Beet, Pear, and Bacon Salad with Balsamic Reduction

6-8 slices bacon, cut with scissors into small pieces

1 onion, sliced thin

3 beets, chopped into cubes (I used frozen cubed beets)

2 firm pears, chopped

1 cup pomegranate arils (I used these) 

4-5 cups spinach

1-2 cup mixed greens

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

Fry the bacon pieces until they start to brown.

Add in onion and beets and cook until onions are translucent and beets are tender.

Place spinach, mixed greens, pears, and pomegranate into a large serving bowl.  

Heat balsamic vinegar on high until boiling stirring consistently until slightly thickened.

Add bacon, onion, and beet mixture to the serving bowl.

Toss salad.

Drizzle thickened vinegar on top and serve immediately. 

Super Easy Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 package your favourite pasta (I used tri-colour pasta shapes)

1 cup of your favourite veggies (I used julienned carrots and diced green peppers)

2 tablespoons oil (I used basil olive oil)

1/2 cup - 1 cup of mayo or Ranch dressing or a mixture of both

1 tsp sugar

milk to thin

Instructions:

Cook pasta as directed. Drain and rinse with cold water. Toss with oil (this will help the dressing not to absorb into the pasta and keeps the salad creamy. Mix mayo/ranch dressing with sugar and milk (should be a pourable consistency). Pour over salad. Can be refrigerated to blend flavours before serving. 

Fruit and Goat Cheese Salad with Orange Raspberry Dressing

Ingredients

For the Salad:
• 1 cup Pecan Halves
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 12 oz package Romaine lettuce, chopped into bite sized pieces
• 8 oz fresh strawberries, quartered
• 4 oz fresh blueberries
• 2 oz goat cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup red onion, sliced (cut into small pieces)
• 15 oz can Mandarin oranges, drained (reserve juice)
• 
  
For the dressing:
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/8 cup raspberry vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1-2 Tbsp poppyseeds
• 1/4 cup reserved mandarin orange juice

Instructions

1. To candy the pecans: In a small skillet over medium heat, saute pecans with sugar and butter. This will take several minutes for the sugar to dissolve as you stir the pecans. Set aside and cool.
2. In a large bowl, combine romaine, berries, oranges, cheese and onion. Toss gently.
3. In a small mason jar, combine dressing ingredients and shake with lid on.
4. When ready to serve, add candied pecans and drizzle with dressing. ENJOY!

Grilled Sesame Chicken Salad

Ingredients: 

Marinade and dressing -

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 2 large chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, sliced into bite sized pieces
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions (white and green parts)

Salad - 

• 1 lb Napa cabbage, very thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, grated 
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced and cut on the diagonal
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted with some sugar if desired
• 1 tsp white sesame seeds, toasted
• 1 tsp black sesame seeds, toasted

Directions:

Mix marinade/dressing ingredients together. Remove 3 tbsp of mixture and fry boneless, skinless chicken in a hot frying pan. Fry chicken until cooked through. 

Place salad ingredients in a large bowl. Top with cooked chicken from frying pan. Drizzle remaining dressing on top. Toss salad and serve. 

Pistachio Salad

This is always a favorite to take to a family gathering.  Yum!

- 1 pkg instant pistachio pudding (dry)
- 1 (19oz) tin pineapple tidbits
- 1 (10oz) tin mandarin orange segments
- 1 cup whipped topping
- 2 bananas
- 2 kiwi
- Grapes

Mi dry pudding with pineapple juice and pineapple tidbits.  Drain tin of orange segments and add to the pudding mixture.  Add whipped topping to pudding and fruit mixture.  Slice bananas, kiwis and grapes.  Mix this into the salad.  Chill and serve.  Makes 1 medium sized bowl.

Cookie Fruit Salad

I know...sounds disgusting but this is so delicious!! My aunt has been bringing this to family gatherings for years and it used to be served at the old "Penner Foods" grocery stores-anyone remember those?? Anyway, I recently had dental work and this qualified as some delicious "soft" food that I could actually eat. This salad (-or dessert as my husband calls it-) is so good and is perfect for big gatherings.

