Layered Salad

Layered Salad

I don’t have a recipe for this.  I’ve been making it for years and just kind of throw it together.  And I don’t bother with putting it in a glass dish to show off the layers.  It tastes really good and serves 3 or 4 people.

2 heads Romaine, washed and chopped

1 hard-boiled egg, peeled and chopped

3 strips thick-sliced bacon, cooked until crisp and then diced

1 ripe Beefsteak tomato, diced

2 tablespoons minced Red Onion

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (+ some for top)

½ cup frozen green peas, thawed and drained

1 ½ cups mayonnaise

¼ cup sour cream

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Dash of Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

¾ teaspoon dried dill weed

In a bowl with a diameter of about 9-inches (and preferably with a lid) and at least 3 inches tall, layer the Romaine, the egg, bacon, tomato, onion, and Cheddar, ending with the peas.  Set aside.

Combine the remaining ingredients and whisk until combined.  Spoon over the salad and carefully spread over the top making sure the dressing touches the sides of the bowl all the way around.   Sprinkle with a little extra cheese.  Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

I usually make this the morning I plan to serve it but it keeps really well, so could easily be made the night before without getting soggy.   Over the years I’ve added corn kernels, sliced cucumber, sliced zucchini or yellow squash, chopped broccoli and/or cauliflower and shredded red cabbage.  And we loved all of them!  

Roast Beef and Cheese Salad

Roast Beef and Cheese Salad

3 heads baby romaine, chopped
3 tomatoes, diced
6 slices Colby-Jack cheese, diced
1 1/2 cups cubed, cooked, cold roast beef
1/2 cup French-fried onions, lightly crushed
3 Tbsp bacon bits
Croutons, if desired
Honey Mustard Dressing

Combine all ingredients except dressing and toss well.  Top with Honey Mustard Dressing just before serving.

Serves 3.

Tuna Shell Salad

Tuna Shell Salad

1 package (7 ounces) small pasta shells

1 can (6 ounces) light water-packed tuna, drained and flaked

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1 large carrot, shredded

3/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise

1/4 cup fat-free milk

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons prepared mustard

1 teaspoon dill weed

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold

water. In a salad bowl, combine the pasta, tuna, onion and carrot.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour over salad

and toss to coat. Cover and chill until serving. Yield: 5 servings.

This was OK...but I'm really not a huge fan or tuna or pasta salads, so who am I to judge?  John liked it! 6/20/05

From Taste of Home's Quick Cooking Magazine, May/June 2005 issue

Pea Salad

1-1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1-1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard

In a large bowl, combine the peas, cheese and onion. Stir in the

mayonnaise and mustard. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Yield:

2 servings.

Very good...but I'd add some sweet relish next time!  6/12/2006

From Taste of Home's Quick Cooking Magazine, May/June 2005 issue.

Ham & Egg Salad

Ham & Egg Salad

5-oz can Hormel Premium Smoked Ham
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped fine
2 tsp yellow mustard
2 tsp honey
2-3 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp minced celery

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir until well mixed.  Use to make sandwiches or as a spread for Ritz Crackers.  Yum!

Fruit Salad

Fruit Salad

1/2 pint blueberries
1 pint strawberries, diced
1 large ripe peach, peeled and diced
2 or 3 fresh pineapple rings, diced
2 Tbsp instant vanilla or cheesecake flavored pudding mix (dry)

Dice all the fruit about the size of the blueberries.  Sprinkle with dry pudding mix and stir well.  Serve immediately or cover and chill for an hour.

Yum!

Southern Pea Salad

1 (16 ounce) package frozen sweet peas, thawed and uncooked 

2 eggs, hard boiled and chopped

4 to 6 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled or 1 cup ham, cooked and chopped, optional

1/2 cup chopped green onion (could use regular onion)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (can use any kind of cheese)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon celery seeds or 1/2 cup celery, chopped

dash cayenne

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

Combine uncooked, thawed peas, eggs, bacon or ham or both, onion, cheese, pepper, salt, garlic powder, celery seeds or celery and cayenne in a salad bowl.  Mix in the mayonnaise and sour cream.  Place in refrigerator for a couple of hours. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

From http://thesouthernladycooks.com/2013/04/18/southern-pea-salad/.

I used bacon instead of the ham and celery seeds instead of celery.  My husband loved this and it looked lovely.  I should have loved it too, but for some reason, I didn't.  I guess my favorite will always be my Mom's Pea Salad, which is much simpler and more to my taste.  This was good, but I'll be sticking with Mom's from now on.  

