Broccoli Salad

This recipe sounds totally weird, but it is soooooo good!

Ingredients:

1 large bag of fresh broccoli, trimmed and cut into bite size florets. The Sam's club bag is perfect.
4 Roma tomatoes diced.
1 large sweet red onion, diced red onions.
1 pound of raisins
1 cup crumbled bacon...the hormel already cooked is he way to go.
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Sauce: (mix seperately)
1 1/2 cups mayo
About 1/8 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar---measure this to your taste.
1/8 cup sugar --measure this to your taste as well.


Mix the salad with the dressing and let it refridgerate for at least 2 hours prior to serving. If you make it the night befoer it might be soggy---so I'd wait until that morning. :)

Macaroni Ham Salad

I love cold salads, even in the dead of winter. This is an easy one from a southern lady from Baton Rouge. :)

Ingredients:
3 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1 cup chopped cooked ham
1 cucumber, seeded, peeled and diced
1 tomato, seeded and diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 1/4 cups mayo (yes I know, sooooo bad! )
1 1/2 tsp creole seasoning
2 tsp lemon juice
salt to taste

Cook the mac according to package instructions then add all other ingredients. Chill and serve.

Cucumber Pasta Salad

So as summer is winding down we are squeezing the last bit of summer onto our palate before it is the season of soups, stews and all thing casserole! This mac salad is a favorite for us. I revamped a recipe that i had and this is what we ended up with.:)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups dry macaroni
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup mayo- we use good ol' Dukes
1/8 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup cucumber, seeded and diced
1/3 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup carrots, shredded
1 tsp yellow mustard
salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook the pasta per box directions. Rinse and allow to chill.
2. Mix all remaining ingredients and then add the macaroni.
3. Chill before serving.

Mawmaw's Green Bean Salad

I never had the opportunity to meet Tom's grandmother, but her love of cooking has been passed to our family. We have been blessed to have some of her cookbooks. I find myself looking for the dog-eared and well worn pages to see what she loved the most. I guess I am just sentimental like that. In thumbing through one of her books one day I found a hand written recipe that sounded delish! It is a stellar cold salad. Love it! So thank you Mawmaw for giving Tom such warm memories of being in your kitchen. Thank you for your love of homemaking and cooking for your family...

Mawmaw's Green Bean Salad

ingredients:
5 cans of cut green beans
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup chopped sweet pickle
1/2 cup pimento

dressing:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
cayenne pepper to taste


Mixed salad ingredients and dressing ingredients separately, then combine. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

Broccoli Raisin Salad

This recipe was given to me from a dear friend at church. Thank you Mrs. Pat.:)

Ingredients:

2 head of broccoli
1 cup mayo
3 TBSP red wine vinegar
1/2 c grated parm cheese
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
2 cups GOLDEN raisin (drop in boiling water for 1 minute, then cool)
10 pieces of cooked bacon, crumbled

Combine mayo, vinegar, parm cheese, onon, raisins and bacon in a large bowl. add broccoli and mix well. Refrigerate until serving. Best if made the day you are serving it.

Greek Salad

I have some amazing friends who are keeping our family fully stocked on fresh veggies this summer. We are blessed! I put this together one evening when we had a stockpile on the counter. it is one of my favorites.

Ingredients:
About 6 tbsp olive oil
About 2 tbsp lemon juice, fresh is best
1 tsp vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp oregano
3 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2 red onion...if they have too much of a bite to you, soak them in vinegar prior to adding
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 can black olives, chopped
1 pkg feta cheese

1. Whisk olive oil, LJ, garlic and oregano together, add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Combine all veggies and olives and toss with the dressing. top with feta cheese.

Egg and Olive Potato Salad

Not sure where I found this recipe, I wrote it down in college and it has managed to stay in my recipe box...so it must be worth keeping. :) I love olives and they add the perfect tang to a wonderful American classic.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 lbs potatoes
1 tsp salt
5 hard boiled eggs, grated
1 jar pimiento stuffed green olives, drained and chopped
1 celery rib, diced
1/2 small sweet onion, grated
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise ( I am a Dukes girl)
1/2 tsp pepper
paprika to garnish

1. Peel potatoes and cut into 1 inch cubes. Cook potatoes and salt in boiling water 15-18 minutes or until tender. Drain potatoes and let cool for 10 minutes.

2. Stir together eggs and the next 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Add potatoes and toss gently to coat. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. Sprinkle with paprika.

Asparagus Salad

This was given to me by a friend named Jeanna, who happens to be the queen of cooking and hospitality...aka. Superwoman! This is such a delicious summer treat as it is cool and fresh.

Ingredients:
2 lbs asparagus
1 lb sliced button mushrooms
1 large onion thinly sliced
6 oz balsamic vinegar
2 oz olive oil
2 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp oregano
2 tsp sugar or splenda
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt

1. Rinse asparagus and break off ends. Cut asparagus into thirds and microwave on high for about 6 minutes. Mix asparagus, onions, mushrooms together then combine remaining ingredients to create a vinaigrette.

2. Pour vinaigrette over salad and allow it to marinade for several hours, overnight is best.

I could eat this as a stand alone dinner, it is SO SO GOOD! Thanks Jeanna for a keeper!