I'll just have a Salad...

 Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad

Is this Salad ever good!  If you love Deviled Eggs, and if you live for Macaroni Salad... this is your Salad!

I mean…the taste of Deviled Eggs in fork-able form? The best thing about this Macaroni Salad is that it is delicious.

                                                                                                                                                                

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups mayo (or Miracle Whip if you use that in your deviled eggs)
• 2 Tbs. mustard
• 1 tsp. white vinegar
• 1 lb. pasta (I used elbows), cooked according to package directions
• 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup dill pickle relish (or sweet relish if you use that in your deviled eggs)
• Salt, pepper, and paprika

Instructions

1.   Once pasta has cooked, rinse it with cool water and allow it to drain completely.

2.  In a large bowl, stir together the mayo, mustard, and vinegar, until well-combined. Gently fold in the pasta, hard-boiled eggs, and relish. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.

3.  Chill pasta until ready for service (at least 2 hours). Before serving macaroni salad, sprinkle the top with paprika.

Thank you Juanita’s Cocina…                        

Best-Ever Creamy

Macaroni Salad

I seem to make a beeline for the Macaroni Salad.

The Pioneer Woman (I call her Ree) has a killer Macaroni Salad!

This is absolutely the BEST Macaroni Salad I’ve ever had and I loved making it!

When I cook… (pretty much anything) I cook as if I have a family of 15… So I usually make a lot of this Salad and lucky for me it keeps well and gets better with age. As we all should.

This simple salad is perfectly creamy, tangy and full of flavor, with a little spicy-sweet kick from the spicy Bread and Butter Pickles…. 

INGREDIENTS:

·      3 cups dry whole wheat elbow macaroni

·      1 (15 oz.) jar light or reduced-fat mayonnaise

·      2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

·      4 teaspoons granulated sugar

·      1/2 teaspoon salt

·      1/4 teaspoon black pepper

·      1/2 cup milk (less or more, if needed)

·      1/4 cup pickle juice from sweet/spicy pickles, to taste**

·      4-5 whole roasted red peppers, chopped (or one 16 oz. jar)

·      1 (6 oz.) can black olives, chopped fine

·     15 sweet/spicy pickles slices, diced (3/4 cup diced)**

·      6 whole green onions, sliced 

DIRECTIONS:

1.   Set a large pot of salted water to boil. Add macaroni and reduce heat; cook according to package directions (usually 6-8 minutes). Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Set aside and let cool completely.

2.  In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add milk and pickle juice, just enough to make the dressing pourable.

3.  Add chopped red peppers, olives, pickles and green onions. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Add more of any ingredient you like, including pickle juice, if desired. Chill dressing while macaroni cools.

4. Add cooled macaroni to bowl with dressing and toss. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. The dressing will thicken up as the macaroni salad chills.

 **Vlasic Zesty Bread and Butter Pickles at Walmart or Wickles brand pickles, found at Target.

Grandma’s Potato Salad

I’m sure every family has their own Potato Salad recipe. Why is it that some of our favorite memories of people revolve around food? 

This is True Blue Potato Salad…yummy, easy and full of memories!

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. red potatoes
• 2 green bell peppers
• 1 medium onion
• 6 hard-boiled eggs
• 32 oz. jar Hellman’s mayonnaise (the recipe is very clear about using Hellman's)
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1.   Boil, peel and dice potatoes (I like to leave the skin on, but Grandma peeled her potatoes).

2.  Mix all the diced potatoes, diced veggies together with chopped eggs, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.

3.  Season generously with salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate. Enjoy!

 AIMEE @ SHUGARYSWEETS 

Loaded Baked Potato Salad

Potato Salad is the Perfect Side. 

The End.  I love this recipe!

The name says it all…

ü    Loaded

ü    Baked Potato

ü    Salad

I have no words…

Ingredients

·      8 medium Potatoes

·      1 cup sour cream

·      1/2 cup miracle whip OR Mayo

·      12 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled

·      1 bunch of Green Onions, chopped

·      2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

·      Salt and Pepper to taste

Make it 

1.   Wash and cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces (I left the peel on).

2.  Cover with water and boil until fork tender. It will take about 20 minutes. Check them at 10 minutes and every few minutes after that. You don't want them overcooked or they will become mushy.

3.  Drain and rinse with cool water. Drain again. Put them in a large separate bowl and place them in the fridge.

4. Mix the Miracle Whip and Sour Cream together in a small bowl.  Add to the cooled potatoes, green onions, 3/4 of the crumbled bacon and 1 cup of cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.

5.  Top with the other cup of shredded cheese and bacon and serve!

6. I also added some green onions on top just for fun. 

Thank you Six Sisters Stuff...

Pesto Pasta Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Asparagus

This Pasta Salad is refreshing…healthy and SO good!  A recipe that is so versatile.  Add cheese and grilled chicken and you have a meal! Winner!!

As with most Pasta Salads… this baby is better on day 2 and day 3... if there is any left.

Ingredients

·      2 pints grape tomatoes

·      1 teaspoon brown sugar

·      Pinch of kosher salt
·      Freshly ground black pepper

·      2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

·      A big bunch of thin asparagus

·      1 lb. Farfalle

·      ¾-cup pesto (homemade or store-bought)

·      1 to 2 Tablespoons reserved pasta water

Directions

1.   Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil.

2.  In a large bowl, toss the grape tomatoes (whole) with brown sugar, a dash of salt, black pepper and 1 Tablespoon olive oil, coating well.

