Easy Make Salads

Cafe St. Petersburg's Salad

2010-12-30T20:20:00.000-08:00

2 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite−size pieces
4 carrots, finely chopped and steamed until tender
4 medium boiling potatoes, cut into 1/2−inch cubes
and steamed until tender
2 small whole dill pickles, finely chopped
2 pickling cucumbers, peeled and cut into 1/2−inch cubes
3 hard−cooked eggs, chopped
Salt, to taste
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon warm water
1/2 bunch parsley, for garnish

In a bowl combine the chicken, carrots, potatoes, pickles, pickling
cucumbers, eggs and salt. Toss gently but thoroughly.

In another bowl combine the mayonnaise and sour cream. Add the warm
water and stir thoroughly. Pour the mayonnaise dressing over the
salad and toss well.

Mound the salad on a serving plate and garnish with parsley.
Serve at once.

Caesar Salad with Roquefort & Walnuts

2010-12-20T20:18:00.000-08:00

Dressing:
4 flat anchovy fillets or to taste, rinsed and drained
4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup extra−virgin olive oil

Walnuts:
2 cups walnut halves
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
vegetable oil for frying
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 heads romaine lettuce, the pale green inner leaves washed, spun
dry, and torn into bite−size pieces (about 12 cups)
1/2 cup Roquefort cheese, crumbled

Make the dressing: Mince and mash the anchovies with the garlic to
form a paste. Whisk together the anchovy paste, vinegar, lemon juice,
Worcestershire sauce and the mustard in a small bowl. Add the olive
oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the dressing until it is
emulsified.

Make the crispy walnuts: In a saucepan simmer the walnut halves in
water to cover for 5 minutes, or until they are slightly softened.
Drain the walnuts and transfer to paper towels to dry completely.
In a bowl toss together the walnuts and the confectioners' sugar.
Deep fry the walnuts at 350F in batches for 1 to 2 minutes, or until
they are brown and crisp. Transfer the walnuts as they are fried with
a slotted spoon to a baking sheet and season with salt and cayenne
pepper. Cool.

Caesar−Style Potato Salad

2010-12-10T20:19:00.000-08:00

5 lbs. potatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
8 slices bacon, cooked &,crumbled
2 hard−boiled eggs, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Cook potatoes in boiling water to cover 20 to 30 minutes or until
tender; drain. Peel and cube potatoes.

Combine potato, onion, bacon, eggs, and parsley; toss gently.

Combine oil and remaining ingredients, beating with wire whisk until
blended. Pour dressing over potato mixture, and toss gently to
combine.

Buffet Tuna Salad

2010-11-30T20:17:00.000-08:00

2 − 6 oz. cans tuna
3 ribs celery, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/4 teas. white pepper
1 1/2 cups mayonaise
2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
1 cup chicken stock
1 head chicory
1 lemon, cut in small wedges

paprika and chopped fresh parsley

Combine first six ingredients and mix well. In a separate bowl, mix
bread crumbs with chicken stock. Add to tuna and mix well.
Gradually add mayonaise while mixing. Layer a serving platter
with chicory leaves. Arrange tuna salad on top and garnish with
lemon slices, paprika, and chopped parsley.

Brown Derby Old−Fashioned French Dressing

2010-11-20T20:16:00.000-08:00

1 cup water
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon English mustard
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 cup olive oil
3 cups salad (vegetable) oil

Blend together all ingredients except oils. Then add olive and salad oils
and mix well again. Chill. Shake before serving. Makes about 1 1/2 quarts.
This dressing keeps well in the refrigerator. Can be made and stored in
Brown Derby's Original Cobb Salad 22
a 2−quart Mason jar.

Homemade salad dressing recipes

2010-11-10T19:54:00.000-08:00

What makes or brakes a salad is the dressing. Although it does not easily grab our attention, these so-called silent ingredients play a very crucial role in determining the outcome of a salad.

Tossed with the wrong dressing and the freshest ingredients lose their taste. Salad dressings are like icings on a cake so to speak. They give that final touch, the magic that makes salads come alive. Listed below are some salad dressing recipes that one can choose from to come up with that special salad one might have in mind.

APPLE VINAIGRETTE

1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup apple juice
3 whole fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon honey
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1.Combine parsley, vinegar, olive oil, apple juice, basil, honey, salt, dry mustard and pepper in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth.

BASIC ITALIAN SALAD DRESSING

6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Pinch of dried oregano

1.Combine all ingredients in small bowl and whisk to blend. Salt and pepper.

CITRUS POPPY SEED SALAD DRESSING

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons half & half
1 teaspoon poppy seed
1 teaspoon grated lime

1.Whisk together all dressing ingredients in small bowl. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour.

RANCH SALAD DRESSING

1/2 cup dry buttermilk powder
1 tablespoon dried parsley, crushed
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1.Combine all ingredients in the blender and process on high speed until well blended and powdery smooth.

To use: Combine 1 tablespoon dry mix with 1 cup milk and 1 cup mayonnaise. Mix well.

LOW-FAT BACON MUSTARD SALAD DRESSING

1/4 slice bacon, finely chopped
6 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/2 cup nonfat sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 green onion, chopped white, part only
1 large garlic clove, finely minced
1 teaspoon firmly packed brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

1.In a small skillet cook bacon over medium heat, stirring, until crisp; remove skillet from heat.

2.Add orange juice to skillet and scrape up brown bits

3.In a blender, puree bacon mixture with the remaining ingredients until smooth. Cover and refrigerate.

Create Your Own Chicken Salad

2010-10-30T19:52:00.000-07:00

Making a chicken salad is often perceived by many to be extremely easy; just pour in the chicken. Actually, it is not all about the chicken. Chicken salads are about the overall taste it has, together with other ingredients.

Therefore, it is highly important to take note of the other ingredients that you put in your chicken salad for it to have a delicious and savory taste.

You will need three chicken breast halves that are of large sizes. With these chicken breasts, it is important that you do not remove the bone.

You will also need a good-sized apple, which you will dice; one or two large celery stalks that you will also dice; a half cup of chopped nuts, you can use either pecans or walnuts, both are good for chicken salads; salt and pepper; and a good type of mayonnaise.

First you have to season the chicken with pepper and salt. After doing so, bake it, while placed in foil, for fifty to sixty minutes at three hundred seventy-five degrees. Once done, drain the liquid, for it will not be needed. Leave your chicken to cool down.

Once it is already cool, cut the chicken meat into small chunks. You can also tear the cooked chicken into thin strips if you do not like chunks.

You may add in more salt and pepper if you think doing so is necessary. Add the apple that you have diced, with the celery and the nuts. To attain that desired moistness, put in your mayonnaise.

And there you have it; you have just conjured your very own chicken salad. When you want to serve your self-made chicken salad to your guests already, just place an ample amount of it on a bed of lettuce leaves. Serve it with bread, hot rolls, crackers or biscuits to have a complete, delicious meal.

If you have taken note of the ingredients, you will notice that the ingredients used are not oozing with cholesterol. Chicken salads are healthy, but they will not make you bloat. They are perfect for nutritious diets, for they are most certainly filled with different nutrients.

Making a chicken salad is not difficult. However, you have to be accurate and careful in choosing the ingredients you put in it as to keep that slender body of yours. You do not feel hungry, and you also do not have to worry about getting fat. What more could you ask for?

Refreshing Cucumber Salad Recipes

2010-10-20T19:50:00.000-07:00

Cucumber salad is particularly ideal for those long, hot afternoons. Very ideal for the dry summer seasons. While summer is still far away for most countries, it would be wise to stock up on these great cucumber recipes that are guaranteed to cool you down.

BALINESE CUCUMBER SALAD RECIPE

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons peanuts, dry roasted, coarsely chopped
1 cucumber, European
OR
1 large regular cucumber
1/4 sweet onion, large, such as Vidalia
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoon sugar, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

Directions:

Set a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the peanuts and heat until lightly browned, about 2 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Transfer to a plate to cool.

Peel and seed the cucumber. Cut the cucumber crosswise into 3-inch sections, then lengthwise into spaghetti-thin strips. Cut the onion into as thin crosswise slices as possible.

Combine the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a serving bowl and whisk until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Taste for seasoning, adding sugar or salt as necessary; the dressing should be both tart and sweet. Stir in the cucumber and onion. Sprinkle the salad with the peanuts and serve.

FRESH CUCUMBER SALAD RECIPE

Ingredients:

6 cups fresh cucumbers
1 cup sweet pepper, sliced thin
2 onions sliced into rings
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon celery seed
2 cups sugar
1 cup white vinegar

Directions:

Mix well. Put in refrigerator, let stand overnight.

CUCUMBER SALAD WITH SPICY WASABI DRESSING

Ingredients:

1 1/2 teaspoon dry wasabi powder (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon warm water
2 cucumbers
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 green onion - thinly sliced
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds or toasted white sesame seeds

Directions:

Mix the wasabi with warm water in the bottom of a mixing bowl and let it stand for 5 minutes.

Peel the cucumbers, cut each one in half lengthwise, and use a melon baller or spoon to scoop out the seeds.

Cut the cucumbers widthwise into 1/4-inch crescents.

Add the vinegar and sugar to the wasabi and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the sesame oil, salt, and pepper.

Just before serving, add the cucumbers, green onion, and sesame seeds to the dressing and mix well.

CUCUMBER AND GREEN SEAWEED SALAD RECIPE

Ingredients:
2 cucumbers
2 radishes
Salt as needed
1 3/8 ounce green seaweed

Dressing:

3 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons kelp-flavoured fish stock

Directions:

Slice cucumbers and radishes into thin rounds; salt and leave until dewatered. Wash with water and squeeze out brine.

Pour boiling water over green seaweed and cut into bite-size pieces.

Thoroughly mix dressing ingredients and add to cucumbers and seaweed just before serving.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches Recipe

2010-10-10T19:49:00.000-07:00

What is great about either tuna or chicken salads is that there is hardly any wastage (unless of course, the cook has already messed up the salad big time). Should the preparation for these salads exceed the expected consumption, they can be recycled the next day as a sandwich.

Just throw in maybe feta or mozzarella cheese, place it on any bread of your choice, pop it in the oven and you are ready to go with a totally different dish. For your convenience, I have compiled the following must-try chicken salad sandwich recipes for all those salad left-overs.

CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH

Ingredients
1/2 - cups cooked chicken breast, diced
1/2 - cup celery, diced
1/2 - onion, diced
1/2 - cup salad dressing (or mayonnaise)
1/2 - teaspoon oregano
1/4 - teaspoon salt
1/8 - teaspoon pepper
1 - hard-cooked egg, peeled
1 - tomato, 8 slices
4 - lettuce leaves
8 - slices of bread (your choice of bread)

Directions

You want to add the cooked chicken breast, celery, onion, salad dressing (or mayonnaise), oregano, salt, pepper, hard-cooked egg in a food processor.

Pulsate food processor about 4 times.

You want ingredients well mixed; however, only coarsely chopped.

With a tablespoon, spread chicken salad mixture on a slice of bread; add 2 tomato slices, a leaf of lettuce and top with second bread slice.

WALDORF CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH

INGREDIENTS:

4 Kaiser rolls, cut in half
1 cup deli chicken salad
12 very thin apple slices
4 slices Cheddar cheese

PREPARATION:

Layer bottom half of each roll with salad, 3 apple slices and 1 cheese slice. Top with tops of rolls. (You can spread the kaiser rolls with a thin layered of softened butter before making the sandwiches, if you'd like.) 4 servings

CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH RECIPE

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked diced chicken Miracle Whip Salad Dressing
1 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons pickle relish
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon dill
8 slices thin white bread

Directions:

Mix together ingredients. Chill for several hours. Spread chicken mixture on bread and remove crusts. Cut into squares or triangles.

PESTO CHICKEN SALAD ON BAGELS

Ingredients:

1 cup diced cooked chicken
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup purchased pesto
4 whole wheat -- or white bagels, split

Directions:

In large bowl, combine all ingredients except bagels; mix well. Spread chicken mixture on each bagel half.

Curried Chicken with Mango Salad

2010-09-30T19:47:00.000-07:00

Losing weight doesn't have to be boring when you focus on bright, colourful meals. What does this mean? Simply by making sure your plate reflects a range of colours, you'll naturally create more balanced and healthful menus. Not everyone has the time or the patience to count calories, but assessing the colours on your plate is something anyone can do - and it only takes an instant!

Why is colour important? Many fatty and caloric foods, such as dairy products and startchy carbs, are beige or brown. When there are too many of these drab colours on your plate, weight gain is almost certain.

That's because these beige foods often are high in calories and can leave you feeling hungry later. A cup of beige or brown beans can be over 200 calories....but a cup of red or green vegetables is under a hundred! Add fresh greens, deep purple-reds and bright yellow-orange to a meal, and water the nutrient content go up, while calories go down! Plus, you'll get more enjoyment from eating when there's a variety of colours and flavors on your plate.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups cooked chicken, cut into small pieces
1 cup peeled and cubed mango

Directions:
Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl and stir well. Add chicken and mango and toss gently to coat. Arrange dark green lettuce leaves around a serving bowl and spoon mixture into bowl.

For extra crunch, serve with a side dish of red and green bell pepper, romaine lettuce, chopped celery and cucumber.

Makes 4 Servings

Nutritional Analysis Per Serving of Curried Chicken:
Calories: 218
Total fat: 3 grams
Saturated fat: 1 gram
Cholesterol: 73 mg
Sodium: 170 mg
Carbohydrate: 17 grams
Protein: 30 grams
Dietary fiber: 1 gram

Celery, avocado and walnut salad with crispy bacon

2010-09-20T19:46:00.000-07:00

Losing weight doesn't have to be boring when you focus on bright, colourful meals. What does this mean? Simply by making sure your plate reflects a range of colours, you'll naturally create more balanced and healthful menus. Not everyone has the time or the patience to count calories, but assessing the colours on your plate is something anyone can do - and it only takes an instant!

Why is colour important? Many fatty and caloric foods, such as dairy products and startchy carbs, are beige or brown. When there are too many of these drab colours on your plate, weight gain is almost certain.

That's because these beige foods often are high in calories and can leave you feeling hungry later. A cup of beige or brown beans can be over 200 calories....but a cup of red or green vegetables is under a hundred! Add fresh greens, deep purple-reds and bright yellow-orange to a meal, and water the nutrient content go up, while calories go down! Plus, you'll get more enjoyment from eating when there's a variety of colours and flavors on your plate.

Although these ideas may sound whimsical, they're grounded in scientific fact. Dr David Heber, renowned nutritional expert from University of California, Los Angeles established the role of colour in his book, "What Color is Your Diet?" So, next time you visit the refrigerator, think colorfully. And remember to mix, not match!

To get you started on the color plate, here is a deliciously interesting salad: Avocado, Walnut & Crispy Bacon.

Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 8 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
7oz/200 g rindless bacon, chopped
ฝ cup walnut haves, roughly chopped
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
ผ cup fresh lime juice
sale and ground black pepper
6oz/150g baby spinach, trimmed and washed
3 ripe Roma (egg) tomatoes, diced
1 large ripe avocado, halved, peeled, seed removed and sliced
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced

Directions:
1. Heat a non-tick frying pay over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside to cool.

