Winter Salad

Winter Salad

I served this salad on New Year’s Day. It was a huge success. Easy to assemble and beautiful to plate with tangy cranberries, sweet apples and pears, and crunchy cashews all crowned with a delicious poppy seed vinaigrette.

Salad:
1 head Romaine lettuce
1 apple, diced
1 pear, diced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 cup cashews, lightly toasted
4 oz. Swiss cheese, shredded

Dressing:
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. onion, finely diced
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds

Chill a large serving bowl in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Wash Romaine lettuce and dry completely. Tear into bite-sized pieces and place in cold salad bowl. Layer remaining salad ingredients on top of Romaine.

Prepare dressing in blender or food processor. Process lemon juice, sugar, onion, mustard and salt. Process until well blended. Add vegetable oil in a slow, steady stream and continue processing until thick and smooth. Add poppy seeds and pulse several times.

Pour dressing over salad. Toss and serve immediately.

Fire and Ice Salad

Fire and Ice Marinated Vegetables

Fire and Ice Marinated Vegetables

This very old fashioned dressing is perfect for your fresh garden vegetables. It can be used again and again simply by adding new vegetables to the marinade.

3/4 cup white vinegar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp. mustard seed

1 tsp. celery salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. sweet basil

Vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and sweet peppers

Combine all ingredients except vegetables in saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Bring to boil and continue boiling for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and cool. Place sliced vegetables in large bowl and pour cooled marinade over them. Refrigerate and serve cold.

Fire and Ice Salad from SouthernPlate.com

This recipe comes from the wonderful recipe site, SouthernPlate.com ... be sure to visit her site!

• 2 Tomatoes
• 2 Cucumbers
• 1 purple onion
• water
• white vinegar
• sugar

1. Peel and slice cucumbers. Chop tomatoes and onion. Combine all in a large bowl. Mix up a dressing of equal parts Vinegar, Water, and Sugar. Pour over vegetables and refrigerate.
2. *I start with 1/2 cup each of my dressing ingredients

Winter Fruit Salad with Lemon Poppyseed Dressing

Wonderful salad for  family gatherings, carry-ins, or the holiday season.

      ½ cup white sugar

½ cup lemon juice

2 teaspoons diced onion

1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard

½ teaspoon salt

2/3 cup vegetable oil

      1 tablespoon poppy seeds

       1/2  small red onion, sliced thin (optional)

1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces (or mixed or red leaf)

4 ounces Feta or Swiss Cheese

1 cup cashews or pecans (roasted is best, sugared is even better!)

¼ cup dried cranberries

1 apple - peeled, cored and diced

1 pear - peeled, cored and sliced

In a blender or food processor, or with a hand mixer, combine sugar, lemon juice, onion, mustard, and salt. Process until well blended. With machine still running, add oil in a slow, steady stream until mixture is thick and smooth. Add poppy seeds, and process just a few seconds more to mix.

In a large serving bowl, toss together the romaine lettuce, shredded Swiss cheese, cashews, dried cranberries, apple, and pear. Pour dressing over salad just before serving, and toss to coat.

Ceasar Pasta Salad

- 16 oz bow tie pasta, cooked - 1 can black olives, sliced(optional) - 8 oz parmesan cheese, shredded  - 1 bunch green onions, sliced thin -including green

- 1/2 bottle paul newmanns ceaser salad dressing (regular not creamy) - 4 oz jar sun dried tomatoes, julienned and drained - 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped  _ Croutons (optional)

Directions

1.   In a large bowl combine cooked bow tie pasta, olives, sun dried tomatoes, Parmesan, green onions and salad dressing.
2.   Add chopped romaine. Stir to combine. Add more salad dressing if needed - top with croutons

How to Dry Salad Greens without a Spinner

Green Jacket Salad

by Karin Calloway - May 28, 2010

One week a year the town I call home turns into a completely different universe. There are golf lovers everywhere, changes in the traffic patterns and people dressed in chef’s clothes pushing buggies through the local supermarkets. One of those buggy pushers is me.

