg. dry onion soup mix

Place chicken in greased (I sprayed it with Pam) 9 by 13 in. baking pan. Combine the dressing, jam, and onion soup mix in separate bowl, then pour over the chicken. Bake uncovered at 350 for an hour.

Once again, this makes a lot, so it's fun for a party, and fun to eat as leftovers for lunch and dinner in the ensuing days. Trust me, you'll love it. It's simple and SO GOOD.