Healthy Spring Salad

Salad Ingredients


•1 cup Spinach leaves (I prefer baby spinach)

•1/4 cup strawberries, sliced

•1/4 cup red or green grapes, halved

•1/4 cup toasted pecans

For the Dressing

•1 cup oil (I used canola)

•1/3 cup white vinegar

•1/2 cup sugar

•1 tsp. salt

•1 tsp. dry mustard

Mix all dressing ingredients together well. It always tastes better on day 2, so if you have time, it is best to make this dressing ahead. Store covered, in the refrigerator.

To toast the pecans: I just turn them on med-med/high in a pan and toss with 1/8 cup sugar. Toss until melted brown sugar coats pecans. Cool on wax paper.

Place spinach in bowl, add strawberries and grapes. Top with toasted candied pecans and drizzle with dressing.

Variations: You could use almonds instead of pecans. You can also use a low fat rasberry vinegarette in place of the homemade dressing.

Cherry Pie Filling Salad

1 can (21 0z) (cherry) Pie Filling
1 can Drained (20 oz) Pineapple Tidbits
1 Cup Coconut
2 C. mini-marshmallow
1 Carton (12 oz) Cool Whip
2 cans fruit cocktail (undrained)
Mix all together and refrigerate overnight till ready to serve.

FROG EYE SALAD

1 c. Acini De Pepe macaroni
2 cans mandarin oranges
3 tbsp. flour
1 c. miniature marshmallows
13 oz. can chunk pineapple
3 eggs
1 c. sugar
8 oz. cool whip

Boil macaroni in salt water for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water; let cool. Drain juice of fruit and cook fruit juice with eggs, flour and sugar until thick (mix well while cooking) ; then cool. Mix with macaroni and refrigerate overnight. Add drained fruit, marshmallow and cool whip. Chill before serving.

Cole Slaw

LOVE THIS

Ingredients:
1 (16 ounce) bag coleslaw mix
2 tablespoons diced onion
2/3 cup creamy salad dressing (such as
Miracle Whip™)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds

Directions:
1. Combine the coleslaw mix and onion in a large bowl.
2. Whisk together the salad dressing, vegetable oil, sugar, vinegar, salt, and poppy seeds in a medium bowl; blend thoroughly. Pour dressing mixture over coleslaw mix and toss to coat. Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

Layered Southwest Chicken Salad

a friend brought this to cooking group the other day - oh how I loved it!

½ cup lime juice
½ cup sour cream (I use fat free)
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ cup olive oil

1 package (10 oz.) hearts of
romaine salad mix
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 can (15 oz.) black beans,
rinsed and drained
1 small red onion, chopped
2 packages (6 oz. each) ready-
to-use Southwestern chicken
strips
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded
Mexican cheese blend
1 can (11 oz.) Mexicorn,
drained (I use regular)
1 can (6 oz.) sliced ripe olives,
drained
2 cups coarsely crushed tortilla
chips
Additional fresh cilantro leaves
(optional)

-For dressing, combine the first six ingredients in a blender; cover and process until smooth. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream. Transfer to a small bowl; cover and refrigerate until serving.

-In a 4-qt. glass salad bowl, layer the remaining ingredients in the order listed. Add crushed tortilla chips just before serving. Serve with dressing. Yield: 8 servings.

(she serves it home for a main dish, and just layer ingredients on plate)
(Chicken can also be substituted for steak strips or pork chops)

Spinach Salad with Honey Bacon Dressing

Loved this salad

8-10 servings

8 cups torn fresh spinach (I used one bundle)
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
1 hard-boiled egg, chopped (I used 2)
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, shredded on large holes of grater
7 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup vinegar (I cut this in half)
1/3 cup vegetable oil (I cut this in half)
1 teaspoon yellow mustard or spicy brown mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Combine first 6 ingredients with 5 of the cooked, crumbled bacon strips in a large bowl (I also added carrots and cucumbers).
In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, vinegar, oil, mustard lemon juice and remaining 2 strips of cooked, crumbled bacon.
Pour over salad.
Serve immediately.

Chinese Chicken Salad

1 lg. head lettuce (shredded)
3-4 chicken breasts, (cooked & cut in small pieces)
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 bunch of green onions thinly sliced
1-2 oz pkg. slivered almonds 1 can sliced chest nuts (I also added a can mandarin oranges & chopped celery)
1 sm. Pkg. won ton skins, cut in strips (3 per square) lightly browned in oil

Mix all of the above except the won ton skins. Just before serving toss in the fried wonton skins and the dressing.
(I just bought some Asian toasted Sesame dressing)
Dressing- 4 T red wine vinegar, 4 T sugar, 1 t salt, ½ t. pepper, ¼ c. sesame seeds –
Heat until dissolved add ½ c. oil- put in jar and cool
I marinated chicken in dressing and didn't put any on the salad