Summertime Fruit Salad

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
• 3 medium peaches, thinly sliced (I peeled mine, but if you don’t mind the skin, you can leave it on)
• 6 ounces (1 cup) blueberries
• 1 heaping tablespoon fresh, chopped basil or mint
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 medium lemon)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Instructions

1. In a medium serving bowl, combine the strawberries, peaches, blueberries and basil. Drizzle the lemon juice, maple syrup and balsamic vinegar on top. Gently toss to combine.
2. Serve immediately, or chill for later. This salad is best enjoyed promptly, but will keep well for about 2 days in the refrigerator (pour off excess juices if necessary).

Cranberry Spinach Salad

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered
• 1 pound spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons minced onion
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook and stir almonds in butter until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and let cool.
2. In a large bowl, combine the spinach with the toasted almonds and cranberries.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, onion, paprika, white wine vinegar, cider vinegar, and vegetable oil. Toss with spinach just before serving.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 338 | Total Fat: 23.5g | Cholesterol: 4mgPowered by ESHA Nutrient Database

Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans

"This recipe was inspired by a favorite dish served at the former Sweetbriar restaurant in Gadsden, Alabama," says reader Linda Banning. Serve it with assorted crackers and grapes for a filling lunch or a delicious brunch contribution.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
1/2 cup light or regular mayonnaise
1/2 cup light or regular sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds skinned and boned chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
3 cups red and white seedless grapes, halved
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Lettuce leaves (optional)

Preparation
1. Stir together 1/2 cup mayonnaise and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Add chopped chicken and grapes, tossing gently to coat. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Stir in pecans just before serving. Serve in stemware lined with lettuce leaves, if desired.

Linda Banning, Decatur, Alabama, Southern Living, AUGUST 2006

BBQ Chicken and Strawberry Salad

Ingredients
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves
(1 lb.) 1/2 cup KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce
1 pkg. (10 oz.) mixed salad greens
2 cups fresh strawberries, cut in half
1/2 cup sliced red onions
1/2 cup KRAFT Light Ranch Dressing

Directions

HEAT greased grill to medium-high heat.

GRILL chicken 10 min. on each side or until done (170F), turning and brushing occasionally with barbecue sauce. Cut into strips.

COVER plate with greens; top with berries, onions and chicken.

TOP with dressing.

NotesKraft Kitchens Tips:

Substitute - Substitute blueberries or blackberries for the halved strawberries.

Special Extra - Brush French bread slices with KRAFT Tuscan House Italian Dressing and Marinade. Add to grill for the last few minutes of the chicken grilling time. Grill until toasted on both sides. Serve with the salad.

Broccoli Salad

Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen

Ingredients:

1 head broccoli

6 to 8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup raisins, optional

8 ounces sharp Cheddar, cut into very small chunks 1 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions: Trim off the large leaves from the broccoli stem. Remove the tough stalk at the end and wash broccoli head thoroughly. Cut the head into flowerets and the stem into bite-size pieces. Place in a large bowl. Add the crumbled bacon, onion, raisins if using, and cheese. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, stirring well. Add to broccoli mixture and toss gently.

Old-Fashioned Potato Salad

Ingredients

1 cup water
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup vinegar
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
4 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
3 stalks celery, diced
3/4 cup salad dressing
3/4 cup heavy cream, whipped
6 lbs red potatoes, peeled,cooked and diced
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1/4 cup green onion, sliced
1/2 teaspoon pepper
salt
diced green pepper (optional)
paprika (to garnish)

Directions:

In top of a double boiler over boiling water, heat water, butter and vinegar. In bowl, beat eggs, add sugar and cornstarch. Add to butter mixture, cook and stir constantly until thick, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool.

Stir in the salad dressing and fold in the whipped cream. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes, onions and green onions, celery, green pepper if using, salt and pepper. Pour dressing over, toss and mix gently. Chill. Garnish with sliced hard cooked eggs and paprika.

Sunny Broccoli Pasta Salad

INGREDIENTS

Dressing

1/2 cup light mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Salad

5 oz. (1 1/2 cups) uncooked pasta nuggets (radiatore)
8 slices bacon
2 cups small broccoli florets
1 cup small cauliflower florets
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup golden raisins
3 tablespoons shelled sunflower seeds

DIRECTIONS

1. In small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients; blend with wire whisk until smooth. Refrigerate while cooking pasta.