2. Add walnuts to pan and cook over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate and set aside.

3. Add oil and lime juice to pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine.

4. Combine spinach, tomatoes, avocado, onion, bacon and walnuts in a large serving bowl. Pour warm lime dressing over salad and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.

Everything You Need To Know About Fruit Salads

2009-09-10T20:07:00.000-07:00

Most of the people know only one thing about fruit salads; and that is how to eat them. How could you eat something that you know nothing about? Well, aside from the fact that they are delicious?

A fruit salad is a delicious dish with different kinds of fruit, sometimes served submerged in their own fruit juice, or lathered with syrup. It is oftenly served as an appetizer, if not that, dessert. Eitherway, fruit salads are definitely delicious, you can have them for both appetizer and dessert.

Making your own fruit salad is not hard; you just need to prepare its ingredients. And the ingredients used are neither extinct nor hard to find, you can just whip out your wallet and make the march to the nearest grocery store.

It needs one pint of basket of fresh California strawberries, which you are supposed to stem and make into halves; a teaspoon of finely chopped fresh mint or a half teaspoon of dried mint; a half cup of light sour cream; lettuce leaves; a half teaspoon of honey; two cups of fresh fruits that are in season. See? These ingredients do not require you to go hiking up in the mountains, looking for exotic fruits.

For you to make a strawberry dressing, you must puree an ample amount of the strawberries in an electric bender, about a half-cup, to make a ผ cup of pureed strawberries. In a separate bowl, stir the puree, together with mint and honey, into a sour cream so that they will all blend. In assembling your fruit salad, line individual salad plates that contain lettuce. Arrange the strawberries that you have reserved with the other fruits on the lettuce and top with the strawberry dressing. Sounds good, huh? You could bet that this tastes even better.

Yes, you now know how to make a fruit salad after knowing the necessary ingredients. But still, do you know where fruit salads came from? This is added knowledge, thus, it would be best if you keep this pieces of information in your memory.

The origin of fruit salads relies highly on what you initially mean by "fruit salad". Fruit salads that are made up of combinations of different fresh, dried, candied or sugared, and stewed fruits or vegetables. This type of fruit salad originated from the ancient times. The ingredients and the recipes that are used depended on what were available in the country, or if what ingredients were in season. They also depend on the socio-cultural attitudes of the people toward the ingredients, whether the fruits were socially considered to be healthy or not.

The fruit salad, as we know of it today, is a production of the mid-nineteenth century. There has been unearthed culinary evidence that confirms the saying that sometimes, fruits salads are purposely mixed with sugar and alcohol, thus, given the term "fruit cocktail". The non-alcoholic variation of this recipe, also the jellied fruit salad, was famous in the 1920s. In the period of the World War II, fruit salads were introduced to the world as a proper supplement of Vitamin C, and were, in fact, included in the American diet.

However, fruit salads in the European countries evolved quite differently. The recipes contained amounts of mayonnaise. Have you heard, or better yet, eaten a Waldorf salad? Well, this is the name of the said fruit salad that is lathered with mayonnaise.

Now is the time when you can say that you know everything you need to know that concerns fruit salads. Fruit salads contain one hundred twenty-three calories, two grams of protein, eleven milligrams of cholesterol, four grams of fat, and twenty-one grams of carbohydrates. What more can you ask for?

THE MANY DELIGHTFUL FACES OF A SPINACH SALAD

2009-08-30T23:41:00.000-07:00

We all know that Popeye the Sailor Man thrived on spinach. When a crisis arose, out came that can of spinach to fortify him and win the day. It's not clear how many kids of his day were convinced to join him.

However unappealing that meal appeared, the virtues of spinach are many. Fresh spinach is full of iron and a bevy of vitamins, many of them antioxidants. Antioxidants are now known to help prevent cancer and the plentiful B vitamins help build muscle strength. Selenium, an important trace mineral and cancer fighter, rounds out the list of laudable nutrients found in spinach.

Nutritional qualities aside, properly prepared spinach is delicious. One of the most delectable meals to be made of this green powerhouse is the spinach salad. If you've never tried one, you're in for a treat.

Begin by washing your spinach thoroughly. Use a sink full of icy cold water. This keeps the leaves crisp. Swish the leaves, by handfuls, around in the water to remove any sand clinging to the leaves. Repeat this process several times with fresh water, gently rubbing the leaves as you go, until the water is absolutely clear. If you wish, you can pinch off the stems of the leaves. Pat the leaves gently between paper towels or a clean dish towel to remove excess water. Don't bruise the leaves. You want nice crisp leaves for your spinach salad creation.

Fresh spinach has a nice bite to it, somewhat like an al dente version of vegetables. The taste is very slightly, but quite pleasantly, bitter. The flavor is fulsome and might be described as a refreshing palate teaser. Spinach always plays the starring role in any spinach salad. There are many accent ingredients which go well with spinach, but these ingredients are the supporting cast in this vegetable production.

Now it's time to dress your salad. Choose from this lineup as your tastebuds fancy. Although there are traditional combinations, feel free to experiment. Perhaps most important to the successful spinach salad is that all of the ingredients be of the best quality.

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings, dusted across the top of any spinach salad, are absolutely delightful. A few marinated artichoke hearts serve as counterpoint to the crunchy spinach leaves. The olive oil adds flavor, while the artichoke hearts add zest and texture. Diced, cooked bacon or pancetta sprinkled lightly across the salad is also delicious. Peeled, seeded and diced cucumber provides a good taste contrast. Diced onion and minced garlic are good with all of these other candidates.

Now you have a generic basic spinach salad recipe. The salad can be of whatever size your appetite requires. By the way, a spinach salad is an excellent choice for those with New Year's weight loss resolutions! To your health!

Delight Your Senses With These Crab Salad Recipes

2009-08-20T23:40:00.000-07:00

Unrivaled in sweetness by any other of its lot, the crab is has shown its versatility as an ingredient. It ads an interesting twist to any dish served with a shred or two of this amazing seafood.

As a part of salad, the Crab gives an interesting texture. It does not matter whether it be imitation or authentic crab meat, the ways on how to prepare this dish is just infinite. Below are some salad recipes that are guaranteed to bring your dishes to life.

FRESH CRAB SALAD R...

Keywords:
salads,recipes,recipes tips,crab recipes,crab salads,salads making,salads making tips

Article Body:
Unrivaled in sweetness by any other of its lot, the crab is has shown its versatility as an ingredient. It ads an interesting twist to any dish served with a shred or two of this amazing seafood.

As a part of salad, the Crab gives an interesting texture. It does not matter whether it be imitation or authentic crab meat, the ways on how to prepare this dish is just infinite. Below are some salad recipes that are guaranteed to bring your dishes to life.

FRESH CRAB SALAD RECIPE

1 lb Fresh crabmeat; flaked
1/2 c Minced celery
1 ts Grated onion
1 tb Minced pimento
1/4 ts Salt
2 tb Lemon juice
Mayonnaise to taste
Lettuce
2 tb Minced parsley
1/2 Cucumber; peeled and thinly sliced

Combine crab, celery, onion, and pimento in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and lemon juice; toss to mix. Add just enough mayonnaise to moisten; mix well. Spoon onto bed of lettuce; sprinkle with parsley. Garnish with thin slices of cucumber.

ANTIPASTO CRAB SALAD RECIPE

Ingredients:

8 ounces frozen Alaskan King crab
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
1 (6 oz.) jar marinated artichoke hearts
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon crushed black pepper
1 tomato, cut into wedges
1/4 pound Swiss cheese, sliced and cut into triangles
Lettuce

Directions:

Thaw, drain and slice crab.

Combine mushrooms and cucumber slices. Drain artichoke hearts, reserving liquid. Combine liquid with lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Pour over mushrooms and cucumbers and toss lightly. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Drain vegetable mixture. Arrange crab, mushrooms, cucumber, artichoke hearts, tomato wedges and cheese triangles on 4 lettuce-lined salad plates.

THAI-STYLE CRAB SALD IN AVOCADO RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 ripe California avocado
3 tablespoons lime juice
6 ounces cooked lump crabmeat, or canned crabmeat
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
Salt, if desired

Directions:

Split the avocado in half, remove the seed; sprinkle the cut surfaces with 1 tablespoon of the lime juice to prevent browning.

Combine the crabmeat, remaining lime juice, lemon juice, mayonnaise, cilantro, scallion, pepper and salt in a mixing bowl; mix well. Divide this mixture between each avocado half, piling it high. Garnish with extra cilantro, if desired.

CRAB SALAD WITH GUAVA NECTAR RECIPE

Ingredients:

2/3 cup Guava Nectar
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
8 cups mixed salad greens
2 cups cooked fresh or chopped imitation crabmeat
1 can (11-oz. size) Mandarin oranges, drained
4 red onion slices, (optional)

Directions:

Combine nectar, mayonnaise and vinegar in small bowl; whisk until smooth.

Combine 1/2 cup dressing with crabmeat in small bowl. Toss remaining dressing with salad greens in large bowl. Divide salad greens among serving plates; top with crab mixture, oranges and onion. Season with ground black pepper.

Now that I have to eat Salads, Any suggestions?

2009-08-10T23:36:00.000-07:00

When people resolve to lose weight, they know snacks and junk foods will have to be eliminated and replaced with salads and fruit. In order to stay on such a dietetic resolution it is imperative that the meals be enjoyed.

Of course, it’s easy as pie to peel a banana or grab an apple and enjoy the delicious flavors of these and several other fruits without the hassle of preparation. However, everyone knows that we still need our vegetables as some nutrients which may be lacking in fruits are very much more present in these substances.

Moreover, when it comes to weight loss, as we detoxify with exercise and diet, it is imperative that the body is nourished and provided with as much essential substances as possible to maintain adequate health and wellness. These are abundant in green leaves and vegetables and in addition to this; these substances possess the fibrous qualities to serve as intestinal brooms for ridding the body of excess debris.

But how many people do you know that just grab plain lettuce or cabbage and chew on these items like rabbits? Even if you came across someone so inclined, I bet you they wouldn’t last long on such a practice. But still we need the vegetables. So how does one ensure to get them and enjoy them as we go on a weight loss diet?

Perhaps the tastiest and most creative way will be by eating salads.
Now, to enjoy them and to be able to have fun making them on your own for saving money and knowing exactly what is in your meal, here are some tips and recipes that should come in handy.

Ensure to chop the base vegetables all to the same size to allow the flavors to intermingle. When making for the whole family you can double the ingredients in the recipes and increase the vegetables.

Great choices for base vegetables for salads are Lettuce, Cabbage and Kale.
You can augment these with fruit vegetables like Cucumber, bell peppers, tomatoes etc or root vegetables like carrots or plain celery.

For a dressing, you can use any choice of the following to enjoy your salads while you go on a diet for weight loss

1. Tom-Avo
-2 organic Roma or Hot House tomatoes
-2 big Avocadoes (pitted)
-2 tsp orange juice (freshly squeezed) 2 oz of water

Serving Suggestion: Chop some Red Cabbage say a cup or less finely and sprinkle into the soup

2. The Real Ranch Dressing:
-2 medium sized tomatoes
-2 young coconuts
-1/2 tsp of salt
-6 organic sun dried tomatoes
-I stalk of Celery
-1 tbs of lemon juice (optional)

Blend all and use as a dressing for a lettuce based salad. (Note: I recommend using one base leafy vegetable at a time, if desired a fruit veggie like cucumbers or organic bell peppers can be used along with shredded carrots)

3. Guacamole:
-2 avocadoes
-2 medium tomatoes
-1/2 orange
-Sea salt to taste
Process everything in your food processor.
I would say this can be an excellent first food for a child in the evenings. Serve in lettuce leaves or largely cut cabbage leaves a la Tortilla chips and dips.

4. Dress Down Dressing:
-1/2 lemon
-2-3 avocadoes
-Sea Salt to taste
-1/2 cup water

With the suggestions above, now that you may have to include more salads and vegetables into your diet for a safe and healthy weight loss, these delicious recipes will ensure that you not only enjoy how you make your meals but most importantly that they taste good. This way you can stay on your weight loss program and still not compromise tasty meals per-se.

Well, enjoy your salads and have fun working out later on.

Make Your Salads Come Alive With These Salad Dressing Recipes

2009-07-30T23:36:00.000-07:00

What makes or brakes a salad is the dressing. Although it does not easily grab our attention, these so-called silent ingredients play a very crucial role in determining the outcome of a salad.

Tossed with the wrong dressing and the freshest ingredients lose their taste. Salad dressings are like icings on a cake so to speak. They give that final touch, the magic that makes salads come alive. Listed below are some salad dressing recipes that one can choose from to come up w...

Keywords:
salad,salad finger,salad recipe,chicken salad recipe,potato salad,chicken salad,pasta salad,pasta

Article Body:
What makes or brakes a salad is the dressing. Although it does not easily grab our attention, these so-called silent ingredients play a very crucial role in determining the outcome of a salad.

Tossed with the wrong dressing and the freshest ingredients lose their taste. Salad dressings are like icings on a cake so to speak. They give that final touch, the magic that makes salads come alive. Listed below are some salad dressing recipes that one can choose from to come up with that special salad one might have in mind.

APPLE VINAIGRETTE

1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup apple juice
3 whole fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon honey
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1.Combine parsley, vinegar, olive oil, apple juice, basil, honey, salt, dry mustard and pepper in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth.

BASIC ITALIAN SALAD DRESSING

6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Pinch of dried oregano

1.Combine all ingredients in small bowl and whisk to blend. Salt and pepper.

CITRUS POPPY SEED SALAD DRESSING

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons half & half
1 teaspoon poppy seed
1 teaspoon grated lime

1.Whisk together all dressing ingredients in small bowl. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour.

RANCH SALAD DRESSING

1/2 cup dry buttermilk powder
1 tablespoon dried parsley, crushed
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1.Combine all ingredients in the blender and process on high speed until well blended and powdery smooth.

To use: Combine 1 tablespoon dry mix with 1 cup milk and 1 cup mayonnaise. Mix well.

LOW-FAT BACON MUSTARD SALAD DRESSING

1/4 slice bacon, finely chopped
6 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/2 cup nonfat sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 green onion, chopped white, part only
1 large garlic clove, finely minced
1 teaspoon firmly packed brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

1.In a small skillet cook bacon over medium heat, stirring, until crisp; remove skillet from heat.

2.Add orange juice to skillet and scrape up brown bits

3.In a blender, puree bacon mixture with the remaining ingredients until smooth. Cover and refrigerate.

Egg Salad Surprises

2009-07-20T23:36:00.000-07:00

Everybody loves eggs. We commonly meet them at breakfast table either scrambled or fried. However, these are actually tasty salad staples as well. Egg salad recipes are probably one of the easiest salads to make. Not only can it be served as is, but it can also be used as a sandwich filling.

