Thursday, July 6, 2017

Easy Summer Salads

Many of slave's elderly neighbors seem to live on chocolates and sweets! So for a holiday pot luck, I decided to give them some vegetables! Now many seniors are on a heart medication that does not allow leafy green vegetables, so restraint must be observed.


However a great summer out door party does not have to be limited to burgers and chips! Here are three bright salads that are welcome at any gathering. And they are not hard to put together. Ready?

Creamy Bacon Pea Salad



INGREDIENTS:
1 lb peas, frozen
5 slices bacon, cooked, diced
¼ red onion, diced

½ cup celery diced
3 ounces cheddar, diced
1 container of plain non fat Greek style yogurt

1/3 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup ranch dressing
1 Tbs lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste




DIRECTIONS:
Do your cutting.
Place frozen peas into a colander and place that into a bowl. Pour hot water over them to thaw them. Drain well. (Peas will thaw out by themselves overnight in refrigerator)

In a bowl, mix the yogurt, onion, mayo, ranch dressing, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix well.



Place the pea mixture into a bowl and mix the dressing into the peas. Fold in half of the bacon and all of the cheese into the salad.

Garnish with remaining bacon. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the flavors settle


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Colorful Corn Salad Recipe

The salad is tastiest when it has a chance to marinate in the dressing, so try to make it at least a few hours before you plan to serve it.
 



Salad:
  1. 1 lrg pkg. Frozen corn kernels (canned will work too)
  • 1 cucumber, peeled and cubed
  • 1 red bell pepper, cored and cubed
  • 2 to 3 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 2 Tbs sweet pickle relish 
     



Dressing:
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

First make the salad:

First do your cutting and have everything ready to add together.


In a large bowl, combine the corn kernels, cucumber, bell pepper, scallions, and pickles. Toss gently to combine.
Next, make the dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, salt, mustard, and black pepper until emulsified. Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients, and stir well to coat.


Cover and chill for at least 3 hours. Just before serving toss again. Garnish with additional dill if desired.


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Best Chicken Pasta Salad


Ingredients
  • 1 12 oz box shell pasta
  • 2 9.25 oz cans white premium chunk chicken breast, drained
  • 1 cup red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 stick celery, finely chopped
  • 2 Tbs sweet pickle relish
  • 6 hard boiled eggs, chopped
  • 1 cup of red seedless grapes
  • 1 cup mayo
  • 1 Tbs mustard
  • 1 container of No Fat plain Greek style yogurt
  • Salt and pepper to taste 




Instructions
  1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.
  1. Boil eggs until done. Peel once eggs have cooled, chop and set aside.
  1. In a large mixing bowl, mix chicken, onions, celery, pickle relish, eggs, mayonnaise, yogurt, and mustard.
Add pasta and mix until combined. Add additional mayonnaise if needed.
  1. Salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Note: When I make pasta salads, I like to mix the ingredients together, except for the pasta. This lets the flavors meld in refrigerator over night and does not let the pasta soak up all of the dressing. Simply add dressing and toss together with about a half hour till serving.

Tuna can be substituted for the chicken if you wish.

What a beautiful array of salads. Some served here in plastic bowls from the dollar store!

For some music:

So happy to be serving my Master Indy

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.
To nourish, support and maintain.
To gratify, spoil, comfort and please,
to nurture, assist, and sustain
..I cook!

Please buy slave's cookbook:

The Little Black Book of Indiscreet Recipes 

by 

Dan White 



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