original 1905 salad

We recently ate at the Columbia Restaurant in 

St. Augustine, FL and ordered the most delicious salad.

Here is our version . . .

Columbia Restaurant’s Original “1905” Salad
{slightly adapted}

What you need
4 cups iceberg or romaine lettuce,
broken into 1 ½" × 1 ½" pieces
1 ripe tomato, cut into pieces
½ cup baked ham, julienned 2" × ⅛" (5.5 oz)
½ cup Swiss cheese, julienned 2" × ⅛" (3 oz)
½ cup pimiento-stuffed green Spanish olives
¼ cup Romano or Parmesan cheese, grated

What to do
Combine lettuce, tomato, ham, Swiss cheese and olives in a large salad bowl. Before serving, add “1905” Dressing and toss well.  Sprinkle Romano or Parmesan cheese on top.  Serve immediately. Makes 2 full salads or 4 side salads.

“1905” Dressing Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Salad Dressing Preparation
Mix olive oil, garlic, and oregano in a bowl with a wire whisk. Stir in vinegar and lemon juice, gradually beating to form an emulsion, and then season with salt and pepper. For best results, prepare a few hours ahead of time.

lemon cheese tortellini salad

Lemon Cheese Tortellini Salad

{this is my new favorite summer recipe}

Serves 4-6

          19 oz bag of frozen cheese tortellini cooked and drained
          1 pint grape tomatoes halved
          6 stalks celery diced (or ½ seedless cucumber)
          2 cooked chicken breast halves cubed **
          1 cup feta cheese crumbles (save half for topping)
          ½ c kalamata olives halved
          ¼ c Marzetti Simply Dressed Lemon Vinaigrette

Cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl add grape tomato halves, diced celery (you can substitute ½ seedless cucumber diced if desired), cubed chicken breasts, ½ cup feta cheese, and kalamata olives. Add lemon vinaigrette dressing and toss to coat.

Stir in drained tortellini. Add more dressing if desired. Top with ½ cup feta cheese crumbles. Salt and pepper to taste.

(we love, love, love this dressing)

** Easy Lemon-Roasted Chicken
6-8 boneless chicken breast halves
1 clove minced garlic
3 Tbls olive oil
dried oregano (or Italian Seasoning)
1 lemon thinly sliced
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl or bag toss together chicken, garlic, and olive oil. Spread chicken breasts on a large parchment lined baking sheet. Season with oregano, salt and coarse ground pepper. Put one lemon slice on each breast. Roast chicken, until cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes (165 degrees)

(we freeze these breasts in single servings for use in later recipes)

fast food salad

Recently we bought fast food salads to 

take on two different last minute picnics.

First ones were from McDonald's ($5), second ones from Wendy's ($6.99). 

For the record, we think the McDonald’s salads were 

tastier and far fresher than the Wendy’s salads.

Do you have a favorite fast food salad?
Reader suggestions:
Christine - Subway Chopped Salad
Dayle - Chick-Fil-A
Cindy - Zaxbys house fried salad

shrimp salad with lime dressing

Shrimp Salad with Lime Dressing
Easy Summer Salad ~ Serves 4

Ingredients
1 lime
1/2  teaspoon kosher salt
1/8  teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound cooked medium/large shrimp
2 avocados, halved, seeded, peeled, and sliced
2  tomatoes, cut into chunks
1/2 cup celery leaves
2  scallions thinly sliced {optional}

Directions
For Lime Dressing:
Zest lime and then juice same lime {3-4 tablespoons juice}
In a small bowl combine zest, 3 tablespoons juice, cayenne pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt.
Slowly whisk in 2 tablespoons olive oil until combined.

For Salad:
Rinse and thoroughly dry shrimp.
In a medium bowl toss shrimp with remaining lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt.

Serving:
On four individual plates divide and arrange: shrimp, avocados, tomato, and onion {optional}.
Drizzle with dressing and top with celery leaves.

asian rainbow salad with pork

Asian Rainbow Salad with Pork

Makes: 4 servings / Prep: 20 minutes / Cook: 5 minutes

You do not cook the cabbage so this is a fresh crunchy salad.

