Beet Salad

Cooked:

beets
potatoes
carrots
broccoli
corn
shredded chicken (optional)

Uncooked:
celery
spinach

-Season with salt, pepper, cumin, lime juice and mayo (optional).

Delicious Salad

Equal parts romaine and red leaf (1 large handful per person)

Grape tomatoes (I quarter them)
Toasted Pine nuts
Dried cranberries (when they're in season, I use pomegranate seeds instead)
Feta cheese
Red onion, diced
Croutons (if there's an Herb crouton option, I use that, otherwise I try to get a plain buttered crouton, something without a lot of extra flavors, it's there for the crunch)

Vinaigrette

1/2 cup canola oil
5 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp Black pepper to taste

I vinaigrette in a tupperware, shake it up, put it in fridge for a few hours so the flavors can combine, then pour over the salad and toss.

For 10 people: big head of romaine, 2 heads of red leaf, and a double recipe of the vinaigrette

Recipe from a friend

Arugula, Dried Cherry, and Wild Rice Salad

Mexican Street Corn Salad with Avocado

Asian Salad

1 bag broccoli slaw

1 bag cabbage slaw

cut green onion

peanuts roasted and chopped

Kraft asian toasted sesame dressing

Spinach Salad and Dressing

Salad
2 bunches spinach or 1 package
1/2 lb bacon cooked and crumbled
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup toasted almonds
5 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1 can sliced water chestnuts
1 cup bean sprouts

Dressing
1/2 cup sugar
1 pint cottage cheese
1 TB poppy seed
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp dry mustard
Salt and Pepper to taste
Mix in blender

Gourmet Autumn Salad

Gourmet Autumn Salad

1 lg. bag spring mix

2 heads romaine lettuce

1 bag baby spinach

Fresh fruit:  choose from

2 large granny smith green apples (diced fine and dipped in Lemon)

or use red and green pears

or use seeded oranges and ruby red grapefruit (de-veined)

2 avocados (sliced)

1 bag craisins

Walnuts (candied in carmelized white sugar)

2 red onions (sliced very fine)

Poppyseed Dressing

1/2 c sugar

1 t dry mustard

1 t salt

1 t paprika

(grated red onion) not too much

1/3 c red wine vinegar

3/4 c salad oil

1 T poppy seed

(optional: red food coloring)

Brazilian Chicken Salad (Salpicao de Frango)

Easy to make and very tasty. Serve over rice and top with shoestring potatoes.

Ingredients:
2-3 lbs chicken breast, poached, cooled and shredded.
2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
2 cups frozen corn kernels, defrosted
2 cups carrots, diced, cooked and cooled.
2 apples, peeled, cored and diced small (Gala or Fuji)
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups mayo
1/2-1 cup raisins
1/2 cup sliced stuffed green olives (opt.)
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:
Toss chicken, vegetables, apples, raisins and olives in serving bowl. Add mayo and combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.
I doubled the veggies in this recipe and only slightly increased the mayo. Add mayo to whatever consistency you like.

Bowtie Pasta Salad (From Brooke S.)

16 oz bow tie pasta cooked and cooled
1 bag baby spinach leaves
1 red bell pepper sliced
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 large can mandarin oranges drained
2 cooked seasoned chicken breasts chopped (omit this if you want vegetarian)
1/2 cup sugared pecans
Poppy seed dressing

Lightly mix ingredients together in salad bowl.

Poppy seed dressing1 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 c sugar
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp mustard
1 TB minced onion
1 TB poppy seed
Blend ingredients together in a blender or food processor for 2 minutes.  Dressing will be thick.

Sugared pecans1 cup pecans
1 TB orange juice
3 TB sugar

Heat the juice and 2 TB of sugar in small fry pan.  Add the nuts and stir gently for 2 minutes until the juice is absorbed.  Transfer to small bowl.  Add the rest of the sugar.  Spread nuts on foil on cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 for 8 minutes.  Cool and store in fridge.