The rest of the year I love my home city, too. Augusta isn’t know for much besides the famed tournament but maybe we can begin being known for this: Green Jacket Salad.

The salad is unique to Augusta. Originally served in the Green Jacket restaurant, which was directly across the road from the Augusta National, the salad can now be found on the menu at Rae’s Coastal Cafe and Stonecrest Grill.

But you don’t have to come to Augusta to give this one a try. I’ve cracked the code and here’s the recipe. Enjoy!

Augusta’s Best Tossed Salad

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 Roma tomato, diced
• 1 teaspoon Lawry’s seasoned salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion, about 1 green onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 12-ounce bags prepared Iceberg and Romaine salad
• 1 pita bread, split in half, toasted and broken into bite-sized pieces
• Parmesan cheese, for garnish, optional

Combine vegetable oil, vinegar, tomato, seasoned salt, oregano, green onion and parsley in a jar or bowl. Shake or blend well. Place salad greens in a large bowl and add the pita chips and dressing. Toss well and serve. Sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Makes 8 servings.

Corn and Blueberry Salad

6 ears fresh corn, husked and boiled, when cool cut corn from the cob

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 small cucumber, sliced (optional)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)

2 TBS lime juice

2 TBS olive oil

1 TBS honey

1/2 tsp ground cumin



In serving bowl combine cut corn, blueberries, cucumber, red onion, cilantro and jalapeno, (i omit the cucumber and jalapeno). For dressing, in screw top jar combine lime juice, oil, honey, cumin and salt to taste (i omit the salt). Cover and shake dressing, add to the salad and toss. cover and refrigerate overnight to let flavors blend. ONLY 152 calories!

Thai Beef Noodle Salad

2007 GOLDEN WHISK AWARDS
(Our top 10 recipes of the year)

In a "Fit to Eat" column touting the benefits of vitamin B-12, registered dietitian Chris Rosenbloom provides this recipe, which she notes is also a good source of vitamin B-6, zinc and selenium -- nutrients needed by older adults to enhance immune function.

Hands on time: 15 minutes  Total time: 2 hours and 45 minutes  Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 pound beef top round steak, cut 3/4 inch thick For the marinade: 6 tablespoons orange juice 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger 2 cloves minced garlic 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil 1 1/2 teaspoons chili paste 7 ounces uncooked spaghetti 2 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil, divided 1 cup shredded carrots 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1/8-inch strips 1/2 cup sliced green onions Salt and pepper, if desired 1/4 cup unsalted peanuts, chopped

Instructions:

Cut the steak lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1/8-inch strips. In a small bowl, combine juice, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame oil and chili paste. Place beef and 1/4 cup marinade in large plastic food bag; turn beef to coat. Close bag securely and marinate in refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours. Reserve remaining marinade for dressing.

Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain and place in serving bowl. Add reserved marinade and toss; set aside.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add carrots, bell pepper and green onions; stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove from skillet; add to noodles. Set aside to cool.

Remove beef from marinade; discard marinade. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in same skillet until hot. Add half the beef; stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes or until outside surface of beef is no longer pink. Remove from skillet; keep warm. Repeat with remaining beef. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Add beef to noodle mixture. Top with peanuts.

Notes:

Total recipe time includes one-hour plus of marinating time.

Tomato, Onion, & Cucumber Salad

Try giving everyone their own mason jar to give it a special shake - you know - interactive salad. Kids would love that!

4 medium tomatoes diced or sliced the way you want them
2 medium cucumbers, peeled & sliced
2 onions, sliced and separated into rings
2 Tbsp. Vinegar
1/4 c. Oil, I used Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. Sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. minced fresh parsley - or dried if that is all you have
Feta or blue cheese crumbles, optional

Set aside your cut up tomatoes, cucumbers & onions. In your bowl or mason jar, pour in the remaining ingredients and mix or shake. Throw in tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions into the jar with the mixture and toss around until mixed good. Marinate 2 hrs before serving. I ususally marinate one hour on the table at room temperature and one hour in the frig!



