Salads may be provided as a side dish for the main meal or could be featured as a main course event, with salads galore from which to choose.
This week’s recipes come from flipping many pages of old cookbooks and selecting ones that might be an added bonus to the menu.
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Fruit Salad
- 1 small tin crushed pineapple
- 5-6 apples, peeled and chopped
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 tbsps. cornstarch
- 1 tbsp. vinegar
Drain the juice from the pineapple and pour into a medium-sized saucepan.
Place the pineapple and the chopped apples in a large serving bowl.
Beat the egg and mix into the pineapple juice. Mix the sugar with the cornstarch and stir into the juice mixture. Add the vinegar and stir. Bring this mixture to a gradual boil and stir until the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
When it has cooled, pour over the apples and pineapple, stir gently and then refrigerate until ready to serve.
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Dill Pickle Salad
- 3 cups pasta shells or elbows
- 3/4 cup sliced dill pickles
- 2/3 cup diced cheddar cheese
- 3 tbsps. finely diced sweet onion
- 2 tbsps. fresh dill or dried dill weed
- 1/2 cup dill pickle juice
Dressing:
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup commercial sour cream
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 tbsps. dill pickle juice
Boil pasta according to package directions or al dente. Run under cold water, drain and dump into a large container. Add the pickle juice and toss with pasta. Let sit about 5 minutes then drain off the juice.
Add sliced pickles, onion, dill and cheese and toss.
To make the dressing, mix all the ingredients then pour over the pasta mixture. Mix gently. Refrigerate for several hours. Stir gently before serving.
Note: sweet pickle juice may be substituted for dill pickle juice to make a sweeter salad.
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Shrimp and Mushroom Salad
- 3 cans whole shrimp
- 2 cans whole mushrooms
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tbsp. dry minced onion
- 1/4 tsp. dry mustard powder
Drain mushrooms and shrimp and place in large container.
Mix remaining ingredients and add to mushrooms and shrimp. Stir to combine. Cover container and refrigerate for 24 hours. Stir occasionally. Serve while cold. Store leftovers in refrigerator.
Joyce Walter can be reached at [email protected]