Ensalada Rusa (Russian Salad or beet salad)

Ingredients:

• 2 small beets or 1 big beet, cooked, peeled and diced
• 3 medium potatoes, cooked, peeled and diced
• 2 carrots , cooked, peeled and diced
• 1/2 lb of corn
• 1 lb of broccoli or less
• 2 stalks of celery finely chop
• 1 chicken breast, cooked and diced - optional
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Dash of cumin
• Juice of 1 lime or lemon
• 1/3 cup Mayonnaise
• Parsley to garnish - optional

Preparation:

I usually cook the beets, potatoes and carrots together in a small amount of water (maybe 1 inch from bottom to top). The carrots will cook first, then the potatoes and last the beets. In another pot I cook the chicken, and when the chicken is semi cooked I will add the corn and broccoli. In a big bowl mix all ingredients, I sometimes do not feel like eating chicken and the salad still tastes great. I most of the time put mayonnaise in my salad because I like mayonnaise a lot but if you don't want to use mayonnaise you could replace it by using the juice of two lemons or limes instead of one. I accompany this salad with white plain rice. Makes about 5 servings.

macaroni salad (from ruth)

4 cups uncooked elbo macaroni
1 cup mayo
1/4 c white vinegar
2/3 c sugar
2 1/2 tbs mustard
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 small purple onion chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup carrots, chopped
2 tbs chipped pimiento peppers (no thanks)

Cook noodles. Rinse under cold water. In large bowl mix mayo, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. stir in onion, celery green pepper, carrot, minentos and macaroni. refrigerate 4+ hours.

Ceasar Salad with homemade dressing (Jeff Turley's recipe)

2 hard boiled eggs

1/3 cup olive oil

3 Tbsp lemon juice (1 lemon)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 garlic clove

pepper

dash of nutmeg

2 heads romaine lettuce, cut to eating size

parmesan cheese

croutons

Blend eggs, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, dijon, garlic, pepper and nutmeg in a blender. Stir into romaine lettuce. Grate parmesan cheese on top and add croutons.

Easy Spinach Salad

Ingredients:
-Fresh Spinach leaves
-goat or feta cheese, crumbled (try the goat cheese if you never have, it's delicious)
-strawberries, chopped or blueberries (etc.)
-walnuts/pecans (plus sugar)
-raspberry or strawberry vinaigrette

Directions:
NUTS
In saucepan, saute nuts for a few minutes on medium high. Just barely allow to "toast". (You can do this in the oven, but the stove top is much faster and just as good). Pour sugar on top of nuts and mix constantly, until sugar melts completely. Do not allow sugar to brown. (You can take nuts off heat and finish stirring if needed to prevent burning.) Spread nuts onto plate and allow to cool. I like to sprinkle a little bit of salt on top of the hot nuts.
SALAD
Mix together all ingredients in large bowl. Only mix as much as you will eat because the salad dressing will cause the spinach to wilt overnight. Mixing salad beforehand in large bowl allows all the flavors to blend nicely before serving.

Portable Taco or Chili Salad

Chili Salad:
Individual bag of frito corn chips (frito corn chips or doritos)
chili and cheese and any other toppings you want

Taco Salad:
Individual bag of chips- frito corn chips or doritos
taco meat
beans
rice
lettuce
tomatoes
sour cream
salsa (or ketchup if you are me)

Directions:
Crush the chips then add ingredients. Close bag and shake it up then serve with a fork. Yum!

Candied Pecan Salad

Baby Spinach
strawberries, diced or craisins
pears, diced
feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup slightly chopped pecans
1/4 cup sugar
poppy seed dressing

Combine pecans and sugar in medium skillet over medium heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon (so it doesn't melt!). After a few minutes, the sugar will liquify. Pay close attention. At this point stir to cover walnuts with the sugar coating. The syrup will begin to darken and will coat the nuts. When they reach a golden brown color, remove from heat and continue to stir for a couple minutes as they cool a bit. Spread candied nuts onto a piece of parchment or wax paper or a cookie sheet. Cool completely.

