I’m doing a little series of posts that feature old blog posts. I have been going back and looking at them. It’s been fun. I started blogging in June of 2009…WOW. Over Ten years. I’m so glad I’ve kept the blog as a diary of sorts…today I’m telling you about the salads that I was making for my nieces shower in July of 2010.
I’m known in my family as the food maker. If anyone has any event, bridal shower, graduation, party…I always offer to make food. It’s not that I’m an amazing cook, it’s more that I have good easy standard recipes that have become family favorites…and I don’t mind cooking.
Our family doesn’t mind salads but I often don’t make them as we can’t eat a whole batch at one sitting and salads don’t always make the best leftovers…thus, I love making them for special for occasions.
…a favorite of mine is Broccoli Cauliflower Salad.
Here’s the recipe:
1 bunch of broccoli chopped
1/2 head cauliflower chopped
1/2 c raisins
1/2 purple onion chopped
8 slices of bacon cooked crisp, crumbled
1/4 c sunflower seeds
Dressing
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
3 T vinegar
Mix the dressing and pour over the other ingredients. Keep will for a day or so.
I have a HUGE love of salty things and with the bacon and sunflower seeds, this salad fits the bill. I try to watch my carbs and for me, this is better than most non-lettuce salads.
The other recipe I often make is this….
Cookie Salad….I had to laugh. In the comments blog reader Deb wrote: “How is this a SALAD?”
The word “salad” isn’t synonymous with healthy. “Salad” to mean means you might find it on a salad bar.
This “salad” is all the things that make it really more of a dessert and that’s probably why it’s one of the most requested “salads” that I make. I never have leftovers of this…NEVER.
Here’s the recipe.
1 cup buttermilk (If I don’t have it, I mix one cup of skim with 2 T vinegar…it tastes richer with the buttermilk though)
1 small box instant vanilla pudding
2 c Cool Whip-I often add more than this.
1 package of fudge stripe cookies (I use the generic)
Mix the buttermilk and pudding. Add the Cool Whip and cookies that are broken into small pieces-bit sized, not crushed. Chill.
How easy is that! If you think ahead, you can save a couple cookies, break them in half and use as a garnish. Another tip…if you are going to be busy the day you need the salad, break up the cookies in advance and store in a ziplock bag. This salad does not do well as a left-over. Make it the day you need it.
This is a standard salad that I make for graduation or other big events. It’s easily double, tripled or even quadrupled.
I catered all of our kids’ graduation parties. I always made this salad as it’s always a hit.
In the comments of the original post a blog reader said she makes this recipe and adds drained mandarin oranges…Hmm. I had not heard of that before.
Potato Salad (Find that recipe HERE) is my other “go-to” salad recipe…as is Ring Macaroni Salad , Big Mac Salad (Find recipe HERE), Tomato Cucumber Salad (Find that HERE) and Frog Eye Salad (Find that HERE)
Other than those, we’re pretty much a salad free family. I know, it’s sad…but it’s summer now and many of those salads I’ve been busy making as we eat a little lighter.
Curious minds want to know…what is your go to salad?? Feel free to share a recipe as obviously, I need more salads in my recipe arsenal.
I make a very similar recipe to the broccoli, except no cauliflower, but takes apple. That is a good variation. I usually make a big bowl of tossed salad that we use for the week, always took container for my lunch when I worked. The cookie salad sounds good too, and easy.
Once the garden gets going I make what we call “Greek Salad.” Cut up tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onion. You can vary the amounts of each vegetable to your liking. I usually only add 1/3 to 1/2 an onion. Add about 1-2 TB vinegar, 2-3 TB olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. You can use more or less vinegar and oil too. Toss everything and then crumble in some feta cheese and toss again. I like to make this about an hour before serving so the flavors meld and then add additional feta cheese (bigger pieces) before serving.
I will have to give the cookie salad a try. Maybe for dinner on a “meatless” dinner night?!? LOL My go to salad is Dorito Nacho Salad. Very yummy. Nacho cheese doritos, taco seasoned ground beef, cheese, and salad fixins. It uses Catalina dressing. Makes for a nice sweet and salty taste
Whenever you mention the ring noodle salad, I think of a recipe I got from my Aunt. It is ring noodles with an oil and vinegar dressing and has diced salami in it. The only problem is, I can never find the ring noodles. I just searched Walmart’s website and found a Walmart about 10 miles away that carries them. I will have to look next time I’m out there. Thanks for all your recipe posts. Your fudge puddle cookies are a favorite of mine.
