BEST PASTA SALAD EVER OR “DILL PICKLE” PASTA SALAD

THIS REALLY IS THE GREATEST PASTA SALAD EVER!!!!

SALAD:

1/2 lb dry shell pasta (about 3 cups)

1/2 cup pickle juice

3/4 cup sliced pickles

2/3 cup cheddar cheese, diced

1/2 cup frozen peas (optional)

DRESSING:

2 tsp minced dry onion (or 3 TBL fine diced fresh onion)

1 tsp dried dill (or 1 tablespoons fresh dill)

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sour cream

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

4 tablespoons pickle juice

seasoning salt & pepper to taste

1. Boil pasta al dente according to package directions. Run under cold water to stop cooking.

2. Toss cold pasta with ½ cup of pickle juice and set aside for about 5 minutes. Drain & discard pickle juice.

3. Combine all dressing ingredients and mix well.

4. Toss together, dressing, pasta and salad ingredients in a large bowl. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

RICKS COLLEGE SPINACH SALAD

1 pkg. salad greens, spinach or romaine

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 cups grated Swiss cheese

2 cups mandarin oranges

Sugared almonds (see below)

Dressing:

1/2 cup white vinegar

2 t. poppy seeds

1/2 t. salt

1/2 cup sugar

1 T. grated onion

1 T. prepared mustard

1 Cup oil

For sugared almonds:

2 TBL melted butter

3 TBL sugar

1/2 cup sliced almonds

Spread on baking sheet, bake for 10-15 min. at 325º.

Dressing: Mix all ingredients (except oil) until sugar is dissolved. Gradually add 1 cup oil, pulverizing it into dressing.

Marinate mushrooms in dressing before adding to salad if desired.

ORANGE FLUFF

1 large box orange Jell-O*** (6oz)

1 large box cook and serve vanilla pudding*** (4.6oz)

2 11oz cans mandarin oranges, (reserve juice and add to water to make 2 cups)16 oz. Cool Whip***

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS:

20oz can pineapple tidbits drained

2 sliced bananas*

8oz softened cream cheese** (for cheesecake fluff)
maraschino cherries to sprinkle on top before serving

Mix together pudding, Jell-o, and juice/water over medium heat until it boils. Remove from heat and pour into a large mixing bowl. Refrigerate until mixture has thickened (about an hour). Beat until creamy. Fold in Cool Whip, marshmallows, and fruit. Chill about an hour before serving.

*If using bananas, mix in just before serving to prevent browning.

**If using cream cheese, whip in after you beat the thickened Jell-O mix but before folding in cool whip.

***You can use either regular or sugar free ingredients!

BUDDY'S ITALIAN BLUE CHEESE

1/2 Cup EVOO
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/4+1/8 tsp dried thyme
3/4 TBL dried chives
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup parmesan
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp seasoning salt

BLUE CHEESE VINAIGRETTE

1/2 cup Roquefort cheese, grated

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon honey-Dijon mustard

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

CRUNCHY PEA SALAD

10 oz frozen peas

1 cup sliced celery

1 cup chopped cauliflower

2 TBL. Sliced pimentos

1 cup roasted cashews

¼ cups cooked crumbled bacon

Grated or cubed cheddar

Dressing:

¼ cup finely chopped green onion or 1 TBL dehydrated onion

½ cup sour cream

½ cup ranch salad dressing

½ tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp sugar

Rinse frozen peas in hot water & drain. Combine all.

KIM ANSELMO'S ORIENTAL CHICKEN SALAD

SALAD:

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

¼ cup soy

1 head lettuce

4 green onions chopped

2 TBL sliced almonds

2 TBL sesame seeds

2 oz rice sticks, cooked in hot oil

Soak chicken in boy at least 4 hours. Bake, cool and cut into small pieces.

DRESSING:

2 TBL powdered sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

¼ cup salad oil

1 TBL sesame oil

3 TBL rice vinegar

1 tsp MSG

Mix dressing ingredients together and toss with all the salad ingredients except rice stick. Use rice stick as garnish/topping

FRUIT SALAD ON LETTUCE LEAVES

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

1 medium apple diced

1 cup seedless green grape halves

½ cup thin sliced celery

¼ cup raisins

½ cup strawberry yogurt

2 TBL sunflower seeds

Lettuce Leaves

Mix everything except sunflower seeds and lettuce.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  When ready to serve, mix in seeds and serve over lettuce leaves.

WATERMELON FETA SALAD

6 CUPS WATERMELON

1 CUP FETA

¼ CUP CHOPPED MINT LEAVES (I HAVE USED 1 DROP OIL IF I DON'T HAVE LEAVES)

¼ CUP LIME JUICE

1 TBL. EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

1 tsp SALT

¾ tsp PEPPER

PURPLE SALAD

20 oz can pineapple chunks, drained

15 oz can mandarin oranges, drained

¾ cup frozen blueberries, slightly thawed

1/3 to ½ cup pecan pieces

¼ cup craisins

¼ cup golden raisins

¼ cup sweetened coconut flakes

¼ cup lemon yogurt or pudding

Mix all together.  After a couple hours in fridge stir again and the berries will turn the pineapple purple.  Ready to serve.