Pineapple Chicken Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

Pineapple Chicken Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

2 heads romaine, washed and chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
2 Tbsp minced red onion
6 oz Boar's Head Lower Sodium Roasted Chicken Breast, cubed
8-oz can pineapple tidbits, drained
1/3 cup shredded cheddar
1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp honey, or to taste
Juice of 1/2 fresh lime
Grated rind of 1/2 fresh lime
1/2 tsp ground ginger

Combine mayonnaise, honey, lime rind and juice and the ginger.  Whisk until smooth and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Toss the romaine, carrot, onion, chicken breast, pineapple, cheddar and almonds.  Drizzle with Honey Lime Dressing and serve immediately.

Yum!

American Macaroni Salad

2 cups dry elbow macaroni, cooked, rinsed, and drained

1/3 cup diced celery

1/4 cup minced red onion, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes, drained

1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup diced vine-ripened tomato (optional)
1/2 cup prepared mayonnaise
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl combine the macaroni, celery, onion, parsley and tomato, if using. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, vinegar, sour cream and salt. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve. Store covered in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.

This tasted pretty good right after it was made, but don't make it ahead of time to serve later! It loses all it's flavor after it's refrigerated and becomes a bland, unappealing mess.  Blech!

From foodnetwork.com

Macaroni Salad

1 lb elbow macaroni, cooked, drained and rinsed with cold water
1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
4 oz ham steak, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2/3 to 1 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3-4 Tbsp sweet pickle relish
4 oz jar chopped pimentos, drained
Salt & Pepper to taste

Place the drained elbows, peas, egg, ham, celery, shallots and lemon juice in a large bowl and mix well.  I another bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, mustard, pickle relish, and pimientos.  Pour over elbow mixture and toss to coat.  Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours before serving. 

This is a really good pasta dish!  Adapted from a recipe found at http://blogchef.net/category/recipes/.

Carrot Salad

1 pkg shredded carrots
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
1 Tbsp sugar
Salt to taste
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Combine all ingredients until well mixed. Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours or until ready to serve.

BBQ Chicken BLT Salad

BBQ Chicken BLT Salad

1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 Tbsp barbecue sauce
1 tsp minced dehydrated onions
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp honey
1/4 tsp pepper
McCormick's Mesquite seasoning
Garlic powder
1 lb chicken tenderloins
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 bag salad greens, washed and spun dry
1 large tomato, diced
8 bacon strips, cooked crispy, drained and broken into pieces
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
French Fried Onions (or croutons), if desired

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, bbq sauce, onions, lemon juice, honey, pepper and a dash of McCormick's Mesquite seasoning. Whisk until well blended. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.

Season the chicken tenderloins with garlic powder, pepper and Mesquite seasoning. Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet and saute the chicken until completely and throroughly cooked. Remove from heat and let cool. Cut into bite-sized pieces.

Combine the salad greens, tomato, chicken chunks, bacon and eggs in a large bowl. Toss well and serve with the BBQ Dressing and a sprinkle of French Fried Onions.

Yum!

Catalina Taco Salad

Catalina Taco Salad

1 lb ground chuck
1 pkg low sodium taco seasoning mix
1 16 oz can chili beans
8 oz Catalina salad dressing
1 bag assorted salad greens
1 large tomato, chopped
Shredded Cheddar
Tortilla Chips
Sour Cream
Salsa

Brown and crumble ground chuck in a skillet over medium-medium high heat, stirring often. Add taco seasoning, chili beans and Catalina dressing and stir well. Simmer over low heat until all ingredients are hot.

Serve over salad greens with tomatoes, Cheddar, tortilla chips, sour cream and salsa.

This was good, but a tad sweet for my taste...John liked it better than I did. I'd rather have spicy taco meat personally.

Adapted from Taco Salad I at allrecipes.com

THE Pasta Salad

THE Pasta Salad. My Way

16 oz pkg Rotini pasta, cooked to al dente, drained and cooled
3 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
10 oz pkg frozen peas, thawed and drained
1/2 lb Boar's Head Black Pepper Ham, cut into thin strips
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (your choice)
8-oz Sweet Salad Cubes
2 tbsp minced dehydrated onions
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup Ranch dressing
2 tsp yellow mustard
2 tsp hot sauce
2 tsp paprika

In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta, chopped eggs, peas, ham, cheese, and salad cubes until combined. In a smaller bowl combine the dehydrated onions, mayo, sour cream, Ranch dressing, mustard, hot sauce and paprika and stir until well blended. Pour over the pasta mixture and stir until well mixed and pasta is thoroughly coated. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Stir before serving...if too dry, add a little milk and stir until combined.

Inspired by recipe at allrecipes.com....Original called for Swiss cheese, which I didn't have. I used half shredded Colby and half Cheddar-Jack, but I'm betting the Swiss would be the best. This was good with Fried Chicken.

