There are some things that just go together… things like… milk and cookies, ball and glove, needle and thread… and the topic of conversation for this week… summer and salads.
Sure, we consume salads all year round, but they are especially delectable as a summer meal addition or even as the main dish. Don’t you agree? For that reason, we are going to take the next four days (along with other entries) to post our top ten favorite salad recipes. We hope you might find one or more out of the bunch to add to your favorites.
Here are three to start off our summer salad fest:
Tossed Salad with hard-boiled eggs, bacon and cheddar cheese
Salad dressing:
½ of small-med onion
½ cup cider vinegar
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup catsup
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
In blender place the onion, vinegar and sugar. Blend until the onion is pulverized. Add the remaining ingredients and blend thoroughly. Refrigerate.
Salad platter:
½ head romaine lettuce, torn
½ head iceberg lettuce, torn
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, sliced in quarters
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
6 to 12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Parsley flakes
Combine salad items in a large bowl or on a large platter. Arrange hard-boiled eggs around the edge of salad. Top salad with cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon. Sprinkle parsley flakes over all. Serve with dressing.
Tossed Salad with feta and cranberries
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons water
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
1 head romaine lettuce, torn
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
¾ cup dried cranberries
½ cup Sunkist Almond Accents Honey Roasted sliced almonds
In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the oil, vinegar, water and salad dressing mix; shake well. In a large salad bowl, combine the romaine lettuce, tomatoes, onion, cheese and cranberries. Top with sliced almonds. Serve with dressing.
Green bean, walnut and feta salad
1 ½ lbs. fresh green beans (ends trimmed), cut in half crosswise
¾ cup olive oil
½ cup (packed) fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
¼ cup white wine vinegar
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp minced garlic
¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts (To toast nuts, spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and cook in oven at 350F for 5 minutes)
1 cup diced red onion
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
Bring 4 quarts salted water to boil in 6 quart pan over medium high heat. Add beans and cook until crisp tender—about 4 minutes. Drain well; immediately plunge into ice water to stop cooking process. Drain beans again; pat dry with paper towels. (Can be prepared several hours ahead)
Combine oil, mint, vinegar, salt, garlic and pepper in processor and blend.
Arrange beans in shallow glass serving bowl. Sprinkle with nuts, onion and cheese. Just before serving, pour dressing over and toss thoroughly.
