Sometimes restaurant salads are such a hit and so good tasting, it pays to know how they’re put together to make larger, family quantities at home. And often, what is in a salad is easy to determine for recreating them later. But the following salads with unique tastes, are a bit more mysterious. They appeal to many and are really delicious. While the ingredient lists are long, making them really isn’t that time consuming. And the benefits of raw vegetables and lean protein are worth it.

The following salad is an interpretation of popular one at T.G.I. Friday’s. It’s hearty enough to be a full meal, without being too heavy. The combination of fruit, bleu cheese and pecans sings; and the balsamic vinaigrette is outstanding for other salads as well. Favorite bottled dressings can always be substituted to save time.

Pecan-Crusted
Chicken Salad
4 chicken breasts
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (for chicken breading)
1/2 cup corn flake crumbs
1 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour
at least 1-1/2 cups canola oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dried cranberries
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (to sprinkle on salad)
2 heads romaine, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced (optional)
mandarin orange segments, drained
1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese

Pound each chicken breast to a reasonable thickness (about 1/2 inch). Combine 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans and corn flake crumbs in a shallow bowl. In another bowl, combine milk and beaten eggs. Put flour into a third bowl. Coat each chicken breast with flour. Then dip the flour-coated chicken breast into the egg and milk mixture, then coat the chicken with a thick coating of the pecans and corn flake crumbs.
Preheat 1/2 cup of canola oil or more in a large skillet over medium/low heat. Saute the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown. Baking the chicken is an alternative, for less calories.
Vinaigrette: Combine 1 cup canola oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender. Blend on low speed for just a few seconds to mix thoroughly. Pour into a small bowl and add the minced garlic. Chill until serving time. Other dressings such as poppy seed may also be good.
At serving time, toss romaine and celery with 3/4 cup of the balsamic vinaigrette. Arrange the romaine on 4 plates, then sprinkle the dried cranberries, brown sugar and 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans on top of each salad. Sprinkle drained mandarin orange segments over each salad, followed by about 2 tablespoons of crumbled bleu cheese. Slice the chicken breasts and top each salad with the desired amounts.

This salad tastes like the Southwestern salad at McDonald's. Great dressing, great spring salad.

Southwestern Salad
Marinade:
1/2 tablespoon honey
1/2 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 tablespoon yellow mustard
1/4 teaspoon cilantro
Salad:
3 cups lettuce, chopped
4 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast (cooked and sliced or chopped)
1/4 cup cherry tomato, halved
1-1/2 tablespoons peppers, chopped (optional)
1-1/2 tablespoons canned sweet corn
1-1/2 tablespoons canned black beans
2 tablespoons fat-free cheddar cheese, shredded
3 baked corn tortilla chips, crushed
Dressing:
2 tablespoons fat free ranch dressing
1 tablespoon nonfat sour cream
1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 dash onion powder
1 dash garlic powder
1 dash cumin
Mix together marinade ingredients in a small bowl; add chicken and coat it in the marinade, set aside.
In a pan spritzed with nonstick spray, cook tomatoes and corn over high heat until slightly charred.
Place lettuce in a bowl and top with marinated chicken, tomatoes and corn, chopped pepper and black beans.
Sprinkle with cheese and chips.
Combine all of the dressing ingredients with 1 teaspoon water and drizzle on salad.

This salad is similar to several served in restaurants. It’s fast, simple and delicious.

Strawberry Romaine Salad
Dressing:
1 c. mayonnaise
2/3 c. sugar
1/4 c. vinegar
1/2 c. milk
1 T. poppy seeds
Wisk together and refrigerate.
Salad:
1 head iceberg, romaine, or spinach
sliced red onion pieces
1 lb. crumbled bacon
fresh sliced strawberries
shredded cheese (as desired)
grilled teriyaki chicken breasts-sliced
Toss salad.
Pour dressing over salad before serving.

The Reluctant Gourmet's Basic Mustard Vinaigrette
How to Make at Home
1 glove of garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
5-6 tablespoons oil (vegetable, corn, canola, olive or some combination)
pinch of dried parsley
pinch of dried thyme
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
In a clean jar or small bowl, add the vinegar, garlic, mustard and mix well. Slowly add the olive oil while either whisking or stirring rapidly with your fork. Add the parsley and thyme, salt and pepper, taste and adjust seasonings.
Simple, you bet, but this straightforward recipe will blow away any store bought salad dressing on the market. Start experimenting with your own ingredients and you will have Paul Newman getting nervous.

Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing
Homemade Blue Cheese dressing has a flavor that can’t be matched by bottled versions. This recipe, made with buttermilk and real blue cheese, is especially delicious.

4 ounces blue cheese, coarsely crumbled
3 tablespoons milk or buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Blend all the ingredients in a blender or food processor fitted with the blade attachment until they are well-combined, but still a little chunky. Transfer the dressing to an airtight container and refrigerate it until serving time. Makes 1-1/3 cups.

Salad with Strawberries and Feta
(Another simple but good salad)
Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
Salad:
6 cups arugula or favorite greens
2 to 3 cups halved strawberries
1/2 cup feta cheese
Instructions
To prepare vinaigrette, combine all ingredients in a jar. Close tightly and shake vigorously to combine.
To prepare salad, place greens in a large salad bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. Divide greens among 4 salad plates; top with strawberries and feta. Serves 4.