Dennis's Macaroni Salad

16 oz. elbow macaroni
4 carrots, shredded
1 large red onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped

Sauce:
2 cups mayo
1 - 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Mix sauce well, pour over macaroni and veggies. Make day before if needed.

Caprese Salad

Ingredients
1 pound dried pasta shapes (fusilli, orecchiette, penne)
2 pounds tomatoes (around 6 medium) roughly diced
1/2 - 1 pound fresh, water-packed mozzarella, cubed
1 packed cup basil leaves, washed, spun dry, and slivered
mushrooms, roughly diced


Dressing
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, pressed through a garlic press
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or half as much table salt)
freshly ground black pepper to taste
sugar to taste



Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it heavily (it should taste like seawater), then add the pasta and cook until just done.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the tomatoes and cheese and put them in a very large bowl. Whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper to taste; the mayo will help keep the oil and vinegar from separating.
3. Drain the hot pasta and shake it dry (don't rinse it), then add it to the bowl with the cheese and tomatoes and stir with a rubber spatula to combine.
4. Add about half the dressing, and stir again, then fold in the basil.
5. Now taste the pasta, and add more dressing, if it needs it, and more salt, which it will almost surely need. If you have time, cover it and let it sit at room temperature for an hour or so to let the flavors blend and to let the pasta absorb some of the juice that will come out of the tomatoes (don't refrigerate it, or the pasta may get tough and the tomatoes may get spongy. Taste just before serving and re-season as necessary.

Pina Colada Fruit Salad

1-1/2 cups green grapes
1-1/2 cups seedless red grapes
1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1-1/2 cups halved fresh strawberries
1 can (8 oz) pineapple chunks, drained (use FRESH if available)
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
(you can use whatever fresh fruits you have/like)

1 can (10 oz) frozen non-alcoholic pina colada mix, thawed
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup pineapple-orange juice
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1/8 teaspoon coconut extract

In a serving bowl, combine the fruit. In a small bowl, whisk the pina colada mix, sugar, juice and extracts until sugar is dissolved. Pour over fruit; toss to coat. Chill until serving. If you have left overs, it is SO yummy to blend everything together with ice and make a fresh fruit smoothie.

BBQ Chicken Salad with Cilantro Ranch Dressing

3 Cups thinly sliced Green Leaf Lettuce
¼ Cup corn
¼ Cup black beans
8 grape tomatoes, halved
1 cooked grilled chicken breast
¼ Cup favorite BBQ Sauce
¼ Cup shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ Cup prepared ranch dressing
1 heaping Tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro leaves

1. Place lettuce into a salad bowl. Layer with corn, black beans and tomatoes. Dice cooked chicken breast and mix with BBQ sauce. Top over salad and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

2. Place ranch dressing and cilantro leaves into a small bowl to combine. Drizzle over salad and serve.

**this is for one large serving**  (Thank you to Picky Palate for this recipe)

Persimmon Jello Salad

1 lg. package Lemon Jello
1 1/2 cups pureed persimmon
3-4 sm. cans mandarin oranges

Prepare Jello as directed. Whisk in the pureed persimmons and add the oranges. Pour into 9x13 pan and stir to place the mandrin oranges evenly. Refrigerate until set up. Serve with whipped cream or cool whip.

This Jello salad is a favorite from our Grandma, Claudia Pierce. It's an old family tradition to serve this at Thanksgiving and/or Christmas Dinner.

Loaded Baked Potato Salad

Ingredients:
5 pounds small unpeeled red potatoes, cubed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
8 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
1 pound sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 sweet onion, chopped
3 dill pickles, chopped
1-1/2 cups (12 ounces) sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
2 to 3 teaspoons prepared mustard

Directions:
Place the potatoes in a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake, uncovered, at 425° for 40-45 minutes or until tender. Cool in pan on a wire rack. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, eggs, bacon, cheese, onion and pickles. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise and mustard; pour over the potato mixture and toss to coat. Serve immediately. Yield: 20 servings.

Raspberry Vinegarette Salad Dressing

2 cups Mayo

1/2 cup half & half

1/2 cup raspberry vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

3 Tbs seedless raspberry jam or fruit syrup (we like boysenberry syrup)

2 Tbs poppy seeds

Serve over organic greens, mandarin oranges, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, sugared nuts, bacon, avocado. 

This is seriously the yummiest salad! The dressing is amazing. 