Ingredients:
1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
1 (16 oz) container cool whip, thawed
2 cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
1 pkg chocolate teddy grahams or crushed oreo crumbs

Directions:
Mix pudding mix, buttermilk, and cool whip together. Add drained fruit and fold in until combined. Mix in cookies or crumbs. If using cookies, let sit for a few hours to let cookies soften (best if made the night before) but salad made with crumbs can be served right away.

Kansas Cucumber Salad

This is a variation of a coleslaw type recipe.  Except it's even better with the addition of cucumbers and some onion.  Thanks for sharing the recipe Christina!

• 1 cup mayo
• 4 tsp vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp dill weed

Mix the above ingredients, which make up the dressing for the salad.  This is a large recipe, so unless you're heading to a family reunion, you might want to half the recipe.  

Add grated or chopped cabbage, chopped cucumbers and green onion or white onion, chopped fine.  

Mix an hour before serving.  Salad does not keep for very long, as it gets watery.  But it's so good, there probably won't be any left anyway!

* Christina also mentioned that mixing this dressing with an equal amount of bought coleslaw dressing is a delicious variation.

Potato Salad Dressing

Love, love, love this recipe. I've always enjoyed potato salad and this would have to be one of my favorites. Recipe from Mom T. :)
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 small onion or onion greens, chopped
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp celery seeds
- 1/2 tsp prepared mustard

Mix all ingredients, then pour over cooked, diced potatoes.
I also like to include a few hard boiled, diced eggs. Delicious!!

Taco Salad

This is a delicious salad, a little different from your average taco salad. Recipe from my mom-in-law. Warm weather is coming. Time to start thinking of some salads to go along with the burgers and steaks.

• 1 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing


• 1 cup Italian dressing


• 1 lb ground beef


• 1 small chopped onion


• 2 cups kidney beans


• 1 tsp salt


• 1/2 tsp pepper


• 1 head lettuce


• 2 tomatoes, chopped


• 375g pkg taco chips, crushed


• 2 cups grated cheese

Mix Italian dressing and Miracle Whip. Brown ground beef and onion. Add beans, salt and pepper. Toss the remaining ingredients then add warm ground beef mixture. (Temperature of ground beef can be cooled slightly to warmed slightly if it's been refrigerated). Add dressing; toss and serve immediately.

Fruit Salad

Super easy fruit salad. Tasty too!

• 1 can peach slices, undrained*
• 1 can pineapple chunks, undrained
• 1 box dry vanilla instant pudding mix
• 1 lb strawberries, stemmed and quartered
• 1 banana, sliced
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 bunch grapes
• 1-2 tbsp sugar (optional)**

In a large bowl, combine peach slices, pineapple chunks and dry vanilla pudding mix. This includes the juices from the cans. Mix well until pudding is dissolved. Stir in strawberries, banana, blueberries, grapes and sugar (if desired). Chill.

* I used a can of fruit cocktail instead, which worked well.

** I left the sugar out and found it to be sweet enough without it.

Copper Coins

Often also called marinated carrot salad. I like this salad recipe because it's easy, uses up abundant carrots from the garden and keeps in the fridge for 2-3 weeks. Recipe is from my Mom.

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup oil
• 3/4 cup vinegar
• 1 can tomato soup
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 2 lb cooked, chopped carrots
• 1 raw green pepper, sliced or diced
• 1 sweet or spanish onion

Bring first 7 ingredients to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes. Add carrots. Add pepper and onion. Mix and refrigerate to marinate. (At least 12 hrs) Stir occasionally.

Cucumber Salad

Cucumbers! So many cucumbers! My garden is producing them in abundance. This is an easy way to use up some cucs. And good tasting too!

• 8 big cucumbers, sliced
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 1/2 tsp salt

Mix and let stand for 1/2 hour. Then drain. Mix following ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp celery seed
• 1 red and 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 cup vinegar
• 1 tsp mustard seed

Stir until sugar is dissolved and pour over cucumbers. Stores in fridge for several weeks. Easy, peasy.

Luscious Salad

This is one of my favorite salads, so easy and tastes great.

