Can you tell us a little more about what you're looking for? Something with meat (any cooked protein)? Something with cheese? Something with fruit? A green salad? A chopped salad? Something impressive? Something easy?

I like to serve a vegetable salad when there's a heavy protein entree (a serving of meat/poultry/fish/eggs, rather than a couple small nuggets of meat in mixed dish). It can be made with whatever you have around.

Greens and Vegetables Salad (one or more from each category):

Greens: Always include some dark green leafies like kale, spinach, arugula. These also have a lot of flavor. Add in some color: red leaf lettuce, oak leaf lettuce, radicchio. Softness: butter lettuce, cress, spinach. Also some texture and strong flavor (bitter, so go easy): radicchio is also crunchy besides purple, frisee, romaine. You can buy a bag or box of mix that has these qualities, if you won't use it all up buying individually (if your store even carries that many varieties).

Acids: Tomatoes, diced. Lemon juice or vinegar (in dressing).

Hard crunch: Diced bell pepper -- if they're not too expensive (seasonal), I like to use red, orange or yellow for the color, plus they're sweeter and better liked by some people than green. Diced or thin sliced celery. Baby carrot slices (rainbow are pretty if you can get them). Radishes -- julienned is good for company if you don't know how much they like them.

Soft crunch: cucumber (quarter slices, or whole slices of small Persians), summer squash, jicama, sliced nuts.

Soft: diced avocado, berries, stone fruit, beans, cheese (e.g., feta crumbles)

Cooked: cut up green beans, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.

Since this is a first course, the quantities should be small: a handful of the greens mix per person, and enough of each of the other bits so everyone gets a few pieces. Choose one or two from each that you think will go together. Don't overdo it.

I often serve a tossed green salad, which is a mixture of greens, dark like spinach and light like romaine or butter lettuce. Sometimes I add slivers of onions and/or radishes....but just greens is fine. And I toss with a vinaigrette ( recipe at the end) and top each plate with something...perhaps a tomato slice, or some crutons, perhaps some avocado, or artichoke hearts.
Sometimes I make a plated salad and arrange some greens on a plate and top with thin slices of apple, thin slices or sweet onion, like Maui or Vidalia add a few crumbles of blue cheese and drizzle with the vinaigrette.
I love a wedge of iceberg lettuce topped with a creamy Blue cheese dressing and a few pieces of diced tomato.
A mix of broccoli florettes and cauliflower pieces with some strips of red pepper for color and dressed with sweetened mayonnaise dressing and topped with crisp bacon is lovely>
And there's always Caprese salad and a Ceasar salad>
Vinaigrette dressing:

SALAD DRESSING

1T dijon
mustard

1clove of garlic, crushed (or chopped very
fine)

1T honey

1/3 cup cider vinegar and balsamic vinegar
mixed…mostly cider

Mix together, I use a wire whisk

1/2 cup olive oil...whisk the oil in a
slow stream, whisking all the while

Then I like to add some dried or fresh
herbs....most of the time I use oregano.

Donn's Delight

2 oz. Maytag blue cheese

1/2 cup of mayonaise ( I use Kraft)

3 T. milk or cream

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp dried parsley

2 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp vinegar

1 tsp grated fresh onion ( make that heaping!)

1/2 tsp worchestershire

1/2 tsp horseradish

1/4 tsp (or a little more) garlic salt.

Mix. ( I use an
electric mixer or a fork so as to leave lumps) and serve over salad of your
choice. Serves about 4.

Recipe may be doubled....or quadrupled

Smoked salmon Caesar salad or Romano crusted chicken Caesar salad or spinach salad with a warm sweet and sour bacon dressing are our favorites.

Spinach, oranges, red onion, walnuts, raspberry vinaigrette.

