California Cobb Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups boneless chicken breast, marinated, cooked and diced
1/2 pound bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled
2 hard boiled eggs, peeled
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
1 head butterhead lettuce, chopped
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
 
Directions:
 
Marinate the chicken (see above) for at least 60 minutes. Saute or grill until cooked through. Let cool and cut into chunks.

Cook the bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels and crumble when cool.

Hard boil the eggs, cool, peel and dice. Or, separate the yolks from the whites and dice separately.

Toss the two lettuces together with the fresh dill and place evenly in the bottom of a nice serving dish. I use a two quart baking dish and it's just the right size for my salad.

Arrange the ingredients on top of the lettuce mix.

Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top.

Refrigerate, covered until ready to serve.

Serve with your favorite dressing.

Watermelon Salad

Ingredients:

14 cups cubed seedless watermelon 

1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced 

1 cup chopped green onions 

3/4 cup orange juice 

5 tablespoons red wine vinegar 

2 tablespoons plus 1-1/2 teaspoons honey 

1 tablespoon finely chopped sweet red pepper 

1/4 teaspoon onion powder 

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon pepper1/4 teaspoon ground mustard 

3/4 cup vegetable oil  

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the watermelon and onions. In a small bowl, combine the orange juice, vinegar, honey, red pepper and seasonings; slowly whisk in the oil.  

Pour over watermelon mixture; toss gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Spicy Peanut Noodle Salad

 

Ingredients

8 ounces fresh Chinese noodles (see note)

Dressing

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons fresh ground chili sauce
2 tablespoons juice from 2 limes (or rice wine vinegar)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seed oil
1 clove garlic, grated
1 tablespoon sugar or honey
3 tablespoons warm water
 

To Assemble

 2 large red, orange, or yellow bell peppers, sliced into thin strips
1 large cucumber, seeded and sliced into fine julienne or small half moons
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil, mint, or cilantro leaves
8 scallions, finely sliced at a severe bias to create long, thin strips
2 jalapeño peppers, seeds and ribs removed, sliced into fine strips
1 to 2 red thai bird chilis, finely minced (optonal)
1/2 cup roughly crushed roasted peanuts

Directions:

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl of ice water. Agitate noodles until thoroughly chilled. Set aside while you make the dressing.

In a large bowl, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, chili sauce, lime juice, sesame seed oil, garlic, sugar or honey, and water. Whisk until homogeneous. Drain noodles thoroughly and add to bowl. Add bell peppers, cucumber, bean sprouts, basil leaves, scallions, jalapeños, and bird chilis (if using). Toss to combine. Serve immediately, topped with roasted peanuts.

All-American Macaroni Salad

Ingredients:

 

Salad
4 cups elbow macaroni, cooked, drained, and chilled
1 cup red onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
1/2 cup red peppers, chopped
1 cup carrots, grated
3 eggs, hardboiled and chopped
1/2 lb thinly sliced deli ham, diced

Dressing
1-1/2 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp celery seed

Directions:

 

Combine the elbows, onion, celery, peas, red peppers, carrots, eggs, and ham in a large mixing bowl. Then, in a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, vinegar, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, sugar, and celery seed. Mix until fully combined and pour the dressing over the salad ingredients. Fold until evenly coated. Chill and serve.

Creamy Avocado Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

 

1 cup chicken breast, cooked and shredded
¼ cup corn
¼ cup black beans, rinsed and drained
¼ cup green onions, chopped
¼ cup tomatoes, diced
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
¼ cup corn chips, crushed
2 tablespoons white vinegar
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
Salt to taste
2-4 avocados, sliced in half with pits discarded

Directions:

 

In a medium bowl, toss the chicken breast, corn, black beans, green onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and corn chips together. Add the vinegar and mayonnaise to mixture and toss to coat. Salt to taste. Spoon salad into halved avocados. Serve immediately with a spoon and fork.

Italian Chopped Salad

Ingredients:

Salad
1 (16 oz) bag prepared salad mix (I used a romaine salad mix)
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup sliced pepperoni
1/4 cup diced jarred roasted red peppers
1/2 cup diced fresh mozzarella
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Dressing
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions:

In a large glass or stainless-steel bowl, combine the salad ingredients and toss.

For the dressing, combine the vinegar, oil, salt, oregano, basil pepper, and Parmesan in a small bowl. Drizzle over salad just before serving and toss thoroughly to combine the ingredients.

