Summer Avocado Salad

For the salad:

2 heads of Romaine lettuce (3 if only using Romaine hearts)

1 bunch of cilantro

1 bunch of green onions

2-3 Hass avocados

For the dressing:

2-3 large limes

1 clove of garlic

1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons of honey

1 teaspoon of kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. After washing all the greens, chop the lettuce into bite-size pieces and place in a large serving bowl. Finely chop the cilantro and thinly slice the green onions, then add to the bowl and lightly toss everything together.
2. If you have a lime juicer, then juice the limes. If not, then roll the limes against a hard surface, firmly pressing down, to break up the insides, then cut them in half.
3. Halve the avocados, remove the seeds, then cut cross-sections in the avocados inside the skin.
4. Drizzle a little lime juice on the avocados to prevent browning, then scoop out the avocado pieces and add them to the bowl.
5. In a mixing bowl, add the olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper.
6. Finely mince the clove of garlic and add it to the mixing bowl.
7. Add/squeeze the lime juice from 2 limes, then whisk everything together. Adjust for taste, as necessary (see notes). 
8. Drizzle half of the dressing across the salad, toss, then continue to add more until desired level of dressing is reached.
9. Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve within an hour. 

Notes

The balance of flavors for this salad depends on a lot on the ingredients you are using. For instance, the recipe calls for 2-3 limes, but the limes I purchased were somewhat small and dry, so it actually took me about 4-5 limes to get the amount of juice that I needed for this. The olive flavor in the dressing was not really noticeable in the end result, but if you are really adverse to the stronger flavor of EVOO then you could use the lighter-tasting olive oil. This recipe also adjusts easily for varying quantities of greens, so just keep tasting/adjusting to your preference; in the end, I increased the quantity of everything a little bit because of the size of the group (still should have made more) and had dressing left over. It's pretty forgiving, just don't overdress the salad and it'll be fine.

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

2 T honey
1 T dijon mustard
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
3/4 C extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed

1. In mixing bowl measure honey, mustard, salt, pepper and crushed garlic. Stir with fork to combine
2. Add balsamic vinegar and stir. Gradually oil, whisking with fork to incorporate. Stir until fully emulsified.
3. Store in a jar with lid (a repurposed jam jar works nicely). Keeps indefinitely in refrigerator. I like to leave the garlic clove in, where it sits at the bottom of the jar and continues to release its subtle garlic flavor. But if you are afraid you’re accidentally going to get in your salad, you can fish it out with a fork and discard it.

Three Bean Salad

Italian Chopped Salad

Apple Dream Salad

2 pkg lemon jello
1 dash salt
3 T sugar
2 red apples, chopped (leave skin on)
1 banana
1 can drained crushed pineapple
1 egg
4 T sugar
1 T flour
pineapple juice (reserved from crushed pineapple)
1 pkg dream whip

Make jello according to package direction, and add 3T of sugar & dash of salt (can omit these, its optional), make in a glass serving bowl. Chill until syrupy. Add apples, bananas, and pineapple. Return to fridge until set. Cook egg, flour, 4T sugar and pineapple juice on stovetop until thick. Prepare 1 pkg dream whip. Fold into cooled egg mixture. Spread over jello, once it's fully set/firm.

Quinoa Salad

3 cup frozen corn
1 cup water or broth
1 cup quinoa
1/2 cup lemon juice (fresh)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 cup chopped green onions
2 cup cloves of garlic, crushed
 salt and pepper to taste
1 can black beans, drained
1  or 2 chopped tomatoes
1 cup salsa (maybe up to 2c)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Pronounced "keen-wa". Simmer corn, water and quinoa together. Cool
and add dressing of lemon juice, oil and spices. Add other
ingredients. Serve with tortilla chips.

The first time I had this deliciousness was at my friend Lisa Gleason's. It is a great appetizer, snack or meal.

Summer Dressing

From: the Kitchen of Two Sisters


1/4 C olive oil
1/4 C dijon mustard
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
1/4 C fresh basil, torn
2 t salt

Mushroom Salad

From: Great Aunt Elinore Moody 1/2 C vegetable oil 2 T vinegar 2 T lemon juice 2 t salt 1 1/2 - 2 t basil leaves 1/4 t dry mustard 1/4 t pepper 2 cloves of garlic, crushed Quarter mushrooms and refrigerate in sauce. Make at least 12 hrs in advance.

