Lets train

Happy Saturday!

I have some updates that I wanted to let you guys know about!

First up, last summer I hosted a Summer Salad Swap Link up & I am going to do it again this year!
I love making salads in the summer & love getting new salad ideas!
Link up your favorite salad recipes this Friday, July 27th!
{You can grab a button on the side bar}

Next up & most importantly......
My friend Jess & her husband planted a church in the Bay Area.
Her husband went to Sudan this Spring & he felt called to do something to help the Sudan, where people & babies are literally starving to death.

Their church will be sending a small team into this region to provide immediate hunger relief next month. Their desire is to continue to send groups of individuals in the near future.

They are trying to raise $25,000 in the next 5 weeks to help the Sudan.

Jess is having an awesome giveaway on her blog to help raise awareness & money for this cause.
I am honored to be a part of her giveaway.
I am offering a party design package from my Etsy shop.
25 invites & envelopes
25 favor tags
25 cupcake toppers

And, speaking of my Etsy shop, my shop will be on "Maternity Leave" starting August 1st.

I will most likely take the whole month of August off, so if you know you need an invite in August, make sure you place your order before August 1st.
Better yet, go enter Jess' giveaway & hopefully you will win an invite!
I just added this cute invite to my shop:
It is the invite I created for my sister's Little Man Baby Shower that I hosted today.
Shower Recap coming soon!

Hope you are having a great weekend!

Welcome to the 2013 Summer Salad Swap!
I am excited to share one of my go-to summer salads.
Here is what you need:

 3-4 pounds of small red potatoes (cut into quarters)

2 cups (1 pint) of sour cream ( I use light)

2/3 cup mayonnaise (I use light)

1 T black pepper 

1 T Lawry's seasoning salt

1 T garlic powder

1 lb. bacon, cooked and chopped

4-5 green onions, diced

2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

 Directions:
 Cut up your red potatoes into quarters (leave skin on)
 Boil your potatoes until cooked (about 30 minutes)
 While your potatoes are being boiled, cook your bacon.

I cook my bacon in the oven at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

 Then I let the bacon cool on paper towels.

 After bacon is completely cooled, chop up and set aside.

 While the potatoes & bacon are cooking, I prep the rest of the dressing.
 Combine mayo, sour cream, garlic powder, Lawry's seasoning salt & pepper:
 Dice up your green onions.
 Add the green onions to the dressing.
 Stir together & put dressing in the fridge.
 When your potatoes are done cooking (test with a fork to make sure potatoes are tender). When done, drain potatoes.
 Put potatoes into your serving bowl and let cool in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
 Once potatoes are chilled,  add the dressing, the diced bacon & shredded cheddar cheese to the potatoes. Stir until fully coated.
 You can serve your salad then, or put back in fridge until you are ready to serve it.
This salad is perfect to make the night before.
 It is a fun alternative to traditional potato salad. 
SO good.
 Enjoy!

If you have a great Summer Salad Recipe, Grab a Button and add your recipe to the linky below.

<div align="center"><br /><img src="http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n191/mlarson17/SummerSaladSwap3_zps4fe5e306.png" alt="Summer Salad Swap" style="border:none;" /></div><br />

You can add your recipe anytime from now until next Monday!
And, be sure and check out the other recipes that are linked up!

Welcome to the 2012 Summer Salad Swap!

I am sharing one of my favorite salad recipes that we make all the time!
We even served it at my sister's Baby Shower last weekend!
It is easy, healthy & delicious!
Here is what you need for:
Shrimp Orzo Salad

• 1 box Orzo
• 1 lb shrimp
  
• 3-4 stalks celery
• 3-4 green onions
• Champagne Dressing ( I always use Girards Light Champange)

Directions:
Cook Orzo according to package directions.

While orzo is cooking, slice your green onions:

And, dice your celery:

For the shrimp, I buy a 1 lb. bag of frozen shrimp, with the tail off.
**Make sure you buy the bag with the tail off!***
You can also buy fresh from the seafood counter, but the frozen bag is less expensive.
You can thaw the frozen bag in your fridge overnight or you can thaw the shrimp while your orzo is cooking in a bowl of cold water.
Once your orzo is done cooking, drain it.
Add the orzo to a salad bowl & then add the celery, green onions & shrimp:

Toss the salad with about 1/2 the bottle of salad dressing.

Cover the salad & refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours.
Once you are ready to serve, add a little bit more salad dressing.
Viola! Super easy salad that is healthy & delicious!
It is a refreshing salad & the light version of the dressing doesn't skimp on flavor at all!

This is the perfect salad to have on hot summer nights because it doesn't require using the oven.
I usually serve this as the main part of dinner & sometimes I will make a fruit salad to go along with it. It is really filling.
If you don't like shrimp, you could use diced chicken or avocado (or both!)

If you have a great Summer Salad Recipe, Grab a Button and add your recipe to the linky below.
You can add your recipe anytime from now until next Friday!
And, be sure and check out the other recipes that are linked up!