Here we go!

Steak Salad

6 oz filet mignon
3/4 cup vinaigrette
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
3 shakes hot sauce
3 cups mixed greens
1/2 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup cubed swiss cheese
4 strips crisp bacon, crumbled
1 scallion finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp chopped parsley

Char grill filet medium rare or to your liking, slice thin into bite size pieces. Combine vinaigrette, hot sauce and garlic -marinate meat in this mixture at least 30 minutes

Arrange greens in a salad bowl, top with mushrooms and cheese.
Place filet mignon in the middle.
Sprinkle with the crisp bacon, scallion and parsley
Use the reserved marinade to dress the salad

Serves 2 as an entree and 4 as a side

Chicken and Artichoke Salad

This recipe is from Linda Larsen

It's a salad not based on mayonnaise and it's very good! It's very easy to seed cucumbers. Just peel, then cut in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out all the seeds.

1 cup oil based Italian salad dressing
1 jar marinated artichoke hearts
1 16 ounce package rotini pasta
2 cups roasted chicken from the deli, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

Combine salad dressing and the entire contents of the artichoke hearts. Cook rotini as directed on package. Rinse briefly with cold water, drain and add to dressing-artichoke mixture. Stir in chicken, green pepper and cucumber. Chill well.

Serves 8

Tex-Mex Pasta Salad

This is a staple for summer bbq potlucks. It makes a large batch that holds well for two or three days. Serve with pickled jalapeño slices for people who like spicy food. Calories and salt intake can be shaved off by using low fat ingredients

SERVES 12 (change servings and units)
* 1 lb radiatore (short coiled pasta, uncooked)
* 2 teaspoons olive oil
* 3 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey or ground beef
* 2/3 cup water
* 1 1/4 ounces taco seasoning (I use recipe below)
* 2 cups Mexican blend cheese
* 2 cups chopped tomatoes, seeded
* 1 cup red bell pepper, chopped

* 1/2 cup green onion
* 1/2 cup sliced ripe olives (optional - I put them on the side)

* 1 (15 1/2 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
* 2 tablespoons lime juice
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon cumin
* 1 (8 ounce) sour cream
* salsa (optional)

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain; set aside.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add turkey; cook until browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in water and taco seasoning; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates and the turkey is done, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; cool slightly.

Combine pasta, turkey mixture, cheese, and next 6 ingredients (through beans) in a large bowl.

Combine lime juice, salt, cumin, and sour cream, stirring until well blended. Pour over pasta mixture; toss gently to coat. Serve with salsa, if desired.



Taco Seasoning Mix

1 package (change servings and units)

* 2 teaspoons instant onion, Minced
* 1 teaspoon chili powder
* 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper, Crushed
* 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
* 1/2 teaspoon instant garlic, Minced
* 1/2 teaspoon cumin, Ground


Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and blend well.

Spoon mixture onto a 6-inch square of aluminum foil and fold to make airtight. Label as Taco Seasoning Mix.

Store in a cool, dry place and use within 6 months.

Makes 1 package (about 2 T) of mix.

Using the above recipe as a guide you can increase the amounts to make any number of packages.

Taco Filling: Brown 1 lb lean ground beef in a medium skillet over medium-high
Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Makes filling for 8 to 10 tacos.

Super Easy Taco Salad Dinner

SERVES 8 -10 (change servings and units)

Change to: Servings US Metric

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

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• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 (1 1/4 ounce) envelope taco seasoning
  
• 1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
• 2 roma tomatoes, diced
• 6 green onions, chopped (I like more)
• 1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans or black beans, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can large black olives, sliced
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 (16 ounce) bottle Catalina dressing (I use Kraft) OR WISHBONE ITALIAN
  
• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) bag Doritos, plain crumbled in big chunks or limes, crumbled in big chunks

Brown ground beef, drain grease, adding taco seasoning and following directions on package. Chill. When ground beef is cold, place in a large bowl and add all remaining ingredients. Mix well and serve.

