Asparagus Salad with Ginger Vinaigrette



1 - 1 1/2 pounds asparagus

1 garlic clove

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons orange juice

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon hot sesame oil

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated

1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted



Break ends off asparagus spears. They will assist the

cook by snapping off where they are inedible. Throw

away inedible pieces, or save for vegetable soup

stock. Peel the spears halfway up to the tips. Only

the lower part of the asparagus needs peeling. Steam

the spears over boiling water for 5 minutes. Run under

cold water to stop cooking, drain and place in a

serving dish. Nice to put it on lettuce, and red leaf

is attractive with the green.



While asparagus cooks, make dressing. Put garlic,

vinegar, orange juice, soy sauce, both oils into a

food processor and blend to emulsify. When blended,

add ginger and give one or two pulses just to mix in.



Pour dressing over asparagus. Garnish by sprinkling

the sesame seeds over all.



Serves: 4

WINTER SALAD PLATTER



1/2 (10 ounce) package frozen baby lima beans

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained and well rinsed

1 tablespoon sliced pimientos

black pepper

1/2 cup shredded red cabbage

2 cups spinach leaves, torn into bite-size pieces

2 cups iceberg lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

1 small bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

1 cup canned diced beets, drained and rinsed

3/4 cup salad dressing, of choice



Cook lima beans per package directions, omitting any butter or salt. Drain

well, stir in thyme leaves and set aside.

Combine drained, rinsed garbanzo beans with pimiento; pepper to taste.

Combine the red cabbage, spinach, iceberg lettuce, green pepper and onion,

tossing well.

Making a beautiful platter:.

Arrange tossed greens on a large round serving platter.

Mound diced beets in the center.

Arrange garbanzo beans around the beets; arrange lima beans around the

garbanzos.

Serve with salad dressing of choice.

Three Bean Salad

Recipe from: Paula Deen.



~~~Salad~~~

1 can (16 oz.) dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14.5 oz.) cut green beans, drained

1 can (14.5 oz.) cut golden wax beans, drained

1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper OR 1/2 cup fresh tomato, seeded and diced

2 TB minced red onion



~~~Dressing~<WBR>~~

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 TB white wine vinegar

1 TB Dijon mustard

2 TB Greek seasoning



In a large salad bowl, combine and whisk together, the oil, vinegar, mustard,



and Greek seasoning.



Add the Salad ingredients and mix well.



Cover and chill 4 hours, stirring occasionally.



Serves: 8.