Below you will find recipes compiled from different sources. You may want to try one or two at home. Don't worry if you don't get to finish them, these salads can still make it to tomorrows sandwich. Now, enough said. Gab your things and let's start whisking.

CHUNKY EGG SALAD
serves 4

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce or
1 teaspoon of prepared mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
6 hard-cooked eggs
1 cup thin sliced celery
2 Tablespoons minced green pepper or red or green hamburger relish
sliced tomatoes or whole tomato
parsley for garnish

In a medium bowl, stir mayonnaise and next five ingredients until well mixed. Cut eggs into chunks or dice, as you prefer. Add eggs, celery, add green pepper or relish to mayonnaise mixture. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate till well chilled.

To Serve: Spoon mixture on tomato slices or into whole tomato. If using whole tomato, either cut off top and spoon out some of the middle, set on shredded lettuce and loosely fill with egg salad, or cut tomato into 8 wedges but do not cut all the way down, so that the tomato wedges will stay connected.

Garden Egg Salad Bowl
Makes 4 servings

6 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1/4 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup thinly sliced cauliflower
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup quartered and sliced zucchini
2 tsp. dried chives
3 hard boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
Spinach leaves
Paprika
4 oz. cut julienne Swiss cheese
Tomato wedges
Pimiento-stuffed olives

In a medium bowl, stir together mayonnaise, mustard, lemon-pepper seasoning and salt. Stir in peas, cauliflower, mushrooms, celery, zucchini and chives. Gently stir in eggs.

Line salad bowls with spinach. Spoon in egg salad. Sprinkle with paprika. Garnish with Swiss cheese, tomato and olives.

Note: If desired, egg salad can be spooned into a tomato cup and placed on a bed of spinach.

What You Need To Know About Potato Salads

2009-06-20T20:53:00.000-07:00

Potato salad is a dish, usually an appetizer, made, obviously, from potatoes. However so, it still varies throughout different countries and regions of the world. Potato salads are more classified as side dishes than salads for they generally just precede or the follow the main course.

Many would claim on having made the best potato salad and would offer the truest and most authentic way of making it. But no matter what is said by many, the best potato salad, or any kind of salad at that matter, is purely of personal preference. Some like their potato salads mingled and just oozing with its dressing, some would prefer theirs to be really soft and tender, and others would want their potato salad to be crispy.

Potato salads are oftenly served along with hot dogs, barbecue, hamburgers, roasts and cold sandwiches. This kind of salad is categorized more as a casual fare and more oftenly served during outdoor barbecues, picnics, and other sorts of casual events or meals. But this fact is not stated to underestimate their savory goodness.

Potato salads are definitely a popular menu choice of various chefs and cooks for preparing food for a large crowd, and since they can be made in large quantities with utter ease, they can also be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator until it is their time to be served.

You must never worry about emptying your wallet when going to the grocery store to buy whatever ingredients you need for you potato salad. The ingredients needed for potato salads are inexpensive and very much affordable. Thus, you do not have to worry about making one yourself because it is, in fact, quite easy.

You would need two pounds, or approximately six large potatoes which are peeled and quartered; two stalks of chopped celery; one finely chopped onion, of which you could cook using a microwave on high level for just one minute to be able to reduce that hotness, if you want, that is; four green onions that you have sliced for just ผ of an inch thick; one large carrot, shredded; ผ cup of a sweet pickle relish; ผ cup of chopped red onion; one teaspoon of dry parsley; a half teaspoon of mustard seeds; you would also need pepper or salt for the taste, along with balsamic or wine vinegar, and also with yogurt or a nonfat mayonnaise.

Of course you have to cook the potatoes in boiling water for approximately fifteen minutes, or when the potatoes are already barely tender. You have to check every minute or so after the first ten minutes have gone by. Once you have confirmed of the cooked status of your potatoes, cut them into smaller pieces. After that, just leave them be so that they will cool down. Then, you should mix the other ingredients you have also prepared in a large bowl. Once you are confident that you mixed them finely, add your already cooled potatoes, and then mix them, altogether, well. When all these are done, chill your self-made potato salad, but just do not forget to stir it a couple of times during the chilling time you have alotted for it.

The Different Kinds Of Salad Dressings

2009-05-20T20:53:00.000-07:00

You would initially think that salad dressings are all the same, that the dressing for a particular salad tastes good once mixed with a different salad. If you do think so, then you are most definitely wrong. There are various types of salad dressings to make each salad's taste perfect and more delicious.

If you are thinking of having a yard salad served on your get-together, then you must know that yard salads require its special kind of salad dressing. You have to prepare a tablespoon of raw honey. Do not risk your life trying to evade stings of bees for raw honey can now be bought in grocery stores. You will also need 1/3 cup of lemon juice; fresh ground pepper for that awesome taste; a teaspoon of minced fresh tarragon; and 2/3 of cup that contains olive oil.

Dissolve the honey in lemon juice first. After that, add the tarragon and pepper, and then stir. Afterwards, add the olive oil in a cruet. Shake the cruet vigourously to prevent any clotting of the mixed substances, and also for a better blend. Once done, just acquire of a few tablespoonfuls for your yard salad, the remains can be used for later use.

Things will be different for parsley dressing. You will be needing, not one, but three tablespoons of olive oil; two tablespoons of lemon juice and another two for chopped parsley; and ผ of a teaspoon that holds onion powder. Once you are done preparing the ingredients you need for you self-made parsley dressing, beat the olive oil, lemon juice and onion powder well. Afterwards, add the chopped parsley. When you already want to serve it, confident that your parsley dressing tastes good, do so on lettuce wedges.

Making a honey mustard dressing is another story. You must prepare a half cup of spring water, so it is supposed that you need to go hiking for a fresh water spring; a half cup of olive oil; one teaspoon of mustard powder; 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder; two tablespoonfuls of honey; and a pinch of white pepper. The ingredients do not change if you want to make a peppercorn dressing, but you just need to add up 1/8 of a teaspoon of white pepper.

There is also such thing as a lime, oil and garlic dressing. You just need ผ teaspoon of kosher salt, and you may add a little more if you think it is necessary; one teaspoon of garlic which you have chopped into fine pieces; two tablespoons of finely chopped shallots; one cup of extra virgin olive oil; 1/3 cup of lime juice, you may use lemon if you have no supply of the former, you may also add more if needed; and freshly ground black pepper.

Use a small bowl and whisk the salt, garlic and shallots in it, together with the lime juice. Continue doing so and do not stop until the salt is dissolved. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the mixture is emulsified. Taste it to be sure if it is the kind of mixture that you want. Season your creation with pepper and a little more salt, and add a little more lime juice.

There are even more styles of salad dressings and each one is perfect for a particular salad. Making these various salad dressings are very easy, all you need is patience. It is very easy to look for the aforementioned ingredients, but what is not easy is when you are already making it. You have to be patient when making salad dressings because the processes used for them may take some time. If you are not patient, then your salad dressing will not taste good.

Who would want to eat a salad with a foul-tasting salad dressing? Nobody, that's who.

Pasta Salad Basics

2009-04-23T20:52:00.000-07:00

If you can boil water you can make a quick and tasty pasta salad with very basic ingredients. All you need is pasta, vegetables, dressing and any other ingredients you may have handy.

Whatever type of pasta you have in your cupboard, from spaghetti to rigatoni or even that old box of macaroni and cheese, you can create a great salad in the time it takes the pasta to cook and cool. The first thing to do before you start cooking any noodles is to look through your kitchen and decide which ingredients will be added to the salad. Here are a few ideas:

1-Vegetables:

You can put just about any vegetable in a pasta salad. Onions, celery, carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, raw spinach, etc. are good examples. If you prefer to have your vegetables cooked rather than raw you can throw them in the pot with your pasta. I would wait until the pasta is partially cooked about 3 minutes before adding to keep veggys from overcooking. The tomatoes and cucumber should be raw and added after the pasta is cooked and cooled.

2-Meat and Seafood:

Deli-styled meat makes a great addition to a pasta salad. Beef, chicken, ham and pepperoni are good examples. It doesn't matter if it's cubed or thinly sliced, it will blend into the salad nicely.

Any cooked meat can be added be it cooked fresh, leftovers from a previous meal, or meat from a can. Chicken, beef and pork are the 3 main ones.

Seafood is another popular ingredient, freshly cooked or canned. The easiest is to add a can of salmon or tuna to your salad. Some shellfish is availiable canned as well, the most common one being shrimp.

Freshly cooked seafood is becoming quite popular when making salads these days, just make sure it has been properly cared for and cooked. Some examples are scallops, shrimp, prawns, crab, squid, mussels, oysters, clams, and any finfish such as salmon. Smoked salmon is full of flavour and my favorite seafood to add to a salad.

Although meat and/or seafood can enhance your pasta salad, they are not required so if you would prefer to omit them you can still make a perfectly fine salad without them.

3-Cheese:

Many pasta salads have parmesan cheese added to them but any cheese will add flavour. You can use any cheese in any form such as grated, sliced or cubed. For those of you making your salad with pasta from a box of macaroni and cheese you could add the cheese sauce mix that comes in the package. Another option is to use a cheesy dressing such as 3 Cheese Ranch when dressing the salad.

4-Garlic and Olives:

For you garlic lovers out there a clove or two of garlic will add a bit of a bite to your salad. Any kind of sliced olive will blend well in this salad.

5-Spices:

Add spices sparingly, use any of your favorites. Some popular ones are: Oregano, basil, thyme, curry, salt & pepper.

6-Dressing:

For dressing you can go with creamy or an oil & vinegar mix. Any bottled dressing will work or you can make your own. For creamy dressing use about a cup of mayonnaise or yogurt with 1/4 cup of either vinegar, wine, lemon or lime juice. Add a little spice, salt & pepper to taste and you have a creamy dressing.

For an oil/vinegar dressing just substitute the mayonnaise or yogurt for about 1/4 cup salad oil.

Now that you have decided on your ingredients it's time to boil your pasta. Follow the directions on the package and cook until El Dente. In other words cook pasta until tender but firm(usually about 8-10 minutes).

Drain pasta in a colander, rinse with cold water and set aside. Once pasta has cooled off add all other ingredients you have decided on except dressing and mix. Add dressing sparingly until salad is completely coated. You may have leftover dressing if you made your own.

Cool salad for about 2 hours before serving.

Healthy Salad Dressings Made Easy

2009-03-30T18:48:00.000-07:00

With warmer weather looming on the horizon in Northern America, many women and men start to simplify and streamline their diets. Gone are the heavy chili dinners and beef stews that fill our bellies in the dead of winter. Enter the salad: cool, fresh, crisp bursts of flavor - but not necessarily a significant caloric savings over a meat and potatoes dinner. The culprit: creamy, oil based dressings. The solution: for most, it's to take their dressing on the side.

Traditional commerically prepared salad dressings are an easy way to turn a healthy salad into a calorie-dense, fat-laden disaster. Bottled dressings can have anywhere from 8 to 20 grams of fat per serving.

Take your dressing on the side? Never! At least, there’s never a need when you make your own healthy salad dressings.

Of course, you can buy decent commercial low-fat dressings, or even organic dressings but, more often than not, they are loaded with unhealthy elements like sugar and heavy amounts of heart-unhealthy sodium.

It’s hard, however, to beat a homemade dressing!

The key to making delicious healthy dressings at home is to reduce the oils and other fats, and bump up the ingredients that add texture and flavor.

The oil in any salad dressing serves several functions, including providing a “cling" or "binding" factor, so your acidic and other flavorings (such as vinegar and herbs) don’t end up in a puddle at the bottom of the bowl.

Oil also serves to soften and balance the acids so that they're more pleasing to the pallate.

When thinking of healthier dressings, most people eschew creamy dressings in favor of lighter vinaigrettes. But classic vinaigrettes often use a 3-to-1 or 4-to-1 ratio of fat to acid (for example: olive oil and red wine vinegar). Such a ratio can yield at least 10 grams of fat per tablespoon! And who uses just one tablespoon?

So what constitutes a healthy salad dressing?

Let's look at oil.

When choosing oils for your dressing, think carefully about flavors. Extra-virgin olive oil is almost always an excellent healthful and flavorful choice. But so are nut oils such as almond, macadamia and hazelnut. Each contributes complex yet subtle flavors that can complement a salad. Olive and nut oils also are rich in healthy monounsaturated fats.

You can reduce the amount of oil, however, in any dressing by approximately 40 percent if the other ingredients that balance the dressing are not too acidic.

A common complaint when reducing the oil content of a dressing recipe is that one often misses the thick texture that oil adds to your recipes. Try adding Dijon mustard as an emulsifier to make up for the reduced oil. Like oil, mustard is thick enough to bind the other ingredients and adds a tangy flavor.

In creamy dressings, the emulsifier often is sour cream or mayonnaise (and sometimes oil, too). Providing a healthy option for these ingredients is an easy fix.

Nonfat yogurt, reduced-fat sour cream, and reduced-fat mayonnaise all make good substitutes. They each have good flavor and produce dressings that hold together and coat vegetables quite well.

Or try buttermilk. Buttermilk is always either nonfat or reduced-fat. Its thick texture and mild, tangy flavor makes it a useful ingredient.

With a little bit of ingenuity and creativity, it is possible to make healthy salad dressings without sacrificing good nutrition by cutting calories, fat and chemicals.

Light And Fresh As A Salad

2009-03-20T18:41:00.000-07:00

No small thanks to weight watchers everywhere, the salad is beginning to take on center stage from an obscure, little corner during the earlier times. Indeed, salad is now enjoying the same popularity of the, well not exactly pizza, but at least fast food.

New diet and fitness methods seem to pop out everywhere on a monthly basis. From crash to yoyo to Low Carb-High Protein, to the After Six, to South Beach to something as crazy as color dieting.

The methods vary mostly in the food composition that must be consumed while on the diet, but what's common to all these are the inclusion of salad in one form or another.

Indeed, the humble salad has found its way even to those fast food counters as health consciousness begins to grow. Even the Fast food king, McDonald's himself, had to yield to the pressure and has started to offer healthy alternatives that includes, you've guess it right, the salad.

There are more than a thousand ways to prepare a salad. This can be served as an appetizer, a main course, dessert and even as a sandwich filling. Although most often associated with all those big nutritional stuff such as the lettuces, romaines, tomatoes, carrots, cucumber and grapes, the salad can also take on the form of a heavier meal.

While chicken and tuna are the most common ingredients, pork, turkey and peking duck have already found their way in bowls everywhere.

Generally, the term salad refers to a preparation of chopped and / or sliced ingredients. Although meat can be incorporated in it, it has to contain at least one or two vegetables and fruits. It can be served dry or with a dressing.

The most common dressings are whipped cream, vinaigrette, thousand island, honey-mustard and ceasars' dressing. And the most common ingredients are lettuce, tomatoes, carrots and cucumber. Eggs have also become a regular ingredient.

The popularity of the salad has grown mostly because of its nutritional value. It satisfies the hunger pangs without weighing in too much on the scale. And this is why it has become a favorite preparation for the health nuts everywhere.

