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Summertime-the living is easy-or it should be ! Meals
are lighter, and usually taken outdoors. Appetites are
not receptive to hot, heavy food and cooking time
should be at a minimum. So what's the solution -
when you come home after a day's work, or time out
with the family at the beach or the zoo? You want
something quick, tasty, cool and refreshing, but
it should satisfy those hunger pangs. Summertime
salads - fit right into summertime activities and fun. (Originally published in 2002)
TASTY TURKEY DINNER SALAD:
- 1-1/2 cups fresh strawberries, washed, hulled, and
sliced in half
- 1 10-1/2 oz. can mandarin orange sections
- 1-1/2 cups seedless green or red grapes, or a
combination of both
- 2 heads Belgian endive, Bibb, iceberg, or Boston
lettuce, or a combination
- 16 ozs. sliced full cooked smoked turkey breast
(from the deli) or honey roasted turkey
- Creamy ranch or buttermilk dressing
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
Prepare strawberries and drain mandarin oranges.
Wash grapes and dry with paper toweling. In a
mixing bowl, combine the fruit. Set aside in
refrigerator to chill.
Wash, separate the lettuce leaves, and pat dry.
Line individual salad plates with the lettuce,
Arrange the turkey slices on top of the lettuce
leaves, and spoon the fruit on top of the turkey.
You can also place the turkey on one side of the
plate and the fruit on the other, if you prefer.
Spoon your choice of dressing across both the
turkey and the fruit. Sprinkle with almonds and
serve.
Serve warm rolls, ice-cold lemonade, and
chocolate brownies - you have a great, quick
and satisfying meal.
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IN THE ISLANDS SALAD
- 1 8-ozs. pkg. medium noodles
- 1 avocado, halved, pit removed and peeled
1 15-1/2oz. can crab meat, drained, flaked, and
cartilage removed or salad pollock, cut into chunks
- 5 ozs salad shrimp, rinsed
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup dairy sour cream
- 3 tbs. sliced green onions
- 2 tbs. chili sauce
- 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 tsp. dry mustard
- assorted lettuce leaves
- 1/2 cup chopped pistachio nuts
Cook the noodles until tender; drain. Rinse with cold
water. Slice the avocado into lengthwise slices. Brush
with the fresh lemon juice to prevent darkening. In a
bowl, combine the noodles, avocado slices, the
drained pineapple, crab meat and shrimp.
For dressing - combine the mayonnaise, sour cream,
sliced green onions, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce,
and dry mustard. Spoon the dressing over the salad
mixture. Gently combine so that the dressing coats the
mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 3-4
hours. To serve, line individual salad plates with
lettuce leaves. Spoon salad mixture onto the lettuce
leaves and sprinkle with the nuts.
Serve with sliced French bread, iced tea or coffee,
and chocolate chip cookies.
Cool and smooth!
*********************
Decorate your food with these simple garnishes:
Orange Chrysanthemum:
Score the peel of 3 oranges into 8 sections, cutting
to but not cutting through the base of the peel.
Carefully remove the peel from the fruit, keeping
the shell all in one piece. Pull the fruit sections
apart and carefully remove any of the white pulp
membranes.
With scissors, cut the sectioned peels into small
petals by cutting to the base, but not cutting
through. Place some orange sections in one peel
shell. Insert this shell into another shell. And then
the third.
You have a very full and beautiful accent on
any plate.
***
Frosted Grapes:
FOR GARNISH ONLY
Combine slightly beaten egg white with a little
water. Brush the mixture over a cluster of
red or green grapes, using a pastry brush.
Sprinkle with granulated sugar until covered.
Shake off excess. Dry on rack and you have
a very beautiful color garnish.
***
Serving sandwiches:
Slice pickle lengthwise almost to the stem end,
but not through. Make fairly thin slices. Spread
each fan and press the uncut end of the pickle
gently so that the fan will hold its shape when
placed next to a sandwich.
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COOK'S CHOICE SALAD:
- 5 ozs. each sliced turkey, ham, roast beef, Swiss
cheese, and American cheese or Muenster cheese
- 1 cucumber, 2 tomatoes, 1 head iceberg lettuce,
romaine lettuce, red cabbage, carrots and
radishes (or buy a bag of prepared salad mix for
even easier meal preparation)
Cut the meat and cheese into lengthwise strips.
Slice the cucumber and the tomato. Wash, pat
dry, and chop the lettuce. Also shred the
cabbage, carrots and radishes. Combine the
lettuce, cabbage, carrots and radishes together.
Place in large bowl. Top with the strips of meat
and cheese. Garnish with the cucumber and tomato
slices.
Serve with Russian, Thousand Island, or Ranch
dressing.
Great with rye bread slices, raspberry juice punch,
and slices of pound cake topped with fresh
berries and a dollop of whipped topping.
This will satisfy even the heartiest summertime
appetite!
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Summertime and salads go together like lazy
afternoons and gentle evening breezes. They
keep the cook out of the kitchen and everyone
satisfied.
ENJOY!
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