Spinach Pasta Salad

This is a different spinach salad........

* 1 (12 ounce) package farfalle pasta ( or linguine )- cooked and drained
* 10 ounces baby spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size piece
* 2 ounces crumbled feta cheese with basil and tomato
* 1 red onion, sliced
* 1 (15 ounce) can black olives, drained and chopped (optional)
* 1 cup Italian-style salad dressing ( Ken's Italian Salad Dressing w/Parmesan)
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 lemon, juiced
* 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
(Sun-dried tomatoes would also be GREAT!)


1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until al dente, rinse under cold water and drain.
2. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, spinach, cheese, red onion and olives.
3. Whisk together the salad dressing, garlic, lemon juice, garlic salt and pepper. Pour over salad and toss. Refrigerate for 2 hours and serve chilled.

Another Spinach Salad

* 1/4 cup diced red onion
* 2/3 cup white sugar
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
* 1 tablespoon mustard powder
* 1 cup vegetable oil
* 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
* 4 eggs
* 10 ounces fresh spinach - chopped, washed and dried
* 1 head anything but iceberg lettuce - rinsed, dried, and chopped
* 1/2 pound bacon - cooked and crumbled
* 1 1/2 cups crushed croutons
* 1 red onion, sliced in rings
(Feel free to throw in almonds, dried cranberries, cucumbers)

1. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover completely with cold water. Bring water to a boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the diced onion, sugar, black pepper, celery salt, mustard, vegetable oil, and vinegar. Whisk over high heat until all ingredients are well mixed and onions are translucent. Remove from heat and refrigerate until cool.
3. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, spinach, iceberg, bacon, croutons and onion rings. Toss together.
4. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat evenly.

Morning Glory Salad

1 medium head lettuce, shredded

1 banana, sliced

¾ cup raisins

¾ cup chopped walnuts

1 large apple, chopped
Vinaigrette

½ 6-ounce can orange juice concentrate, undiluted

½ cup salad oil

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1 teaspoon poppy seeds



* Combine lettuce, banana, raisins, walnuts and apple in serving dish.
* Whisk together vinaigrette ingredients.
* Pour vinaigrette over salad; toss and serve immediately.

From - For Goodness Taste, Junior League of Rochester, Inc., Rochester, NY, 1991.
(Junior League recipe books are fabulous!)

Cranberry Chicken Salad for Sandwiches or side dish

" Dried cranberries add a sweet tartness to chicken and vegetable salad. Make a delightful sandwich filling, too."

4 cups cubed, cooked chicken meat (rotisserie from grocery store)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
1 cup chopped celery

2 green onions, chopped
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
ground black pepper to taste

1. In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise with paprika and seasoned salt. Blend in dried cranberries, celery, bell pepper, onion, and nuts. Add chopped chicken, and mix well. Season with black pepper to taste. Chill 1 hour.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds - toasted
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Thinly sliced red onion (finely mince 1 TBSP of this for dressing)
• 10 ounces fresh spinach - rinsed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 quart strawberries - cleaned, hulled and sliced
• 1/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered
• Crumbled feta cheese -optional


1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Cover, and chill for one hour.

2.In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries and almonds. Pour dressing over salad, and toss. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
In the winter – substitute 2 cans of mandarin oranges instead of strawberries… and walnut pieces instead of almonds.

Lite Spinach Salad

Simple dressing of rice wine and olive oil. Simple salad of fresh spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms and hard-cooked eggs. Simply fabulous. Serves four.

Ingredients:

1 bunch fresh spinach - torn, washed and dried 10 fresh mushrooms, sliced 1 onion, thinly sliced 4 eggs

4 tomatoes, chopped sea salt to taste 1/3 cup olive oil 1/8 cup rice wine vinegar

Directions:

1.	Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.
2.	Combine the spinach, mushrooms, onion, eggs and tomatoes; toss together and sprinkle with salt.
3.	Whisk together the oil and vinegar. Pour over salad and toss to coat.