Lori's Asian Chicken Salad

Salad
(sorry, no quantities listed)
baby spinach
bow-tie pasta, cooked
sesame seeds
sunflower seeds
water chestnuts
bean sprouts
chicken breast, grilled with lemon pepper

Dressing
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. sesame seeds
3T soy sauce
4 T rice vinegar
1/2 t. sesame seed oil
1-2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

Toss salad with dressing immediately before serving.

Oriental Chicken Salad

4 chicken breasts, cook, cube
1 heat lettuce
1 bunch green onion, diced
1 celery, diced
½ c. sesame seeds
3 c. seedless grapes, halved
2 c. cashew halves
1 can water chestnuts
1 can Chinese noodles

Dressing:
4 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. salt
¼ c. vinegar
½ c. oil
½ tsp. pepper

Optional:
Deep fried wontons

Molded Cranberry Salad

1 sm. pkg. cherry jello
¾ cup boiling water
1 can whole cranberry
1 sm. can crushed pineapple
¾ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped nuts
½ cup chopped apple
¼ tsp. salt

Dissolve jello in boiling water. Add all other ingredients. Do not drain pineapple. Serves 8-10.

Gretchen Glendenning's Salad

Salad:
3-4 bags spring mix
Purple onion, sliced small
Craisins
Avocado
Sugared pecans (cook with 3 Tbs. sugar)
Cashews
Mandarin oranges

Dressing:
1/3 c. sugar
¼ c. vinegar
1 c. oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. celery seed
¼ purple onion, chopped

Another Gretchen Glendenning Salad

Salad:
1 lb. bacon, crispy/chopped
1/2 - 1 lb. swiss cheese
Cottage cheese, rinsed off
1 head lettuce
Mushrooms
Spinach

Dressing:
1 cup canola oil
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 Tbs. grated onion
1 Tbs. poppy seeds
1/3 cup vinegar
(½ red wine, ½ white)

Cinnamon Heart Jello Salad

1 pkg. Cinnamon Heart candy
2 cups boiling water
1 pkg. lemon jello
1 pkg. strawberry jello
1 cup cold water
3 apples, grated
Lemon juice

Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese
3 Tbs. milk

Dissolve candy in boiling water. Add jello and dissolve. Add cold water. Grate apples and add a little lemon juice to prevent darkening. Mix all above together. Pour half of jello mixture into 9x13 pan and chill until firm. Combine cream cheese and milk until spreading consistency. Spread over chilled jello. Pour other half of room temp. jello over cream cheese and chill until set.

Aunt Nee's Salad Dressing

¼ cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. paprika
1 Tbs. Worchester
2 Tbs. dry mustard
1/3 cup vinegar
1 can tomato soup
1 cup olive oil

Makes 1 quart.

Raspberry Salad

2 pkg. red raspberries
½ cup sugar
1 lg. pkg. raspberry jello
1 lg. can crushed pineapple
2 cups boiling water
1 pint sour cream

Dissolve jello in water. Add sugar, crushed pineapple and raspberries. Pour half of jello mixture into a 9x13 pan. Chill until set. Spread sour cream over the set up jello. Pour remaining half of jello on top of sour cream and chill until set.

Barbara's Seafood Salad Dressing

1 cup sour cream
1 cup ketchup
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. mustard
1 ½ tsp. wine vinegar
1 tsp. curry

Nana's Jello Salad

3 cups boiling water
1 lg. pkg. lemon jello
1 lg. can crushed pineapple
2 cups mini marshmallows
3 sliced bananas
Topping:
½ cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 ½ Tbs. flour
1 cup pineapple juice
1 sm. whipping cream

Drain pineapple. Save juice. Dissolve jello in water and add all other ingredients. Chill until set. Boil pineapple juice, sugar, flour, and beaten egg until thickened. Stirring constantly. Chill until cool. Whip cream and fold into topping mixture. Spread on set jello and top with finely grated cheddar cheese.

Raspberry Jello with Bananas

1 lg. pkg. Raspberry jello
2 ½ cups boiling water
6 oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 can applesauce
3 diced bananas
Real whipped cream (Sweetened)

Dissolve jello in boiling water. Add orange juice concentrate. Add applesauce and bananas. Serve with a dab of whipped cream.

