Buttermilk Fruit Salad

Yes... this IS a salad.  However, if I left the main ingredient out of the title, you wouldn't be as curious - right?  This is the perfect last-minute salad for Labor Day weekend.    I made it twice in the last few weeks - using both fresh and canned fruit.  It was a hit both ways.

My daughter Aryn had this at a recent Youngberg reunion just a month ago.  She was a bit dubious too about the buttermilk.  When I was there a few weeks ago, she made it for dinner using the Costco Tri-Berry Mix that we all know and love.  I was skeptical for sure, but it lived up to it's reputation.  Her kids were arguing over who was the lucky recipient of the last spoonful.

You can halve this recipe, but use a full 8-oz container of the whipped topping and it will go further.  Be sure to check out the variations - they are all uniquely delicious.  You may be surprised to know that this is the pudding base of the infamous "Cookie Salad" taken to so many pot-lucks.

Frito Corn Salad

Mozzarella, Tomato, & Avocado Salad

Tapioca Salad

Stacked Cobb Salad

The fun technique of stacking can make healthy green salads look elegant.  You can purchase food rings, which are a fun little gadget - if you’re into gadgets.  

However, you can accomplish the same thing by using a simple tin can with both ends removed, then use something to press down the ingredients gently as you layer them in.  

A few tips for stacking:

• Pay attention to the colors and textures of your layers. It’s nice to use colors that contrast with what you are plating your salad on.

• Decide the order you will stack your salad ingredients.  The texture of each ingredient adds interest also.  Dice, slice, or fan out your ingredients to make them look more interesting.

• Dressing (in small amounts) will help some items hold together a little better.  Lettuce almost always needs a little something to keep it from falling apart.

• The size of your plate needs to be large enough so when you start to eat the salad, it will hold the avalanche of goodness.  
• Press each layer down gently as you assemble your salads. “Tamping” the food into layers helps it stand at attention until you eat it.

• It’s important to lift the ring straight up when you take it off.

• If it all falls apart, so what?  It will still look beautifully layered and mounded in the center.  

This is what I used in this version of stacked salad:

Halved cherry tomatoes

Diced romaine tossed with just enough ranch dressing to hold it together

Rotisserie Chicken Salad (recipe follows)

Grated cheddar cheese

Chopped hard cooked egg

Roughly chopped crisp bacon

Diced avocados

Arugula (or other greens with a fun texture)

Rotisserie Chicken Salad

• 1 cup mayonnaise 
• 4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar 
• 5 teaspoons honey 
• 2 teaspoons poppy seeds 
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 
• salt & freshly ground black pepper 
• 3-4 cups rotisserie chicken breast, diced 
• 3 stalks celery, finely diced

1. In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, celery, honey, poppy seeds, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to dress the salad. This can be prepared up to 2 days ahead.
   Place diced chicken breast in the bottom of a large bowl. Gently toss with dressing.  
   
   
   
   
   
   Serve with fresh fruit, soup, and rolls.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   And... if you’re looking for an inexpensive, easy way to set your table - all you need is a roll of wrapping paper, a disposable tablecloth, bright napkins, transparent tape, limes, hydrangeas, and a large glass bowl.  Follow the steps below and see how fresh your salads look on a no-stress table design.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Raspberry Vanilla Salad

This is another one of those “salad/desserts” that attracts everyone at a summer buffet - kind of like bees to honey.  Very simple to put together at the last minute - and it looks beautiful in a glass bowl.  The raspberries give it a pop of color - but you could substitute other kinds of fruit as well...

This summer has been one of those memorable ones - mostly because of record breaking heat.  But summer holidays go on in spite of it.  I needed to come up with a great salad in very little time on the 4th of July.  I found this recipe online - and because of a time crunch, I didn’t have time to test it first.  

It was completely gone after the barbecue - so I took that to be a good sign.  I learned a few things from making it this first time that might benefit you.  

First - don’t worry about the small lumps of instant pudding that are still there after you mix this together.  That is something you can’t avoid - but they will disappear after the salad stands (refrigerated, or in an ice-filled bowl) for a short time.