Ambrosia

1 C sour cream
1 C mandarin orange slices, drained
1 C crushed pineapple, drained
1 C mini marshmellows
1 C shredded coconut

Mix all ingredients together. Refrigerate over night before serving.

Fruit & Snickers Salad

From: Betty Wells

Fruit: use any fruit you like, just nothing sour (like a grapefruit)

apples
oranges
grapes
strawberries
blueberries
peaches
1 tub Cool Whip, thawed
1 (or so) Snickers chocolate bar, cut into pieces

Dice and/or slice all fruit & snickers bar into bite size pieces and place in serving bowl filled with Cool Whip. Gently stir/toss to mix all together. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Don't make too far in advance. Leftovers taste fine, but the consistancy of the cool whip will change over time when mixed with the juices of the fruit.

Taco Salad

Yield: one very large salad

All ingredients are approximations and can be altered according to taste.

1 lb ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1 head iceburg lettuce
4 roma tomatoes, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1/2 a red or yellow onion, diced
yellow cheddar cheese, cubed or chunked
1 cucumber, diced (optional)
1 or 2 handfuls of plain nacho or tortilla chips, slightly crunched
ranch dressing (about 1/2 of a larger bottle, about all of a smaller bottle)

Cook ground beef and drain. Add taco seasoning and cook according to package directions. Let meat cool.

Make salad, adding all ingredients except chips and dressing. When meat is cool, add to salad. Just before serving add chips and pour dressing over salad. Gently toss so dressing covers everything.

Can serve as a side dish (perfect for pot lucks & picnics), or as the main course (refreshing summer dish), also can stuff salad into half of a pita for a sandwich.

Layered Summer Salad

4 C torn spinach OR torn romaine lettuce
1 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 C fresh slice mushrooms
1 sm. red onion, sliced, separated into rings
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen peas, cooked, drained and cooled
1/2 C mayonnaise
1/2 C sour cream
1/4 C chopped fresh basil
4 slices bacon, crisply cooked, drained and crumbled

Layer all veggies and 1 C of cheese in 3 qt serving bowl.

Mix mayo, sour cream and basil. Spread over salad, completely covering. Cover. Refrigerate at least 5 hours. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and the bacon just before serving.

Greek Isles Pasta Salad

Total: 15 min.

3 C farfalle (bow tie) pasta, uncooked
2 C baby spinach leaves
1 C Kraft mediterranean style cheese crumbles
1 C cherry tomatos, halved
3/4 C drained canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed
1/2 C greek vinaigrette dressing

Cook pasta as directed on package; drain, place in large bowl.

Add remaining ingredients; mix lightly.

Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

OPTIONAL: Add 1/2 C sliced ripe olives

Spinach, Tomato & Basil Salad

Yield: 2 servings, 1 C each

1 1/2 C torn spinach leaves
2 small tomatoes, cut into wedges
1/2 C peeled cucumber chunks
2 thin slices red onion
1/4 C sun-dried tomoto vinaigrette dressing
1/4 C shredded mozzarella cheese
2 T chopped fresh basil

Mix all veggies, add dressing, cheese and basil; toss lightly. Refrigerate 30 min.

Tomato Cucumber Salad with Mint

1/3 C red wine vinegar
1 T white sugar
1 t salt
2 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch slices
3 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2/3 C chopped red onion
1/2 C chopped fresh mint
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, and salt. Mix in cucumbers, and marinate 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Gently toss tomatoes, onion, mint, and olive oil with the marinated cucumbers. Season with salt and pepper.

Citrus Avocado Salad

From: The Pampered Chef; 4 servings

1 grapefruit
1 orange
1 avocado
1/2 head romaine lettuce, torn into pieces (3 C)
1/4 C lemon yogurt

Cut grapefruit in half; separate sections from membrane and peel using grapefruit knife. Cut orange and separate from peel. Cut orange and avocado into 1/2 inch pieces. Place all in 2 qt bowl. add yogurt; toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.