Come to think of it, one need really not be a health enthusiast to enable him or her to enjoy this preparation. With the variety and interesting textures that come up every time, one is bound to find one that he or she can be addicted to.

The Whats And Hows Of A Macaroni Salad

2009-03-10T18:36:00.000-07:00

Macaroni salads are, indeed, extremely delicious. Once you squeeze them into your mouth, you just can't stop doing so. They are just so delicious; you just can't get enough of them. Why is that? What is in these savory salads that make them taste so good?

Just so you would know, macaroni salads are made with cooked elbow macaroni pasta that are often served cold and usually done so with mayonnaise. It is oftenly served with the accompaniment of barbecue or other entrees served in a picnic.

And just like all the other salads, there are also regional or national variations in preparing a macaroni salad. For instance, in Australia, they have given the term Pasta Salad to macaroni salads due to the fact that it is made with shell pasta pieces, which are cooked, and can also be bought from various grocery stores.

However, if you would rather prefer making your own homemade macaroni salad, the better, for it will then have that personal taste. The ingredients you will be needing are not hard to find and the procedure of making it is not hard to follow and do as well.

You just need six eggs that you must hard-boil earlier in the day; one and a half diced ham, which you have cooked earlier; a half cup of diced celery; two cups holding macaroni that you have already cooked prior to this procedure; one chopped sour pickle, no problem looking for this one for almost all pickles have a sour taste; mayonnaise of any brand that you prefer; ผ cup of chopped stuffed olives; salt and pepper to serve as the tasty condiments; and also different kinds of salad greens like lettuce, cabbage, and other sorts of fresh greeny vegetables.

The procedure is very user-friendly, you just have to read well and focus as not to put in the wrong ingredient at the wrong time. Once you are done preparing the aforementioned ingredients, you can set your homemade macaroni salad on a nice bowl for beautification purposes. Just add mayonnaise so that your salad will moisten. Season your creation for a delicious taste, and for that grandeur finish, serve your self-made macaroni salad on fresh salad greens.

Macaroni salads are definitely easy to make and are, indeed, delicious. Therefore, do not prolong your stomach's agony and make that macaroni salad that your stomach has long been waiting for.

Cool Down With These Refreshing Cucumber Salad Recipes

2009-02-28T20:14:00.000-08:00

Cucumber salad is particularly ideal for those long, hot afternoons. Very ideal for the dry summer seasons. While summer is still far away for most countries, it would be wise to stock up on these great cucumber recipes that are guaranteed to cool you down.

BALINESE CUCUMBER SALAD RECIPE

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons peanuts, dry roasted, coarsely chopped
1 cucumber, European
OR
1 large regular cucumber
1/4 sweet onion, large, such as Vidalia
3 tablespoons rice vin...

Keywords:
salads recipes,recipes tips,salad making,salad making tips

Article Body:
Cucumber salad is particularly ideal for those long, hot afternoons. Very ideal for the dry summer seasons. While summer is still far away for most countries, it would be wise to stock up on these great cucumber recipes that are guaranteed to cool you down.

BALINESE CUCUMBER SALAD RECIPE

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons peanuts, dry roasted, coarsely chopped
1 cucumber, European
OR
1 large regular cucumber
1/4 sweet onion, large, such as Vidalia
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoon sugar, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

Directions:

Set a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the peanuts and heat until lightly browned, about 2 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Transfer to a plate to cool.

Peel and seed the cucumber. Cut the cucumber crosswise into 3-inch sections, then lengthwise into spaghetti-thin strips. Cut the onion into as thin crosswise slices as possible.

Combine the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a serving bowl and whisk until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Taste for seasoning, adding sugar or salt as necessary; the dressing should be both tart and sweet. Stir in the cucumber and onion. Sprinkle the salad with the peanuts and serve.

FRESH CUCUMBER SALAD RECIPE

Ingredients:

6 cups fresh cucumbers
1 cup sweet pepper, sliced thin
2 onions sliced into rings
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon celery seed
2 cups sugar
1 cup white vinegar

Directions:

Mix well. Put in refrigerator, let stand overnight.

CUCUMBER SALAD WITH SPICY WASABI DRESSING

Ingredients:

1 1/2 teaspoon dry wasabi powder (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon warm water
2 cucumbers
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 green onion - thinly sliced
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds or toasted white sesame seeds

Directions:

Mix the wasabi with warm water in the bottom of a mixing bowl and let it stand for 5 minutes.

Peel the cucumbers, cut each one in half lengthwise, and use a melon baller or spoon to scoop out the seeds.

Cut the cucumbers widthwise into 1/4-inch crescents.

Add the vinegar and sugar to the wasabi and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the sesame oil, salt, and pepper.

Just before serving, add the cucumbers, green onion, and sesame seeds to the dressing and mix well.

CUCUMBER AND GREEN SEAWEED SALAD RECIPE

Ingredients:
2 cucumbers
2 radishes
Salt as needed
1 3/8 ounce green seaweed

Dressing:

3 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons kelp-flavoured fish stock

Directions:

Slice cucumbers and radishes into thin rounds; salt and leave until dewatered. Wash with water and squeeze out brine.

Pour boiling water over green seaweed and cut into bite-size pieces.

Thoroughly mix dressing ingredients and add to cucumbers and seaweed just before serving.

Best Taco Salad Ever. Quick, Easy, And Delicious

2009-02-20T20:13:00.000-08:00

This taco salad is a favorite at my house. You can adjust the ingredients to suit the taste of your family members and/or guests. It is easy to prepare and always seems to be a hit.

Ingredients Needed:

Lettuce (pre-shredded)
1 lb. Ground meat
Chipotle seasoning or taco seasoning mix
Cheese (pre-shredded)
1 can black beans
1 can corn (optional)
1 can sliced ripe olives (optional)
1 avocado
1 small onion
1-2 tomatoes
1 bottle Ranch dressing
1/3 cup sour cream
...

Keywords:
Taco salad, recipe

Article Body:
This taco salad is a favorite at my house. You can adjust the ingredients to suit the taste of your family members and/or guests. It is easy to prepare and always seems to be a hit.

Ingredients Needed:

Lettuce (pre-shredded)
1 lb. Ground meat
Chipotle seasoning or taco seasoning mix
Cheese (pre-shredded)
1 can black beans
1 can corn (optional)
1 can sliced ripe olives (optional)
1 avocado
1 small onion
1-2 tomatoes
1 bottle Ranch dressing
1/3 cup sour cream
tortilla chips

Directions:

Chop onion in small pieces. Add onion to ground meat. Season the meat with Chipotle seasoning or Taco Seasoning mix and cook in the microwave using Tupperware’s Oval Microwave Cooker with the colander to drain the grease from the meat or brown the meat and onions together in a frying pan on the stove.

If using the microwave cook the meat for 6 minutes per pound.

If cooking on the stove cook the meat until it is well browned.

In the meantime, pour lettuce into a large bowl to begin the salad. Tupperware’s Chip N Dip works well for this salad because you can use the dip bowls for salsa and dressing.

Open and drain the black beans, corn, and sliced olives and add to the salad. Next, add the shredded cheese.

Drain your cooked meat well and add to the salad.

Chop tomatoes and avocado and add to the salad.
Next, make the dressing. Mix ฝ bottle of ranch dressing, 1/3 cup sour cream, and 1 tsp of chipotle seasoning or taco seasoning mix. Make sure to blend the dressing well.

Serve the tortilla chips in a separate bowl so everyone can add the amount of chips they want for their salad.

Serve salad with dressing and salsa on the side.

This is a simple recipe that you and your guests are sure to enjoy.

If you prefer home-made salsa to store bought salsa to go with your salad, you can make your own using the following recipe.

Use a chopper that mixes or a blender. The Quick Chef from Tupperware is what I use. If you have one or something similar, try using it. They are usually easier to clean up then a blender.

You will need the following ingredients to make the salsa.

One 16 oz can of tomatoes with basil and oregano added
Half a large onion
Garlic or garlic powder to taste
Cilantro to taste
Chipotle seasoning to taste

Use the Quick Chef or blender to chop the onion. Use a garlic presser to press the garlic and add to the onions. Open the can of tomatoes and add it to the onions. Add cilantro to taste. Add chipotle seasoning to taste. Mix all the ingredients well and serve with your taco salad.

I like my salsa mildly hot so I add a teaspoon of chipotle seasoning. If you want your salsa to come out spicier simply add more chipotle seasoning.

Weight Loss Recipe: Avocado Walnut & Crispy Bacon Salad

2009-02-10T20:13:00.000-08:00

Losing weight doesn't have to be boring when you focus on bright, colourful meals. What does this mean? Simply by making sure your plate reflects a range of colours, you'll naturally create more balanced and healthful menus. Not everyone has the time or the patience to count calories, but assessing the colours on your plate is something anyone can do - and it only takes an instant!

Why is colour important? Many fatty and caloric foods, such as dairy products and startchy carbs, are beige or brown. When there are too many of these drab colours on your plate, weight gain is almost certain.

That's because these beige foods often are high in calories and can leave you feeling hungry later. A cup of beige or brown beans can be over 200 calories....but a cup of red or green vegetables is under a hundred! Add fresh greens, deep purple-reds and bright yellow-orange to a meal, and water the nutrient content go up, while calories go down! Plus, you'll get more enjoyment from eating when there's a variety of colours and flavors on your plate.

Although these ideas may sound whimsical, they're grounded in scientific fact. Dr David Heber, renowned nutritional expert from University of California, Los Angeles established the role of colour in his book, "What Color is Your Diet?" So, next time you visit the refrigerator, think colorfully. And remember to mix, not match!

To get you started on the color plate, here is a deliciously interesting salad: Avocado, Walnut & Crispy Bacon.

Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 8 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
7oz/200 g rindless bacon, chopped
ฝ cup walnut haves, roughly chopped
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
ผ cup fresh lime juice
sale and ground black pepper
6oz/150g baby spinach, trimmed and washed
3 ripe Roma (egg) tomatoes, diced
1 large ripe avocado, halved, peeled, seed removed and sliced
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced

Directions:
1. Heat a non-tick frying pay over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside to cool.

2. Add walnuts to pan and cook over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate and set aside.

3. Add oil and lime juice to pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine.

4. Combine spinach, tomatoes, avocado, onion, bacon and walnuts in a large serving bowl. Pour warm lime dressing over salad and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.

Pasta Salad As A Healthy Alternative

2009-02-03T18:36:00.001-08:00

Pasta has always been associated with weight and a heavy feeling. True, pasta is rich in carbohydrate, a food group most often than not, shunned by weight watchers. However, there are still people who find it hard to avoid this altogether. And they are right in thinking so.

Although it tends to add weight if taken in excess, carbohydrate is very important because it gives the body the energy it needs to enable it to do its work properly. So for those who cannot give up pasta, there is an alternative.

Instead of having it th traditional way ( with meat and bacon, and cream and all the fatty substances), why not have it as a salad? Below are three fantastic recipes gathered from all over:

TURKEY PASTRAMI AND PASTA SALAD

Ingredients:

3/4 lb. TURKEY PASTRAMI, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
8-ozs. rotini, cooked and drained
1 14-oz can artichokes, drained and cut into quarters
1 cup carrrots, chopped (2 medium)
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1/2 cup chopped celery (1 stalk)
1 4-oz can black olives, drained and sliced
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 /2 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
6 lettuce leaves

Instructions:

1. In large bowl, combine pastrami, rotini, artichoke, carrots, onion, celery and olives.

2. In small bowl, combine oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Toss together with pastrami mixture and refrigerate for 1 hour.

3. Serve on lettuce leaves.

APPLE PASTA SALAD

Ingredients:

1 container (8 oz.) plain nonfat yogurt
1 can (8 oz.) unsweetened crushed pineapple, undrained
1/2 tsp salt, optional
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 Tbsp honey
2 cups uncooked rotini pasta
1/2 cup shedded carrot
1 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup raisins
3 cups diced, unpeeled apples (suggested: Empire, Gala, Ida Red, Jonagold, Jonathan, McIntosh, Red Delicious, or Rome)

Instructions:

Thoroughly combine yogurt, pineapple, salt, spices, ginger, and honey; refrigerate. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt. Rinse with cold water and drain thoroughly. Cool completely. In large bowl, combine all ingredients including yogurt dressing. Chill thoroughly before serving.

GARDEN PASTA SALAD

Ingredients:

1 can (16-ozs) mixed fruit in juice or extra light syrup
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 pkg. (8-oz) spinach spiral pasta
2 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup celery, sliced
1/2 cup green onion, thinly sliced
- Romaine lettuce leaves

Instructions:

Drain mixed fruit, reserving liquid. Drizzle fruit with vinegar and set aside. Cook pasta in boiling water until tender; drain and cool slightly. Meanwhile, in small saucepan, whisk together reserved liquid, cornstarch, basil, and garlic.

Stir over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils. Remove from heat; stir in mixed fruit and vinegar. Toss pasta with tomatoes, celery, and green onion. Fold in fruit and sauce; chill. Spoon onto Romaine lettuce to serve.

Red, White and Blue Savory Potato Salad

2009-01-30T20:06:00.000-08:00

The next time you're planning a picnic, don't forget the pickle's place at the table when preparing your menu. Consider this potato salad recipe for your next gathering.

Red, White and Blue Savory Potato Salad

Serves 8 to 10

6 large red potatoes, unpeeled

4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled

4 small green onions, thinly sliced (white and light green part only)

6 slices maple-smoked bacon

1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles (or one 4-ounce package)

Dressing

11/2 cups mayonnaise

1/3 cup minced Del Monteฎ Organic Sweet Bread & Butter Chips

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

2 tablespoons reserved bacon drippings

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1/4 teaspoon celery seed (ground or whole)

1/4 teaspoon Tabascoฎ sauce

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook potatoes until fork tender. Drain; set aside. Cook and crumble bacon, reserving two tablespoons of drippings. In a medium bowl, stir together all dressing ingredients. If thinner dressing is desired, add small amounts of liquid from the pickle jar.

While potatoes are still warm, cut into small chunks. In a deep glass bowl, layer 1/3 potatoes, eggs and onions. Top each layer with 1/3 portion of dressing. Repeat two more times, ending with dressing. Top with crumbled bacon and blue cheese.

And now there is an organic choice of pickles. Del Monte offers the first line of USDA-certified organic pickles, available in supermarkets and retail outlets offering natural and organic foods nationwide.

A favorite among many, pickles tempt the taste buds, pack a zesty punch and, perhaps best of all, kids love them. With no fat and few carbohydrates or calories, pickles make a great snack or addition to any meal.

"Pickles are a great treat throughout the year, but it doesn't get much better than adding fresh pickle slices to a burger, or better yet, just eat whole pickles straight from the jar," said Jeff Tuttle, chief marketing officer for M.A. Gedney Company, producer and marketer of the Del Monteฎ line of pickles. "And, our online cookbook provides plenty of choices for great pickle recipes that are sure to be a hit at any picnic."

Juicy Campari Tomatoes Available Year-Round. The vine-ripened flavor of Campari tomatoes make it just right for snacking or use in salad sor salsa.