3.  Roast at 375 for 20 minutes or until very soft and the tomatoes start to deflate. Set aside.

4. Line another baking sheet with tinfoil. Preheat the broiler. Trim the asparagus ends and toss with 1 Tablespoon olive oil, a dash of salt and pepper.

5.  Broil asparagus for 5-10 minutes, shaking the baking sheet every 2 minutes or so. NOTE: My broiler can be set to medium, but it’s important to keep checking the asparagus so they don’t burn. You want the asparagus to have a bit of a char at the tips and the stems to soften and start turning a little golden. Set aside.

6. Cook the pasta in unsalted water according to package directions. Reserve 2 Tablespoons of pasta water and strain the rest in a colander.

7.  Return the cooked pasta to the pot and stir in the pesto, adding some of the pasta water if it needs to be thinned a bit. Gently toss in the roasted tomatoes and asparagus, adjust seasonings. Serve hot or chill and serve cold.

FEASTONTHECHEAP.com 

Zesty Italian Pasta Salad

One of my favorite summer salads is…

A really good Italian Pasta Salad.

This Salad is…

simple, easy and yummy…

Perfect Side for a Picnic!

Ingredients

• I pkg. tri- colored noodles
• 1-2 medium tomatoes
• 1 small red onion
• 1/2 cup green pepper
• 1/2 cup yellow pepper
• 1/2 cup red pepper
• 1 can black olives
• 1 small cucumber
• 1 small bunch of broccoli
• 1 bottle good quality Zesty Italian Dressing

Instructions

1.   Prepare noodles as directed on package. Using a colander; drain noodles and spray cool water on them to rinse and cool. Put noodles in a clear glass serving bowl.

2.  Dice all veggies; then place them on top of cooked noodles. Then add Zesty Italian dressing and gently mix well. Cover and chill before serving.

3.  For best results, prepare the day before you wish to use. Stir a couple of times that day and prior to serving. You may need to add a little extra dressing before serving as the noodles will soak it up.

FRUIT SALAD WITH…

HONEY LIME GLAZE

The Honey Lime Glaze is the perfect recipe to make your fruit shine--literally! Delicious!!

I love taking a Fresh Fruit Salad to any party, and this glaze keeps it just sweet enough and moistened.  The fruit can show off its beautiful texture, color and flavor. 

Shiny Fruit Salad for Easter… I say YES!

Ingredients

·      1 pt. container strawberries

·      1 pt. container blueberries

·      1 bunch (about 1 1/2 lbs.) seedless grapes (green, red or a mixture of both)

·      3 clementine’s (could use an orange)

·      1/3 cup honey

·      Juice from 2 limes (about 2-3 tablespoons)

·      Zest from 1 lime

Make it…

1.   Rinse strawberries, blueberries and grapes.

2.  Gently pat dry the fruit. 

3.  Hull strawberries then cut each in half; if large, cut into quarters.

4. Remove stems from blueberries, if any.

5.  Remove grapes from stems.

6. Peel & separate Clementines. (or peel and chop orange)

7.  Gently combine all three in a large bowl or aluminum tray.  Set aside.

8. In a small bowl, whisk together honey and lime juice.  Pour over fruit. 

9. Chill and serve!!  I usually triple this recipe.

http://amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.com/

Fresh Lime & Pineapple Fluff

Lime Jell-O Salad and its Cousin, Ambrosia, seem to come out at every family gathering or Picnic...

This Fluff is so satisfyingly creamy and refreshing. What is this? The word "Salad" implies that it belongs on the savory side of the table, but there are all those marshmallows.

Is it savory? Is it sweet? What is Jell-O Salad? In my mind, this might be dessert territory… but for Easter it is a Salad!

Ingredients

·      2 tablespoons powdered gelatin

·      1/2 cup pineapple juice

·      3/4 cup fresh lime juice, from 4 limes 

·      1 cup water

·      2/3 cup sugar
4 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature for 1 hour

·      2 cups heavy cream, divided

·      1/4 teaspoon salt

·      15 ounces canned pineapple slices

·      Unsweetened shredded coconut, to garnish

·      Fresh mint leaves, to garnish

Make it…

1.   Sprinkle the gelatin over the pineapple juice in a wide, shallow bowl, and set aside to soften for 5 to 10 minutes.

2.  Heat the lime juice with the water and sugar in a 2-quart saucepan, and bring to a boil. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then turn off the heat. Whisk in the softened gelatin and pineapple juice. Turn the heat back on to very low, and continue whisking until the gelatin is completely melted and there are no lumps. (Be careful not to boil the mixture again.)

3.  Pour the gelatin mixture into a 9x9-inch baking dish and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours (or overnight), until it is completely set.

4. Take the firm gelatin out of the refrigerator and take out about 1/3 of it and chop into very small cubes — about 1/4-inch. Spread out on a plate and set aside.

5.  Put the rest of the lime gelatin in the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl, and use a hand mixer) and beat on high speed for about 1 minute or until it begins to look frothy. Add the softened cream cheese and 1 cup cream. Beat slowly, then on high, until thick and creamy. Scrape this mixture out into a large separate bowl.

6. Add the 1 remaining cup cream back into the mixer bowl and beat with the salt for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it holds stiff peaks. Fold this cream into the cream-gelatin mixture in the large bowl.

7.  Drain the canned pineapple. Chop most of the slices into small bites, about the size of the gelatin cubes. (Reserve one or two slices for garnish.) Fold this and the reserved lime gelatin cubes into the cream mixture as well.

8. Refrigerate the Fluff until ready to serve. Serve in small glasses garnished with coconut, fresh mint, and pineapple. Well-covered, this will keep for about 3 or 4 days.