Combine all ingredients together and enjoy!

P.F. Chang's Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons oil
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or ground chicken)
• 1 cup water chestnut
• 2/3 cup mushroom
• 3 tablespoons chopped onions
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 4 -5 leaves iceberg lettuce

Special Sauce

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon hot mustard (optional)
• 2 teaspoons HOT water (optional)
• 1 -2 teaspoon garlic and red chile paste (optional)

Stir Fry Sauce

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

Directions: ** you might want to use a food processor to speed things along!

1. 1 Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl.
2. 2 Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil.
3. 3 Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to serve.
4. 4 Combine the hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside as well.
5. 5 Eventually add your desired measurement of mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to pour over the wraps.
6. 6 Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan.
7. 7 Saute chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or done.
8. 8 Remove chicken from the pan and cool.
9. 9 Keep oil in the pan, keep hot.
10. 10 As chicken cools mince water chestnuts and mushrooms to about the size of small peas.
11. 11 Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.
12. 12 When chicken is cool, mince it as the mushrooms and water chestnuts are.
13. 13 With the pan still on high heat, add another Tbsp of vegetable oil.
14. 14 Add chicken, garlic, onions, water chestnuts and mushrooms to the pan.
15. 15 Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple minutes then serve it in the lettuce"cups".
16. 16 Top with"Special Sauce".

Tuna Delight

Ingredients:
1/2 onion, sliced thinly
1 can tuna, drained
1 tomato, diced
juice of 1 large lime, or 2 small limes (or lemons)
salt to taste

Directions:
Combine all ingredients. Serve with rice, potatoes, any cooked legumes or in a sandwich.

Recipe by Lucia

Chicken Salad with grapes and slivered almonds

Ingredients:
-2 large cans chicken (or 3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded)
-1/4 cup chopped green onions (opt)
-1 cup grapes (quartered), may use apples
-1/2 cup Craisins
-1/2 cup mayonnaise
-1/4 cup Ranch dressing
-1/2 cup (toasted) slivered almonds

Directions:
Combine ingredients. Can be used as a sandwich spread and is great on croissants.

Recipe by Lucia

Quinoa Salad

Just fun facts: Quinoa is highly nutritious. It contain all the essential amino acids, making it a complete protein.Quinoa is sold at many health food stores in bulk.

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 tsp salt

oil

1 chopped cucumber
1 chopped tomato

1 chopped yellow pepper

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/4-1/2 cup walnuts (I like to use candied walnuts. See below)

1/4 cup olive oil

3 Tbs lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

-Soak quinoa for 15 minutes in a medium size pot. Rinse several times. Add water, oil and salt to pot. Bring to full boil. Cover and let boil 1 minutes. Turn down heat very low and let cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit 5 minutes with lid on. Fluff with fork. Cool.

In a large bowl mix together quinoa, veggies and nuts. Combine olive oil and lemon juice to make dressing. Add to salad. Mix. Add salt and pepper to taste.

-Quinoa can be cooked and refrigerated ahead of time if desired.

-Easy Candied walnuts: cook some nuts in small pan on medium for a few minutes (faster than in the oven). Remove. Add some sugar to pan and melt it. Add the nuts, mix and then lay them as separately as possible on greased wax paper that is sitting on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle on some salt.

Smokey Orange Chicken Thai Salad

Ingredients:

1 recipe Smokey Orange Chicken

4 cups chopped romaine lettuce

1 cup diced cucumber

1 cup diced tomato

1/2 cup chopped scallions

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts

Directions:

Using a fork, pull chicken meat from bone in shreds. Place lettuce in a large bowl (or divide onto individual dishes). Top lettuce with chicken, cucumber, tomato, and scallions.In a small bowl, whisk together broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, and sesame oil. Pour mixture over salad. Top with peanuts just before serving.