This is really easy and really yummy. I have been making it since I discovered it in the '90's at a restaurant in Studio City, CA . It's called Pregnancy Salad

• Romaine hearts
• 1/2 bunch watercress
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 can sliced water chestnuts
• 4 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
• 3 to 1 EVOO to Balsamic & a dash of garlic

I'm not a big fan of lettuce, but I love Mustangs' salad with prosciutto, figs and parmesan. I sub baby spinach for the arugula, as it's not commonly available here and I'm not a big fan anyway.

Arugula Salad with Figs, Prosciutto, Walnuts, and Parmesan

4 tbls olive oil
2 oz thinly sliced prosciutto cut into strips
1 tbls raspberry jam
3 tbls fig balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup dried figs, chopped into ¼ inch pieces
1 tbls finely chopped shallot
5 cups baby arugula
½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted
2 oz Parmesan, shaved into thin strips

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 10 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat; add prosciutto and fry until crisp, stirring frequently for about 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towel to drain and cool.
2. Whisk jam and vinegar in medium microwave-safe bowl; stir in figs. Cover with plastic wrap, cut several steam vents in plastic and microwave on high until figs are plump, about 45 seconds. Whisk in 3 tablespoons oil, shallots, ¼ tsp salt; toss to combine. Let cool to room temperature.
3. Toss arugula and vinaigrette in large bowl; adjust seasonings with salt.

Divide salad among individual plats; top with portion of prosciutto, walnuts, and Parmesan.

This is the only salad I've ever served that the guests argue over the leftovers. If there are any!

Annie

I have posted this salad here many times before but I still enjoy making it.

LEMON SPINACH SALAD

1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms
1 lb. young spinach leaves, washed and stemmed
6 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, slivered
Finely grated rind of 1/2 lemon
1 hard cooked egg
Freshly ground black pepper

Wash mushrooms and combine with spinach. Chill. Mix oil, lemon juice, salt, cheese and garlic. Chop up egg and sprinkle over salad. Add lemon rind to salad and grind pepper on top. Pour dressing over salad right before serving and toss.

Note: Best if dressing is made about an hour ahead of time and garlic pieces removed before pouring on salad. Crumbled bacon pieces can be added if desired.

Thanks for the kind words Annie.

Copying and pasting the prosciutto/fig thing....yummers!

another easy favorite of mine is a Greek salad....not much in the way of measurements....just remember in the matter of cheese and olives, more is better!

Washed and cut up, with the mid rib removed, Romaine lettuce....enough to serve however many you are serving.
Calamata olives with the pits removed
Feta cheese
Tomato dice if it's summer and you can get good ones.
Fill your bowl with the lettuce, sprinkle with good Greek olive oil and toss, add more if you need to, every leaf should be glistening with a thin sheen of oil, add the juice of one or more lemons. Squeeze them upside down in your hand so you catch the seeds, Taste and add more lemon if needed. Add pitted Calamata olives....at least 6 olives per person, and add crumbled feta...toss, taste and add salt if needed ( likely not with the salty olives and the cheese)and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
This is one of my favorite salads.....and don't even THINK of subbing ordinary black olives for Calamata.

lindac... my Mom was Greek, so I'm half, and that salad sounds like something we grew up with :) Thanks, I'll definitely give it a go!

In Greece, the salads also always had cucumber! Love it. But, it must be good tomatoes etc.

The problem, at least here, is the time of year. At the moment, it's not the season for anything tomatoey.

I love figs quartered, draped with parma ham with a lemon/honey vinaigrette.

I will definitely try Mustangs' fig/proscuitto salad!

Here's one of my favs and guests always love it... I also like to add sliced red peppers to the salad mix:

Minty-Orange Salad:

1 lg. can mandarin oranges (drained)

3 cups chopped Spring Mix (I don't chop :)

1/2 cup favorite nuts (I use sliced almonds)

1/2 cup sliced red onion

3-4 tbs chopped fresh mint

Dressing:

3-4 tbs extra virgin olive oil

4 tbs. balsamic vinegar

1 clove crushed garlic

4 tbs. orange juice

S&P

Mix dressing and chill. Pour over salad just before serving.

mustang/annie, about how many people will the prosciutto/fig salad serve? It sounds divine!