Cobb Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

8 ounces twist or penne pasta
3/4 to 1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 lb. deli turkey and/or ham, cut up
1 medium avocado, peeled and chopped
1 cup grape tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 to 2 Tbsp. fresh lime or lemon juice
Suggested Fixin's* (optional)

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse with cold water until completely cool.

Meanwhile, combine all ingredients except pasta in large bowl. Add pasta and toss to coat. Season, if desired, with salt and ground black pepper. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

*Use crumbled cooked bacon, crumbled blue cheese, shredded cheddar cheese and/or hard-cooked eggs.

Tennesse-Style Coleslaw

Ingredients:

1/2 cup half-and-half cream

2 eggs

2 tablespoons sugar 

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard 

1/2 teaspoon paprika 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/3 cup cider vinegar 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 

2 tablespoons water

Shredded cabbage 

Salted peanuts 

Directions: 

In a small bowl, beat eggs and cream; set aside. In a small saucepan, bring sugar, mustard, paprika, salt, vinegar, oil and water to a boil; stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; very slowly add to egg mixture, stirring constantly. Return all to saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture thickens enough to coat a spoon. Cool. Just before serving, pour dressing over cabbage and toss. Sprinkle with peanuts. Yield: 1-1/3 cups dressing.

Pea-Cheddar Salad with Peanuts and Bacon

Ingredients:

12 ounce package frozen peas, thawed

7 ounce can whole kernel corn, drained

1 cup cubed Cracker Barrel Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1/2 cup chopped cooked bacon

1/2 cup roasted peanuts or cashews

1/2 cup diced celery

1/4 cup minced onion

1/3 cup sour cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

 

Directions:

 

Combine all ingredients in a large serving bowl and stir gently until well mixed.  Cover and refrigerate until serving time.  Serves 8-10.

Iceberg Wedge with Blue Cheese Dressing

Ingredients:

Dressing
4 oz. blue cheese, such as Maytag
2 tbsp. heavy cream
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
2 tbsp. milk
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. Worcestershire
1/4 tsp. hot sauce, such as Tabasco
1 small shallot, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper,
   to taste

Salad
1 head iceberg lettuce, cored and
   halved lengthwise
4 strips cooked bacon, torn
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
8 basil leaves, torn
4 oz. crumbled blue cheese, such as Maytag
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Make the dressing: In the bowl of a food processor, combine blue cheese, cream, mayonnaise, milk, oil, worcestershire, hot sauce, and shallot and process until smooth and creamy, about 15 seconds. Season dressing with salt and pepper and transfer to a small bowl; set aside.

Arrange lettuce cut side up on 2 plates. Spoon dressing over each wedge and garnish salad with bacon, tomatoes, basil, and blue cheese. Season with black pepper and serve with the flatbread, if you like.

Hoppin' John Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups rice

4 slices bacon

1 medium onion, chopped

8 ounces frozen black-eyed peas, thawed

2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 4 ears)

10 ounces frozen baby lima beans, thawed

1 cup diced mago

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Add rice, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 20-30 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all the water.

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Set aside on paper towels. Reserve drippings in skillet.

To the skillet add onions and cook over medium heat, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender. Add black-eyed peas, corn, lima beans, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender; drain. Place into a large bowl and add diced mango.

In a small bowl, whisk oil, vinegar, seasoned salt, and pepper. Pour on top of vegetable mixture and toss to coat. Mix in rice and crumble in the reserved bacon. Cover and chill in refrigerator for a few hours before serving.

BLT Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup cubed whole-wheat country bread

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 medium tomatoes, divided

3 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons minced chives, or scallion greens

2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

5 cups chopped hearts of romaine lettuce

3 slices center-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss bread with oil and spread on a baking sheet. Bake, turning once, until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Cut 1 tomato in half. Working over a large bowl, shred both halves using the large holes on a box grater. Discard the skin. Add mayonnaise, chives (or scallion greens), vinegar, garlic powder and pepper; whisk to combine.

Chop the remaining 3 tomatoes. Add the tomatoes, romaine and croutons to the bowl with the dressing; toss to coat. Sprinkle with bacon.

Mexican Cornbread Salad

Ingredients:

1 (1-ounce) package dry ranch-style dressing mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
6 corn bread muffins
2 (16-ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 (15.25-ounce) cans whole-kernel corn, drained
3 large tomatoes, chopped
10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend
6 scallions (green onions), sliced

Instructions:

In a small bowl, combine dressing mix, sour cream, and mayonnaise; set aside.
 