Ingredients
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice (2 limes)
1/4 cup (packed) brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup peanut oil
1 pound boneless pork chops, thinly sliced into bit size pieces
4 cups coleslaw cabbage mix (carrots and cabbage)
2 cups red cabbage mix
1 ½ cups small pineapple chunks
½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced
½ cup chopped celery leaves {or cilantro}
½ cup honey roasted peanuts (optional)

Directions
In a small bowl, whisk the lime juice, brown sugar, soy sauce and peanut oil.

Place the pork in a shallow dish. Add 1/4 cup of the dressing and stir to coat. Let the pork stand 20 minutes at room temperature.

In a large bowl combine cabbage, pineapple, bell pepper, and celery. Drizzle with remaining dressing.  There is quite a lot of dressing left so use only as much as you like. Season the salad with salt and pepper.

Divide the salad among 4 dinner plates or shallow bowls.

Cook the pork including marinade over high heat in a heavy skillet until browned and just cooked through (4 to 5 minutes).

Top each salad with ¼ of the cooked pork and honey roasted peanuts.

Adapted from a recipe in Rachael Ray Magazine

pasta ring salad

Pasta Rings Salad

Salad dressing makes the difference here 

don't substitute mayonnaise

Serves 16

1 lb box small Pasta Rings
2 cups salad dressing  (not mayonnaise)
2 cups chopped vegetables
      any combination of:
           red pepper
           orange pepper
           yellow pepper
           shredded carrots
           cucumber (seedless)
1 tsp seasoned salt (or to taste)
1 tsp celery salt (or to taste)
2 Tbls dill pickle juice
1 tsp sugar

McCormick Salad Supreme Seasoning to sprinkle on top

Cook pasta for 7-9 minutes. Drain and rinse with cool water.
Mix salad dressing, spices, pickle juice and sugar. Stir in pasta and vegetables.
Transfer to a serving bowl sprinkling Salad Supreme between a few layers and on top.
Refrigerate for at least an hour.
Serves 16

This is one of our go-to picnic dishes and when I went to look up
the recipe on this blog I found I had not posted it.  

Can't imagine how that happened.

vegetable chopped salad

While looking for a dish to take to a pot-luck supper 

I came across a chopped salad recipe.

This is my slightly adapted version and I have made it several times.

Delicious.

Vegetable Chopped Salad

12 servings (3/4 cup each)

Ingredients
3 cups finely chopped fresh broccoli
3 cups finely chopped cauliflower
3 cups finely chopped celery
2 cups frozen peas thawed
1-1/4 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2.8 oz pkg real bacon pieces
1 cup salted peanuts

Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine the vegetables.
2. In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, sugar, cheese, vinegar and salt until blended.
3. Add to salad and toss to coat.
4. Stir in bacon pieces.
5. Just before serving, stir in peanuts.

salad fixins

My sister-in-law, Tracy, gave us a package of Salad Fixins from Sam's Club. 

Our salads have never been the same . . . 

It contained: 

Sesame Sticks, Raw Sunflower Seeds, 

Slivered Almonds, Cranberries, and Pepitas.

We have begun making our own and never serve a salad without it.

Ours contains: 

Whole Wheat Sesame Sticks, Sunflower Seeds, Sliced Almonds, 

Dried Cranberries, Pepitas, and Dried Edamame Beans.

Mixed and ready to go.

You could make your own by combining any of your favorite healthy snacks. 

I guarantee it will make every ordinary salad into a gourmet feast.

roasted BLT salad

Roasted BLT Salad

Serves 2 as a meal

I have always wanted to roast romaine lettuce . . .

Ingredients

6 slices bacon

1 cup cherry tomatoes halved

4 teaspoons olive oil

1 cup gourmet croutons

1 head romaine lettuce, quartered lengthwise

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large skillet cook bacon until crisp; drain on paper towel. Break into large pieces; set aside.

