Terrific Salad Tips & Tricks
How to Keep a Salad COLD
When you make large bowls of potato salad or any other kind of salad that has to be kept cold, here's a neat tip.
Take a small SEALABLE tupperware type bowl (cereal bowl size)fill it with water, seal and freeze.
Now put it in the bottom of bowl you are going to serve the potatosalad in. Then pile potato salad on top and it will keep the salad cold and safe to eat.
You can put the salad bowl into another larger bowl that is filled with crushed ice.
How to Make a Salad Look BIGGER
Here is a serving trick. When you have a big bowl and not really enough salad
to make a really full looking bowl take a dinner plate (or what ever size will
fit in the bottom of the bowl) invert the plate in the bottom of the bowl and pile
the salad on top of that. The result will be a full bowl of salad with a nicely
rounded top.
How to Make a Tossed Salad the day before and keep it FRESH
This is ideal if you are serving a big group and don't have the time
to make a fresh salad. Make the salad the day before and then place
the salad into buckets with lids or big bowl and completely cover the
salad with water. Store in the fridge. Drain well before serving.
Salad will be fresh and crisp the next day.
USE: -lettuce, cukes, radishes, cabbage, green onions, celery,
broccoli, cauliflower, green or red peppers, carrots, red cabbage.
DO NOT USE : TOMATOES...add those
just before serving.
SLAWS
KFC Coleslaw
1 head cabbage, shredded
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup carrots, shredded
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup milk
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
2 drops Tabasco sauce
3 Tablespoons dry minced onions
1. Slice cabbage paper thin, and toss lightly with sugar and shredded carrots.
2. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour milk over all. Cover and refrigerate for about 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine mayonnaise (not salad dressing), buttermilk, celery seed, Tabasco and minced onion.
4. Mix well with cabbage mixture.
5. Refrigerate again at least an hour before serving.
SALAD DRESSINGS
Thousand Island Dressing
1 cup Mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped Fresh Parsley
2 tablespoons Chili Sauce or Ketchup
1 teaspoon finely chopped Onion
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1 Hard-Cooked Egg, finely chopped
Mix all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate any remaining dressing.
Blue Cheese Bacon Dressing
1 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup Sour Cream
5 to 6 tablespoons Milk
1 tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp. White Pepper
1 cup crumbled Blue Cheese
1/4 cup crumbled cooked Bacon
1/4 cup minced Chives
In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic powder and pepper until blended.Stir in the blue cheese, bacon and chives. Cover and store in the refrigerator.
Yield: 2 cups
Hot Bacon Vinaigrette Dressing
2 tablespoons Bacon Fat
1/4 pound Red Onion, diced fine
2 cups Water
1/2 cup Honey
1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons Cornstarch
1. Heat bacon fat over medium-high heat in small saucepan.
2. Saute onions until they are well browned.
3. Add water, honey, red wine and vinegar to large mixing bowl. Whisk ingredients well.
4. Add cornstarch and whisk to blend in.
5. Add Dijon mustard to onions and stir well with wooden spoon.
6. Add honey mixture to onions. Stir constantly until mixture boils.
7. Cool slightly and serve.
Olive Garden Salad Dressing 1
Chill one salad bowl in freezer for at least 30 minutes. Place bag of salad in bowl. Place on top of lettuce red onion, black olives, banana peppers, tomatoes, and croutons. Add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese if you like, and add plenty of Olive Garden Salad Dressing on top.
Olive Garden Salad Dressing 2
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/3 cup White Vinegar
1 tsp. Vegetable Oil
2 Tbsp. Corn Syrup
2 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese
2 Tbsp. Romano Cheese
1/4 tsp. Garlic Salt - or one clove garlic minced
1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp. Parsley Flakes
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
Sugar (optional)
Mix all ingredients in a blender until well mixed. If this is a little to tart for your own personal tastes please add a little extra sugar.
Seafood Salad Dressing
1 qt Mayonnaise
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. Louisiana hot sauce
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp. mustard
2 Tbsp. ketchup, or a little more to taste
Combine all ingredients. Great for a shrimp and pasta salad.
Mix salad and store overnight. Reserve some of the dressing to mix into
salad just before serving to moisten salad. This salad dressing
would be enough for a salad that serves 25-30 people.
(suggestion - make a salad with macaroni, shrimp, celery, gr. onions,
hard boiled eggs, fresh parsley)
Parmesan-Peppercorn Dressing
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground or cracked pepper
1/4 cup milk
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a wire whisk until smooth.
Cover and chill.
GELATIN SALADS
Orange Fluff
(11 ounce) cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 (15 ounce) can crushed pineapple
1 pound cottage cheese
2 (3 ounce) packages orange flavored gelatin mix
1 (16 ounce) package frozen whipped topping, thawed
Combine the well drained oranges and pineapple in a large bowl and mix together with the cottage cheese. Add the dry orange flavored gelatin powder and stir until well blended. Fold in the thawed frozen whipped topping and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Easy Ambrosia Salad
---
4 tubs of cool whip
7 cans of mandarin oranges,
4 large cans of pineapple chunks, 19 oz. ea.
