Tasty And Healthy SPINACH SALAD Recipes

Salad with baby spinach (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Think spinach and the cartoon Popeye comes to mind. It is not so much of a mystery why the creators have decided to create this character. It is the only way to convince kids to eat their spinach. High in iron and vitamins, the spinach has a slightly bitter taste that needs a little getting used to. But with the following preparations, even most discriminating kids will come in for seconds.

24-HOUR SPINACH SALAD RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 pound Fresh Spinach -- torn in pieces

1 pound Bacon -- chopped

1 Head Lettuce -- torn in pieces

1 medium red onion -- diced

6 Eggs, Hard-Boiled -- cut in wedges

3/4 cup Mayonnaise

3/4 cup Miracle Whip

8 ounces Swiss cheese

Directions:

This is a layered salad, don't mix until serving time.

Place prepared spinach in bottom of large bowl, sprinkle with salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Add prepared bacon, do not mix. Add onion and prepared lettuce, add the eggs.

Mix both mayonnaise and Miracle Whip and pour over eggs, cut up the Swiss cheese and place over mayonnaise. Cover and let the salad set for 24 hours. Mix and stir just before serving.

WILTED SPINACH SALAD WITH WARM DRESSING RECIPE

Ingredients:

2 heads spinach; torn

1 small can mandarin oranges; drained

1 avocado; sliced

Dressing

2 teaspoons sugar

2 green onions; sliced

4 slices bacon; chopped

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons water

Directions:

Tear spinach into a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Fry bacon crisp; add vinegar, water, sugar and onion; heat to boiling. Pour over spinach. Toss until wilted. Add mandarin oranges and avocado.

SPINACH FLAMBE RECIPE

Ingredients:

6 bunches spinach -- washed and dried

6 hard-boiled eggs -- sliced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

12 strips bacon, crisply fried -- chopped

3/4 cup bacon drippings

1/2 cup malt vinegar

1/4 cup lemon juice

4 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 ounce brandy (100 proof)

Directions:

Tear spinach into bite-sized pieces and place in large salad bowl. Add egg slices, salt and pepper. 

Mix remaining ingredients except for brandy in small saucepan and heat until very hot. Heat brandy briefly, adds to a saucepan and ignite. Pour flaming dressing over spinach and toss gently but thoroughly. Serve on warm salad plates.

SHRIMP AND GRAPEFRUIT SPINACH SALAD RECIPE

Ingredients:

3 pink grapefruit

3 tablespoons wine vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 1/2 pound spinach, stems trimmed and leaves washed well

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

Directions:

With a sharp knife, peel the grapefruit, removing all the bitter white pith. Slice about 3/8 inch thick. In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, and 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Drizzle in 1/2 cup of the oil, whisking to combine. Season the shrimp with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. 

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the shrimp, and cook, turning once, until pink, about 3 minutes per side. Add the grapefruit, cooked shrimp, spinach, and onion to the vinaigrette in the large bowl. Toss well.

---

---

What You Need To Know About POTATO SALADS

Potato salad made with bacon.  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Potato salad is a dish, usually, an appetizer, made, obviously, from potatoes. However so, it still varies throughout different countries and regions of the world. Potato salads are more classified as side dishes than salads for they generally just precede or the follow the main course.

Many would claim on having made the best potato salad and would offer the truest and most authentic way of making it. But no matter what is said by many, the best potato salad, or any kind of salad at that matter, is pure of personal preference. Some like their potato salads mingled and just oozing with its dressing, some would prefer theirs to be really soft and tender, and others would want their potato salad to be crispy.

Potato salads are often served along with hot dogs, barbecue, hamburgers, roasts, and cold sandwiches. This kind of salad is categorized more like a casual fare and more often served during outdoor barbecues, picnics, and other sorts of casual events or meals. But this fact is not stated to underestimate their savory goodness.

Potato salads are definitely a popular menu choice of various chefs and cooks for preparing food for a large crowd, and since they can be made in large quantities with utter ease, they can also be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator until it is their time to be served.

You must never worry about emptying your wallet when going to the grocery store to buy whatever ingredients you need for your potato salad. The ingredients needed for potato salads are inexpensive and very much affordable. Thus, you do not have to worry about making one yourself because it is, in fact, quite easy.