{Reserve 1 tsp bacon grease}

2. Meanwhile, line a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with foil.

Toss cherry tomatoes with 2 tsp of the olive oil and add to baking pan.

Bake tomatoes, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Transfer tomatoes and their juices to a medium bowl.

3. Place romaine quarters on the baking pan. Brush with 1 tsp olive oil and 1 tsp bacon grease.

Return pan to oven and bake 5 minutes or until romaine is browned on edges.

4. Add croutons to the medium bowl with the tomatoes. Toss gently to combine.
Let stand 5 minutes to allow bread to absorb some of the tomato juices.

5. Transfer roasted romaine to 2 serving plates. Top with tomatoes, croutons, and bacon.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Adapted from a recipe in January 2013 Better Homes and Gardens

grilled chicken salad with feta, fresh corn, and blueberries

Grilled Chicken Salad with Feta, Fresh Corn, and Blueberries

Prep Time 20 Minutes {not including grilling}

Servings 6           

{photo credit: the Pioneer Woman}

Ingredients

4 chicken breast halves grilled

2 ears fresh corn grilled 

2 stalks celery finely diced 

2 Tablespoon red onion, finely diced (optional)

1 cup blueberries

1 Tablespoons fresh dill, minced

Dressing:

2 Tablespoons mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons sour cream

1/4 cups crumbled feta

2 Tablespoons half-and-half

1/2 Lemon

1/2 teaspoon sugar

salt and pepper 

With a very sharp knife, shave kernels off each corn cob. Set aside with the onion, celery, and chicken.

Mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, feta, and half-and-half. Stir in sugar, squeeze in lemon juice, and add salt and pepper.

Slice chicken on the bias into small pieces. Put in a bowl with corn, celery, onion, and chicken. Stir to combine. Pour half the dressing over the ingredients and toss gently. Add more as desired, but don't overcoat the salad.

At the end, toss in the blueberries to lightly coat them in the dressing.

Divide salad onto six plates and then sprinkle individual helpings with plenty of fresh dill.

{Adapted from a recipe by the Pioneer Woman}

low calorie salad

If you want to have an occasional 500 calorie day

you need to have lots of creative recipes at hand

Low Calorie Salad

Mary’s version (270 calories)

*Serves 1

calories

0        4-6 cups romaine lettuce (a heaping dinner plate full)

25      1/2 cup hearts of palm
40      1/2 cup canned beets
30      1/2 cup cantaloupe cubes

25      12 grape tomatoes cut in halves
50      1/8 cup crumbly blue cheese

100    2 Tbls ranch dressing

Low Calorie Salad

Jim’s version (330 calories)

*Serves 1

calories

0        4-6 cups romaine lettuce (a heaping dinner plate full)

25      1/2 cup hearts of palm
40      1/2 cup canned beets
30      1/2 cup cantaloupe cubes

25      12 grape tomatoes cut in halves
50      1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

100    1/2 cup chicken breast

60      2 Tbls pomegranate dressing

dressing a salad

My cousin Ann makes the best salad ever
and I thought I would share her recipe with you.

Assemble any salad ingredients you like in a large wooden bowl.

Ours usually includes:
romaine lettuce, thin sliced yellow peppers, grape tomato halves,
shredded purple cabbage, shredded carrots, dried cranberries,
thin seedless cucumber slices, feta cheese, small croutons



Toss the salad with a little extra virgin olive oil
Sprinkle on Cavender's Greek Seasoning [or dried basil] ~ toss again
Sprinkle on Bragg's Liquid Aminos [or balsamic vinegar] ~ toss again
Sprinkle on fresh lemon juice [or Real Lemon in a bottle] ~ toss again

I often "overdress" a salad so I keep some of the greens aside and add them at the end after the salad is dressed. You should be able to find Bragg's Liquid Aminos and Cavender's Greek Seasoning {also comes in a salt free version} at your local supermarket.

Isn't it funny how tossed salad always tastes better when someone else makes it?!