Romaine and Pasta Salad

• 8 oz. farfalle or other similar pasta, cooked and drained
• ½ pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 package grape tomatoes
• 1 head of romaine, washed and chopped
• 1 avocado, cubed
• 4 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• ¾ cup Ranch dressing

1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Refrigerate until serving time.

Oriental Cabbage Salad

 

• 2/3 cabbage, chopped coarsely
• 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon crystals or 2 cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ cup chopped green onions
• Coarsely grated ¼ cup baby carrots
• 1 cup shelled sunflower seeds
• 1 cup sesame oil
• ½ cup cider vinegar
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• Chow Mein noodles

1. Place the chopped cabbage, chopped green onions, grated carrots and shelled sunflower seeds in a bowl that has a lid available.
2. Mix the sesame oil and seasonings in a deep bowl.
3.  Add the cider vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce.
4.  Stir well.
5.  Pour over the slaw.  Put the lid on it and shake. 
6.  Refrigerate for several hours to let the ingredients mix.
7.  Just before serving top with chow mein crunchy oriental noodles.

 Enjoy.

 

 

 

 

Mexican Corn Salad for Two

 

• 1 15 ounce whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon refrigerated minced garlic
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ cup light mayonnaise
• ¼ cup light sour cream
• ½ red onion, chopped finely
• 4 stems of cilantro, remove the leaves, discard the stems, and chop the leaves
• ¼ cup of shredded parmesan
• 4 stems green onions
• 1 sliced jalapeno (optional)
• 2 ounces feta cheese
• ½ bag Chili Cheese Fritos.

1.  Melt butter in non-stick skillet.
2. Add corn and saute over medium heat.  Stir occasionally, but not too often or the corn will not brown. 
3. Add the salt and pepper and stir.
4. Make a dressing out of the light mayonnaise and sour cream.  Set aside.
5. Chop the red onion and green onions. 
6. Remove the corn from the heat.
7. Stir in the dressing and half the red and green onions.
8. Add the sliced jalapeno (optional).
9. Plate the salad.
10. Top with the remaining green and red onions.
11. Sprinkle with shredded parmesan.
12. Sprinkle with the feta.
13. Serve with Chili Cheese Fritos. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

French Potato Salad

5 baked potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

2 boiled eggs, cut into chunks

1 Vidalia onion, diced

1 cup mayonnaise

¼ cup California French Dressing

¾ teaspoon celery salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon paprika

Mix the last five ingredients.

Add liquid mixture to the potatoes, eggs, and onion and gently mix. 

Refrigerate for at least two hours to allow flavors to blend.

Serve and enjoy. 

Spinach and Cherry Salad

Salad

• 1 ½ cups baby spinach leaves
• ¼ cup dried cherries
• ¼ chopped red onions
• 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 slices bacon crumbled
• Crackers (optional)

Dressing

1. ¼ cup frozen orange juice concentrated, melted
2. ¼ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
3. ¼ teaspoon salt
4. 1/8 teaspoon pepper
5. 1 teaspoon minched garlic
6. 
   
7. Layer the spinach, red onion, and died cherries.
8. Stir or shake the dressing ingredients.
9. Add the dressing to the salad.
10. Top with cheese and bacon.
11. Serve with crackers if desired.
12. Enjoy.

Dilled Cucumber Salad

• 1 large cucumber, peeled and sliced thinly
• 1 red onion, peeled and sliced thinly
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/8 black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dill weed

1. Soak red onion slices in ice water for 15 minutes.
2. Drain the slices.
3. Combine all the ingredients together.
4. Stir and refrigerate at least an hour.
5. Serve and enjoy.  

Hawaiian Pasta Salad

• 8 ounces any boiled pasta such as rotini, macaroni, or bowties
• 1 15 ounce can of pineapple tidbits or chunks, drained, but reserve the juice
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 8 ounces, cooked ham, chopped
• 3 green onions, chopped

Dressing:

• ½ cup lite mayonnaise
• ¼ cup lite sour cream
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup pineapple juice (from the reserve)
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  
  

1. Boil and drain pasta.
2. Add red bell pepper, pineapple, ham, and green onions.
3. Mix.

1. In a separate bowl, stir the lite mayonnaise and lite sour cream together.
2. Stir in the pineapple juice.
3. Add the honey, cider vinegar, garlic powder, and black pepper.
4. Mix well.
5. Pour over the pasta mixture and combine well.
6. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
7. Serve and enjoy.

Frog Eye Salad

This makes quite a bit.  I made it in a 5 quart Dutch oven.  Great for taking to a potluck.  More like a dessert than a salad.  

Ingredients:

1 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 3/4 cups unsweetened pineapple juice (the amount of juice that drains off of the canned pineapple is about right amount)

2 eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 quarts water

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 (16 ounce) package acini di pepe pasta

3 (11 ounce) cans mandarin oranges, drained

2 (20 ounce) cans pineapple tidbits, drained

1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained

3 (8 ounce) containers frozen whipped topping, thawed (fat free works fine)

2 cup miniature marshmallows

1 cup shredded coconut

Directions:

1.    In a sauce pan, combine sugar, flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pineapple juice and eggs. Stir and cook over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat; add lemon juice and cool to room temperature.