2. Cook pasta to desired doneness as directed on package. Drain; rinse with cold water to cool. Drain well.

3. Meanwhile, cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon.

4. In large bowl, combine cooked pasta, bacon and all remaining salad ingredients. Pour dressing over salad; toss gently to coat. Cover; refrigerate at least 30 minutes to blend flavors.

Taco Salad

Ingredients:

1 head of lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 pound ground beef
1 taco seasoning packet
2 medium tomatoes, diced
2 medium sweet onions, diced
8 oz. shredded yellow cheddar cheese
1 13-oz. bag of nacho cheese-flavored tortilla chips
1/4 c. white vinegar
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1/3 c. ketchup
1/4 c. sugar
1 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1 pinch of salt
1 dash of pepper

Preparation:

1. In a blender, mix vinegar, vegetable oil, ketchup, sugar, one diced onion, worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.

2. When mixture is smooth, pour into a sealable container and refrigerate for at least one hour

Fruit and Cheese Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups sliced strawberries
2 cups cubed cantaloupe
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries
2 cups cubed Havarti cheese
1/3 cup orange juice
2 Tbsp. oil
2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. chopped basil leaves

Preparation:

Combine fruit and cheese in large bowl. Mix together orange juice, oil, honey, and basil in a small jar with tight fitting lid. Shake vigorously to combine. Pour over fruit and cheese and toss. 6 servings

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups finely crushed pretzels
1/2 cup sugar, divided
2/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1-1/2 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. milk
1 cup thawed whipped topping
2 cups boiling water
1 pkg. (8-serving size) strawberry gelatin
1-1/2 cups cold water
1 qt. (4 cups) strawberries, sliced

Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix pretzel crumbs, 1/4 cup of the sugar and the butter. Press onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking pan. Bake 10 min. Cool.

Beat cream cheese, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the milk until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spread over crust. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Meanwhile, stir boiling water into dry gelatin mix in large bowl at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in cold water. Refrigerate 1-1/2 hours or until thickened (spoon drawn through leaves definite impression). Stir in strawberries. Spoon over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm. Cut into squares to serve. Store leftovers in refrigerator

Spinach Salad with Sugared Walnuts and Pears

Last night, for our anniversary, we ate at the Bayard House. I ordered the spinach salad, and it was incredible! The ingredients in this recipe look very similar to the salad I had last night. Give it a try, it was delicious!

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh raspberries
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 (6 ounce) package fresh baby spinach
1 small red onion, thinly sliced, pulled into rings
1 pear, sliced thinly
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring raspberries and sugar to a boil. Cook for 1 minute. Strain and discard pulp. In a blender, combine the raspberry juice, oil, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce if desired; covered and process until smooth.

In a salad bowl, combine the spinach, onion, cheese and walnuts. Drizzle with desired amount of dressing; toss to coat. Refrigerate any remaining dressing.

Taco Salad

Marge, I thought you might want to try this recipe. It is made with ground turkey and low fat ingredients.

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground turkey

1 envelope (1.25 ounces) taco seasoning mix

3/4 cup water

4 prepackaged tortilla bowls*

1 can (16 ounces) fat-free refried beans

1 package (12 ounces) mixed salad greens (about 8 cups)

2 green onions, chopped

2 small tomatoes, chopped

1 can (2.25 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained

1 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese

Bottled salsa for garnish (optional)

Reduced fat sour cream for garnish (optional)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook ground chicken 8 to 10 minutes, or until meat is no longer pink, breaking up meat into crumbles. Stir in taco seasoning mix and water. Cook, stirring occasionally until most of liquid is absorbed. Drain.
Meanwhile, bake tortilla bowls for 3 to 5 minutes until golden. Warm refried beans in microwave or heat on stove until heated through.

In a large bowl, combine salad greens, green onions, tomatoes and olives.
Spoon refried beans then salad greens evenly into tortilla bowls. Top with cooked chicken mixture and cheese. Serve with salsa and sour cream, if desired.

Note: Prepackaged tortilla bowls can be found in the Mexican foods section of the grocery store.

To make your own tortilla bowls: Lightly brush four 9 or 10-inch flour tortillas with a small amount of cooking oil, or spray nonstick coating onto 1 side of each tortilla. Spray nonstick coating into four taco salad molds or small oven-safe bowls.

Press tortillas, coated sides up, into molds or bowls. Place a ball of foil in each tortilla cup.
Bake in a 350° F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until light brown. Remove the foil. Cool. Remove tortilla bowls from the molds.

