Copycat Olive Garden Salad

Sorry I don't have a picture of this, but I think most people have had Olive Garden's yummy salad :) This is a copycat of that recipe.

Salad:
1 bag romaine + iceberg salad
4-5 slices red onion
4-6 black olives
2-4 banana peppers
1/2 cup croutons
1 small tomato sliced
freshly grated parmesan cheese (I have also used non freshly grated)
**Place the bag of salad in bowl. Place red onion, black olives, banana peppers, tomatoes, and croutons on top of the lettuce. Add parmesan cheese. Serve with generous amount of salad dressing on top.

Dressing:
1/2 cup mayo
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 tsp. vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. corn syrup
2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. romano cheese ( I have left this out when I didn't want to run to the store and it still tasted great)
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 tsp. italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. parsley flakes
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
sugar (optional, but I usually start with 1/4 cup and add more if I want a less zangy taste)
**Mix all ingredients in a blender until well mixed (approximately 30 seconds). If this is a little to tart for your own personal tastes please add a little extra sugar. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

From the kitchen of Kelly (adapted from a recipe I got from my friend, Stacie Williamson)

Great Grape Salad

This is an awesome summer salad (it's usually too expensive to make in the winter, wait until grapes are on sale), and is so refreshing. I get asked for this recipe all the time.

4 lbs grapes (about 2 bags - I always use red)
8 oz cream cheese - softened (you can use neufchatel)
1 cup sour cream (you can use lowfat if you like)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup Grape Nuts (I actually use Western Family brand because they are cheaper, but they taste just the same).

With a hand mixer blend cream cheese, sour cream, sugars, and vanilla until smooth. Wash grapes and drop one by one into cream cheese mixture. Coat all evenly. Add Grape Nuts just before serving (no longer than 1/2 an hour).

Tips: Make sure your cream cheese is SUPER soft before you start, or you will end up with lumps. I usually put mine in the microwave on auto defrost for about 30-60 seconds. Don't let it melt, but it can be very soft.

Make sure you pluck those grapes carefully and don't leave any stems in - run each one through your fingers to double check.

If you are making this for a party or a big group go ahead and coat the whole salad with grape nuts. However, if you are just making it for your family and you'll want to eat it over a few days, just drop grape nuts on individual sized servings and leave the rest plain in the fridge until you are ready to use it. That way the grape nuts won't get soggy.



From the Kitchen of Tannie Datwyler

Asian Chicken Salad

1 bag spinach
12 oz cooked bowtie pasta
3 cups cooked shredded chicken
1 bunch green onions
1/4 cup roasted and salted sunflower seeds

Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup white vinegar
4 T sugar
1/4 tsp pepper

Prepare ingredients and dressing. Combine pasta, chicken, and green onions. Let it soak all day (at least 3 hours). Then add sunflower seeds and spinach. Toss and serve.

Summer Bean Salad

This salad is delicious! I made it for our family BBQ today, and it got a great response! (I apologize for the fuzzy pictures, I'm by no means a professional photographer!)

1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 green bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper (I used red because that's what I had)
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 cup chunky salsa
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Mix altogether and refrigerate!