Cranberry Dill Chicken Salad & White Chocolate Cranberry Chex Mix and a birthday

Today I wanted to share two recipes I created from memories of potluck school lunches and parties I've attended or hosted. 

I love chicken salad, but I'm REALLY picky about it...the consistency of the mayonnaise dressing, too sweet, too savory, too herby.   

I've eaten a lot that I don't like and just a few that were completely perfect...so I tweaked my recipe a bit to satisfy my taste buds!

I hope you'll like it too!

Cranberry Dill Chicken Salad

3 cooked chicken breasts cut in chunks or shredded

3 green onions sliced on the diagonal

3 celery ribs, each cut in half and sliced on the diagonal

1/2 - 1 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup of chopped pecans

Dill (probably a good tablespoon)

Parsley

Pinch of celery seed

salt

pepper

mayonnaise

1/2 tablespoon of mustard

***You could add sliced grapes too. 

I just didn't want to pay $3 a pound right now***

Mix everything together well until salad is coated in dressing. Enjoy on a buttery croissant!

We are celebrating this weekend. 
My sweet Adrian turns 4!!! I can't believe I've been a mommy for 4 years. 
He is a handful of energy, sweetness, determination and stubborn will. 
He is a charmer and with good direction will grow up to be an amazing young man. I look forward to all the memories we'll make, but savor the time I still have with him as my little boy...
did I mention he's almost 4 feet tall and over 44 pounds? 
Yeah, he's not so little anymore! He weighed in at 7 lbs, 6 oz at birth. 
He was absolutely beautiful.

I made this last year when I was trying to come up with a party favor for Andrew's 1st birthday party. It was a hit!  

1 1/2 boxes of Honey Nut Chex

1 package of white chocolate / white almond bark

1-2 cups of dried cranberries

1 cup m&ms

Melt bark over LOW heat. Take off heat and add cereal. Mix well and spread on a cookie sheet to cool. Add cranberries and m&ms after cooled but not dry. Mix in and let harden. 

White Chocolate Cranberry Chex Mix

I packaged this up in little baggies for each guest and had a bowl of it at the party. It was so good, I thought it would be a great treat again. 

The possibilities are endless. You could add cashews or pecans. I used candy corn for Andrew's October birthday.

We are having a train cake...again and a Train Depot themed party, so with all the planning, I didn't post pictures yet. I'll get pictures of the tablescape and muffin tin ideas I used and share them all next week!

I'm linking up with 
Miz Helen for Full Plate Thursday
and

Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday

 and

the Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays