| Salads are so darned versatile. They can be served in | | | | fancy ones for leftovers. |
| a sandwich, on the side or as the main meal. My 6 | | | | A salad is a great pantry cleaner. Use artichoke hearts |
| year old just correctly noted in her book about mom | | | | or heats of palm, roasted red peppers, olives, |
| that her mom's favorite food is salad. (which wasn't | | | | garbanzo beans, black beans or corn as interesting |
| nearly as funny as saying that what her dad likes to | | | | additions to most salads (all canned!) Do something a |
| read is mail!) Here's a few of my favorites and some | | | | little different with the carrots and cukes you already |
| tips to make them as simple as delicious. | | | | have in your fridge. Shred them. Speaking of shredded, |
| Olive Salad | | | | shredded cheese or crumbled cheeses are simple yet |
| Prep Time: 30 minutes, Cook time: 0 minutes | | | | substantial additions to any salad. Add some multi |
| A great side salad or amazing on a ham sandwich - | | | | colored tomatoes and you have yourself quite a salad. |
| turns it into a New Orleans style muffaletta sandwich. | | | | My favorite dressing that is great for most salads-Paul |
| Add some provolone and mozzarella cheese and | | | | Newmans olive oil vinaigrette. |
| some genoa salami to it and you'll think you're in the big | | | | Creamy Cucumbers |
| easy. | | | | Prep time: 10 minutes, Cook time: 0 minutes |
| - equal amounts large pimento stuffed green olives | | | | This little salad has an ingredient that will surprise |
| and pitted large Greek olives - chop into small pieces | | | | everyone but you! The creamy texture comes from |
| (for the sake of recipe, assume you use soup can | | | | mayonnaise. My family used to make it with sour |
| sized quantity of each) | | | | cream but then my good friend Gail suggested the |
| - 1 stalk celery, sliced diagonally and chopped small | | | | mayo. It tastes just like my old recipe and the real |
| - ¼ cup olive oil | | | | benefit is that I always have mayo in my fridge. This is |
| - ½ jar cocktail onions, drained and chopped | | | | what summer tastes like to me! |
| - 1 T. capers | | | | 2 English cucumbers - sliced (the long ones with |
| - 1 t. minced garlic | | | | minimal seeds) |
| - 1 t. fresh ground pepper | | | | ¼ Vidalia or red onion - chopped fine |
| - pepperocini to taste | | | | 2 T. vinegar (I usually use cider because I always have |
| Combine and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before | | | | it available) |
| using. | | | | 2 T. mayo (or more if you like it really creamy)salt and |
| Tip: I have a gourmet grocery near me that has one | | | | pepper to taste |
| of those terrific olive bars. It has PITTED olives of | | | | NOTE: if you use regular cucumbers, they contain a lot |
| different varieties as well as some combinations. I was | | | | more water so take the extra time to drain them for |
| able to use the pitted kalamatas and a green olive | | | | better flavor. To drain, chop up the cucumbers, sprinkle |
| salad that contained the onion and celery. I then only | | | | with salt, and then put something heavy on top to |
| had to add the capers, pepperocini, spices, and oil for | | | | squeeze the water out. Wait about 4 hours. I usually |
| that fab n'awlins taste. | | | | use a slightly smaller bowl with water in it as the heavy |
| Green Salad | | | | item. |
| Prep time: 15 minutes, Cook time: 0 minutes | | | | Want a shortcut with just a slightly different flavor? |
| So many people are carb conscious these days, you'd | | | | Use ranch dressing with the 2 T. of vinegar. |
| be surprised how fast what you consider an | | | | Cole slaw - I don't care what anyone says, Kentucky |
| underwhelming salad goes. The interesting greens are | | | | Fried Chicken has the most universally loved cole slaw. |
| all the rage but I think a mix is always best. And by the | | | | Drive thru one and BUY IT. |
| way, the standby icebery holds up better than the | | | | |