Julie Stauffer's Spinach Orzo Salad

Salad:
1 bag spinach
1 box orzo pasta
½ cup finely chopped red cabbage
3-4 fresh tomatoes
2 Tbs. chopped sun dried tomatoes
1 can sliced black olives
½ bottle capers
Pine nuts
Grated parmesan cheese

Dressing:
Blend together:
1 clove garlic
1 ½ Tbs. Dijon mustard
1/3 c. garlic rice vinegar
½ c. oil
½ c. fresh lemon juice
2 ½ tsp. sugar
Salt & Pepper

Chicken Bow-tie Salad

5 or 6 chicken breasts - cooked & cubed
1 ½ box Bowtie Pasta (Barilla Farfalle)
1 bunch green onions
2 cups mayo
1 16 oz. Coleslaw dressing
1 cup chopped celery
1 lb. seedless purple grapes – cut in ½
4 - 5 granny smith apples - cut in cubes
Salt & Pepper and sugar to taste

Cook & Cube chicken breast. Cook bowtie pasta as directed on package. Cut up green onions in small slices. Mix cooked pasta, chicken, green onions, mayo and coleslaw dressing. Refrigerate overnight. Add celery, grapes and apples before serving. Add more mayo if not creamy enough.

Christmas Ribbon Jello Salad

1 lg. pkg. lime jello
1 lg. pkg. cherry jello
8 oz. cream cheese
½ cup mayonnaise
1 can crushed pineapple
1 sm. pkg. lemon jello
½ cup mini marshmallows
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup whipped cream

Dissolve lime jello according to package directions. Pour in 9x13 pan. Chill until almost set. Dissolve lemon jello in 1 cup boiling water in a double broiler. Add marshmallows and stir to melt. Remove from heat and add 1 cup pineapple juice and cream cheese. Beat until well blended. Stir in pineapple. Cool slightly and fold in whipped whip cream and mayonnaise. Chill until thick and pour over set lime jello. Chill until almost set. Dissolve cherry jello according to pkg. directions. Chill until syrupy, and then pour over lemon/pineapple layer. Chill salad until firm.

Dixie Salad

1 cup sugar
4 Tbs. flour
2 c. pineapple juice
2 eggs, beaten
½ pt. Whipping cream
Pomegranates
Bananas
Apples

Combine sugar and flour. Stir in pineapple juice and beaten eggs. Cook over medium heat until thick. Cool and fold into whipped whipping cream. Add fruits.

Spinach Strawberry Salad

1 pkg. sm. spinach leaves
1 pkg. Spring mix lettuce
2 cup sliced strawberries
½ cup red pepper, diced
½ cup purple onion, sliced thin
5-6 pieces bacon, cooked
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
¾ cup sugared pecans
10-12 wontons, fried

Sugared Pecans:
¾ cup pecans
2/3 cup sugar
3 Tbs. butter

Dressing:
½ cup berry syrup or jam
½ cup red wine vinegar
½ tsp. dry mustard
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
¾ cup canola oil
½ sup sugar

Fry wontons in oil in skillet on med-low temp. Make sure oil is hot enough before you put the first wontons in. Cool, and break into bite-size pieces. Make sugared pecans. Mix pecans, sugar and butter in small skillet. Cook until sugar and butter are all bubbly and stick to pecans. Cook on med-low heat. Keep stirring. So they don’t get too dark. Remove from heat and pour onto cookie sheet to cool. Separate pecans with fork. Cook bacon and crumble into pieces.

Mix spinach and spring mix in large bowl. Place red peppers, strawberries and onion on top of salad greens. Right before serving, add Parmesan cheese, nuts and wontons. Add dressing and serve immediately.

Chicken Layered Salad

1 head lettuce
3 ½ cups cubed chicken
4 stalks celery, diced
½ medium onion
1 sm. green pepper
1 can sliced water chestnut
1 pkg. frozen peas
1 ½ cups mayonnaise
3-4 Tbs. sugar
Grated cheese

Place in layers in order given. Top with grated cheese. Top with 2 paper towels, seal in Tupperware and refrigerate over night. Toss right before serving.

Heather's Macaroni Salad

1 pkg. ABC macaroni
1 can shrimp – purple can
6 hard boiled eggs
3 green onions, diced
1 cup celery, diced fine
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup miracle whip
1 Tbs. sugar

May use small macaroni if you can’t find ABC’s. Cook macaroni according to package. Grate eggs and add diced green onions. Mix with all other ingredients and refrigerate until well chilled.

Oriental Salad

½ head lettuce
½ head cabbage
1 bunch green onions
¾ cup slivered almonds
½ cup sesame seeds
1 pkg. Ramen noodles (oriental flavored)

Dressing:
½ cup oil
½ cup wine vinegar
¼ cup sugar
Seasoning from noodles

Crush Ramen noodles and place on cookie sheet with almonds and sesame seeds. Broil in oven until they are golden. Set aside. Chop cabbage, lettuce and green onions. Right before serving, toss with almonds, ramen noodles and dressing.

