Caesar Salad

I am posting this recipe because

we have eaten it for dinner the past

three nights at my husband's request.

He LOVES Caesar Salad!

This dressing recipe is AWESOME!

Caesar Salad Dressing

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 tea. minced garlic

1 tea. Worcestershire sauce

1 anchovie packed in oil in a can

olive oil 'til smooth

Salad

Romaine lettuce

Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Croutons (I'll show you how to make your own.)

Add grilled chicken to make a meal.

In a food processor...I use my mini,

add the anchovie to the mayonnaise.

I know what you're thinking...

Anchovies????  Ick!!

PLEASE use the anchovie even if you

hate fishy fish.

It doesn't taste like fish in this recipe...

it adds an amazing bite to the

dressing and it's just not a real

Caesar without it.

You can find cans of anchovies in the

aisle with

canned fish by the tuna.

add the minced garlic...

Add the Worcestershire sauce.

Blend this WELL...

then slowly add olive oil until

the dressing is the thickness you like.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To prepare salad,

cut  Romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces

and sprinkle in freshly grated parmesan

cheese.

I first pound chicken breasts until thin,

 brush them with Italian dressing

and toss them on the grill.

Cut into strips.

You can use store-bought croutons,

but making them yourself will

GREATLY enhance the salad!

Croutons

Any crusty white bread

olive oil

Italian seasoning (Found with spices.)

Kraft Parmesan cheese in green canister

Bread is best to use for croutons

when it's starting to stale.

Cut it into chunks like this:

Put the cut bread in a large mixing bowl

and drizzle with olive oil.

Sprinkle heavily with Italian seasoning

and garlic powder.

Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese

and give the croutons a good toss to coat

evenly.

Spread on a foil covered cookie sheet.

Dab any dry croutons with a bit of

olive oil.

Bake croutons at 350-degrees

for 10-13 minutes or until crispy and golden.

Cool before adding to salad.

Toss it all together with the dressing

before serving.

Looking at that mouth-watering photo...

we may have to have this for a FOURTH night!

Oriental Salad with Ramen Noodles

This is a delicious, hearty salad I often serve in the summer.

I especially like to take this to potlucks

because I can make most of it ahead

and quickly toss it together before I head to the barbecue.

You can add cubed chicken to make this a summer meal.

Oriental Salad

1 bag of cole slaw

1 bag of broccoli cole slaw (shown below)

1 pkg. Oriental ramen noodles

1 small bag of slivered almonds

cashews or peanuts (optional)

Dressing

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cider vinegar

2 TBS. soy sauce

Season packet from the Ramen noodles

Preheat oven to 300-degrees.

Line a cookie sheet with foil to save on clean up.

Spread the bag of slivered almonds over the foil.

Break up the uncooked noodles in the

packet of Ramen noodles and spread them

out with the slivered almonds.

Bake noodles and almonds

for about 12 minutes or until golden like this:

If you are making this ahead to serve the

salad later, allow to cool,

then seal in a ziplock bag until ready to toss salad.

While noodles and almonds are baking,

mix up the dressing.

I start by measuring the sugar,

then mixing in the oil so the sugar doesn't stick to

the oil in the measuring cup.

Stir all the ingredients together and

set aside until you're ready to toss salad.

To toss salad, add the cole slaw

and broccoli cole slaw to a large bowl.

Mix the slaws together.

Add the toasted almonds and Ramen noodles

and mix.

Add 1/2 cup cashews or peanuts

if desired.  I think the nuts really add flavor and crunch.

This day, I only had unsalted peanuts, but I prefer cashews

in this salad.

The dressing constantly separates,

so right before you add it to the salad,

stir well.

Then pour it quickly.

The salad will be tastier when marinated

with the dressing for one to two hours before serving.

If you bring this salad to a potluck,

they'll EAT IT UP!

Egg Salad

This is my basic Egg Salad recipe

that I often pull out at Easter.

I was making it for eight people on

the day I took these pictures, but

you can easily half the recipe for less people.

Basic Egg Salad

(serves 8)

2 dozen hard boiled eggs

2 stalks of celery diced

2 tsp. dried minced onions (found with herbs and spices)

2 tsp. dried dill weed (found with herbs and spices)

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 cup mayonnaise

Hard boil the eggs and peel them after they cool.

Chop them in your food processor,

I like the eggs a bit chunky.

If you don't have a food processor, chop

with a large kitchen knife.

Put the dried minced onions in

a measuring cup.

Add enough water to cover the onions

and set aside for the onions to rehydrate.

Chop the celery.

Mix the celery with the chopped egg

in a large bowl.

Add the dill weed and garlic,

plus salt and pepper to taste

and stir well.

Drain the water from the rehydrated onions

and add them to the salad.

Mix in the mayonnaise.

Serve with toast, bagels or English muffins.

Delicious for a brunch or special luncheon.