Bacon Swiss Salad

3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp minced roasted garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 pkg mixed salad greens
1 large ripe tomato, chopped
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup Fresh Gourmet Crispy Onions (french fried onions)

Combine the frist 5 ingredients in a salad cruet, shake until well combined and refrigerate until ready to serve. Combine the greens, tomato, bacon, swiss and crispy onions. Shake the dressing and serve with the salad. Adapted from allrecipe.com's "That Good Salad".

OK...the dressing was some of the NASTIEST stuff I've ever tried on a salad. Thankfully, I tried it before I ruined my salad with it. I was going to use bottled dressing, but John said he could "fix it". He added apple cider vinegar, honey and some Blackberry Brandy which definitely improved the flavor.

The actual salad was very good, but I'll use another dressing next time. I really loved those Crispy Onions in it!

Baja Chicken Salad with Taco Vinaigrette

Baja Chicken Salad with Taco Vinaigrette

1-oz pkg Old El Paso taco seasoning mix
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup cider vinegar
8-12 frozen chicken breast tenderloins
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 pkg mixed salad greens
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
3 Tbsp sliced ripe olives
1x3" chunk pepperjack cheese, diced
1/2 cup shredded cheddar-jack cheese
1/3 cup sour cream
Tortilla chips

In a cruet (or a small bowl) combine the taco seasoning, brown sugar, 1/2 cup olive oil and cider vinegar. Shake (or stir) until well mixed. Pour 1/2 cup dressing over the frozen chicken and allow to thaw and marinate overnight. Reserve remaining dressing.

Heat 1-2 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. With slotted spoon, remove chicken from marinade (discard marinade)and cook in the hot skillet about 5 minutes or until chicken is completely cooked. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels until cool.

In a large bowl, combine greens, tomatoes, olives, chicken and cheeses. Add reserved dressing and sour cream and toss to coat. Serve with chips.

Really good salad! I'll be making this again!! Adapted from Pat Harmon's recipe from the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest #40, 2002.

Turkey Salad

Turkey Salad

6 cups chopped, cooked turkey
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/3 cup minced celery
8 oz crushed pineapple, drained
2 tbsp honey
4 tbsp yellow mustard
1 cup mayonnaise
Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to blend flavors. Serve on a bed of lettuce or on sandwich rolls or bread.

I love this salad! It can also be made with chicken. I like it with chopped pecans or chopped smoked almonds. You can also substitute bbq sauce for the mustard if you wish.

Spicy Fried Chicken Salad

Spicy Fried Chicken Salad

1 cup flour
Garlic Salt and Pepper
1 tsp Montreal Chicken Seasoning
1 tsp paprika
4 boneless skineless chicken breast cutlets
5 tbsp melted butter
1 tbsp tabasco sauce
1 tbsp Louisiana Hot Sauce
Oil for Frying
Bag of Salad
Sliced celery
Crumbled Blue Cheese
Ranch Dressing

Combine flour, garlic salt, pepper, Montreal seasoning, and paprika and mix well. Dip the chicken in the flour mixture and set aside. Combine the butter, tabasco and hot sauce. Dip the coated chicken in the butter mixture then back into the flour mixture. Fry until done and crispy on both sides. Slice and serve over salad with celery, blue cheese and Ranch dressing.

Very good....but not spicy enough in my opinion.

Chili-Rice Salad

Chili-Rice Salad

Hot, cooked rice
Hot, leftover cooked chili
shredded lettuce
chopped tomatoes
corn chips
shredded cheddar
sour cream

Place a mound of rice on your plate and cover with hot chili, lettuce, tomatoes, corn chips, cheese and sour cream. Eat up.

Love it! John adds chopped onion to his.

Ranch Chicken & BLT Salad

Ranch Chicken & BLT Salad

8-10 chicken tenderloins
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tbsp taco seasoning
1 tbsp ranch dressing mix
4-5 sliced thick cut bacon
1 bag salad greens
2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup cubed cheddar jack cheese
Croutons
Ranch Dressing

Combine the olive oil, taco seasoning and ranch dressing mix. Pour over chicken tenderloins and let marinate in the refrigerator overnight. Cook the bacon until crispy and brown and remove to a paper towel lined plate to cool. Drain the chicken tenders and cook them in 2 tbsp bacon drippings unti completely done. Remove the chicken to a paper towel lined plate and let cool.

Wash and spin the salad greens. Combine with the tomatoes, cheese, croutons, crumbled bacon and chicken tenders. Drizzle Ranch Dressing over all and serve immediately.

Yummy good salad!