1 1/2 bags of sweet coconut
2 bags of white marshmallows
Drain the fruit very well, overnight or even longer. When fruit
is well drained, combine with other ingredients, this can be made 1 day ahead.
This recipe make one LARGE bowl full and was used as part of a wedding
buffet for 120 people, it was well liked.
VEGETABLE SALADS
Old-Fashioned Potato Salad
6 medium potatoes, peeled (2 pounds)
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/2 tsp cider vinegar
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 medium celery stalks, chopped (1 cup)
4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
3 tsp sweet relish
Heat 1 inch water (salted if desired) to boiling in 3-quart saucepan. Add potatoes. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cook 30 to 35 minutes or until tender; drain. Cool slightly; cut into cubes.
2Mix mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in large glass or plastic bowl. Add potatoes, celery and onion; toss. Stir in eggs. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours until chilled.
Fresh Mozzarella and Tomato Salad
4 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves or 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 drops red pepper sauce
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
Salad greens, if desired
Place tomatoes in glass or plastic dish.
2Shake remaining ingredients except cheese and salad greens in tightly covered container. Pour over tomatoes.
3Cover and refrigerate, turning occasionally, at least 3 hours to blend flavors. Layer tomatoes alternately with cheese on salad greens.
Marinated Tomato Salad
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
SALAD
1 pint (2 cups) sweet grape tomatoes, halved
1 pint (2 cups) yellow pear tomatoes, halved
1 pint (2 cups) orange cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
In large bowl, combine all dressing ingredients; blend well.
2Add tomatoes and onion to dressing; toss to coat. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving to blend flavors
Cucumber Salad
2 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced
1/3 cup cider or white vinegar
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Chopped fresh dill weed or parsley, if desired
Place cucumbers in small glass or plastic bowl.
2In tightly covered container, shake remaining ingredients except dill weed. Pour over cucumbers. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours to blend flavors.
3Drain cucumbers. Sprinkle with dill weed. Store covered in refrigerator.
Creamy Cucumbers
2/3 cup Yoplait® Fat Free plain yogurt (from 2-lb container)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups thinly sliced unpeeled cucumbers (2 medium)
1 small onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
1In medium bowl, mix ingredients until well blended.
2Cover; refrigerate about 4 hours or until chilled.
Dandelion Green Salad 1
1 bunch dandelion greens, washed, drained and trimmed
3 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
1 handful fresh dill
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon, juiced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss together.
Sauteed Dandelion Greens
3 pound dandelion greens, tough lower stems discarded and leaves cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
5 large garlic cloves, smashed
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Cook greens in a 10-to 12-quart pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 8 quarts water), uncovered, until ribs are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander, then rinse under cold water to stop cooking and drain well, gently pressing out excess water.
Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then cook garlic and red-pepper flakes, stirring, until pale golden, about 45 seconds. Increase heat to medium-high, then add greens and sea salt and sauté until coated with oil and heated through, about 4 minutes.
Warm Escarole and Mushroom Salad
1 medium head escarole, cleaned, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound mushrooms (such as shiitake, button, or cremini), cleaned, stems removed, and quartered
2 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Place escarole in a large bowl and set aside. Heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat. When oil smokes, add mushrooms, garlic, shallot, and thyme and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are browned and tender, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Remove the pan from heat and transfer mushrooms to the bowl with the escarole. Pour vinegar into the pan. Stir, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, then pour over the mushrooms. Toss all ingredients together, season with additional salt and pepper, and serve.
MOLDED SALADS
Creamy Cucumber Gelatin Salad
2 (3 ounce) packages lime flavored gelatin mix
2 cups boiling water
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup creamy salad dressing, e.g. Miracle Whip ™
1 medium cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 dill pickle
1 tablespoon grated onion
1.Pour the gelatin mix into a medium bowl, and stir in the boiling water. Set aside to cool slightly.
2.In a blender or large food processor, combine the cream cheese, salad dressing, cucumber, pickle, and onion. Process until fairly smooth. Stir into the gelatin mixture.
Pasta Salads
Overnight Deli Delight Salad
1 package (7 ounces) tricolor spiral pasta
6 ounces thinly sliced hard salami, julienned (try pepper)
6 ounces provolone cheese, cubed
1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 small zucchini, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil
1/4 cup cider or red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons ground mustard
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
Cook the pasta according to package directions; rinse in cold water and drain.
Place in a large bowl; add the next nine ingredients. In a jar with tight-fitting lid,
combine oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, basil, oregano, salt and pepper; shake well.
Pour over salad and toss to coat. Cover and chill for 8 hours or overnight.
Toss before serving. Garnish with tomatoes. Yield: 10-12 servings.