Lettuce and Tomato Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing





~~~Dressing~<WBR>~~

Whisk together:

1/2 cup mayonnaise OR Miracle Whip salad dressing

1/2 cup blue cheese chunks

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1/2 tsp. sugar, or to taste

Salt, pepper, and Tabasco to taste



Serve with:

Iceberg lettuce wedges

Cherry tomatoes, halved



Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Chill at least an hour before

serving to

allow flavors to blend. If too thick, thin out with a little milk. Keeps for

up to one week,

chilled.



Makes: about 1 cup.

Nutty Carrot Salad



2 cups shredded carrots

1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained

1/4 to 1/2 cup raisins

1/4 to 1/2 cup sunflower kernels

1/4 cup salted peanuts

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup vanilla yogurt

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/8 teaspoon salt

Lettuce leaves



In a bowl, toss the carrots, pineapple, raisins, sunflower kernels

and peanuts.



In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter, yogurt, mayonnaise and

salt; mix well. Pour over carrot mixture and stir gently to coat.

Serve in a lettuce-lined bowl.



Yield: 4 servings

Beet Salad

Ingredients

2 bunches Beets
2 Tablespoons Water
1/4 Cup Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Caraway Seeds
1 Teaspoon Sugar
2 Tablespoons Onion; Minced
1 Teaspoon Horseradish
1/4 Teaspoon Cloves; Ground
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
5 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
Instructions:

1. Wash beets, trim off greens, place in medium saucepan, and cook, without peeling, in salted water to cover, until beets are tender.
2. Peel and slice. Prepare marinade dressing by combining all ingredients.
3. Pour over beets and let stand for several hours before serving.
4. Stir beets occasionally.
   

Potato Salad



6 to 8 medium cooked potatoes, peeled and diced

4 hard cooked eggs, chopped

1/2 cup dill pickle, finely diced

1/2 cup celery, finely diced

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/4 cup chopped pimiento OR fresh tomato, seeded and diced, optional

1/3 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing

2 TB prepared yellow mustard

3 TB dill pickle juice

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper



In a large salad bowl, whisk Miracle Whip, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper

until smooth.



Add eggs, pickles, celery, onions and pimentos; toss lightly until well

blended.

Mom's Potato Salad with Pimiento and Peas

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray's Mom, Elsa.



2-1/2 lb. white thin skin potatoes, peeled and diced

2 TB cider vinegar

1 jar (6 oz.) sliced pimiento, drained and chopped

1 cup frozen sweet peas. thawed

1 small white onion, peeled and left whole

1/2 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip dressing*

Salt and pepper



Boil potatoes in salted water for 12 minutes, until fork tender. Drain and

return potatoes to

hot pot to dry them. Sprinkle potatoes with vinegar. Transfer potatoes to a

bowl and let

them cool.



When potatoes have cooled, add pimento and peas to the bowl. Using a hand

held grater,

grate the small white onion over the potatoes. The onion juice is what makes

this salad so good.



Add 1/2 cup of mayonnaise dressing to the bowl, or to your liking, to bind.



Season potato salad with salt and pepper, to taste.



Yield: 4 servings.



*Miracle Whip has 1/2 the fat of mayonnaise.

Mushroom and Bacon Salad



3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sweetener

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces sliced lean bacon

1 8-ounce head lettuce or curly chicory,

leaves torn into bite-size pieces, or 8 cups mixed baby salad greens

12 ounces fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced, about 4 cups



In small bowl using wire whisk or fork, beat oil, red wine vinegar,

chopped parsley, mustard, salt, sweetener, and pepper until

blended and creamy; set aside while preparing salad.

In 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp.

Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.

Crumble cooled bacon coarsely; combine with frisÉe or baby salad

greens and mushrooms in large salad bowl, tossing gently to mix. At

serving time, add dressing to salad; toss gently but thoroughly to

mix.



Note: For a warm, wilted salad, heat dressing to simmering point in

small saucepan before tossing with other ingredients

Minted Pea Salad



1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup minced fresh mint

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Dash pepper

3 cups frozen peas, thawed

1 small onion, finely chopped

In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients; mix

well. Add peas and onion; toss to coat. Cover and

refrigerate for 1 hour.



Yields 4 to 6 servings.

Cucumber Salad



1 cucumber, peeled and sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 TB vinegar

1 TB water

Salt and ground blac pepper. to taste

Sugar, to taste

3 TB sour cream

Dried dill weed, to taste



Wash and peel the cucumber. If the cucumber seeds are too big for your liking

(when using

outdoor grown cucumbers instead of greenhouse grown), discard them by cutting

the cucumber

lengthwise and carving the seeds with the help of a tablespoon.



Cut the cucumber into thin slices. Add remaining ingredients; lightly toss

and serve.

Korean Salad



Dressing (make the night before serving):



1 C. oil

1/4 C. sugar

1/2 C. onion, grated

1/3 C. ketchup

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 C. vinegar



Mix and refrigerate until using.



Salad:



1 bag raw spinach

1 can water chestnuts, drained and sliced

1 can bean sprouts, drained

8 pieces bacon, crisply fried and crumbled



The day of serving:Mix together all salad ingredients and toss with

refrigerated dressing; serve.

Summer Chopped Salad







4 ears fresh corn

1/2 pound green beans, diced

2 teaspoons mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

24 red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved

1 bunch radishes, quartered

1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives

1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced

1 small red onion cut in thin slivers

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup shredded fresh mint leaves



Cook corn in boiling water, 3 minutes. Remove. In same water, blanch beans, 2 minutes. Drain. Cool under running water. Slice corn from cob. Place mustard, salt and pepper in bowl. Add vinegar. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Add remaining ingredients. Toss.

Tomato Salad
6 ripe tomatoes, peeled and sliced
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme or marjoram, crushed
1/4 c. finely snipped parsley
1/4 c. snipped chives
2/3 c. salad oil
1/4 c. tarragon vinegar

Place tomatoes in bowl; sprinkle with seasonings and herbs. Combine oil and vinegar; pour over. Cover; chill 3 hours, spooning dressing over a few times. Drain off dressing and pass with tomatoes.