2009-01-20T20:06:00.000-08:00

Any way you slice it, nothing tastes as fresh as a juicy, ripe tomato. Now fresh-from-the-vine flavor is available year-round in Campari tomatoes, a new variety that is changing the way people think about tomatoes.

Perfectly round, about the size of a golf ball and deep red in color, the Campari is greenhouse-grown and is quickly becoming America's favorite tomato.

The tomatoes are sold in clusters on the vine to ensure peak freshness and flavor; their smaller size also make them an ideal snacking tomato.

To ensure maximum flavor, leave tomatoes on the vine after purchase and always store at room temperature; refrigeration permanently alters tomato flavor.

It's easy to add fresh flavor to your favorite foods. Toss diced Campari tomatoes with cubes of mozzarella, fresh basil and balsamic vinegar. Or finish an egg scramble with sliced Campari tomatoes for an extra burst of lycopene in the morning.

The following salad is perfect to bring to any casual gathering:

Campari Tomato Penne Salad with Gorgonzola

Preparation Time: 20 minutes Serves: 6

8 oz. penne pasta

1 pkg. (6 oz.) baby spinach leaves

6 Campari tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 pkg. (4 oz.) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

1. Cook and drain pasta according to package directions.

2. Place hot pasta, spinach, tomatoes, cheese, salt and pepper in large mixing bowl; drizzle with oil and vinegar.

3. Toss gently until combined; sprinkle with pine nuts just before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Mouthwatering Organic Vegetarian Salad

2009-01-10T20:06:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Two hard-boiled organic or local eggs (optional if you’re vegan or too impatient)
Organic bacon bits alternative
2 organic hearts of romaine
Organic shredded cheese or cheese alternative (your choice; either yellow or orange cheeses are great)
2 vegetarian breaded chicken patties
2 organic tomatoes
1 organic red pepper
Organic croutons

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Meanwhile, thoroughly rinse romaine hearts, then pat them dry with a towel.

Tear off any brown areas to compost them, then bunch the romaine with your hand and cut it into horizontal slices, working from the tip to the butt. Repeat for second heart of romaine. Compost the butts.

Dice tomatoes and red peppers. Compost the tomato core and red pepper cap and innards. While you’re chopping, reflect upon a quote from Thich Nhat Hanh: “We have to eat happy eggs from happy chickens.”

When the water boils, gently drop in eggs. Boil for three minutes or until they’re hard-boiled. Meanwhile, spread the sliced romaine hearts evenly between two plates. (This serves two, in case you haven’t already guessed.)

Cook the vegetarian chicken patties according to package directions, either in the microwave if you’re super hungry and need to eat soon, or in the oven if you want them to be more crunchy. (Of course, if you cook them in the oven, make that the first step before boiling the eggs.) Cut the patties into slices when they’re done, then arrange the slices on each plate of romaine.

Rinse the eggs under cold water until they’re cool enough to handle. Chop the eggs, or use an egg slicer and pretend it’s your least favorite politician’s head.

Sprinkle organic bacon bits alternative, cheese or cheese alternative, red peppers, tomatoes and croutons evenly onto each salad. Actually, don’t do it evenly--sneak just a few more goodies onto your salad.

You can use pre-packaged organic croutons, or you may be able to find crunchy organic or local baguette chips that you can crumble onto the salad. And if you’re in a pinch, you can simply crumble some organic crackers or tortilla chips that you may already have on hand.

The organic produce you use in this hearty salad is as limitless as your imagination. You can also try diced cucumber, shredded carrots, sugar snap peas--the list goes on and on.

This organic salad is really great with organic thousand island dressing. Or try mixing organic ranch and organic French dressing! Chow down!

Salad Packs A Health Punch

2009-01-05T20:13:00.001-08:00

Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can help you ward off heart disease, stroke and certain types of cancer. Include dark green, leafy vegetables, yellow, orange and red fruits and veggies, cooked tomatoes and citrus fruits. If you consume 2,000 calories a day, aim for at least nine servings or 41/2 cups of fruits and vegetables.

Try mangos and sweet potatoes. Mangos are high in fiber, have no cholesterol or saturated fat and are high in potassium and beta-carotene. They help replenish energy. Sweet potatoes are the most nutritious and heart-healthy vegetable, according to the National Center for Science in the Public Interest. They're fat-free, cholesterol-free, low in sodium and high in fiber. Besides the great taste, the sweet potato is a wonderful source of vitamins A, C and E. Cumin is a good source of iron and cumin seeds promote a healthy digestive system.

Spring Salad with Chutney Dressing and Sweet Potato-Cumin Crisps

1 (9-ounce) bottle mango chutney (about 1 cup)

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream or mayonnaise

1/2 cup plain lowfat yogurt

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro or mint

8 to 10 cups mixed spring greens

1 apple, thinly sliced

1 cucumber, sliced

Golden raisins and toasted cashews

Sweet Potato-Cumin Crisps

1 cup Bruce's Sweet Potato Pancake Mix

2 teaspoons toasted cumin seeds

1/4 teaspoon Bruce's Ma Cayenne Red Pepper

1 cup water

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Prepare Sweet Potato Cumin Crisps; set aside. For dressing, combine chutney, sour cream, yogurt and cilantro; mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve. At serving time, toss greens with dressing and arrange on salad plates with apple and cucumber slices. Sprinkle raisins and cashews over each serving and serve sweet potato crisps on the side. Makes 6 servings.

Note: For a main dish salad, toss 3 cups of cubed cooked chicken with some dressing and arrange on plates with greens.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl; mix well. Spray an 8-inch nonstick skillet or omelet pan with cooking spray and place over medium heat. When pan is hot, add 2 tablespoons batter and tilt quickly to spread evenly. Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes, then turn and cook on other side until golden brown and crisp around edges. Repeat with remaining batter, spraying pan as needed to prevent sticking. Place rounds in a single layer on paper towels after removing from skillet, then place in a single layer on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake in a 325ฐ oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until crisp and dry. Cool before serving. Makes about 1 dozen.

Hearty Summer Salad

2009-01-01T20:05:00.000-08:00

Although this salad is delicious as a side dish, it’s so hearty that it can be the centerpiece of the meal. This organic salad is high-protein, so you get plenty of mileage with this meal; you will not be hungry in just two hours!

It’s terrific served with hearty whole grain bread on the side, preferably organic and baked by a local baker, to sop up the vinaigrette.

Ingredients:

2 15 oz. cans organic chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
2 15 oz. cans organic black-eyed peas
2 15 oz. cans organic artichoke hearts
4 large organic tomatoes
ฝ large organic onion
6 large fresh organic garlic cloves
ผ cup organic olive oil
ฝ cup organic balsamic vinegar
A few pinches of dried organic parsley
Fresh ground salt and pepper to taste

Drain chickpeas and black-eyed peas, and dump them into a large bowl. Chop artichoke hearts (into eighths if they’re whole, or into quarters if they’re already halved). Chop tomatoes and dice onion; dump artichokes, tomatoes and onion into bowl. Crush garlic gloves with garlic press and add to the luscious pile of goodies.

Whip olive oil and balsamic vinegar together in a smaller bowl, then pour over the pile. Your mouth should be watering now. Add a few generous pinches of parsley, then salt and pepper to taste. Stir all the ingredients thoroughly with a large spoon to distribute them evenly and coat them with vinaigrette.

You can increase the ratio of balsamic vinegar to olive oil if you like the vinaigrette to taste more tangy! And you can increase the overall amount of oil and vinegar if you want the salad to be more juicy.

You can also experiment with which type of vinegar flavor you like best. Red wine or raspberry balsamic vinegar taste great in this dish.

As for the fresh ground salt and pepper, you can either add them to the oil and vinegar mixture, just sprinkle them onto the ingredients before stirring, or both.

Adding fresh chopped basil--or any fresh organic herb you think would harmonize well with this dish--is also an option. You can also substitute organic escallions (green onions) for the diced onions, which also adds more color.

The trick to delicious recipes is to cook by your own taste, not necessarily by following the recipe verbatim. Besides, how fun would cooking be if you couldn’t sample the dishes while you’re creating them?

This dish, which serves 6 or more, also works great for summer pitch-ins, especially if you’re vegan. You can’t always count on non-dairy, high-protein dishes at such gatherings, but you can definitely depend on this hearty summer salad!

A Delicious Way To Eat Heart Smart. Canola oil, which contains healthy omega-3 fatty acids, makes a great vinaigrette for this tasty bean salad.

2008-12-30T17:54:00.000-08:00

You don't have to sacrifice great taste to be good to your heart. There are plenty of flavorful, nutritious foods-fresh vegetables, beans and some tasty oils-that offer a satisfyingly natural way to boost heart health.

A healthier diet doesn't require that you give up fats entirely. You just need to limit some of the "bad" fats, particularly saturated and trans fats. Trans fats, found in most commercial baked goods and fast food, raise cholesterol levels, while other kinds of fat may actually be good for your heart because they raise "good" cholesterol.

A good example is canola oil, which is full of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat and omega-3 polyunsaturated fats. Omega-3 fats protect against heart attacks and stroke. Canola oil contains the least cholesterol-raising saturated fats of all the culinary oils-canola oil has half the saturated fat of olive oil.

Canola oil contains zero trans fats and is high in vitamin E. Its low smoke point makes it a smart choice for saut้ing and its mild flavor allows the taste of other ingredients to shine through. The oil also works well in marinades, keeping food moist and juicy, and is great in vinaigrettes.

Beanorama

1 can green beans

1 can yellow beans

1 can black beans

1 can corn

1 white onion, sliced into rings

1 green pepper, seeded and sliced into rings

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp dried mustard

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp dried tarragon

1 tsp dried basil, crumbled

Strain and rinse green beans, yellow beans, black beans and corn. Mix in a large bowl.

To prepare vinaigrette, whisk together canola oil, vinegar, sugar, mustard, garlic, tarragon and basil. Pour onto bean mixture prior to serving. Garnish with onion and green pepper rings.

What Wine Goes With My Chicken Salad Sandwich?

2008-12-20T17:53:00.000-08:00

We've all heard that there are rules to selecting the right wine. Those rules are based on the type of meat or fish main course, cost, the snootiness factor and other less savory snobbery. Heck, I'm no snob when selecting just that right wine to go with my meal. I have 1 rule that fits no matter what's on the menu. But before I give you Franks rule of wine selection, let's review a few of the more recognized rules.

Red with meat, white with fish. Yea, this is a good direction to take all right. It's good if you like your meals color coordinated. Heck, I'm satisfied if my husband is color coordinated and don't really care if my meals are on a specific color spectrum.

Price determines quality. OK, I made this one up after having a wine steward get almost indignant at my wine selection because it didn't have the "nose" of a truly "good" wine. A nose of course is what's on people's faces that they look down on us less sophisticated wine connoisseurs. Apparently wine also has a nose and it simply means the way it smells. The difference between us and them however is that we say smell and they say "bouquet." Well la tee-da.

How about using the Sommelier of the restaurant to select your wine? If you get one with a sense of humor, this is an excellent way to find new wines to enjoy. A Sommelier is someone who is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional. They understand all the aging, grape selection, part of the country and wine making techniques that basic wine drinkers like myself just aren't interested in studying about. A great sommelier will not focus on price but on what types of wine you enjoy. What you're eating will be considered but actually, a good Sommelier is looking to select a wine based on my 1 rule of wine selection.

That 1 rule of wine selection trumps everything else in picking a wine drink. That number 1 rule is ...

GET SOMETHING YOU LIKE AND ENJOY!

That's it! Who cares if it's expensive except the restaurant that gets the huge mark-up price. You're going to drink it and if the wine is something you've enjoyed before or at a previous special occasion, you will start to reminisce. You will begin to walk down memory lane and if that special someone you're dining with happens to be your lifes partner of many years, they too will begin to remember back when. The romance is rekindled not by the wine but by the memories.

There is a certain magic to a wine that can be tied back into your own personal history. So what kind of wine goes with my chicken salad sandwich? I'll take the one I like...the one with the magic.

Super Quick Pea Salads

2008-12-10T17:53:00.000-08:00

Making a pea salad is quick and easy. Here is the basic recipe with some options to tweak it up a little.

If you're putting a meal together and need something quick to go with it, a simple pea salad recipe may be the answer.

It's very simple, just drain the water from a can of peas and put peas into a bowl. Add a little chopped vegetable and a tablespoon or so of mayonnaise and mix.

That's the basic recipe, here's a few suggestions to spice it up a little:

1 - Add a slice of finely chopped onion. You don't need much and it really adds flavour.

2 - Mince a small garlic clove and add to salad. Do this only if you like garlic.

3 - Add other vegetables. Cucumber, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, celery and more. Chop them up very fine and add sparingly. Like the onion you don't need much.

4 - Cheese it up. Shred or cube some cheese and throw it in. Any kind will do. You could also use some 3 cheese ranch dressing rather than mayonnaise for the dressing.

5 - Add a hard boiled egg, peeled and chopped of course. This mixes very well with the mayonnaise.

6 - Chopped sweet pickle or relish will sweeten it up and add a little crunch.

7 - Enhance the mayonnaise dressing with a little shot of mustard.

8 - Add a pinch of spice. Oregano, dill, cilantro, any others you may like.

9 - A pinch of salt will bring the flavours together.

10 - You may want to add a can of beans such as green, waxed, garbanzo, kidney etc. Any type of salad bean will do. This is a great way to make your salad more interesting.

When you have your ingredients all together, gently mix and refrigerate. If you are in a hurry to get it on the table just chill it in the freezer for 5 minutes or so.

Broccoli Salad Basics

2008-12-02T20:05:00.001-08:00

Broccoli salad is a very versatile dish that can be made in an endless variety of ways. Here is a breakdown of the most popular ingredients and dressings.

1-Ingredients:

The first ingredient is of course fresh broccoli. 2 heads will do for an average sized salad. Chop the stem off and cut the flowerettes into bite sized pieces.

Next add some chopped vegetables. The favorites are onion, celery, carrots and cauliflower. Just add as much as you like until it looks like a good mix.

Some people like to add bacon. Fry up 6-8 strips until crispy, drain grease and set aside. Crumble bacon after it's cooled and add to salad just before serving.

Any type of cheese can be used. It can be cubed, crumbled, shredded, or creamed as part of a dressing.

Fruit is often added to these salads, usually raisins. Also popular are grapes, cranberries, chopped apple, mandarin orange pieces, or any dried fruit.

Adding sunflower seeds or nuts to the mix gives the salad a little extra crunch. Almonds, walnuts, cashews and hazelnuts are good examples. Try not to chop the nuts too small. Keeping the pieces larger helps the flavour of the nut stand out a little. Toasting the nuts with a little seasoning is an option as well.

If you would rather not chop up any fruit or nuts just add some trail mix to the salad instead.