Next - use IQF raspberries (not the frozen-in-a-cardboard-box type)  Individually quick frozen berries distribute evenly throughout the salad during the last stir.  If you use the sugar-added raspberries, you would have to thaw them completely and the sugary juice would make the salad look entirely different (although, I’m sure it would taste just fine)

This might not technically meet “salad” standards - as in being entirely healthy - but we enjoyed it as much as any salad we’ve had recently.  The fact that it takes four ingredients (costing less than $8) made it a success for the event we were taking it to.

For the recipe, go to:
www.changeabletable.com

Peach Glazed Fruit Salad

I don’t say this about most recipes, but I will about this one.  I haven’t found anyone who does NOT like it.  If this is next to several salads on a buffet - it will be gone at the end of the event.  Not sure why.  Must be a combination of the flavors, colors, and the use of fresh fruit.  The glaze ties it all together.

I wish I could remember where I picked up this recipe.  It’s so simple, it’s almost redundant to write instructions.  But, for the sake of all us “recipe Nazis” out there that need it - I’ll include them.

I’ve taken this to several buffets recently.  Why?  Because fresh strawberries are in season.  I suppose it would work with other fresh fruits, but the strawberries really shine with the clear glaze.  

Another reason I use this is for convenience.  Canned pie filling can dress up fruit - even if it’s not at it’s prime (maybe a day or two older than you prefer).  Who doesn’t have bananas that are starting to spot, grapes that might be less crisp, or berries that have been overlooked in the refrigerator.  

Any combination of fresh fruit should work - but be cautious with kiwi and pineapple.  The enzymes in these two fresh fruits can wreak havoc on any thickened sauce (jello included).  If you use canned pineapple - no worries there.  The processing destroys the enzyme that “digests” the thickening agent in the canned pie filling.

My daughter tried this recipe with canned pineapple and mandarin oranges (of course with fresh strawberries - which are a must).  She just made sure they were well drained before adding to the other fruit.

One can of peach pie filling can stretch a long way - so this salad can serve more by adding additional berries and other fruit.  The glaze just keeps on giving.

For the tips and suggestions that make this a "recipe" - go to:
www.changeabletable.com

Thanksgiving Salad

Interesting how a very simple recipe can become so draped in memories by the simple act of showing up at a holiday meal.  About 40 years ago - cream cheese, whipped cream, cherries, & nuts were kind of rare at a normal meal.  That’s why this salad was so special.  Thanksgiving was just not the same without it.

I had to document this recipe for my family so we don’t lose it.  Most people nowadays would not think this is anything out of the ordinary - as “extreme” ingredients are all the rage.  It’s rosy pink color (which I didn’t achieve because I chose not to include the juice from the cherries) - was always so pretty on a Thanksgiving table.  

My mother made this for as long as I could remember.  We always had it at Thanksgiving, and sometimes for Easter dinner as well.  When Mom made it for Easter, she portioned it into individual “bunny” molds.  First, though, she melted chocolate chips and poured them into the impressions at the bottom that looked like little bunnies.  Then she spooned this creamy jello salad over the top.  Each of us had our own small round, chocolate bunny-topped salad nestled into a leaf of lettuce.  Those were great memories!

For some reason though - my kids never developed a taste for pecans, walnuts, or even maraschino cherries.  So it’s alive only in my memory, as well as my sisters’.  It’s really a delicious salad (more like a dessert though).  I brought it to my sister’s home for Thanksgiving dinner this year - and we all had a little trip down memory lane.

The pictures here aren’t stellar - but you get the idea.  We had too much fun eating that day - great photography wasn’t a priority.

For the recipe, go to:
www.changeabletable.com

Last of Summer Salad w/Strawberry Vinaigrette

The dressing is what makes this salad - slightly sweet/tart, blushing pink color... perfect for any last of summer salad combination you can come up with.  I used beautiful raspberries, crisp apples, and crunchy julienned jicama with baby romaine and spinach - then drizzled on this amazing dressing.

Every year I find myself surprised that fall is always MUCH busier than I anticipated.  Even now that my kids are up and out, there are still lots of things I have to divide my time between.  I want to take advantage of the last fruits of summer as the nights get cold and days get shorter.