Sonoma Chicken Salad

A classic selection, this salad is loved nationwide. Tender chicken breast, crunchy pecans and the juicy burst of sweet ripe grapes are a winning combination. A honey-sweetened mayonnaise dressing accented with poppy seeds adds the finishing touch.

Serves 6

Dressing
1 cup mayonnaise
4 tsp apple cider vinegar
5 tsp honey
2 tsp poppy seeds
sea salt, to taste
ground pepper, to taste

Salad
2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup pecan pieces, toasted
2 cups red seedless grapes
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, quartered
Mixed Greens
Romaine Lettuce
Dried cranberries

Directions: Prepare the dressing by thoroughly mixing together all dressing ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to dress the salad. (Can be prepared up to 2 days ahead.)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place the chicken breasts in one layer in a baking dish with 1/2 cup water. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes until completely cooked through. Remove cooked chicken breasts from baking pan, cool at room temperature for 10 minutes, then cover and refrigerate.

When the breasts are completely chilled (at least 2 hours refrigerated), slice and layer over salad mixture of pecans, mixed greens, romaine lettuce, dried cranberries, grapes, and celery. Serve dressing on the side.

Spinach Salad

Costco has fresh strawberries and bags of fresh spinach this week. Might be a good time to give this recipe a try!

Ingredients:
2 bunches spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
4 cups sliced strawberries
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Directions:

In a large bowl, toss together the spinach and strawberries. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, paprika, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds. Pour over the spinach and strawberries, and toss to coat.

Grilled Chicken Salad

SUBMITTED BY: Karena "Both beautiful in presentation and taste, this salad uses fresh berries in summer (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries), and orange slices in winter. Anytime of year this composed salad will bring rave reviews."

Ingredients:

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup pecans
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 onion, minced
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 heads Bibb lettuce - rinsed, dried and torn
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

Directions: Preheat the grill for high heat.

Lightly oil the grill grate.Grill chicken 8 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear. Remove from heat, cool, and slice.

Meanwhile, place pecans in a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Cook pecans until fragrant, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.

In a blender, combine the red wine vinegar, sugar, vegetable oil, onion, mustard, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth.

Arrange lettuce on serving plates. Top with grilled chicken slices, strawberries, and pecans. Drizzle with the dressing to serve.

Pasta Antipasto Salad

(Tammy loves this salad. I usually add mozzarella, cheddar cheese and chunks of ham, too.)



Ingredients:

1 pound shell, bowtie, rotini or elbow macaroni pasta
1/4 pound Genoa salami, chopped
1/4 pound pepperoni, chopped
1/2 pound Asiago or Italian sharp cheese, diced
1 (6 ounce) can black olives, drained and chopped 1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 (.6 ounce) Italian dressing mix (Good Seasons)
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
salt
ground black pepper

Directions:

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and cool under cold water. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, salami, pepperoni, cheese, black olives, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and tomatoes. Sprinkle on the envelope of powdered dressing, mix thoroughly and refrigerate salad. To prepare the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, parsley, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Just before serving, pour dressing over the salad and mix well. Serves/makes 6

Grandma Bliss' Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
evaporated milk
2 large cucumbers, peeled and sliced.


Directions:

Mix mayonnaise, sugar and salt. Add enough milk to make thick sauce consistency. Add sliced cucumbers. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes before serving.

Broccoli Salad

Courtesy of Paula Deen

















1 head broccoli
6 to 8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup raisins, optional
8 ounces sharp Cheddar, cut into very small chunks 1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper


Trim off the large leaves from the broccoli stem. Remove the tough stalk at the end and wash broccoli head thoroughly. Cut the head into flowerets and the stem into bite-size pieces. Place in a large bowl. Add the crumbled bacon, onion, raisins if using, and cheese. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, stirring well. Add to broccoli mixture and toss gently.

Seven-Layer Salad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

6 cups shredded lettuce
2 cups chopped tomatoes
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
10 ounces frozen peas, thawed and drained
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup red onion, sliced into rings
2 cups Miracle Whip Salad Dressing
2 slices bacon, optional

Directions:

Layer lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, peas, cheese and onions in 2-quart serving bowl. Spread dressing over onions, sealing to edge of bowl; cover. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Garnish with crisply cooked bacon slices, crumbled, and additional cheddar cheese, if desired. Serving Size: 8