2-Dressings:

a. The standard dressing for this salad is a basic mayonnaise/vinegar/sugar mix:

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup sugar

* Mayonnaise can be mixed with yogurt to lighten it up.
* Flavoured vinegar can be used or substituted with lemon or lime juice.
* Artificial sweetener can be used instead of sugar.

b. An oil/vinegar dressing can also be used:

1/2 cup salad oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup sugar(optional)
1/2 tsp. salt

* Flavoured cider or wine vinegar is recommended.
* Spices such as celery seed, onion powder, basil, and oregano can be added.

c. Your favorite bottled dressing can be used as well. Any creamy or italian style dressing will work fine on a broccoli salad . A good one to try is 3-cheese ranch.

3-More Stuff:

Here's a few various items that could be added to make your salad something original:

* Any canned vegetable such as peas, corn or beans(black, kidney, garbanzo, waxed, etc.).
* Fresh vegetables such as mushrooms, chives, bean sprouts, green beans, cucumber and bell peppers.
* Seafood can make it interesting: shrimp, scallops, salmon, and calamari are good additions.

4-The Method:

* Add broccoli flowerettes and any other ingredients you are using to your salad bowl. If you are using crumbled bacon or bacon bits add them just before serving.
* Add your dressing, mix and refrigerate 2-4 hours or overnight.
* Stir salad again before serving.

Pasta Salad To The Rescue

2008-11-30T17:52:00.000-08:00

Has this ever happened to you? You’ve been invited to a party and realize you don’t have a meal to bring. Not only that, but the party starts in an hour. What should you do?

You have four options:

Don’t go, and miss out on a really fun time.

Show up empty-handed and explain red-faced that you forgot.

Grab a casserole dish and head to the deli. Order your food and have them put it right into your casserole dish. Yes, I’ve gone this. It’s expensive but it works. If you get asked for the recipe, just wink and say “It’s Grandma’s secret recipe”.

Whip up a big batch of pasta salad for only a few dollars, and have plenty left over to eat for lunch during the week. You will save money and look good showing up at the party with a great dish.

Pasta salad is truly one of the easiest meals to prepare. All you need are noodles and salad dressing. You can use pretty much any salad dressing on the market – the standards like Italian, Ranch, or, if you’re ambitious, your favorite homemade dressing.

Now for the fun part. Cook the noodles, following package directions and then drain. Pour the dressing on while the noodles are warm so they will absorb all that good oily flavor.

Look around your kitchen to see if you have any of the following ingredients:

Fresh veggies – carrots, broccoli, green onions

Frozen vegetables – frozen peas are wonderful in pasta salad

Cubed or shredded cheese

Garbanzo beans (also known as Chick Peas)

Black Olives

Toss in whatever you can find. It’s an ‘everything goes’ type of recipe. Bring more dressing with you in case you need to add it later, and voila! You’re done.

If you’re feeling fancy, you can bring some cherry tomatoes, parmesan cheese, bacon bits or sunflower seeds as toppings. It’s all good.

The next time you are invited to a party, don’t panic. Just grab these instructions and whip up a meal in minutes. Enjoy!

Growing Your Own Salad

2008-11-20T17:52:00.001-08:00

It’s not exactly fast food. It could take most of the summer to get your salad (which seems to be roughly the speed of most pizza places) but it is well worth the wait. With only the most rudimentary of tools, a little space in the back yards, and some elbow grease, anybody can have a truly fresh salad.

Gardening is a rewarding hobby. Flower growers can see the beauty of their labors all summer long. The vegetable growers also get a great reward. They can hear the fresh crunch of home-grown lettuce and taste the mouth-watering tomato that just came off the vine minutes before you tasted it.

A gardener can grow his own salad, making it as simple or complicated as he would like. As with any salad the first thing he starts with is the lettuce. Any true vegetable aficionado will tell you that there is no such thing as lettuce. The leafy salad staple comes in a variety of tastes, shapes, sizes, and colors. Gardeners can grow iceberg lettuce (the normal kind you find in the grocery store), butterhead, romaine, or countless other lettuces. The produce section of the supermarket generally doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of the types of lettuces out there. It’s best just to check what grows in your area and plant whatever looks good.

Next on the salad is the tomato – the ripe, red wedges add visual appeal as well as deep flavor. Tomatoes tend to be robust plants and can grow in a variety of climates. Its best to stake them to make sure that the tomatoes do not touch the ground. This can be anything from a simple wooden stake to an elaborate metal cage. Keep an eye on them, though. They’ll sprout up and ripen seemingly overnight. Pick them when they are plump and red, slice them into sections, and enjoy!

To add some extra color to the salad, not to mention some Vitamin A for good eyesight, shave some fresh carrots over the salad, or chop them into round pieces. The carrot is another hearty vegetable. Unlike the tomato, the carrot grows into the ground, thus it grows better in loose soil. When you are ready to make your fresh salad, simply go to the ground and pull out any carrot bigger than your finger. Slice it up and you are ready to eat!

One of the last things to add to a fresh grown salad is a few cucumber slices. Cucumbers are fast-growing plants – most varieties are ready to pick in 2 months. When you are ready for your salad, go to the garden and pull one of these off the vine, clean it, slice it and eat it.

A simple hobby is turned into a delicious salad – with its crisp greens, ripe tomatoes, crunchy carrots, and brisk cucumbers. And they eat their fresh home-grown salads, gardeners can definitely enjoy the fruits … er … vegetables of their labors.

Fruity Crunch Salad

2008-10-30T21:30:00.000-07:00

2 1/2 cups strawberry yogurt
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 ounces chopped almonds
1/2 cup chopped cashews
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup candy−coated milk chocolate pieces (M&M's)
2 large oranges − peeled, sectioned, and cut into bite−size pieces
3 bananas, peeled and sliced
2 cups chopped pears
2 cups chopped grapefruit

In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, honey, cinnamon, almonds,
cashews, raisins, candy pieces, oranges, bananas, pears and grapefruit.
Cover and chill until ready to serve. Sprinkle with nutmeg and cloves
before serving, if desired.

Fruit and Nut Slaw

2008-10-20T21:29:00.000-07:00

1 (8.25 ounce) can sliced pineapple
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 medium banana, sliced
3 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup diagonally sliced celery
1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup raisins
1 (8 ounce) container orange yogurt
1/2 teaspoon salt

Drain pineapple, reserving 2 tablespoons juice. Cut
pineapple into thin strips, and place in a large bowl.
In a medium bowl, combine reserved pineapple juice and
lemon juice. Toss with banana, and add to pineapple.
Add cabbage, celery, mandarin oranges, walnuts and
raisins; toss to combine. Blend yogurt and salt together,
and add to cabbage mixture; toss lightly.
Cover, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

El Torito's Mexican Caesar Salad

2008-10-10T21:28:00.000-07:00

Cilantro Pepita Dressing:

2 medium Anaheim chiles, roasted, peeled and seeded
1/3 cup roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt
12 oz. salad oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
5 Tbs. grated Cotija cheese (see note)
2 small bunches cilantro, stemmed
1 1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup water

Salad:
2 corn tortillas
Vegetable oil
1 large (or two small) heads romaine lettuce, rinsed and spun dry
1/3 cup finely grated Cotija cheese
Roasted red bell pepper, peeled and cut into julienne strips
1/2 cup pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds)

Place all dressing ingredients except cilantro, mayonnaise and water
in a a blender of food processor. Blend approximately 10 seconds, then
add cilantro little by little until blended smooth. Depending on size
of blender, it may be necessary to do in batches.
Place mayonnaise and water in a large stainless steel bowl, and mix
with a wire whip until smooth. Add the blended ingredients to the
mayonnaise mixture, and mix thoroughly. Place in an air−tight container
and refrigerate. Will keep for three days. Yields 1 quart.
To assemble salad: Cut corn tortillas into matchstick size strips.
Heat oil in sauté pan; fry tortilla strips until crisp. Remove with
slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels. Set aside. Tear romaine into
bite size pieces. Place greens on salad plates and ladle approximately
2 ounces of cilantro pepita dressing on each salad.
Sprinkle each dish with Cotija cheese and tortilla strips.
Arrange four red pepper strips like spokes on the top of each salad,
and garnish with whole pepitas.

Couscous Summer Salad

2008-09-30T19:48:00.000-07:00

1/2 cup currants
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups couscous
1 large carrot, diced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 small red onion, diced
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Place the currants, orange juice, lemon juice, 1/3 cup canola oil,
salt, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper in a jar with a tight−fitting lid
and shake well. Set aside.

Bring the water and 1 Tbsp. canola oil to a boil in a medium
saucepan. Stir in the couscous, then remove from the heat, cover, and
let stand for about 6 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Transfer
the couscous to a large bowl, fluff with a fork, and let cool.
Steam the carrot and bell pepper until they are a bright color, but
still crunchy, about 3 minutes. Rinse under cold water to stop the
cooking process and add to the couscous. Add the onion and parsley
and stir. Shake the dressing again, pour it over the couscous mixture,
and stir until well blended. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (over
night is best). Serve cold.

Curried Spinach Salad

2008-09-25T19:51:00.000-07:00

2 Chicken breasts, raw, whole, cut into thin strips
2 tbls. Oil
2 tbls. Soy sauce
6 cups Spinach, torn
1 cup Apple, chopped
1/4 cup Peanuts
1/4 cup Raisins
Dressing:
2/3 cup Oil
1/2 cup Maple−flavored syrup
1/2 cup Cider vinegar
1 tbls. Instant minced onion
1 teas. Curry powder
1 teas. Prepared mustard
1/4 teas. Salt

For Dressing: Combine all in blender. Blend 15 seconds.
Chill 4 hours or overnight. Makes 1−2/3 cups dressing.
Saute chicken in oil after marinating in soy sauce. Drain and
chill 4 hours or overnight.

For Salad: Combine spinach with 1 cup dressing or less if
desired and toss. Divide into 4 plates. Divide chicken, apple,
peanuts, raisins and place on top of spinach. Serve immediately
with additional dressing if desired.

Serve with a good crusty french bread.

Crunchy Potato Salad

2008-09-20T19:50:00.000-07:00

1−1/2 pounds red−skinned potatoes
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup julienne−cut radishes (approximately 6 radishes)
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 large hard−cooked egg whites, chopped
1/2 cup nonfat sour cream
2 cups reduced−calorie mayonnaise
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Butter Buds Sprinkles
2 packets Sweet'N Low granulated sugar substitute
3/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon each: salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Cook the potatoes in a large pot of boiling water until tender;
drain.
2. When cool enough to handle, cut into chunks and transfer to a large
bowl. Add the celery, bell pepper, radishes, onion and egg whites.
3. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; add to the
potato mixture and toss until well blended.
4. Cover and refrigerate several hours for the flavors to blend. Stir
well before serving. This salad will keep several days in the
refrigerator. Makes 6 cups.
Per Serving (1/2 cup): 70 calories, 3 g protein, 13 g carbohydrate,
1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 70 mg sodium
Diabetic Exchange: 1 starch/bread exchange

Crunchy Pork Chops With Baby Spinach Salad

2008-09-15T19:50:00.000-07:00

2 (8−ounce) pork chops, with bone, trimmed of fat
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan
10 ounces (about 3) medium tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup peanut oil, for frying
4 ounces (about 4 cups) baby spinach leaves, washed and dried.

1. Place the chops between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using a mallet or rolling pin,
beat around the bone, turning once, until the meaty part of the chop is half as thick.
2. In a wide, shallow bowl, combine the egg, mustard, oregano, and salt and pepper
to taste. Beat with a fork until blended. In another wide, shallow bowl, combine the
bread crumbs with Parmesan. Press each chop into the egg mixture, coating each side.
Then dip each into the bread crumbs, covering them evenly. Set aside on a rack or plate.
3. In a large bowl, combine the tomato, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice. Season with
salt and pepper to taste, and stir to blend; set aside.
4. Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the peanut oil, and heat just until a bread
crumb sizzles when dropped into the oil; do not overheat. Add the chops. Cook, turning
once, until deep golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes a side.
5. Transfer the chops to two plates. Toss the spinach in the tomato mixture until it is
well coated, and place equal portions of salad over each crispy chop.

Crab Louis

2008-09-10T19:49:00.000-07:00

1 cup mayonaise
1/3 cup French dressing
1/4 cup chili sauce
2 Tbls. minced chives
2 Tbls. minced green olives
1 teas. horseradish
1 teas. Worcestershire sauce
Chilled lettuce, torn in bite size pieces
3 cups cooked crabmeat, flaked (imitation is OK)
4 hard boiled eggs, quartered
4 medium tomatoes, cut in wedges
Capers
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine mayonaise, French dressing, chili sauce, chives, olives and
seasonings. Chill.

Arrange lettuce in a shallow, chilled salad bowl and mound the crabmeat
on top. Spoon the dressing on top and garnish with eggs, tomatoes,
and capers.

Corn Relish

2008-09-05T19:47:00.000-07:00

18 oz. frozen corn kernels
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 tbsp. chopped red bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1 tsp. minced fresh jalapeno pepper
1 tsp. minced fresh cilantro
1/3 cup commercial Parmesan−peppercorn salad dressing

Thaw corn kernels. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix
well. Cover and chill before serving.

Eggplant Tomato Salad

2008-09-03T21:27:00.000-07:00

1 green bell pepper
1 large red bell pepper
7 tomatoes
1 eggplant
4 cloves crushed garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Roast peppers on stove burners, or under oven broiler until skin turns
evenly black. Immediately place in a plastic bag and let cool.

Prepare the tomatoes by cutting an X on the bottom of each and boil
in water for 1 minute, plunge into a cold water bath and let cool.

Cut the eggplant into small strips and saute in oil until eggplant
begins to brown; about 6 to 8 minutes. Once the eggplant is soft, add
garlic. Rinse the peppers under cold water and remove the burnt skin
(just the ash). Open the peppers and remove seeds. Cut into small
strips and add to eggplant. Peel cooled tomatoes, chop and add to
eggplant mixture. Add tomato paste, salt, pepper and cayenne. Bring to
boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Corn Bread Salad

2008-08-25T19:46:00.000-07:00

1 pan corn bread, cooled
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
2 eggs, hard−boiled, chopped (optional)
1 green pepper, chopped (optional)
1 cup mayonnaise

Crumble corn bread and add bacon and onion. If desired, add
eggs and green pepper. Add tomatoes last and mayonnaise. Stir
gently. Chill until served. Even better the next day!

Cold Eggplant Salad With Sesame Dressing

2008-08-20T19:46:00.000-07:00

4 to 6 small to medium eggplants, or 1 large one, about 1 1/2 pounds
Salt
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar

1. Trim eggplant, and cut into cubes of 1/2 to 1 inch. If using large eggplant, sprinkle
with salt, put in a colander, and let sit at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour. Rinse.

2. Boil large pot of water. Blanch eggplant in boiling water 2 minutes, no more. It will
become just tender. Drain in colander as you would pasta.

3. Toast sesame seeds in small dry skillet over medium heat, shaking frequently until
they color slightly. Dry eggplant with paper towels. Combine remaining ingredients,
and toss with eggplant and sesame seeds in bowl. Serve at room temperature, or refrigerate
until ready to serve. Covered well, the salad will remain flavorful for a day.

Yield: 4
servings.