A favorite salad of mine is Macaroni and Cheese salad. I so wish I had this recipe when my kids were little. I either made too little homemade mac and cheese or way to much. I do believe the original recipe came from Taste of Home. This salad grows! Start by making a box of macaroni and cheese, if taking this to a large pot luck make 2 boxes. Make it just as the box says. While that is cooking start chopping veggies! I add cucumbers, tomatoes, chopped carrots, purple onion, green peppers and celery. I have added black olives, but my family doesn’t care for them that much. Combine with the mac and cheese in a large bowl. Then, for the sauce I mix Miracle Whip, a bit of mustard, some sugar and some celery seed. Add some milk to make it a bit thinner and easier to combine. Add to the salad. This is better the next day!!
I make the cookie salad recipe as well and add a cut up snickers bar and a cut up apple to it! Yup, never any left overs!!
Our favorite is bean salad. I use black beans (rinsed from a large can) and half as much frozen corn kernels. (Sometimes I used leftover corn on cob or a can of corn.) Chop fine 1/2 cup onion & 1/2 cup pepper- I usually mix red & green. Add some chopped cilantro & the juice of 1/2 a lime. Salt & pepper & Italian dressing to taste.
We also like a watermelon, mint & feta salad. Just mix together, no dressing. It’s very refreshing.
We do like a nice green salad or Caesar salad with a meal, but for a salad that’s a meal on its own my family loves taco salad. Ground beef (browned) with taco seasoning and a can of kidney beans. When that’s cooked, mix it with chopped lettuce, shredded cheese and broken tortilla chips. We like to top it with our favorite nacho toppings (sour cream, salsa, guacamole), but if we don’t have all the toppings, it’s also great with a regular salad dressing too. I always make lots, because it’s just as good the next day. Yum!
You may like brocolli slaw. 2 packs brocolli slaw, 2 pack Ramen noodles, 6oz slivered almonds…blend 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar with 1/2 cup sugar and 3/4 cup canola, and one packet of the chicken Ramen seasoning. Stir it into the salad mix. It’s good at all stages, from the crunchy noodles to when they get soft.
Love cookie salad but where I lived in Ohio everyone used Oreos in it. It was a favorite of my daughter when she was a child. I was going to suggest the ramen noodle salad too. The version I am familiar with starts with coleslaw mix and it’s called Oriental cabbage salad.
Thanks for sharing. Sounds yummy. Carol
This recipe is a good make-ahead salad, and was in the little recipe leaflet on a can of chicken from Costco. It was titled “Sassy Chicken Salad”.
1 – 10 oz can diced tomatoes and green chiles, drained
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp honey
1 – 12.5 oz can Kirkland Chunk Chicken Breast, drained
1 cup celery, thinly sliced
1 cup seedless grapes, halved
1/3 cup toasted pecans, chopped
In medium bowl, combine tomatoes, mayonnaise and honey. Stir in chicken, celery, grapes and pecans. Cover and chill. May be served in hollowed-out melons, avocados or papayas. Serves 6.
The Broccoli salad. I add sliced grapes (green or red) and use slivered almonds. And I use apple cider vinegar, gives it a different tang. Thanks for recipes.
Here”s my salad story…When I worked, we often held potluck lunches. One of the ladies brought this salad. We asked her what it”s called. She said, “Salad Quick!” She said, if someone drops by your house just as you’re ready to sit down to eat, and you think there might not be enough for everyone, make this!
Mix 1 small package (DRY) jello into 1 pint of cottage cheese. Fold in well-drained mandarin oranges and crushed pineapple. Then fold in one container of cool whip. My friend used lime jello, but I prefer orange. You can serve it right away, or mold it for later. Keeps well for several days. You can use sugar-free jello, light cottage cheese and light cool whip and no one will ever know the difference. Can also add nuts, coconut, maraschino cherries–pretty much any fruit. And, the recipe can be multiplied–I think the most we have done is quadruple it for my daughter-in-law”s family. She makes it by the tub full!
My husband’s favorite salad: 1 bag plain M&Ms, 1 bag Peanut M&Ms, 1 jar honey roasted peanuts. Mix and serve If you want add some dried cranberries. Travels well and very seldom leftovers.
Another is Apple Snicker Salad mix 1 cup milk with Vanilla Instant pudding, gold in a container of Cool Whip. Chop up 2 apples, we like a tart Granny Smith and 4 chopped Snicker bars (regular size) . You can use the large Cool Whip and may need more apples and snickers. No leftovers with this one.