You would need two pounds or approximately six large potatoes which are peeled and quartered; two stalks of chopped celery; one finely chopped onion, of which you could cook using a microwave on a high level for just one minute to be able to reduce that hotness, if you want, that is; four green onions that you have sliced for just ¼ of an inch thick; one large carrot, shredded; ¼ cup of a sweet pickle relish; ¼ cup of chopped red onion; one teaspoon of dry parsley; a half teaspoon of mustard seeds; you would also need pepper or salt for the taste, along with balsamic or wine vinegar, and also with yogurt or a nonfat mayonnaise.

Of course, you have to cook the potatoes in boiling water for approximately fifteen minutes, or when the potatoes are already barely tender. You have to check every minute or so after the first ten minutes have gone by. Once you have confirmed of the cooked status of your potatoes, cut them into smaller pieces. After that, just leave them be so that they will cool down. Then, you should mix the other ingredients you have also prepared in a large bowl. Once you are confident that you mixed them finely, add your already cooled potatoes, and then mix them, all together, well.

When all these are done, chill your self-made potato salad, but just do not forget to stir it a couple of times during the chilling time you have allotted for it.

---

---

Party 911: Pasta Salad To The Rescue

Pasta Salad - Photo: Pixabay

Has this ever happened to you? You’ve been invited to a party and realize you don’t have a meal to bring. Not only that, but the party starts in an hour. What should you do?

You have four options:

Don’t go, and miss out on a really fun time.

Show up empty-handed and explain red-faced that you forgot.

Grab a casserole dish and head to the deli. Order your food and have them put it right into your casserole dish. Yes, I’ve gone this. It’s expensive but it works. If you get asked for the recipe, just wink and say “It’s Grandma’s secret recipe”.

Whip up a big batch of pasta salad for only a few dollars, and have plenty left over to eat for lunch during the week. You will save money and look good showing up at the party with a great dish.

Pasta salad is truly one of the easiest meals to prepare. All you need are noodles and salad dressing. You can use pretty much any salad dressing on the market – the standards like Italian, Ranch, or, if you’re ambitious, your favorite homemade dressing.

Now for the fun part. Cook the noodles, following package directions and then drain. Pour the dressing on while the noodles are warm so they will absorb all that good oily flavor.

Look around your kitchen to see if you have any of the following ingredients:

• Fresh veggies – carrots, broccoli, green onions
• Frozen vegetables – frozen peas are wonderful in pasta salad
• Cubed or shredded cheese
• Garbanzo beans (also known as Chick Peas)
• Black Olives

Toss in whatever you can find. It’s an ‘everything goes’ type of recipe. Bring more dressing with you in case you need to add it later, and voila! You’re done.

If you’re feeling fancy, you can bring some cherry tomatoes, parmesan cheese, bacon bits or sunflower seeds as toppings. It’s all good.

The next time you are invited to a party, don’t panic. Just grab these instructions and whip up a meal in minutes. Enjoy!

---

---

BROCOLI Salad Basics

Broccoli salad served at a Minnesota potluck supper. Made with raw broccoli and chopped the red onion, crumbled fried bacon, plumped raisins, mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Broccoli salad is a very versatile dish that can be made in an endless variety of ways. Here is a breakdown of the most popular ingredients and dressings.

1-Ingredients:

The first ingredient is of course fresh broccoli. 2 heads will do for an average sized salad. Chop the stem off and cut the flowerets into bite-sized pieces.

Next, add some chopped vegetables. The favorites are onion, celery, carrots, and cauliflower. Just add as much as you like until it looks like a good mix.

Some people like to add bacon. Fry up 6-8 strips until crispy, drain grease and set aside. Crumble bacon after it's cooled and add to salad just before serving.

Any type of cheese can be used. It can be cubed, crumbled, shredded, or creamed as part of a dressing.

Fruit is often added to these salads, usually raisins. Also popular are grapes, cranberries, chopped apple, mandarin orange pieces, or any dried fruit.

Adding sunflower seeds or nuts to the mix gives the salad a little extra crunch. Almonds, walnuts, cashews, and hazelnuts are good examples. Try not to chop the nuts too small. Keeping the pieces larger helps the flavor of the nut stand out a little. Toasting the nuts with a little seasoning is an option as well.