AWESOME SUGAR FREE FRUIT SALAD

16 oz frozen mixed berries

20 oz can pineapple chunks, drained

11 oz can mandarin oranges, drained

11 oz can mandarin oranges with juice

1 (8 serving) package sugar free raspberry jello

2 cups grape halves (optional)

Mix the juice from the 2nd can of oranges with jello until dissolved, then mix everything together.  Let set in fridge for several hours.

**This was very watery.  May want to only use 1/2 can of juice.

JALAPENO RANCH (CHUY'S)

1 qt. mayonnaise (not miracle whip)

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup canned jalapenos (not pickled, the can just says jalapeno)

1 cup tomatillo sauce

1/3 cup cilantro leaves

3 (1 oz) packets ranch dressing mix

Blend in blender until smooth.  Chill & serve.  Makes a lot and gets spicier the longer it sits.

PEAR SALAD W/BLUEBERRY VINAIGRETTE

2 bags mixed baby greens (or Spring Mix)

2 pears: peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1 cup sunflower, shelled and roasted or toasted pine nuts

1 cup crumbled Gorgonzola or Feta cheese

2 cans mandarin oranges, drained

1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced

8 ounces shaved fresh Parmesan cheese

On a large serving platter toss greens, sunflower seeds, Gorgonzola, oranges, and red onions gently. Carefully arrange the pear slices over the top of greens. Sprinkle cheese on top. Serve with vinaigrette on the side.

Blueberry Vinaigrette

1/2 cup blueberry vinegar* or white wine or rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard or 1 TBL prepared mustard

1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

1/2 cup oil

Put in the blender and then add poppy seeds. Serve with salad.

*To make blueberry vinegar:

1 cup blueberries

3/4 cup white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 small bay leaf

Place blueberries in a small saucepan and mash with a potato masher. Add white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, and bay leaf to pan, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand for 4 hours. Strain mixture through fine sieve, and discard solids. Cover and chill.

CHICKEN AVOCADO SALAD

chicken, cooked and shredded

avocado

mayo, just a little

green onion, sliced

cilantro

lime juice to taste

salt/pepper to taste

*Sorry there aren't any measurements. I probably had 2 cups of chicken and then just threw the rest in until it tasted good. I only used 1 avocado but if you really love avocados, you could use more. I loved the lime juice, so I kept adding more of it little by little. You definitely need a little salt, but the pepper is just if you want to. I used a lot of cilantro and a moderate amount of green onion. Probably 2-3 of them. You can serve this in pitas or just eat it with chips. We loved it and it was really good leftover, too.

FRUIT SALAD W/POPPY SEED LIME DRESSING & PISTACHIOS

1 cup green grapes halved

1 cup quartered strawberries

½ cup blueberries

2 TBL sugar or sugar-substitute
½ cup lime juice

1 tsp poppy seeds

¼ cup pistachios

In a bowl combine sugar, lime juice, poppy seeds and mix well.  Add fruit and toss well to coat.  Sprinkle pistachios over top just before serving.


*I usually 1/2 the dressing because it is too soupy for me otherwise.

COOKIE PUDDING FRUIT SALAD

1 pk. Vanilla or cheesecake instant pudding prepared

1 tub cool whip thawed

Crushed fudge stripe cookies

Mandarin oranges, pineapple chunks, grapes, bananas, etc.

RAINIE GRAHAM'S CANDY BAR APPLE SALAD

5 apples diced

1/2 cup milk

3.4oz instant vanilla or cheesecake pudding

6 Snickers or 4 Twix (8 bars) chopped to bite size pieces

8-10oz tub cool whip

Optional - 3/4 cup mini marshmallows

Optional - Caramel ice cream topping

Mix milk and pudding, fold in cool whip

Mix in apples, candy and marshmallows if using

Chill until ready to serve

Drizzle with caramel if desired

CHINESE CHICKEN SALAD

Lettuce

Diced cooked chicken

Rice sticks or fried won tons

Mandarin oranges

Almonds or cashews, toasted

Dressing:

2 TBL sugar

1 TBL sesame oil

½ tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

3 TBL vinegar

1 tsp accent

¼ cup olive oil

ARTICHOKE CHICKEN SALAD

Lettuce

Chopped artichoke hearts

Cooked pasta

Sliced olives

Grape or cherry tomatoes

Parmesan

Croutons

Cesar Italian dressing

EASY GREEK SALAD

12oz roasted red peppers drained and chopped

Romaine lettuce

Croutons

6oz feta, crumbled

½ cup sliced olives

Cucumber slices

¼ cup pepperoncini sliced

Sliced red onion

Dressing:

3 TBL olive oil

1 TBL white wine vinegar

1 garlic clove minced

3 TBL fresh parsley or 1 TBL dried parsley