2.    Bring water to a boil, add oil, remaining salt and cook pasta 11 minutes stirring frequently. Rinse under cold water and drain. (You must use the oil on this pasta to keep it from clumping.)

3.    In a large bowl, combine the pasta, egg mixture, mandarin oranges, pineapple and whipped topping. Mix well and refrigerate overnight or until chilled (at least 4 hours). Before serving add marshmallows and coconut. Toss and serve.

Six Veggie Salad

Thought it was strange that this salad didn't have any vinegar in it. But it was still good.

• 1 cucumber
• 1 package of grape tomatoes
• 1 red onion
• 1 green pepper
• 1 can black olives, drained
• 1 avocado
• 1 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1. Peel onion, cucumber, and avocado.
2. Chop coarsely all the vegetables.
3. Place in a refrigerator container that has a lid.
4. Add olive oil and the lid.
5. Shake.
6. Add the seasoned salt.
7. Shake again.
8. Enjoy.

Carla's Spicy French Dressing

My friend Carla was generous enough to give me a jar of her French dressing that she makes.   It is delicious and she said I could share the recipe with you.  

• 1 – 10.75 oz. can of tomato soup
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¾ cup salad oil
• ½ cup vinegar
• 1 small onion, chopped
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon dry mustard

Place all ingredients in a quart canning jar and tighten the lid. Shake. Refrigerate. It will keep quite a while.  

German Potato Salad

This is my favorite German Potato Salad recipe.  I get many requests for this for potlucks.   But you can now make it for yourself.  Serve this hot salad and there will be no leftovers!

5 large potatoes – peeled, sliced  in ¼ inch slices

12 slices of bacon

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon cornstarch  (do not use flour as a substitute)

1/3 cup cider vinegar (it must be cider vinegar)

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 ½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon celery seed

In large saucepan, boil the potato slices in plenty of water.  (Don’t boil too long or it will turn to mush-probably no more than 9 minutes.)  Drain right away.  Do not let them sit in the hot water.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, fry bacon until crisp.  Remove bacon from skillet.  

Brown chopped onion in the remaining bacon drippings.  Let get really brown.    

Add cornstarch and stir.  

Add sugar and stir.  

Add cider vinegar and stir.  

Add water and stir.  

Add salt and celery seed.  Stir sauce and cook for three minutes.  

Crumble bacon (reserve some for the top) and return to sauce.

Drain potatoes and gently stir into sauce.

Transfer to serving dish.  Sprinkle the reserved bacon over the top.

Serves 6.

Nancy's Rainbow Tossed Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

• (1-pound) package CREAMETTE RAINBOW TWIRLS
• about 20 grape tomatoes,
• ½ cup diced orange pepper
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup diced yellow bell pepper
• 1 diced cucumber (leave skin on)
• ½ cup dice orange bell pepper
• 1 can whole pitted black olives sliced in half
• ½ cup chopped red onion, soaked in cold water, then drained and patted dry

Dressing:

• 1 cup olive oil
• 4 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• ½ cup Olive Garden dressing

Prepare CREAMETTE RAINBOW TWIRLS according to package directions. Drain. Add tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, ripe olives, celery and onion. Blend olive oil, vinegar, seasoned salt, pepper, paprika, and Olive Garden dressing . Toss dressing with salad mixture. Cover and chill. Before serving toss gently.

Sort of Cobb Salad

There are differing definitions of Cobb Salad. Some say that is has specific ingredients including poultry and bleu cheese and they are placed in rows on a bed of chopped greens. Some say no, that it is only whatever leftovers that you have when you are needing to clean out your refrigerator. Since, I am needing to clean out the fridge and since I have some turkey use up, I am claiming it as Sort of Cobb Salad, even though I am not using the bleu cheese. Also, some say it has a lemon vinaigrette, but I used Marzetti’s Asiago Peppercorn dressing on mine and Woody used Thousand Island dressing on his.

Originally, Cobb Salad was served at the Brown Derby restaurant, which was owned by Robert H. Cobb and is probably responsible for the restaurant’s fame. It is unclear whether Cobb salad was designed by Cobb himself or his chef. Today, people use the term loosely, for any salad that uses leftovers and the ingredients are presented in rows. I don’t know for sure the truth; so therefore, I am referring to mine as Sort of Cobb Salad.

Ingredients:

Romaine for the salad bed

Shredded turkey

Fried and crumbled bacon

Croutons

Sliced black olives

Sliced boiled eggs

Grated Mexican cheese

Diced Avocados

Sliced grape tomatoes

Dressing of your choice (not pictured)

That lunch prep was pretty much painless and it did use up most of the leftovers in the fridge. J