If you would rather not chop up any fruit or nuts just add some trail mix to the salad instead.

2-Dressings:

a. The standard dressing for this salad is a basic mayonnaise/vinegar/sugar mix:

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

* Mayonnaise can be mixed with yogurt to lighten it up.

* Flavoured vinegar can be used or substituted with lemon or lime juice.

* Artificial sweetener can be used instead of sugar.

b. An oil/vinegar dressing can also be used:

1/2 cup salad oil

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup sugar(optional)

1/2 tsp. salt

* Flavoured cider or wine vinegar is recommended.

* Spices such as celery seed, onion powder, basil, and oregano can be added.

c. Your favorite bottled dressing can be used as well. Any creamy or Italian style dressing will work fine on a broccoli salad. A good one to try is a 3-cheese ranch.

3-More Stuff:

Here are a few various items that could be added to make your salad something original:

* Any canned vegetable such as peas, corn or beans(black, kidney, garbanzo, waxed, etc.).

* Fresh vegetables such as mushrooms, chives, bean sprouts, green beans, cucumber and bell peppers.

* Seafood can make it interesting: shrimp, scallops, salmon, and calamari are good additions.

4-The Method:

* Add broccoli flowerettes and any other ingredients you are using for your salad bowl. If you are using crumbled bacon or bacon bits add them just before serving.

* Add your dressing, mix and refrigerate 2-4 hours or overnight.

* Stir salad again before serving.

---

---

TOSS SALAD for A Quick and Easy Fix

A picture taken, of A Green Salad.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The thing about Toss salads is that bulk of the effort would come from making the dressing. The salad is mainly made up of greens such as lettuce, cabbage and romaines. The reason why these are called tossed salad is because preparation for this is just tossing together all the ingredients.

Meaning, all the greens and other twist which one may opt to add in it. Some of the add-ons may include sausages, fruits, chips and basically anything else that might come up in one's imagination. With a prepared dressing, it only takes one as little as five minutes to prepare this recipe. Below are some recipes which  one can try out at home.

Parmesan Vegetable Toss

2 C. mayonnaise or salad dressing

1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 C. sugar

1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves

1/2 tsp. Salt

4 C. fresh broccoli

4 C. fresh cauliflower

1 red onion, sliced

1 can (8 oz) sliced water chestnuts, drained

1 head iceberg lettuce, torn

1 lb. sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled

In a large bowl combine mayonnaise, Parmesan, sugar, basil and salt.

Add broccoli, cauliflower, onion and water chestnuts.

Toss.

Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Just before serving, place lettuce in a salad bowl and top with vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with bacon.

Top with croutons if desired.

CLASSIC TOSSED SALAD RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 head romaine lettuce

1 head red leaf lettuce

6 ounces crumbled feta cheese

1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives

1 (4 ounce) package blanched slivered almonds, toasted

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

6 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 red onion, sliced

6 fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup grated Romano cheese

1 (8 ounce) bottle Italian-style salad dressing

Directions:

Chop, wash and dry the romaine and red leaf lettuces. In a large salad bowl, combine lettuces with feta cheese, olives, almonds, sesame seeds, tomatoes, onion, mushrooms and Romano cheese. When ready to serve, add the Italian dressing and toss thoroughly.

CONFETTI TOSSED SALAD RECIPE

Ingredients:

15 ounces Italian Blend or Spring Mix salad greens

16 ounces sausages, lightly rinsed, well drained

2 cans (11 oz. size) mandarin oranges, drained

1 1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 medium apple, cored and diced

1 cup fresh raspberries

1 cup pecan pieces

1/3 cup extra sharp shredded cheddar cheese

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam, softened in microwave

1/2 cup frozen (whole) raspberries, thawed, with juice

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Salad: In large salad bowl, toss greens and Sauerkraut together. Top with oranges, cranberries, apple, fresh raspberries, pecans, and cheese.

Dressing: In a small bowl, blend together olive oil, vinegar, jam, thawed raspberries, and pepper.

Drizzle a few tablespoons of the dressing over the salad for moistness and color; serve remainder on the side.

---

---