Mandarin Orange Green Salad

1/2 head iceberg lettuce
1 head romaine lettuce
2 stalks celery – chopped
3 green onions – sliced
1 can mandarin oranges
1 sm. pkg. slivered almonds
2 Tbs. sugar
2 Tbs. butter

Dressing:
½ cup oil
¼ cup wine vinegar
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp. almond flavoring
Salt & Pepper

Melt butter in small frying pan on medium heat, dissolve sugar in butter, add almonds and stir until golden brown. Set aside. Mix lettuce, celery, green onions and drained oranges. Right before serving, add sugared almonds and salad dressing. Toss & serve.

Creamy Fruit Salad

3 cans fruit cocktail
6-8 sliced bananas
3 sm. apples, diced
1 ½ cup grapes
1 ½ cup mini marshmallows
1 ½ cup whipping cream
15-20 maraschino cherries
Strawberries

In large bowl, combine all fruit and other ingredients. Fold in whipped cream and refrigerate. Just before serving, garnish with strawberries.

Rice Pudding

2 eggs, beaten
½ cup sugar
¼ tsp. salt
2 cups scalded milk
¼ cup cooked rice (cold)
1 cup seedless raisins
1 tsp. vanilla
Dash cinnamon & nutmeg

Combine eggs, sugar, and salt. Gradually add scalded milk. Add rice, raisins, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour into 1 qt. greased casserole. Set in shallow pan. Pour in hot water 1” deep. Bake at 325° for 1-½ hours.

Mandarin Salad

1 cup sour cream
1 cup coconut
1 cup marshmallows
Small can drained, mandarin oranges
1 can drained, crushed pineapple

Mix and let set for 12 hours.

Zappy Strawberry Jello

1 – 3 oz. strawberry jello
1 – 3 oz. lemon jello
2 cups boiling water
1 – 10 oz. frozen strawberries
1 ground orange (blended)
7 oz. 7-up

Dissolve jello in boiling water. Add strawberries, breaking up pieces. Add orange. Chill till cold, not set. Gently stir in 7-up and chill till firm. May add bananas or use fresh strawberries.

Cheese Jello Salad

1 lg. pkg. lemon jello
2 cups hot water
1 can crushed pineapple
2 cups cream, whipped
1 cup grated cheese
1 cup mini-marshmallows
Bananas – optional

Dissolve jello in hot water. Add pineapple including juice. When it starts to set, fold in whipped cream, grated cheese and marshmallows. Pour into 9x13 pan. Let set in fridge for a few hours.

Cookie Salad

1 cup buttermilk
1 pkg. vanilla pudding
12 oz. cool-whip
1 can mandarin oranges
1 sm. can pineapple (crushed or tidbits)
Sliced bananas
½ pkg. fudge stripe cookies

Drain juice off fruit, set fruit aside. Mix buttermilk with pudding. Fold in cool-whip. Add fruits. Crumble cookies and add just before serving. Stir well so that everything is coated with cream mixture. Use seasonal fresh fruits when available – peaches, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, bananas, etc.

Cream Salad

1 pkg. jello – prepare as directed on package
1 can crushed pineapple
8 oz. cream
½ cup mayonnaise

Make jello. Mix other ingredients, and spread over jello.

7 Layer Salad

1 lg head lettuce, shredded
1 ½ cup diced celery
6 oz. pkg frozen peas
¾ cup green onion
1 can water chestnuts (opt)

Put lettuce in 9x13 pan. Sprinkle onion, celery, chestnuts and peas over lettuce.

In a separate bowl mix:
1 ½ cup sour cream
1 ½ cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. sugar
¾ tsp. garlic salt
1 ½ tsp. seasoning salt

Spread over lettuce and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Sprinkle the following on top:
1 cup shredded cheese
5 boiled eggs, diced
1 lb. bacon, crumbled
2 lg tomatoes, diced

1000 Island Dressing

Finely chopped celery
Finely chopped green pepper
1-quart mayonnaise
Small can chopped black olives
Bottle of sweet relish
2 grated hard-boiled eggs
½ bottle or 4 oz. ketchup
Dash Worchester sauce

Broccoli Salad

2 large heads broccoli
10 slices bacon
1 sm. purple onion, chopped
½ cup chopped red pepper
½ cup cheddar cheese

Dressing:
2/3 cup mayo
¼ cup sugar
1 ½ Tbs. vinegar

Mix all salad ingredients, pour dressing over salad.