Crumble half of the corn muffins into a large glass bowl or trifle dish. Layer beans over corn muffins, then bell pepper, sour cream mixture, corn, tomatoes, bacon, the remaining corn muffins, the cheese, and scallions.
 
Cover, and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Classic Cobb Salad

Ingredients
Salad

• one large head of romaine or iceberg lettuce
• 2 lbs chicken breasts, grilled or cooked in leftover bacon grease and chopped
• 6 hard boiled eggs, chopped
• 1/2 lb bacon, chopped and cooked crisp
• 2 large avocados, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 2 large tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup shredded Monterrey and Colby cheese (or crumbled blue cheese)
• salt and pepper

Dressing

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• the juice of 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons agave syrup
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper

Directions
1. Cook bacon until crisp. Reserve bacon fat to cook chicken in if desired. Salt and pepper chicken. Grill chicken or cook in bacon fat for extra flavor.

2. Add lettuce to a large bowl. Top with cooked and chopped chicken, crisp bacon, chopped hard boiled eggs, avocados, onion, tomatoes and cheese.

3. Combine lemon zest, red wine vinegar and agave syrup for salad dressing to a small bowl. Whisk in olive oil. Add salt and pepper.

Layered Veggie Tortellini Salad

Ingredients

• 1 package (16 ounces) frozen cheese tortellini
• 2 cups fresh broccoli florets
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
• 1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

• PARMESAN DRESSING:
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions

• Cook tortellini according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. In a l2-1/2-qt. glass bowl, layer the tortellini, broccoli, tomatoes, celery, olives and cheddar cheese.
• In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients; spoon over salad. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Cola Salad

Layered Vegatable Salad

Grilled Tuna Salad Nicoise

Ingredients:

For dressing
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons minced shallot
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 large garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt

Rounded 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

For salad
3/4 lb green beans (preferably haricots verts), trimmed
1 1/2 lb small (1- to 2-inch) potatoes (preferably Yukon Gold)
1 1/2 lb (1-inch-thick) tuna steaks
Vegetable oil for brushing
1/4 cup drained bottled capers (1 1/2 oz)
3/4 lb Boston lettuce (2 heads), leaves separated and large ones torn into pieces

1 pt cherry or grape tomatoes
2/3 cup Niçoise or other small brine-cured black olives
4 hard-boiled large eggs, quartered
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley and/or basil

Directions: 

Whisk together vinegar, shallot, mustard, garlic paste, and anchovy paste in a small bowl until combined well, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. Whisk in thyme, basil, and salt and pepper to taste.

Cook beans in a 4- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water , uncovered, until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then immediately transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Add potatoes to boiling water and simmer, uncovered, until tender, 15 to 20 minutes, then drain in a colander. Halve potatoes while still warm (peel if desired) and toss with 2 tablespoons dressing in a bowl, then cool.

Prepare grill for cooking. If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom of grill, then light charcoal. Charcoal fire is medium-hot when you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds. If using a gas grill, preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then reduce heat to moderately high.
Brush tuna with oil and season with salt and pepper, then grill on lightly oiled rack, uncovered, turning over once, until browned on outside but still pink in center, 6 to 8 minutes total. Let tuna stand 3 minutes, then break into large (3-inch) pieces. Transfer tuna to a large platter and drizzle with 2 to 3 tablespoons dressing and top with capers.

Transfer potatoes to platter with tuna, reserving bowl. Drain beans and pat dry. Toss beans in bowl with 1 tablespoon dressing and salt and pepper to taste, then transfer to platter. Toss lettuce in bowl with 2 tablespoons dressing and salt and pepper to taste, then transfer to platter. Toss tomatoes in bowl with 1 tablespoon dressing and salt and pepper to taste, then transfer to platter.

Arrange olives and eggs on platter and sprinkle salad with parsley and/or basil. Serve salad with remaining dressing on the side.

Lexingtonian House Salad

 Salad Ingredients:

4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

2-3 cups romaine and iceberg lettuce mix

1.5 ounces dices tomatoes

Dressing Ingredients:

1 16 ounce container sour cream

1 packet ranch dip mix

1/8 teaspoon dry mustard

2 cups mayonnaise

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup whole milk

Pita Bread Salad

15 10 25 Ingredients:

4 pitas, cut into bite-size pieces
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper
2 small cucumbers, peeled and chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1 small head romaine lettuce, torn into pieces

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°. Transfer the pitas to a baking sheet; bake until crisp, about 10 minutes. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cucumbers, tomatoes, bell pepper, scallions, parsley, mint and pitas. Add the lettuce and toss.