Cheesecake Factory Southwestern Salad

Ingredients:

1-2 chopped tomatoes

6 chicken breasts grilled and sliced

1 1/2 packages frozen sweet corn

2 15-oz cans black beans drained and rinsed

2 large avocados diced

2-3 heads Romaine lettuce torn

2 cups grated Monterey Jack Cheese

1 36 count corn tortillas

Dressing:

1 bunch cilantro

4 T honey

Juice of 4 limes

1/4 cup cider vinegar

2 T sesame oil

4 tsp peanut butter

1 T red pepper flakes

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1 1/2 T sugar

Salt and pepper

1 cup extra-light olive oil

Directions:

Put all dressing ingredients (except oil) in blender and blend until smooth. Add oil slowly with blender still running. Set aside.

Cut tortillas in thin strips. Fry in hot vegetable oil in batches until slightly brown, draining in bowl lined with paper towels. Salt generously while hot.

Put all salad ingredients into large bowl and toss. Serve with tortilla chips on top and dressing on the side.

*The dressing for this salad is really different but it tastes really good with the combination of the salad. I have never had this at the restaurant but I really enjoyed the one I made at home. Also, this is for a large group. James and I had this for dinner 2 nights and we didn't even go through half of the dressing or even a 1/3 of the dressing.

Mimi's Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

2 tsp butter

2 stalks celery

1/2 cup onions chopped

4 cups water

1 bay leaf

1 potato peeled and cubed

1 15 oz can creamed corn

1 15 oz. can corn with liquid

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp sale 1/8 tsp pepper

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup half and half

Directions:

Saute celery and onion in butter. Add water, potato, and bay leaf. Add creamed corn, corn, sugar, salt and pepper. Simmer 20 minutes. Combine flour and half and half in a separate bowl. Add to soup and simmer for 10 minutes until thickened.

*I don't know if you have ever had this soup at a Mimi's restaurant, but this is my favorite soup out of any restaurant. However, it didn't quite taste as good homemade but it was still good. I think part of the problem was me, I don't think I mixed the flour and half and half well enough, I kept on getting flour chunks when eating it so make sure you mix it really well and stir it while it is simmering.