Wednesday, August 21, 2024

Summer Salads: Sloppy Dog Salad


SLOPPY DOG SALAD
1 serving My Favorite Sloppy Joes, re-heated
1 bun-length hot dog
2 ounces romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 ounce onion, chopped
2 ounces tomato, chopped
1 ounce sweet or dill pickles, chopped

Slice the hot dog on the diagonal and pan-fry until browned on both sides. Put the lettuce on a large salad plate. Top with the Sloppy Joe mixture and the cooked hot dog. Garnish with the onion, tomato and pickles.

Makes 1 serving

You can get more information, tips and the nutritional counts on my main website HERE.


Tuesday, August 20, 2024

Summer Salads: My Favorite Coleslaw


MY FAVORITE COLESLAW
1/2 medium cabbage, finely shredded (about 1 pound)
1 ounce piece of carrot, shredded along with the cabbage
1 cup mayonnaise
Sweetener equal to 1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix the mayonnaise, sweetener, vinegar and seasonings in a large bowl. Mix in the cabbage and carrot, stirring to coat well. Chill several hours before serving.

Makes about 10 servings

You can get more information, tips and the nutritional counts on my main website HERE.


Monday, August 19, 2024

Summer Salads: Marinated Tomatoes


MARINATED TOMATOES
Sweetener equal to 1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Seasoning Salt (see my recipe)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 green onions, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 pound grape tomatoes, halved or quartered

Whisk together the first 6 ingredients; toss with green onions, parsley and tomatoes. Marinate at room temperature up to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Makes about 8 servings

You can get more information, tips and the nutritional counts on my main website HERE.


Sunday, August 18, 2024

Summer Salads: German Salad


GERMAN SALAD
3 slices bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons bacon grease
2 tablespoons vinegar
Sweetener equal to 2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
5 ounces romaine lettuce, chopped
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
2 ounces cucumber, about 8 slices
4 ounces grape tomatoes, halved, about 16
1 large mushroom, sliced thin
1 1/2 ounces red onion, sliced thin, about 1/4 cup

Fry the bacon until crisp; drain on paper towels and reserve 2 tablespoons of the grease. Let the grease cool 5-10 minutes then add the vinegar, sweetener and mayonnaise; whisk well. In a large bowl, toss the remaining ingredients and the bacon. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.

Makes about 4 very large servings

You can get more information, tips and the nutritional counts on my main website HERE.


Saturday, August 17, 2024

Summer Salads: Chicago Dog Salad


CHICAGO DOG SALAD
Dressing:
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 tablespoon vinegar
Sweetener equal to 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons oil

Salad:
4 ounces coleslaw mix, about 3 cups loosely packed
4 ounces iceberg lettuce, chopped, about 2 cups loosely packed
1 ounce red onion, thinly sliced, about 1/2 cup loosely packed
3 ounces grape tomatoes, halved, about 12
2 ounces dill pickles, coarsely chopped, about 10 chips or 1 large pickle
Salt and pepper, to taste
2-4 hot dogs, cut in bias slices

In a large salad bowl, combine the mustard, vinegar, sweetener and oil. Add the cabbage, lettuce, onions, tomatoes and pickles; toss then season with salt and pepper. You can mix up the salad, minus the hot dogs, ahead of time but don't let it sit too long or it will lose its crunch.

Heat a large nonstick skillet that's been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray over medium heat. Arrange the hot dog pieces in a single layer; sear for a couple minutes per side until browned. Divide the salad between 2 salad plates and top with the hot dogs.

Makes 2 servings

You can get more information, tips and the nutritional counts on my main website HERE.


Friday, August 16, 2024

Summer Salads: Cauliflower & Ham Salad


CAULIFLOWER & HAM SALAD
1 medium cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sugar free sweet pickle relish
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
Sweetener equal to 1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 small red onion, minced
8 ounce ham cubes
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped in large pieces

Place the cauliflower in a large bowl or casserole. Cover and microwave on HIGH for 6-8 minutes, stirring after 3 minutes. Cook until the cauliflower is slightly tender and not mushy; drain off any excess water. Let cool to room temperature before adding the remaining ingredients.

Meanwhile, blend the mayonnaise, relish, mustard, parsley, salt, pepper and sweetener. When the cauliflower has cooled, add the dressing and gently toss to coat. Stir in the tomatoes, onion, ham and eggs. Cover and chill at least 3 hours.

Makes about 8 servings

You can get more information, tips and the nutritional counts on my main website HERE.


Thursday, August 15, 2024

Summer Salads: Broccoli Salad with Ham


BROCCOLI SALAD WITH HAM
1 bunch fresh broccoli
8 ounces diced ham
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
Sweetener equal to 2 tablespoons sugar

Trim and peel the tough stalks and finely chop the broccoli. Place in a large bowl. Add the ham and cheese. In a small bowl, blend the remaining 3 ingredients. Mix into the broccoli mixture and chill several hours before serving. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired, but I usually find that no seasoning is needed.

Makes about 8 servings

You can get more information, tips and the nutritional counts on my main website HERE.


Wednesday, August 14, 2024

Summer Salads: Broccoli Salad


BROCCOLI SALAD
1 bunch fresh broccoli, finely chopped, raw
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons white vinegar
Sweetener equal to 2 tablespoons sugar
12 ounces bacon, chopped and fried until crisp
1/4 cup sunflower kernels

Put the broccoli and onion in a large bowl. Mix the mayonnaise, vinegar and sweetener; pour over the broccoli and mix well. Just before serving, stir in the bacon and sunflower kernels.

Makes 6-12 servings

You can get more information, tips and the nutritional counts on my main website HERE.


Tuesday, August 13, 2024

Summer Salads: BLT Chicken Salad


BLT CHICKEN SALAD

Per serving:
1 boneless chicken breast
4 ounces leaf lettuce, chopped, about 2 cups
1/2 small tomato
1/2 ounce Swiss cheese, julienned
1-2 crisp pieces bacon, crumbled
1/2 hard boiled egg, sliced in half
2 tablespoons Ranch dressing
Dash pepper
Pinch fresh parsley, chopped, optional

Grill the chicken; slice thinly. Arrange the lettuce on a large plate. Top with the chicken and remaining ingredients.

Makes 1 serving

Optional ingredients:

Sliced cucumber
Minced chives
Slivered green peppers
Avocado
Sunflower kernels

You can get more information, tips and the nutritional counts on my main website HERE.


Monday, August 12, 2024

Summer Salads: BLT "Potato" Salad

Over the next week or so, I will post some of my favorite cold salads.


BLT "POTATO" SALAD
1 medium cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sugar free sweet pickle relish
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
Sweetener equal to 1 tablespoon of sugar
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved, about 5 ounces
1/2 small red onion, minced, about 3 ounces
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
4 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled
Lettuce leaves, optional

Place the cauliflower in a casserole with one tablespoon of water. Cover and microwave on HIGH for 6-7 minutes, stirring after 3 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, blend the mayonnaise, relish, mustard, parsley, salt, pepper and sweetener in a large bowl; set aside. When the cauliflower is ready, drain it well then add it to the mayonnaise mixture. To the same bowl, add the tomatoes, onion and eggs, tossing gently until blended. Cover and chill at least 3 hours. Stir in the bacon just before serving. Serve on lettuce leaves, if desired.

Makes 8-10 servings

You can get more information, tips and the nutritional counts on my main website HERE.