Tooty Fruity Salad

This recipe originates from a story in a children's magazine that I read with my son. We decided to recreate the salad and this is what we came up with. Why is it called "tooty"? Because it's too good to turn down! 

TOOTY FRUITY SALAD

1 banana, sliced
½ c grapes, halved
1 can (11-oz.) mandarin oranges, drained
¾ c strawberries, hulled and halved
1 t lemon or lime juice
3 graham crackers, crushed

Combine all fruit in a large serving bowl. Add lemon juice and stir through fruit. Chill. Serve topped with graham crackers.

Favorite Jello Fruit Salad

My mom always made this jello salad when I was growing up. When someone said jello salad I think that I automatically assumed it would be like this. Anyway now its a family favorite and it has legendary status because many family get-togethers include this dish.

FAVORITE JELLO FRUIT SALAD

1-6 oz. package orange gelatin

1-16 oz. container whipped topping, thawed
1 lb. cottage cheese
1-29 oz. can fruit cocktail, drained
2-11 oz. cans mandarin oranges, drained
2 c miniature marshmallows

Combine gelatin and whipped topping. Add cottage cheese. Stir in fruit and marshmallows. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours before serving.

Avocado Tomato Salad

I found this simple salad recipe in yet another Taste of Home magazine.  I love that this salad is different, not your usual run of the mill salad.  It is a perfect side for Mexican or Tex-Mex dish.  I like to serve the salad with homemade tortilla crisps.

4 c chopped tomatoes
¼ c chopped onion
½ t salt
⅛ t pepper
2 medium ripe avocados, peeled and cubed
1 T lime juice

In a large green bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, salt, and pepper. Place the avocados in another bowl; sprinkle with lime juice and toss gently to coat. Fold into tomato mixture. Serve immediately.

Dijon Chicken Salad

I picked this recipe up many years ago from a Taste of Home magazine.  I've made a few adjustments to the recipe and the final version is terrific.  It's perfect for a light dinner on a warm summer night when it's just too hot to spend a lot of time cooking.  This salad is also easy to prepare ahead to save hassle at dinner time.

4 c finely chopped cooked chicken (*To save time I use the food processor to chop the chicken.)

1 c sliced celery
1 c seedless green grapes, halved
1 c seedless red grapes, halved
1 c mandarin oranges, drained
¼ c sliced green onions
1 ½ c fat-free or light mayonnaise
2 T honey
1 T Dijon or honey mustard
½ t salt
⅛ t pepper
lettuce leaves
½ c sliced almonds


In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, honey, mustard, salt and pepper; mix well. Stir into chicken mixture. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Serve on a lettuce-lined plate. Sprinkle with almonds. Makes 4-6 servings.

Mexicana Chopped Salad

I seem to have a dilemna when it comes to serving a Mexican main course for dinner - what to serve as a side.  I get tired of the usual rice, beans, and salsa.  Variety is nice!  So I've always wanted to have a good salad standby that would work nicely with that great Mexican dish.  I've tried a lot of different recipes and I hadn't found one that I really liked until today.  I admit I was skeptical when I read the ingredient list but I decided to give this recipe from Kraft foods a try.  Boy am I glad I did - this salad was excellent!

⅓ c fat-free Italian salad dressing
½ t ground cumin
1 can (15-oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 avocados, chopped
2 c halved cherry tomatoes
1 yellow pepper, chopped
½ c chopped white onion
½ c Mexican style finely shredded cheese

Mix dressing and cumin together. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add dressing mixture; mix lightly. Serve immediately.

Grilled Corn Salad

Have you ever tried grilled corn on the cob?  It's wonderful!  The corn becomes sweeter and this salad captures that unique flavor.  This salad is the perfect side dish for your next backyard barbecue.

4 ears fresh corn, husked and silks removed
¼ c oil, divided
½ red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed and finely chopped
3 green onions, finely chopped
½ T dried cilantro or parsley
1 ½ T lime juice
1 T maple syrup
½ t salt
¼ t freshly ground black pepper
1 T barbecue sauce


Rub corn with 2 T oil. Grill or broil corn for 7 minutes or until ears are lightly brown. Turn with tongs to brown all sides. Remove from grill. Cut kernals off with sharp knife. Place in mixing bowl. Combine corn with red bell pepper, onions, and cilantro. Combine remaining 2 T oil with lime juice, syrup, barbecue sauce, salt, and pepper. Toss with corn mixture. Serve at room temperature.


Note: The salad can be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Let stand at room temperature to take chill off before serving.

Karie's Bow Tie Pasta Salad

My sister-in-law Karie served this pasta salad at a cookout last summer.  I thought the salad was delicious and I requested the recipe, which Karie graciously provided.  Since then, I've made this salad several times.  I've also tweaked the recipe just slightly by using miniature bow tie pasta.  I did this for two reasons - first: I thought the miniature pasta was cute (I know crazy!) - and second: I thought the fruit and nuts were "overwhelmed" by the pasta; my thought was that using the smaller pasta would allow the fruit to standout more and it did.  So here's my version of Karie's Bow Tie Pasta Salad which I served with Fantastic Fennel Chicken.