Arugula, golden beets, and goat cheese with a balsamic vinaigrette.

Mixed baby greens, golden beets & toasted pecans with an orange vinaigrette.

Tomatoes in my back yard are finally ripe, and I had one on my sandwich yesterday. I have not had much luck trying to grow tomatoes in the summer, but they do well here in the winter, and so I guess I should keep planting them. I think it may be because I don't have caterpillars eating them in the winter.

I also frequently make a Greek style salad, which includes Persian cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, feta cheese, olives, and fresh oregano. If you do not have fresh oregano, you can make an oil and vinegar salad dressing with dried oregano, and that works well also. I do not put salt on my Greek salad because the feta and olives are salty, but I do add freshly ground black pepper. Sometimes I also add capers, which are also salty. I have basil in my back yard also, and so I can make a Caprese salad, which is another favorite.

I make a version of Ranch dressing dressing also:

Ranch Salad Dressing II

3-4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 tsp Kosher salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh dill, minced (large stems removed)
1/2 cup Italian parsley (large stems removed and
finely chopped)
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
2 cups mayonnaise (Best Foods or Hellmann’s), or a
combination of mayo and sour cream

Put garlic in a mortar with the salt, and grind with
a pestle until it is a paste. This can
be done on a chopping board with the flat side of a knife if you do not have a mortar
and pestle. Add the black pepper and
dill, and grind these in the mortar as well.

Then combine with the rest of the ingredients in
a bowl and stir together by hand. Chill
one hour and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
Best to chill overnight before serving.
If it is too thick, you can thin it with a few drops of water or
buttermilk. It does keep as long if
milk is added.

I use this mainly as a dip, and it is great with potato chips and does not need thinning for that.

Cathy, those kind words are very deserved. I'm not a big fan of salad in general but I love that one.

LindaC, definitely try that, it's amazing. And use good parmesan, shave some big pieces over the top. I know you wouldn't use the stuff in the can, but nice big slivers of parmesan are lovely.

ovenbird, I served this at a baby shower, doubled the recipe and we had about 20 people. Everyone got some, but everyone wanted more, I should have made twice as much. So, if you want a nice big serving, I'd say 6 to 8 people. If it's just a side, then you could serve 10. I'm telling you, though, people are going to want more.

Annie

My favorite is a chopped strawberry chicken salad, still wonderful without the chicken. I leave out the pecans, I don't like nuts in my food.

Spring Mix, Grilled Chicken, Strawberries, Mandarin Oranges, Cranberries, Candied Pecans and Goat Cheese Raspberry Vinaigrette dressing

I like starting a meal with a fruity salad. Not sure why. I think because fruit always seems a little lighter and refreshing.

Spinach salad is also very good. I make a very good Ceasar salad - from a recipe in the Victory Garden cook book.

Bon apetit.

While not a green salad, this one is excellent as a main dish or a side.

WILD RICE SALAD

Ina Garten

I sometimes sub mandarin oranges for the grapes and sliced vidalia onion for the scallions.

Ingredients

1 cup long-grain wild rice
2 1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 navel oranges
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh orange juice
2 tbsp raspberry vinegar
1/2 cup green grapes, cut in half
1/2 cup pecans, toasted
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 scallion, white and green parts chopped
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Directions
1. In a medium saucepan over high heat combine rice, 4 cups water, and 2 tsp
salt and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until rice is tender, 50 to 60
minutes. Drain and return rice to the pan. Cover and allow to rest for 10
minutes.
2. While rice is still warm, place it in a mixing bowl. Peel oranges with a
sharp knife, removing all the white pith. Cut between the membranes and add the
orange sections to the bowl with the rice. Add the olive oil, orange juice,
raspberry vinegar, grapes, pecans, cranberries, scallions, 1/2 tsp salt, and
pepper. Allow to sit for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. Serve at room
temperature. Serves 4 to 6.