Coconut Ambrosia Salad

2008-08-20T19:45:00.000-07:00

1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
3 1/2 cups whipped topping
2 cups shredded coconut
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup milk
1 cup maraschino cherries

In a large bowl, combine the oranges, pineapple, whipped topping,
coconut, marshmallows and milk. Mix together well and chill 1 hour
before serving. Garnish with cherries.

Classic Tossed Salad

2008-08-15T19:45:00.000-07:00

1 head romaine lettuce
1 head red leaf lettuce
6 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives
1 (4 ounce) package blanched slivered almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red onion, sliced
6 fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
1 (8 ounce) bottle Italian−style salad dressing

Chop, wash and dry the romaine and red leaf lettuces.
In a large salad bowl, combine lettuces with feta cheese, olives,
almonds, sesame seeds, tomatoes, onion, mushrooms and Romano cheese.
When ready to serve, add the Italian dressing and toss thoroughly.

Chinese Potato Salad

2008-08-10T19:42:00.000-07:00

5−6 medium potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)
4 slices bacon, well−cooked and crumbled
3/4 cup chopped bok choy
1 red pepper, diced
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Sauce
1 1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp sugar
1 tbs soy sauce
1−2 tsp sesame oil
1/8−1/4 tsp hot mustard powder
1/8 tsp salt

Boil the potatoes until cooked but still firm. Cut into potato
salad−sized chunks. Mix the ingredients for the sauce together,
using more or less sesame oil and hot mustard according to taste
(the more the better, up to a point...). Put all solid ingredients
together in a large bowl, then add the sauce. Mix and serve.

Citrus Chicken Salad

2008-08-05T19:44:00.001-07:00

1 medium−size head Boston Lettuce
1 can (11 oz.) mandarin oranges, undrained
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonaise
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
3 oz. Cheddar cheese, cut in small cubes
1/3 cup crumbled cooked bacon
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/2 pound cooked chicken, cut in strips

Rinse lettuce leaves and pat dry with paper towling. Tear into
large salad bowl. Drain oranges through sieve over a bowl: reserve
2 tablespoons liquid. Whisk together sour cream, mayonaise, salt,
black pepper, chili powder, lime juice, and reserved orange juice
in a small bowl.

Add mandarin oranges, cheese, bacon, and onion to salad bowl.
Add sour cream mixture; toss to coat. Top with chicken and
serve immediately.

24 Hour Potato Salad

2008-08-04T20:18:00.000-07:00

1 medium head cabbage ... shredded fine
6 small potatoes .. boiled and thinly sliced
6 boiled eggs .. thinly sliced
1 onion .. sliced real fine .. in rings (or chopped small)
1 Bell pepper .. sliced thin in rings (or chopped real fine) Mayonnaise (this takes a LOT of mayonnaise) Salt and Pepper

Place layer of shredded cabbage in round salad bowl, then a layer of potatoes, layer of sliced eggs, layer of onion and Bell pepper rings.
REPEAT LAYERS. BETWEEN EACH LAYER, ADD A THIN LAYER OF MAYONNAISE, SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE. Cover and Refrigerate 24−hours.

Bean Sprout Salad

2008-07-30T23:00:00.000-07:00

2 tablespoon Sesame seeds
1 pound Fresh bean sprouts
thoroughly washed
and drained
3 md Garlic cloves
peeled and minced
2 md Scallions −− trimmed & minced
1 1" cube ginger
peeled and minced
2 tablespoon Oriental sesame oil
1/3 cup Soy sauce
2 tablespoon Cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Mirin (sweet rice wine)
2 teaspoon Light brown sugar
1 teaspoon Spicy sesame oil

Makes 4 to 6 Servings Fresh bean sprouts are a must for this recipe from
China's Hunan province.
The canned variety don't have the requisite crispness. Keep a close eye on
the toasting sesame seeds so they don't burn.
PREHEAT OVEN TO 300F. Toast the sesame seeds by spreading them over the
bottom of a pie tin. Roast for 12−to−16 minutes, stirring often, until they
are golden. The seeds can be toasted in advance and stored in an airtight
container. Place the bean sprouts in a large heatproof bowl and set it aside.
In a medium−size skillet set over moderately low heat, stir−fry the garlic,
scallions and ginger in the oil for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are limp. Add
all the remaining ingredients, increase the heat to moderate, then boil the
mixture, uncovered, for 1 minute to slightly reduce the liquid. Pour the
boiling dressing over the bean sprouts, toss well, then cover the bowl and
chill the salad for several hours. Toss again before serving.

Baked Potato Salad

2008-07-20T22:59:00.000-07:00

8 potatoes
1/2 pound bacon
1 pound processed American cheese, sliced
1/2 onion, chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup black olives, sliced
Preheat oven to 325F. Butter one 9x13 inch baking dish.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook
until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool and slice
1/4 inch thick. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium
high heat until lightly brown. Drain, chop and set aside.
Combine the potatoes, cheese, onion, mayonnaise and salt and pepper.
Mix well and pour into prepared baking dish.
Top with bacon and olives, and bake at 325F for 1 hour.

Autumn Salad with Bleu Cheese

2008-07-10T22:58:00.000-07:00

1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup Canola oil
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2−3 packets sugar substitute
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
8 cups torn chilled salad greens
1 cup diced red apples
1/4 cup crumbled bleu cheese
1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a jar. Cover and shake
vigorously. Chill to blend flavors. Before preparing salad, chop the
apples and put a little of the dressing on the apples to prevent them
from browning. Shake dressing again and toss with salad greens,
drained apples, and bleu cheese. Garnish with toasted pecans.

Asparagus, Orange and Endive Salad

2008-06-30T22:57:00.000-07:00

2 1/2 cups diagonally sliced asparagus
2 cups rinsed, dried and torn endive leaves
2 large oranges, sliced into rounds
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup raspberry vinegar
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon white sugar
salt and pepper to taste

To a large pot of boiling water, add the asparagus. Blanch for
1 minute; drain, and plunge asparagus into a bowl of cold water.
Drain again and dry.
In a large bowl, combine the asparagus, endive, oranges, and
red onion.
Whisk together the raspberry vinegar, canola oil, orange juice,
sugar and salt and pepper. Add dressing to the asparagus endive
mixture; toss well and serve.

Apple Stick Salad

2008-06-20T22:56:00.000-07:00

1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup distilled vinegar
3 tart apples, cored and julienned
2/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped dill pickle

In a small bowl, combine sugar and vinegar. In a medium bowl, mix
together apples, onion, and pickle. Toss with vinegar mixture.
Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Apple and Celery Salad with Peanuts

2008-06-10T22:55:00.000-07:00

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
3 crisp red apples, cut into 1/4" thick julienne
2 tart green apples cut into 1/4" thick julienne
4 large celery ribs, cut into 1/4−inch−thick julienne
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup dry−roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Whisk together lemon juice and mustard in a large bowl. Add oil in
a stream, whisking until emulsified. Add apples, celery, and parsley,
tossing to coat. Just before serving, sprinkle with peanuts.

24 Hour Potato Salad

2008-06-05T22:54:00.000-07:00

1 medium head cabbage ... shredded fine
6 small potatoes .. boiled and thinly sliced
6 boiled eggs .. thinly sliced
1 onion .. sliced real fine .. in rings (or chopped small)
1 Bell pepper .. sliced thin in rings (or chopped real fine)
Mayonnaise (this takes a LOT of mayonnaise)
Salt and Pepper

Place layer of shredded cabbage in round salad bowl, then a
layer of potatoes, layer of sliced eggs, layer of onion and Bell
pepper rings.

Taco Salad

2008-05-30T01:35:00.000-07:00

1−1/2 Pound Ground beef
Bottled French dressing
1/4 Cup Onion, chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Dried oregano, crushed
1/2 Head iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
2 Tomatoes, cut in wedges
8 Ounce Can corn, drained
8 Ounce Can garbanzo beans, drain
1/2 Cup Radish slices
1−6 1/2 oz Package Tortilla or corn chips
1 Avocado, peeled and sliced
4 Ounce Cheddar cheese, shredded

Pitted black olives, sliced
Sour cream

Brown meat and drain off fat. Add 1/3 cup French dressing, onion, salt,
pepper and oregano. Simmer 5 minutes. Combine lettuce, tomatoes, corn,
beans, radishes and enough dressing to moisten. Toss lightly. For each
salad, serve meat mixture over tortilla chips. Top with lettuce mixture,
avocado, cheese, olives and sour cream, as desired.

Waldorf Apple Salad

2008-05-28T01:34:00.000-07:00

4 Golden Delicious apples, chopped
1/3 c. raisins
1 c. seedless grapes, halved if large
1/2 c. broken walnut pieces
3/4 c. TOFU MAYONNAISE*

COMBINE all ingredients, CHILL and SERVE. If you prefer sweeter or more tart salad,
add honey and/or lemon juice to taste.

*When making TOFU MAYONNAISE for fruit salad, omit onion and garlic powder, and
use pineapple juice instead of water.

Tahini Salad Dressing

2008-05-25T01:33:00.000-07:00

1/2 c. tahini
1/3 c. lemon juice
1 c. water
1 clove garlic, pressed or chopped
1/4 c. soy sauce or Bragg Liquid Aminos
1 tbsp. Instant Clear Gel

BLEND first five ingredients until garlic is well blended. SPRINKLE Instant Clear Gel
into dressing while blender is creating a swirling motion. If Instant Clear Gel is not
available, use cornstarch and cook to thicken.

Spinach Salad

2008-05-23T01:30:00.000-07:00

1/2 c. slivered almonds
2 tbsp. sesame seeds
2 qts. fresh spinach
1/8 tsp. thyme
1/4 c. grated carrots
1/8 tsp. onion salt
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. basil leaves

*TOAST almonds at 400° for 5 minutes or until lightly toasted. Carefully tear spinach
into bite-sized pieces. ADD carrots. COMBINE remaining ingredients and shake in a jar.
TOSS spinach, carrots and almonds with dressing just before serving.
YIELDS: 6–8 servings.
VARIATION: add cherry tomatoes.
*Watch almonds closely to prevent burning!

Carrot-Pineapple Slaw

2008-05-20T01:27:00.000-07:00

1 3/4 c. finely shredded carrots
3/4 c. crushed pineapple with juice
1 1/2 tbsp. orange juice concentrate
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 c. grated coconut (opt.)

MIX all ingredients together. CHILL before serving.
YIELDS: 4 servings

Fruit Salad

2008-05-18T01:28:00.000-07:00

1 can pineapple chunks in juice
1 c. berries
3 apples, chopped
1 c. orange sections

MIX and TOSS, adding other fruits of your choice.

Brown Derby's Original Cobb Salad

2008-05-15T01:25:00.000-07:00

1/2 head of lettuce
1/2 bunch watercress
1 small bunch chicory
1/2 head romaine
2 medium tomatoes, peeled
2 breasts of boiled roasting chicken
6 strips crisp bacon
1 avocado
3 hard−cooked eggs
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1/2 cup crumbled imported Roquefort cheese
1 cup Brown Derby Old−Fashioned French Dressing (See recipe, below)
Cut finely lettuce, watercress, chicory and romaine and arrange in salad
bowl. Cut tomatoes in half, remove seeds, dice finely, and arrange over
top of chopped greens. Dice breasts of chicken and arrange over top of
chopped greens. Chop bacon finely and sprinkle over the salad. Cut avocado
in small pieces and arrange around the edge of the salad. Decorate the
salad by sprinkling over the top the chopped eggs, chopped chives, and
grated cheese. Just before serving mix the salad thoroughly
with French Dressing.
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Brown Derby Old−Fashioned French Dressing
1 cup water
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon English mustard
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 cup olive oil
3 cups salad (vegetable) oil
Blend together all ingredients except oils. Then add olive and salad oils
and mix well again. Chill. Shake before serving. Makes about 1 1/2 quarts.
This dressing keeps well in the refrigerator. Can be made and stored in

Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad

2008-05-13T01:23:00.000-07:00

Salad:
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup corn flake crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half
oil for frying
3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 cup red cabbage
1 cup Napa cabbage
1/2 carrot, julienned or shredded
1 green onion, chopped
1 tablespoon sliced almonds
1/3 cup chow mein noodles
Dressing:
3 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
Prepare dressing ingredients by mixing in a small bowl. Refrigerate while
preparing salad.
Cut each chicken breast into 5 strips. In one bowl, beat egg with milk.
In another bowl, combine flour with corn flake crumbs, salt and pepper.
Preheat oil over medium heat.
Dip individual chicken pieces in egg mixture and then roll in the flour
mixture. Fry chicken until browned, drain and set aside.
Prepare salad by tossing the chopped romaine with the chopped red
cabbage, Napa cabbage, and carrots. Sprinkle sliced green onion on top of
the lettuce. Sprinkle almonds over the salad, then the chow mein noodles.
Cut the chicken into small chunks. Place the chicken onto the salad
forming a pile in the middle. Serve with salad dressing on the side.

Benihana's Ginger Salad Dressing

2008-05-10T01:25:00.000-07:00

1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup peanut oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons minced celery
2 tablespoons ketchup
4 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend on high speed for about
30 seconds or until all of the ginger is well−pureed.
Makes 1 3/4 cups.

Red,White and Blue Layer Salad

2008-05-08T01:21:00.000-07:00

• 2 small pkg. cherry
Jell-O
• 2 small pkg. lemon
Jell-O
• 2 small pkg. raspberry
or blackberry
Jell-O
• 1 small can
crushed pineapple
• 14 1/2 can
blueberries
• 1/2 pt. sour cream
• 2 c. milk
• 3 c. boiling water

This layered salad is a festive addition to your 4th of July
celebration.
Bottom layer: Dissolve cherry Jell-O in 1 cup boiling
water. Cool. Add pineapple. Pour in bottom of mold
and chill.
Middle layer: Dissolve lemon Jell-O in 1 cup boiling
water. Cool. Beat together with milk and sour cream.
Combine cooled lemon mixture and milk mixture.
When bottom layer is firm but slightly sticky to touch,
gently add the middle layer.
Top layer: Dissolve raspberry Jell-O in 2 cups boiling
water. Cool. Add blueberries. Pour over middle layer
after it is firm but slightly sticky to the touch.

Homemade Salad Dressing

2008-05-05T01:23:00.000-07:00

• 4 T. olive oil
• 2 T. red wine
vinegar
• 1 T. fresh-squeezed
lemon juice
• 1 – 2 cloves
crushed garlic
• 1 T. sugar
• 1 t. salt
• fresh ground
pepper

Interesting variations can be made to this recipe by substituting
another vinegar (balsamic, tarragon, or raspberry) for
the wine vinegar and lemon juice.
Combine in decanter. Shake well. Leave at room temperature
for at least 20 minutes before pouring over salad.

