Salads

Individual Frosty Fruit Salad

   Salad is not only a good substitute for a hot entree on spring nights; salad is good for dessert, too.

3 lettuce cups

½ fresh ripe pear, peeled and cored

½ fresh orange, sectioned, reserving any juice

¼ cup frozen blueberries

¼ package frozen sliced strawberries

Mint leaves, if desired

Mayonnaise or salad dressing

      Arrange lettuce cups on individual 8-inch glass salad plate.  Place pear half cut side up in center of plate.  Arrange orange sections in one lettuce cup.  Place unthawed blueberries in another lettuce cup and in cavity of pear.  Cut unthawed block of strawberries in two crosswise slices.  Turn each slice and cut in two lengthwise pieces.  Arrange in third lettuce cup.  Garnish with mint leaves and mayonnaise thinned with orange juice obtained when sectioning orange, if desired.  Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving.  Makes 1 serving.

Kidney Bean Salad

    Here is a wonderful suggestion for busy homemakers who want to perk up Lenten menus with a delicious, economical meat substitute.  Nothing could be easier to prepare than a kidney bean salad for the entire family.  It’s colorful and tasty, just different enough to excite everyone’s appetite, and best of all it is rich in needed protein.

     Look how simple this salad is to make:

1 No. 2 can red kidney beans, chilled

1 cup chopped celery

2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped sweet pickle

1 teaspoon minced onion

4 tablespoons French dressing

      Empty kidney beans into strainer and wash thoroughly with cold water.  Add to remaining ingredients; toss together with two forks until well mixed.  Serve on lettuce leaf or in salad bowl lined with lettuce.  Garnish with parsley or watercress.  Serves 6.

Hearty Potato Salad

2 lbs. potatoes (about 6 medium)

2 tablespoons oil and vinegar dressing

½ teaspoon mustard with horseradish

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon savory

½ cup sliced celery

¼ cup sliced onion

2 radishes, thinly sliced (optional)

1 hard cooked egg, diced

1 tablespoon pickle relish

½ cup real mayonnaise

1 lbs. bologna, sliced ¼ inch thick

tomato slices

western iceberg lettuce

      Cook potatoes in boiling water until tender.  Meanwhile, mix oil and vinegar dressing, mustard with horseradish, Worcestershire sauce and savory.  Pare and slice cooked potatoes.  Toss with mayonnaise until well mixed.  Chill.  Arrange bologna slices singly on serving platter.  Pile some potato mixture in center of each slice.  Serve on lettuce garnished with tomato slices.  Makes 6 to 7 servings.

Cheddar Mac Salad

     The pièce de résistance of your spread might be a chilled Cheddar Mac Salad that’s as zippy and gay as springtime.  This tossed salad boasts elbow macaroni, chopped hard cooked eggs and garden-fresh vegetables in a tangy sour cream sauce. 

1½ cups uncooked elbow macaroni

4 hard cooked eggs, chopped

¾ cup diced celery

½ cup sliced radishes

¼ cup chopped stuffed olives

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1½ cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1 cup dairy sour cream

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon prepared mustard

2 teaspoons seasoned salt

½ teaspoon salt

      Cook macaroni in boiling salted water until tender, according to package directions.  Rinse and drain.  Put eggs, celery, radishes, olives, parsley and cheese in mixing bowl with macaroni.  Combine sour cream, lemon juice, mustard, seasoned salt and salt.  Pour over macaroni mixture and toss until lightly blended.  Chill before serving.

Carrot and Raisin Salad

1½ cups shredded carrots

½ cup shredded cabbage

½ cup shredded peanuts

½ cup seedless raisins

1½ cups small Mandarin oranges

½ cup mayonnaise

      Mix carrots with raisins and orange pieces.  Moisten with mayonnaise and pile onto mounds of grated cabbage, also moistened with mayonnaise.  Sprinkle with shredded peanuts.  Serves 6.

Stuffed Tomato Salad

6 tomatoes

4 cups cooked diced potatoes

3 tablespoons onion, minced

½ cup celery, diced

4 frankfurters cooked, sliced

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

½ cup real mayonnaise

      Scoop out tomatoes; sprinkle with salt.  Invert on plate; chill.  Lightly toss together potatoes, onion, celery, frankfurters, salt and pepper with real mayonnaise.  Fill tomatoes and place in lettuce cups on tray.

Chicken Salad

1 head romaine or other salad greens

2 cups diced cooked chicken

¾ cup diced celery

¼ cup diced green pepper

¼ cup diced pimiento

      Wash and dry greens.  Tear leaves into bite-size pieces into large salad bowl.  Add remaining ingredients; toss lightly. 

Avocado Soufflé Salad

1 cup boiling water

1 (3oz.) package lime flavored gelatin

½ cup cold water

2 tablespoons lemon juice

½ cup real mayonnaise

½ teaspoon salt

1 medium avocado

1 cup diced grapefruit sections

½ cup diced celery

      Pour boiling water over gelatin in bowl; stir until gelatin is completely dissolved.  Add cold water, lemon juice, real mayonnaise and salt; blend with rotary beater.  Pour into freezing tray or metal loaf pan.  Chill in freezing unit until firm about 1 inch from edge of pan but still soft in center, about 20 to 25 minutes.  Peel and mash avocado, celery and grapefruit into whipped gelatin mixture.  Pour into one-quart mold or individual molds.  Chill in refrigerator ( not in freezing unit) until firm, about 45 to 60 minutes.  Unmold.  Serve garnished with iceberg lettuce and additional real mayonnaise, if desired.

Western Salad

1 clove garlic

¼ teaspoon dry mustard

¼ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

¼ cup vinegar

½ cup Mazola corn oil

2 tablespoons chopped celery

1 onion, thinly sliced

½ lb. spinach

½ head western iceberg lettuce

      Rub wooden salad bowl with cut clove or garlic.  Measure dry mustard, pepper, paprika and salt into salad bowl.  Stir in vinegar and Mazola.  Add parsley.  Beat well to thoroughly mix dressing.  Add onion slices; spinach and iceberg lettuce, which have been broken into bite-size pieces.  Toss lightly until well mixed.   Makes 6 servings.

Chicken Pineapple Salad

    Pineapple stimulates the appetite.  Long noted for having “Nature’s most refreshing flavor”, pineapple is a versatile ingredient for all kinds of salads.

1 (13½ oz.) can pineapple chunks

2 cups diced cooked chicken

½ cup chopped celery

¼ cup toasted slivered almonds

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup French dressing

½ to 1 teaspoon curry powder

2 avocados

1 tablespoon minced onion

      Combine drained pineapple chunks, chicken, celery, almonds, onion and salt.  Blend French dressing and curry powder; pour ¼ cup over chicken mixture.  Pass remaining curry dressing.  Makes 4 servings.

Crabmeat Salad

2 cans (7 oz. each) crabmeat

1 cup chopped celery

¼ cup chopped green pepper

1 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon grated onion

¼ teaspoon garlic salt

¼ cup French dressing

      Flake crabmeat and mix with celery, green pepper, onion, garlic salt and French dressing.  Marinate for several hours in refrigerator.  Just before serving, mix with mayonnaise.  Makes 8 servings.