Spring into Summer Salads

I don't know about you but the first time it hits 75 and is sunny outside, I am so ready to be done with soups and casseroles - it's SALAD time! Many of these can be served as main dish salads with just a bread item and maybe some fruit.  Others are great as side salads - its all up to you!  One of our favorite things to do is have 3 or 4 side salads for dinner!

Summer Chicken Salad

2 c leaf lettuce or spinach
2 cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 c cooked chicken, cubed
1 can sliced olives, drained
1 bunch grapes, halved
3 ribs, celery, chopped
1/2 c slivered almonds
1 can pineapple tidbits, drained well
2 c cooked pasta
      Toss well and then toss again with dressing
Dressing
1 c mayo or plain yogurt
3 T vinegar
3 T sugar
1 1/2 T soy sauce
1/4 t ground ginger

Cheese Tortellini Salad

1/2 lb cheese tortellini, cooked according to package directions and drained
2 T oil
3/4 c celery, diced
1 red or yellow sweet pepper, diced
1 small jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped (reserve marinade)
4 Roma tomatoes
1/2 c mayo
1/2 c plain yogurt
2 T lemon juice
1 T dried basil


Toss drained pasta with oil.  Add vegetables and toss. Combine mayo, yogurt, reserved marinade, lemon juice and basil.  Pour over salad ingredients and toss.  Chill for at least an hour before serving.

Sesame Chicken Pasta Salad

8 oz pasta, cooked and drained
3 c chopped chicken breast
2 c torn fresh spinach
      Toss together.
Dressing:
1/4 c soy sauce
1/3 c vinegar
2 T oil
2 T sugar
2 T sesame seeds
1/2 t salt and pepper
    Mix together well and toss with salad.  Serve immediately

Shauna's Pasta Salad

1 16 oz package desired pasta, cooked and drained
2 c grapes
1 c celery
2 c cooked and chopped chicken
1/2 c almonds OR 1 c cashews
1 can crushed pineapple undrained
a small bottle coleslaw dressing
1 c mayo

Mix mayo with dressing, reserving about 1 cup.  Toss all other ingredients together and then stir in dressing mixture.  Refrigerate for one hour.  Before serving, toss with reserved dressing mixture.

Mom's 24 Hour Layered Salad

1 head lettuce, washed and drained well, torn into bite size pieces
1/4 onion, finely diced
3 ribs celery, diced
1 cup frozen petite peas
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 c mayo
3 T parmesan cheese
1 T sugar
1 c shredded cheddar or swiss cheese
3 hard boiled eggs, sliced
1 package real bacon bits
2 tomatoes, chopped

In a 9x13 pan, layer: lettuce, onion, celery, peas, water chestnuts.  Mix mayo,  parmesan cheese and sugar together well and cover water chestnut layer.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 24.  Right before serving, sprinkle with shredded cheese, hard boiled eggs, bacon and tomatoes.

Cauliflower Pea Salad

1 head cauliflower, washed and broken into very small pieces
2 c peas (if using frozen, thaw them first) fresh would be yummy!
1 c cashew halves
bottled ranch or bleu cheese dressing

Combine, chill and serve.

Almost as good as KFC's Coleslaw

1 bag coleslaw mix OR 1/2 head of cabbage plus 2 carrots finely grated
1 apple, grated
Combine.

Dressing:
4 T mayo
2 T red wine vinegar
1 1/2 T sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Combine dressing with salad ingredients and chill for at least one hour before serving

Creamy Cookie Salad - yes, cookies and salad

2 c buttermilk
2 3oz pkg instant vanilla pudding
1 16 oz tub whipped topping
2 cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 11oz pkg fudge striped cookies, broken into bite size pieces

Beat together buttermilk and pudding.  Stir in whipped topping and oranges.  Stir in cookies.  Chill and serve.

Cotton Candy Salad

1 can cherry pie filling
1 can sweetened condensed milk (I use fat free)
1 16 oz tub whipped topping
1 small pkg mini marshmallows
2 cans drained mandarin oranges

Stir cherry pie filling and sweetened condensed milk together well.  Then stir in oranges and marshmallows.  Fold in whipped topping and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.  Not only does it look like cotton candy - it tastes like it too!  And it can be made fat free - not sugar or calorie free but fat free!