• 1 head cauliflower
• 1 head broccoli
• 4-6 carrots
• 1 green or red pepper
• any other favorite veggies (celery, green onion)*

Dressing:

• 1 cup salad dressing (miracle whip)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp vinegar
• dash of Tabasco
• dash of Wocestershire sauce

Wash and cut vegetables into bite-size pieces. Mix the dressing and add to cut vegetables. Serve.

*I make mine without celery and green onion, but some recipes call for them. Use your favorites and enjoy!

Penne Pasta Salad

Penne Pasta Salad

• 1 package (16 oz) penne or medium tube pasta



• 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes



• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper



• 1/4 cup chopped green onions



• 1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained



• 1 bottle (8 oz) Italian salad dressing



• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper



• 1/4 teaspoon each dill weed, garlic salt, and lemon-pepper seasoning

Cook pasta according to package direction. Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, combine the tomatoes, green pepper, onions and olives. Drain pasta and rinse in cold water; add to vegetables. Combine the salad dressing and seasonings; pour over the salad and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Yield: 8-10 servings

Brocoli/Cauliflower Salad

1/2 head brocoli (flowerettes cut into tiny pieces)
1/2 head cauliflower- (flowerettes cut into tiny pieces)
1/2 red onion chopped fine
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
6 pieces bacon - fried crisp
1/2 cup miracle whip
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

Cut your brocoli and cauliflower into tiny pieces and put into large bowl, chop up red onion fine, toss in sunflower seed ( if you like more of a nutty taste - put them into a hot fry pan for a few min to toast up) Fry up bacon slices and when cool crumble them and save for last min. addition. Mix together miracle whip, sugar & cider vinegar, pour over veggies mix together then sprinkle with crisp bacon pieces.

Best Cole Slaw Ever

1 small head cabbage finely shredded
1 medium size carrot, shredded or cut into thin strips
1/8th. of a red cabbage (optional)
1 cup miracle whip
2 tsp. celery seeds
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp white sugar
2 Tbsp white vinegar


shred up cabbages & carrot either with a sharp knife or by using a food chopper/shredder, place in large bowl, whip together miracle whip dressing, celery seeds, pepper, salt, sugar, vinegar, pour over mixed veggies and stir till coated, is great with fish or any other meat meals. Sometimes if cole slaw mixes are on sale i'll just pick those up instead of choppin' my own, esp. if your lookin' for a quick salad, that's the way to go.

Chef's Salad

1 head romaine lettuce

1 bunch of radishes sliced

1 pkg. cherry tomatoes sliced in half or you can use about 4 Roma

1 carrot sliced

1 cucumber sliced

1 red and or green onion sliced

1 stick of celery sliced

1 red pepper or your fav. color or a combination of peppers

cheese sliced or cut into cubes

a couple slices of ham sliced into slivers or cubes or use turkey breast

Dressing - Thousand Island or your fav.

tradionally it is served with Thousand Island Dressing, but you can use your favorite salad dressing for it. This salad makes a huge punch bowl full. This is one of my all time fav' salad's. This is what i brought for one of our Easter gatherings, and it all disapeared

Bean Salad

2 cups yellow and or green beans (cooked)

1 can kidney beans or your fav. mixed beans

1 onion sliced

1 red and or green pepper cubed or sliced

1/3 cup salad oil

2/3 cups vinegar

3/4 cup white sugar

Mix oil, vinegar, and sugar, until sugar is disolved, pour over beans, onion & peppers.
Let stand overnight in fridge.

Layered Lettuce Salad

I love, love, love this salad. I'm sure this isn't a new recipe for most of you, but sometimes you forget those old favorites. One of my first choices for a gathering or get together, as it is best made the day before. Pretty salad, when put together in a glass bowl.

Layered Lettuce Salad

• 1 head lettuce
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 4 eggs, hard-boiled and sliced
• 10 oz frozen peas, uncooked
• 1/2 cup green/red pepper, diced
• 1 onion, chopped (I often used green onions)
• 8 slices of bacon, fried and crumbled (bacon bits work too)
• 4 oz shredded cheddar cheese

Dressing

• 1 to 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
• 1 to 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• dash of salt

Tear lettuce into bite sized pieces. Layer with remaining ingredients, except cheese and dressing, in order given. Mix dressing ingredients and spread over salad. Top with shredded cheese. Cover and refridgerate 8 to 12 hours.