KARIE'S BOW TIE PASTA SALAD

~ ½ of a 1 lb. pkg. miniature bow tie pasta, cooked and drained

2-15 oz. cans mandarin oranges, drained
1-6 oz. pkg. dried cranberries
2-4 green onions, chopped
1 ½ c celery chopped
1 ½ c bunch red grapes, halved
1 c cashews, optional
8-12 oz. coleslaw salad dressing
1 c mayonnaise

Mix all together and refrigerate until served.

Honey Lime Fruit Toss

I found this recipe on a can of pineapple chunks. It's a healthy and delicious way to serve fresh fruit.  It's delicious and its just perfect side dish for a spring or summer dinner.  This is definitely one of our family favorites.

1 can (20-oz.) unsweetened pineapple chunks
1 can (11-oz.) mandarin oranges, drained
2 c sliced fresh strawberries
2 medium firm bananas, sliced
2 kiwifruit, peeled, halved and sliced
2 T lime juice
1 T honey


Drain pineapple, reserving ¼ c juice; set juice aside. In a bowl, combine the pineapple, mandarin oranges, strawberries, bananas, and kiwi.


In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, honey, and reserved pineapple juice. Pour over fruit; gently toss to coat. Makes 6 servings.

Taco Salad

This is a delicious main course salad that is perfect on a warm day when you don't want to heat up the kitchen.  The dressing that goes with this salad is unique and amazing and seals the deal on  making this salad a family favorite.   I prefer to serve the tortilla chips on the side of the salad so the chips don't get soft but when I take this salad to neighbors I mix the chips in for convenience.  The original recipe was given to me by my mother-in-law.  I've made just a few minor adjustments to suite my preferences.

½ head torn Romaine lettuce

1 c grated cheddar cheese
1-15 oz. can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 lb. hamburger, browned
2 tomatoes, diced
1 ½ pkg. dry taco seasoning
1 onion, chopped
1 small can chopped black olives
1 pkg. taco chips


Season hamburger with taco seasoning according to package directions. Combine all ingredients except chips. Top with taco salad dressing.  Serve with chips to the side.

Dressing:
½ c Thousand Island Salad Dressing
¼ c sugar
½ pkg. taco seasoning
¼ c salsa


Mix dressing and refrigerate.

Strawberry Salad

This delicious salad is a blend of recipe and my imagination.  I combined the ingredients for the salad on a whim and then I modified an online recipe for the poppy seed dressing.  This salad has a spring feel to it with all of the bright fruits mixed through it.

Dressing:
½ c fat-free creamy salad dressing (i.e. fat-free Miracle Whip or mayo)
¼ c milk
¼ c white sugar
⅛ c distilled white vinegar
1 T poppy seeds


Salad:
1 pkg. Romaine lettuce salad greens
½ red onion, thinly sliced
1 ½ c sliced fresh strawberries
1 (11-oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained
¼ c dried cranberries
½ c glazed pecans


In a small bowl, mix together salad dressing, milk, sugar, vinegar, and poppy seeds. Refrigerate until ready to use.


Combine lettuce, onion, strawberries, almonds, cranberries, and mandarin oranges in a salad bowl. Toss with dressing.

Avocado Mandarin Tossed Salad

This is a an easy salad. I love the combination of the glazed pecans, mandarin oranges, and avocados. I'm not sure where I picked up this recipe but its a nice twist on a traditional green salad.

1 can (11-oz.) mandarin oranges, drained
½ c sliced green onions
⅓ c glazed pecans
⅛ t pepper
4 c torn salad greens
2 medium ripe avocados, peeled and sliced
¼ c prepared Italian salad dressing

In a bowl, combine the oranges, onions, pecans, and pepper; refrigerate for 30 minutes. Just before serving, place the greens in a salad bowl; top with orange mixture and avocado slices. Drizzle with dressing. Makes 8 servings.

Sweet Sour Pasta Salad

This pasta salad is easily my favorite. I originally picked up this recipe from a cooking magazine many years ago, but I have since seen this recipe featured in a local restaurant's recipe book. This salad served with Breaded Ranch Chicken is my husband's favorite meal!

1 package (15-oz.) tricolor spiral pasta
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 green pepper, chopped

Dressing:
1 ½ c sugar
½ c vinegar
1 T mustard
1 t salt, optional
1 t garlic powder

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse with cold water. Place in a large serving bowl. Add the onion, tomato, green pepper, cucumber and parsley; set aside. In a saucepan, combine the dressing ingredients. Cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Citrus Salad with Balsamic Viniagrette

This is a modified version of a recipe from a Kraft's food magazine. This salad is a nice change from the standard lettuce, tomato, carrot green salad.


2 c packed torn mixed salad greens
2 c packed baby spinach leaves
1-11 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained
1/3 c dried cranberries
5 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled
1/3 c thinly sliced red onions
½ c balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing

Combine all ingredients except salad dressing. Add dressing just before serving. Toss to coat.