A good friend shared this recipe with me.  I love how easy this dressing is to throw together.  As I shopped for it, I found it was harder to find strawberries than raspberries.  So, if you don’t have access to fresh strawberries - you could do what I did and use frozen berries.  A small handful was all it took (I robbed my bag of frozen smoothie fruit) 

It has a beautiful sheen, and the color is a gorgeous rosy pink.  The original recipe calls for water, but I left it out.  If you want it to go further - you may want to add a touch of water, that may change the flavor to be more subtle.

You can drizzle over each individual salad, or mix all ingredients with it so it evenly coats it - your choice.  It’s great either way.

This is even better with toasted, sugared nuts - that recipe is HERE.

This would be wonderful on a fruit plate as well as a salad.  Hmmm.  I’ll have to try that.

You'll find the recipe at:
www.changeabletable.com

BLT Pasta Salad

One (more) thing I’ll miss about summer is reaching into my garden for a nice, fat tomato to enjoy a BLT - practically no effort involved.  This salad has the same appeal, but you don’t have to butter and toast the bread, add condiments, etc.  A heaping serving on your plate makes a great meal.

I took this salad to a family reunion on Saturday, and not a speck was left.  I’ll take that as a sign of success.  I’ve seen this same idea all over the internet for more than a year now, but the recipes used seem to be a complicated combination of several unusual spices and ingredients.  That’s what I liked about this adaptation - most ingredients you already have at home, and you can tweak to your heart’s content.  

This is best assembled right before serving - but it’s still tasty after refrigerating.  I wouldn’t recommend adding avocado to the entire salad if there’s a chance you will be storing leftovers.  You could serve diced avocado in a small bowl on the side for those who enjoy it.

Fresh chives add just a hint of subtle onion flavor, but if you prefer - add sliced green onion.  For convenience, I cooked the pasta the night before and added the milk before refrigerating to keep it from sticking together.  Then all I had to do was mix the dressing, add everything, and toss. 

Several recipes called for Ranch dressing - but I opted to just add garlic salt and let the other flavors shine.  The bacon, fresh tomatoes, and avocado really came through that way.  Using romaine kept the lettuce from totally disintegrating in the mix.  If you are being careful with calories, skip the mayo and add greek yogurt - and substitute low-fat sour cream for full fat.  If you like mustard on your BLT’s - you could even add a little squirt to incorporate that flavor.  And if you are missing the toasted bread - why not try a few croutons? 

For the complete recipe, go to:
www.changeabletable.com

FAST In the Blender Salad

This isn’t the classiest recipe title, but nothing describes it better.  If you find you need a (set) salad in a very short amount of time - this will serve you well.  It doesn’t win any awards for being striking and unusual. However, you can garnish it with just about any fresh fruit and it will stay in the background & taste terrific.  We’ve always loved it plain.

I’m posting this at the request of my children.  They think I should share some of our old-timers - those that are not necessarily worthy of a cookbook, but that they survived on as children.  Isn’t it interesting how those ‘boring’ recipes can hold a place in your heart?

This was a go-to recipes from when my family was very young.  When my husband let me know we were having company for dinner one night, I was scrambling to find something that would be ready in less than an hour.  I had no greens for a tossed salad, so I went to the Utah stand-by... green Jello.  

I’m not sure where I found the recipe - probably in an old Jello Cookbook.  But it’s been a favorite of all my kids as they grew up, and now my grandchildren love it too.  They like to shave little slices from the sides and let it melt on their tongues.  If there were leftovers, they didn’t last very long.  

I guess this would qualify for one of those “salad-desserts”.  When I was lucky just to get the main dish on the table (let alone dessert) I brought this in as dessert, and nobody flinched.  

When I was asked to bring a salad kids would love, I would set this in small half-size paper cups.  It’s very pretty when poured into small, clear plastic cups.  

You can change the look by changing the flavor of jello.  And to make it for a special occasion - try serving it with a slice of pineapple, strawberry, or kiwi on top - and prop a sugar wafer cookie (on an angle) to the side.

For the (very simple!) recipe... go to:

www.changeabletable.com