Sparkling Fruit Salad is delightfully refreshing. Especially in the hot summer, it’s fruity flavors straight from the refrigerator are wonderful. It is colorful addition to a party menu any time of year – great for a shower, a potluck or any other get together. And so easy to make! The sparkling dressing is a light combination of your choice of white wine or grape juice mixed with club soda or a lemon lime diet soda. We had grape juice from Short Stuff’s last visit in the refrigerator. And a mini can of Sprite Zero (no carbs). So that became the dressing. I used canned pineapple because I had it on hand and the pineapples at the market looked a little too firm to be used immediately. I have a thing about grapes – they MUST be sweet or my face just folds up in a “wow, that ... [Read More]
Salad
Ham and Orzo Salad
Oh yes, I am still a mustard wimp. And yes, Ham and Orzo Salad has a mustard dressing. Buuuuut it’s mellow and just right, after the salad sits for half an hour or so -so results are worth it! Of course, if you are a mustard aficiando you can always add a squirt or two extra mustard to your serving :-) I just met orzo pasta last winter – sheltered life, I know – and I loved it in Chicken and Orzo Skillet. When I was looking for a recipe to use the ham I had in the refrigerator, the orzo won out over the mustard. I am so glad!! Cook the orzo according to package directions. It should be firm, but not crunchy, when you bite it (al dente). Generally that takes about 11 minutes after the water returns to boil. I did not have red onion so I used the Vidalia onion I had on hand. ... [Read More]
Loaded Coleslaw aka Pasta Veggie Coleslaw
I like to make a big salad in the summer that will last for several less-work, cool eating meals. Three fourths cup is a standard serving size and Pasta Veggie Coleslaw makes 16 servings. Make it once and serve it three or four times is less work in my book! We generally have a salad as a main dish once or twice – usually two servings each -- and as a side a time or two more. Big salads are great contributions to a potluck, too. We love coleslaw and pasta is a big favorite so mixing the two was a no brainer! Ring pasta is great with this salad. Small so it doesn’t overtake the salad visually or taste-ally. Yeah, totally made that up, but I bet you know what I mean! I can’t always find that in the stores so I use small shells if I have them on hand, but also have used the small ... [Read More]
Fruit Salad with lemonade dressing
Fruit Salad with lemonade dressing makes a huge salad to feed a crowd. It will serve 25 people easily. Children love it -- and so do their moms! Add it to the menu at your next big potluck. A buffet dinner or casual potluck, this healthy dish will shine! Sometimes called Punchbowl Salad, this Fruit Salad can be made ahead with the fruit refrigerated in separate zip bags. I took it to a recent family reunion a couple of hours away in a cooler filled with ice. I was a little concerned that the fruit would be squashed with the weight of the other fruits AND the ice, especially since the cooler would set overnight before the actual dinner. No problem. I assembled the salad in a punch bowl quickly at the site, added the dressing and it was on the table quickly! It would work ... [Read More]
Beef and Pear Salad with honey mustard dressing
Sometimes we look at a recipe, like Pear and Beef Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing, and think “I can’t use that. It serves four and I am cooking for two.” Or “This is too spicy for my family”. Or even, “this combination is weird!” – which usually actually means “ I’ve not had this before”. Don’t turn the page or click away too soon however! You’ll miss some good eatin’, if you do! Instead think of ways you can make it fit your situation and tastebuds. I cook for three people, two with pretty big appetites. To make this fit my family, I use only half of some of the salad ingredients, but I leave the amount of meat and the dressing the same. One third of a bag of baby greens each is just about right for our appetites. Dried cranberries are high carb so we only need a few for ... [Read More]
Aloha Pineapple and Ham Pasta Salad
Pineapple and Ham – an unexpected twist to pasta salad. The pineapple makes a great addition without shouting, “hey, there’s pineapple in this dish”. It plays together very nicely with all the other ingredients. Using aloha in the name bows to the idea of playing nicely with others. Mainlanders think of aloha as meaning “hello” and “goodbye” -- and it does serve as a greeting. However, “aloha” also encompasses love, mercy, compassion and the joyful sharing of a positive attitude. Kind of like this pasta salad, it’s more than it appears. This is also a versatile recipe. The original calls for red pepper which is certainly a colorful addition. However, you can substitute any sweet pepper you have available. Or use cubed chicken instead of diced ham. You can also add a half ... [Read More]