Another that is always a hit:

TEQUILABERRY'S SALAD

Dressing:
1 cup Hellmann's Mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip!)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 pound bacon-cooked until crisp and crumbled

Salad Base:
2 pounds bagged Dole Salad Mix (I us a mix of fresh greens)
1/2 head of cauliflower, cut in small pieces
1-1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese Mix dressing ingredients until they are the
consistency of heavy cream.
If needed, add extra milk or sugar to taste.
Toss together the Salad ingredients and pour the dressing on. Toss until
well coated.

Linda

Annie, thanks for the serving info on the prosciutto/fig salad!

Great thread with interesting recipes! This is a keeper!

I'm not so crazy about the winter hot house baby salad mixes. No flavor, just pretty. Seems the dressing is the carrier of flavor. Baby arugula at least has some 'meat' to it like some spinach varieties.

I do like the idea of fig, proscuitto, parm. And a toasted nut.

Not sure the rest of your menu but that would compliment just about anything.

I make a ginger/sesame dressing for salad but it does not go well with some main courses following. As an app away from the table an hour before sitting is fine. Like a spring roll...

A sit down salad i think should be considerate of the following meal.

I've been making a warm salad of escarole, shallot, leek, celeriac, golden beet slivers...and just a bit of fresh lemon. Then anything i have in the crisper and pepitas or toasted pecans. It has been hit since before Thanksgiving. (when i added shredded brussels). Sometimes quick broiled slices of goat cheese. -pressed into some seasoned olive oil panko, seasoned side up...I have a bag of dried dates that i need to use. Might do well softened for a warm dressing with a chopped slice of bacon or procuitto pan seared with a shallot. I always have olives and feta...

Boston lettuce is a nice winter salad cup or torn. Come cold February-March i often put Boston on my list. Nice and buttery. It seems to like, and stand up, to a semi-warm dressing.

Just my experience years past when i loved and over-did the sesame/ginger dressing...now used often with a nut/sesame chicken crust or Asian dumplings...or a miso seared beef soup/broth.

DH is chopping right now for a warm escarole salad and a French green lentil salad to top it...the main meal is a brothy tomato based soup with fridge crisper drawer 'kitchen sink' soup. Freezer finds like corn and roasted tomatoes from the garden.

Re mustang's prosciutto/fig salad...for folks with nut allergies do you think toasted sunflower seeds would work instead of walnuts?

ovenbird, I think sunflower seeds would be fine. Maybe even honey roasted. (grin) The nuts don't really add that much flavor and I've used pecans and walnuts interchangeably, but they add some texture and a nice crunch, so whatever seems like it would some texture would work. Whole fresh raspberries might be a nice addition too.

Annie

Thank you so much to everyone for the wonderful salad recipes! I will be adding these to my regular meal repertoire as well as using for our dinner party.

Annie, thanks for the honey roasted idea!

All of these sound so delicious.

Here are a few I like, from the "cheat" simple, to the more involved:

• Knock off of Panera's Asian Chicken Salad (on the web)
• Egyptian Salad with Dukka from a "Mediterranean Cookbook" -- greens, sliced red onion, red bell pepper, cannellini or haricot beans, 2 hard boiled eggs cut into wedges, fresh firm-ish tomatoes quartered, simple dressing with olive oil, ---, then the best part -- the dukka sprinkled over it. I have the recipe, but it's something like toasted ?cumin seeds, sesame seeds, maybe coriander seeds, blanched almonds, sea salt, black pepper, then you grind this mix up to a fine blend (I use a large stone mortar and pestle). Put in an air-tight container and HIDE IT <g> in the fridge.
• Thai Beef Salad with Noodles (and greens), Thai vinaigrette, and (very important) Thai seasoned toasted sweet rice (toast the stuff, then make a powder in a mortar and pestle.
• Thai Seafood Salad -- sort of like the Mexican ceviche. IIRC, the Thai anglo name is something like "Yom Talay" -- but I'm confused because I have called it "Tom Delay" salad for too long now.
  

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