May is National Salad Month, and while some of the ingredients aren’t ready yet, many can be found in our local grocery stores and possibly local farmers’ markets that will soon be making their way into communities around the world. the range.
They say, “April showers bring May flowers.” Well, this year I would change that to say, “April showers brought snow showers and May showers brought chaos!” What a crazy year!
However, in between the storms and heavy rains, I see greenery starting to pop up, and I’m sure there are many people eager to get their garden up and running. We are all looking forward to the sun, the warm weather and eating salads, grilled food and fresh produce.
The following recipes are all from the Tasteful Treasures cookbook.
Apple/grape salad
Recipe by: Elaine Krenik
• 4 c. lettuce, torn (recommended
lettuce: romaine, red iceberg, red/
green Boston)
• 1 c. seedless grapes, red and green,
halved
• 1 large apple, diced
• 1/2 c. celery, chopped
• 1/2 c. walnuts, chopped
• 1/3 c. blue cheese, crumbled
Dressing
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 tsp. salt
• 3 tbsp. onion, grated
• 1/3 c. vinegar
• 1 c. light safflower oil
Combine lettuce, grapes, apple, celery, and walnuts in a large bowl. Mix in the blue cheese. Place all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Pour over the salad and mix well.
Pea salad with black eyes
Recipe by: Laura Kvistad
• 2 (16 oz.) cans of black-eyed peas,
drained and rinsed
• 1 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/4 c. green onions, chopped
• 2 c. red cabbage, sliced
• 1/4 c. Italian dressing
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tbsp. vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. celery seed
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 3 dashes of hot pepper
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Stir several times while marinating.
BLT Salad
Recipe by: Vicki Brathal
• 1/2 pound bacon
• 1/2 c. mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons. Red wine vinegar
• 1/4 c. fresh basil, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon. salt
• 1 teaspoon. pepper
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 pound romaine lettuce, bite-sized pieces
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 4 slices of baguette, cut into 1/2-inch
pieces
Cook, drain and crumble the bacon. Reserve 2 tablespoons bacon drops. In a small bowl, whisk together the bacon bits, mayonnaise, vinegar and basil. Leave covered at room temperature. In a large skillet, over medium heat, toss bread, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with oil and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until golden brown. In a large bowl, combine lettuce, tomatoes, bacon and bread. Add dressing and toss well.
Corn and black bean salad
Recipe by: Julie Emmons
• 2 1/2 c. corn (fresh, canned, or frozen)
• 1 can black beans, cooked
• 1/2 c. red onion, finely chopped
• 1/3 c. red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 large jalapeno, finely chopped
• 1/4 c. fresh coriander, chopped
• 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon. salt
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tbsp. Tabasco
In a medium bowl, combine corn, black beans, onion, pepper, jalapeno, and cilantro. In a small bowl, combine vegetable oil, lime juice, salt, cumin, and Tabasco. Mix all ingredients together; cover and let cool for 1-2 hours. This can be eaten neat, or with chips or crackers.
Crispy Pea Salad
Recipe by: Peggy Wegscheid
• 10 ounces. frozen peas
• 1 c. celery, diced
• 1 c. cauliflower, sliced
• 1/4 c. onion, diced
• 1 c. cashew nuts
• 1/4 c. crispy bacon, fried and crumbled
• 1/2 c. sour cream
• 1 c. Hidden Valley Ranch dressing
• 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
Rinse the peas. Combine peas, celery, cauliflower, onion, cashews, and bacon with sour cream. In a separate bowl, combine the salad dressing, mustard and garlic. Pour over the salad mixture. Shake gently. Hang out.
Turkey Cucumber Salad
Recipe by: Janet Carlson
• 3/4 pound turkey breast, cooked
• 2 tablespoons. onion, diced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 medium cucumber
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 1/2 c. Miracle Whip
Cut the cooked turkey breast into 3/4-inch cubes. In a small mixing bowl, combine turkey, onions, salt, and pepper. Cut the cucumber into quarters and remove the seeds.
Halve each quarter again and cut into 1/8-inch thick cubes. Add to the turkey mix and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix cream cheese and Miracle Whip together. Do not overmix; small chunks of cream cheese are desirable. Fold the turkey mixture into the cream cheese mixture.
Wild Rice Salad
Recipe by: Elaine Krenik
• 1 c. wild rice (4 c. cooked)
• 1 c. cranberries, dried
• 1 c. pecans, chopped
• 6 ounces. orange juice frozen concentrate,
thawed
• 1/4 c. fresh chopped mint, to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl. Keep cool. Serve later.
You Won’t Believe It Strawberry Salad
Recipe by: Laura Kvistad
• romaine lettuce
• 2 pints of sliced strawberries
• 1 sweet red onion
• 1 c. Miracle Whip
• 1/4 c. vinegar
• 1/2 c. milk
• 2/3 c. sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp. poppy seed
Tear or cut the lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Cut the strawberries into slices and the onion into thin slices. Mix together in a bowl. Mix the Miracle Whip, vinegar, milk, sugar and poppy seeds together. Pour over lettuce. Toss and refrigerate before serving.
Chicken salad with three cheeses
Recipe by: Jennifer Couch
• 1 box rotini pasta, cooked
• 1 c. red onion, chopped
• 1 c. Broccoli
• 1 c. green bell pepper, diced
• 1 c. mozzarella cheese, cubed
• 1 pound chicken breast, cooked, diced
• 1 bottle Kraft 3 cheese ranch dressing
In a medium bowl, combine pasta, onion, broccoli, pepper, cheese and chicken. Add the ranch dressing and mix well. Refrigerate a few hours before serving. For a variation, you can add sliced cucumbers and black olives.