HAIL CAESAR SALAD

2008-05-03T01:19:00.000-07:00

1 loaf day old Italian bread
3 garlic cloves, mashed
9 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon plus 1 pinch kosher salt
2 eggs
2 heads romaine lettuce, inner leaves only
7 grinds black pepper
1 lemon, juiced
6 drops Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1) Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Cut 1/2 to 3/4−inch croutons from the loaf of bread and place on a baking sheet and put
into the oven until dry but not browned.
3) Use a mortar and pestle to mash the garlic with 4 tablespoons of oil and 1/4 teaspoon
kosher salt.
4) Strain the oil into a skillet over medium heat.
5) Add the dried croutons and fry, tossing constantly until all of the oil is absorbed and the
croutons turn gold. Set aside.
6) Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan.
7) Add the eggs and cook for 1 minute.
8) Chill in ice water to halt cooking. Set aside.
9) In a very large bowl, tear lettuce and toss with 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
10) Sprinkle with the remaining kosher salt and the black pepper.
11) Add the remaining olive oil. Toss well.
12) Add the lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce.
13) Break in the eggs. Toss until a creamy dressing forms.
14) Toss in Parmesan cheese and serve with croutons.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

ALTON BROWN MA MAE'S CONGEALED

2008-05-01T01:18:00.000-07:00

1 small package orange flavored gelatin*
1 small package lemon flavored gelatin*
2 1/2 cups boiling water
1 small can pineapple bits with juice
1/2 cup toasted, chopped pecans
1 can whole cranberry sauce

1) Sprinkle the gelatins in a 9 by 13 glass−baking dish and slowly stir in the boiling water.
2) Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate approximately 30 minutes or just until gelatin
begins to set. (If the gelatin sets, you won’t be able to stir in the goodies.)
3) Meanwhile, in a medium size bowl, combine the canned pineapple and its juice, with the
pecans and the whole cranberry sauce.
4) Add mixture to slightly thickened gelatin and stir until thoroughly combined.
5) Return to refrigerator until firmly set.
6) Cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve.

*Don’t substitute with low−sugar or sugar−free. Neither will set properly.
Yield: 10 portions

Cold Pasta Salad

2008-04-30T20:53:00.000-07:00

Boil Pasta Noodles (any kind), drain and rinse with cold water
Cucumber, cut up
Black Olives
Green Olives
Tomatoes
Mushrooms

Add vegetables to pasta and pour green olive water from jar over
the whole thing. Mix and serve.

Mostaccioli Salad

2008-04-27T20:53:00.000-07:00

1 lb. Mostaccioli Noodles, cooked in salt water (may add yellow
food color)
2 cups Cider Vinegar
1-1/2 cups Sugar
2 Tbsp prepared Mustard
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Accent
1 Tbsp Parsley
1 med Cucumber, chopped
1 med Onion, chopped
1 med Green Pepper, chopped

Cook noodles. Drain and rinse in cold water. Coat well with
cooking oil. Mix spices. Add vegetables and mix with mostaccioli.
Marinate at least 24 hours-48 will be even better.

Caramel Apple Salad

2008-04-25T20:52:00.000-07:00

1/2 cup Sugar
1 Tbsp. Flour
1/2 cup Pineapple juice
1 Egg, beaten
2 Tbsp. Vinegar
5 cups Apple, diced
3/4 cup salted Peanuts
8 0z. Cool Whip

Bring all but apples and peanuts and cool whip to boil. Cool til
thickened. Add apples, cool whip and peanuts.

Frozen Fruit Salad

2008-04-23T20:51:00.000-07:00

one 30 oz. Fruit cocktail
one 11 oz. Mandarin Oranges
one 20 oz. Chunk Pineapple
1 jar Maraschino Cherries
1 cup Sugar
2 cups drained Juices
one 12 oz. Frozen Orange juice
one 20 oz. Crushed Pineapple-undrained
7 sliced Bananas
Dissolve Sugar in drained juices. Mix and freeze.

Ambrosin-Fruit Salad

2008-04-20T20:51:00.000-07:00

Serves 8
1/2 cup Miracle Whip Salad Dressing
1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
1 tbsp Orange juice
1/4 tsp grated Orange Rind
1/2 cup Heavy Cream Whipped
3 Dole Banana sliced 1/2 in. thick
2 cup Orange slices
1 cup Papaya or Canteloupe balls
1 cup Strawberry halves
Lettuce
1/2 cup Coconut

Combine miracle whip, sugar, orange juice. Add rind, fold in
whipped cream, chill. Combine bananas, orange, papayas and
strawberries, toss lightly. Spoon fruit onto lettuce and cover the
platter. Sprinkle with coconut. Serve with dressing. Garnish with
additional grated orange rind if desired.

Green Bean, Tomato and Salami

2008-04-18T20:50:00.000-07:00

1/2 lb. Salami, cut into chunks
1 lb. Green Beans
1/4 cup sliced Green Onions
3 Tomatoes, peeled
Dressing:
1 Tbsp. Dijon style Mustard
1 Tbsp. White Wine Vinegar
1/4 cup Olive Oil
dash Salt & Pepper

Cut salami into 2 inch pieces. Cut pieces into 1/4 inch thick sticks.
Put into Mixing bowl. Trim tips and ends of green beans. Cut into
pieces about 3 inches long. Steam for 10 minutes or until beans are
tender; drain. Combine beans with the salami in a bowl. Add the
green onion. Cut tomatoes into wedges. Add to the vegetables.
Then add salami.

For the dressing, put mustard and vinegar into small mixing bowl.
Add salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until mixture is
creamy. Pour dressing over salami and vegetables. Turn over
gently with spatula until all pieces are coated. Cover and refrigerated
for 2 hrs. or more.

Pink Salad

2008-04-15T20:49:00.000-07:00

1 can Cherry Pie Filling
one 20 ounce can chunk or crushed Pineapple, drained
1 can Eagle brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
one 8 or 9 ounce carton Cool Whip
Nuts, if desired
Combine pie filling and milk. Add pineapple and mix well. Fold in
Cool Whip and nuts. Mix well. Spread in 9 x 13 x 2 inch pan, and
chill well before serving.

Beet and Bean Salad

2008-04-13T20:48:00.001-07:00

1 can Beets
1 can Kidney Beans, drained
3/4 cup Celery
1/4 cup Onion
2 tbsps Salad Dressing

Combine all ingredients.

Kidney Bean Salad

2008-04-13T20:48:00.000-07:00

Combine
1 No. 2 can Kidney beans (drained) with 1 cup chopped Celery
1/2 cup chopped Dill Pickles
2 Tbsp. Chopped Pimento
2 Tbsp. Chopped Green Pepper
1 Tbsp. Minced Onion
1 tsp. Salt and dash of Pepper.

Toss lightly with 1/3 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing. Place in
lettuce lined salad bowl. Top with additional Miracle Whip. Garnish
with hard cooked eggs, sliced.

American−Italian Pasta Salad

2008-04-13T01:40:00.000-07:00

1 (16 ounce) package fusilli pasta
1 cup frozen petite peas, thawed
2 (2 ounce) cans sliced black olives
1 cup cubed Genoa salami
3/4 cup chopped green onions
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian−style salad dressing mix
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons milk

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until al dente,
rinse under cold water and drain.
In a medium bowl combine mayonnaise, sour cream, milk and Italian
dressing mix. Whisk together until smooth, set aside.
In a large salad bowl combine cooked and cooled pasta, peas, olives,
salami, green onions, celery and parsley. Mix in dressing last,
reserving 1/2 cup. Let sit over night in fridge. Stir before serving.
Add extra dressing if pasta appears dry.

Cinco De Mayo Chicken Salad

2008-04-13T01:09:00.000-07:00

2 to 3 Cup Cooked, shredded chicken
1/3 Cup Sour cream
2/3 Cup Mayonnaise
2 Teaspoon Fresh lemon or lime juice
1/2 Teaspoon Ground cumin
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon White pepper
1 Teaspoon Tabasco or jalapeno sauce (more or less to taste)
1/2 Cup Sliced carrot
1/4 Cup Diced red bell pepper
1/4 Cup Finely chopped white onion
2 Small, ripe Haas avocados, chopped
2 Teaspoon Fresh cilantro, chopped

In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon or lime
juice, cumin, salt, white pepper and tabasco. This mixture is the salad
dressing, so taste it and adjust the seasonings, if desired.
In a separate bowl, combine the chicken, carrots, red bell pepper, onion,
avocado and cilantro.
Pour the dressing over the chicken and vegetables and mix well. Chill for at
least 1 hour before serving. Makes about 4 servings.

Sunshine Salad

2008-04-10T20:47:00.000-07:00

1 pkg. Lemon Gelatine
1 cup boiling Water
1 cup drained crushed Pineapple
1/2 cup Pineapple juice
1/2 cup grated Carrots
4 tsp. Lemon juice
Salad Greens

Dissolve lemon gelatin dessert in boiling water in medium bowl.
Add pineapple juice, carrots and lemon juice mix well.

Red Bliss Potato Salad

2008-04-08T20:46:00.000-07:00

Just less than 1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1/2 cup Mayonnaise ( low fat-O.K.)
1/2 cup D’jon Mustard
1 qt. Cooked small Red Potato quartered when cool (approx. 20)
1/4 cup chopped Green Onions

Whisk vinegar, oil, mayo, and mustard to create an emulsified
dressing. Seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Toss potatoes
with dressing. Sprinkle or mix in onion and chill or serve at room
temperature.

Minted Melon Salad

2008-04-05T20:45:00.000-07:00

Serves 12-14.
1 cup Water
3/4 cup Sugar
3 Tbsp. Lime juice
1-1/2 tsp. Chopped fresh Mint
3/4 tsp. Anise seed
pinch of Salt
5 cups cubed Watermelon (1/2 med)
3 cups cubed Cantaloupe (1 med)
3 cups cubed Honeydew (1 med)
2 cups Peaches sliced (2 peaches)
1 cup fresh Blueberries

In a small saucepan, bring the first 6 ingredients to a boil. Boil for
2 minutes, remove from heat, cover and cool syrup completely.
Combine the fruit in a large bowl, add syrup and stir to coat.
Cover and chill for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Drain
before serving.

Deep Dish Taco Salad

2008-04-03T20:45:00.000-07:00

1 - 8 oz. Pkg. Refrigerated Crescent Rolls
1 lb. Ground Beef
1 envelope Taco seasoning mix
8 oz. Cheddar Cheese
Lettuce
Tomato
Sour Cream

Brown ground beef according to taco seasoning directions. In
bottom of 9 x 9 baking dish, make 2 rectangles with 4 of the 8
crescent rolls. Cover bottom layer of crescent rolls with welldrained
ground beef mixture. Layer with half of the cheese. Top
cheese with the remaining 4 crescent rolls in 2 more rectangles.
Top with remaining cheese. Bake in 350° oven until golden
brown. Top with lettuce, tomato and sour cream. Serve with taco
chips.

Pistachio Salad

2008-04-01T20:43:00.000-07:00

one 3 oz. Pkg. Pistachio Instant Pudding
one #2 can Crushed Pineapple (undrained)
8 oz. container Cool Whip
1/2 cup small Marshmallows
1/2 cup chopped Nuts

Combine pudding mix and can of pineapple. Fold in remaining
ingredients

Broccoli Waldorf Salad

2008-03-31T20:42:00.000-07:00

Two 10 oz. Pkg. Frozen Broccoli Spears
2/3 Cup Walnuts, coarsely chopped
2 Tart Apples, diced
1/2 Cup Celery, chopped
6 Radishes, sliced
1/2 Cup French Dressing
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 Cup Yogurt
2 Tbsp. Honey

Cook broccoli according to package directions and drain. In a
medium bowl, combine broccoli with walnuts, apples,
Worcestershire sauce, yogurt and honey. Pour the sweet and
spicy dressing over broccoli mixture and stir lightly to coat. Chill
for at least 2 hours before serving.

Chinese Cabbage Salad

2008-03-30T20:28:00.000-07:00

1 medium head Chinese cabbage, chopped
5 green onions, chopped
½ stick butter
2 packages ramen noodles, crushed (no
spices)
½ cup sesame seeds
½ cup slivered almonds
Dressing:
½ cup salad oil
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons soy sauce
½ cup wine vinegar

Brown together butter, crushed noodles, sesame seeds, and almonds, stirring constantly. Drain
on paper towel and chill. Toss together just before serving.

French Dressing

2008-03-28T20:27:00.001-07:00

1 cup salad oil
¾ cup sugar
1 cup catsup
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped onion
1/3 cup vinegar

Combine ingredients in blender for about 2 minutes.

Carrot Salad

2008-03-28T20:27:00.000-07:00

2 pounds carrots, cut in 1/3" thick rounds
1 large onion, diced
1 large green pepper, diced
1 (10 ¾ oz.) can tomato soup
1 cup sugar
¾ cup vinegar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard

Bring carrots to boil in salted water; boil 5 minutes. Drain; cool. Add onions and green
pepper. Combine soup, sugar, vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, and mustard. Pour over carrots.
Refrigerate 24 hours. Yield: 12 servings.

Fiesta Salad

2008-03-25T20:26:00.000-07:00

1 (16 oz.) can whole kernel corn
2 tomatoes, peeled and diced or 1 can whole
tomatoes, drained well and diced
½ cup sliced ripe olives
¼ cup diced green pepper
1 small onion, chopped fine
Dressing:
2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
¼ cup water
¼ cup oil
¼ cup vinegar

Pour dressing over vegetables and toss. Chill several hours or overnight, stirring occasionally.

24 Hour Yuletide Salad

2008-03-24T20:42:00.001-07:00

3 Egg Yolks or Whole Eggs
2 Tbsps. Sugar
2 Tbsps. Vinegar
2 Tbsps. Pineapple Juice
1 Tbsp. Butter
Dash Salt
1 Cup Heavy Cream (whipped)
2 Cups White Cherries (pitted, drained)
2 Cups Pineapple Bits (drained)
1 Cup Mandarin Oranges
24 Marshmallows (cut up)

Cook eggs, sugar, vinegar, pineapple juice, butter and salt in
double boiler until thick, stirring constantly. Cool. Fold in other
ingredients.

Salads, Soups, Dressings & Sauces

2008-03-24T20:39:00.000-07:00

4 Tbsp. Sugar
1 Tbsp. Prepared Mustard
1 Tbsp. Cornstarch-dissolved in water
1/3 Cup Vinegar
Few Grains of Salt

Cook a little before adding cornstarch. If too thick, add a little milk
or cream.

Broccoli Delight Salad

2008-03-22T20:26:00.000-07:00

1 large fresh broccoli, cut in pieces (4-5 cups)
1 cup raisins
¼ cup diced red onion
10 strips bacon, fried and crumbled
1 cup sunflower seeds
Dressing:
3-4 tablespoons sugar or Equal
1 tablespoon vinegar
½ cup lite mayonnaise or creamy dressing

Put washed, well drained broccoli pieces in large glass bowl. Add raisins, onion, bacon, and
sunflower seeds. Mix together dressing ingredients. Pour over salad. Yield: 6 servings.

Shrimp Salad

2008-03-18T20:25:00.000-07:00

1 package lemon jello
1 cup hot water
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
3-4 green onions, chopped
¾ cup celery, chopped
1 can shrimp

Make like jello and add the other ingredients. Put in individual cups or small bowl.