Wendy's™ Apple Pecan Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
One Bag of Romaine Lettuce, chopped
1/2 red apple cut into chunks
1/2 green apple cut into chunks
1/4 cup Dried Cranberries
1/2 Cup of Cooked, Cubed Chicken Breasts
1/4 Cup of Blue Cheese Crumbles
1/4 Cup of Honey Roasted Pecans

Procedures:
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.

Serve with a Marzetti pomegranate vinaigrette dressing or use your favorite dressing.

Serves 2-3 person

Source: Recipe Secrets Forum

Cool Cucumber Salad

Main ingredients:
8 oz cucumber
1 fresh green chili, finely chopped

Dressing:
cilantro leaves, finely chopped
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar

Garnish:
fresh mint sprigs
red bell pepper sprigs

Procedures:
Slice the cucumber thinly. Arrange the cucumber on a round serving plate.

Sprinkle the chili over the cucumber

To make the dressing, mix the cilantro, lemon juice, salt, and sugar together in a bowl.

Cover the cucumber and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. When ready to serve, transfer the cucumber to a serving dish. Pour the salad dressing over the cucumber just before serving and garnish with mint sprigs and red bell pepper strips.

Source: The Best Salads cookbook

Lobster Salad with Basil and Lemon Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
2 live lobsters; 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pound
1/2 pint red cherry tomatoes; halved
1/2 cup fresh corn; removed from cob
1/2 cup celery; sliced diagonally
1 Tbs minced fresh basil leaves
1 Tbs freshly grated lemon zest
3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup hazelnut oil
4 lemon wedges, for garnish

Procedures:
In a large stock pot of boiling salted water, plunge the live lobsters and boil them, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the lobsters with tongs to a cutting board and let cool until they can
be handled. Break off the claws at the body, crack them, and remove the meat, cutting it into 3/4 inch pieces. Halve the lobsters lengthwise along the underside, remove the meat from the tails, and
cut it into 3/4 inch pieces. In a large bowl combine the claw meat and the tail meat. Break off the legs carefully at the body, reserving them for another use, remove the meat from the body
cavities near the leg joints, and add it to the bowl.

Add the halved cherry tomatoes, corn, and celery to the lobster meat. Toss in the basil and lemon zest and stir to combine.

In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice with the hazelnut oil and season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle over the lobster mixture and toss to coat it well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 2 person

Source: The Best Salads

Panera Asian Sesame Chicken Salad

Salad:
2 wonton wrappers
2 Tbs. almonds, sliced
4 Cups romaine lettuce
1 Tbs. fresh cilantro, chopped
3 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts, grilled and sliced

Dressing:
1/2 Cup rice vinegar
4 Tbs. sugar
2 Tbs.canola oil
1/2 Tbs. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sesame seeds
Black pepper

Procedures:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Cut the wontons into 1/4 inch strips.

Heat the canola oil to 365°F in a heavy skillet.

Fry the wonton strips.

Toast the almonds in the oven for 5 minutes.

Toss then toast for 5 minutes more. Remove from oven and let cool.

To assemble the salad, in a large bowl, toss the romaine lettuce, cilantro, wonton strips, chicken and dressing.

Top with the sesame seeds and almonds.

For the dressing: In a small sauce pan, heat the vinegar and sugar until the sugar dissolves, stirring often. Let it cool completely. Mix the oils together. Whisking constantly, pour in the oil mix to make an emulsion.  Add salt, pepper and sesame seeds.

Serves 4 person

Source: Recipe4Living

Dish's Green Goddess Dressing

Ingredients:
Scant 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley (1/4 bunch)
1 cup chopped basil (1 ounce)
1/2 cup chopped fresh chives (1 ounce)
1/2 pound fresh spinach leaves
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, more to taste
3 cups mayonnaise
2 1/4 teaspoons Dijon mustard, more to taste
1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
3/4 teaspoon white pepper, more to taste
3/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, more to taste

Procedures:
In a blender, pulse together the parsley, basil, chives and spinach along with the cider vinegar.

Remove the mixture to a large bowl and whisk in the mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper and lemon juice.

Taste and adjust the flavorings and seasonings as desired. This makes a generous 3 cups of dressing, which will keep, covered and refrigerated, up to 1 week.

Makes: 3 Cups

Source: LA Times

Green Salad With Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
2 tsp strawberry jam
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
3 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
Salt, to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 small red onion, sliced
1 pint strawberries, sliced
4 cups chopped romaine or mixed greens of any kind

Procedures:
Place jam in a medium bowl and whisk in vinegar then extra-virgin olive oil.

Season the dressing with salt and pepper.

Add the strawberries and greens to bowl and toss to coat evenly in dressing.

Serves: 4 person

Source: The Best Salads

Napa Valley Grille's Chopped Kale Salad

Lemon Vinaigrette:

Juice of 3 lemons and grated zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1 anchovy fillet, minced
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 basil leaves, cut in thin strips
Sea salt
Finely-ground pepper

In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, shallot, anchovy, cheese and basil. Season to taste with one-fourth teaspoon salt and one-eighth teaspoon pepper.

This makes slightly more than one-half cup vinaigrette, more than is needed for the remainder of the recipe; the vinaigrette will keep, covered and refrigerated, up to 1 week.

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Kale salad:

1/4 cup quinoa
1 romaine heart, chopped
1 head green kale, chopped
1/4 cup almonds, toasted
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Lemon vinaigrette
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil.

Meanwhile, place the quinoa in a strainer and rinse under cool running water to remove the outer coating of the quinoa (if not rinsed, the coating can give the quinoa a bitter flavor). Place the rinsed quinoa in a dry saute pan and toast, stirring frequently, until the quinoa is dry, lightly colored, and has a nutty aroma.

Place the toasted quinoa in the saucepan with the water, reduce the heat and simmer the quinoa until it is translucent and tender and the germ has spiraled out from the grain, 12 to 15 minutes (be careful not to overcook). Drain the quinoa and spread it out on a baking sheet to cool.

In a large bowl, combine the romaine, kale, quinoa, almonds, raisins and Parmesan cheese. Add one-fourth cup vinaigrette and toss to lightly coat. Add additional vinaigrette as desired, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves: 4-6 person

Source: LA Times

Chaya's Chopped Salad

Dressing:

2 jalapeños
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Roast the jalapeños: Place the jalapeños on a rack set over a stove-top burner and roast until charred on all sides. Set asideuntil cool enough to handle, then peel and seed.

In a blender, combine the jalapeños, mayonnaise, lemon juice and olive oil, and blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Thismakes about 1 cup dressing. Cover and chill until needed.

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Sautéed shrimp:

1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/8 teaspoons cumin
1 1/8 teaspoons onion powder
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch celery seed powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces medium shrimp

In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, salt, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper and celery seed powder to make a spice blend.

Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot, then add the olive oil. Add the shrimp and sauté until slightly opaque, 1 to 2 minutes, then sprinkle over the spice blend and continue cooking  just until opaque. Remove from heat and set aside.

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Chopped salad:

2 hearts of romaine, chopped
1 cucumber, diced
1/2 avocado, diced
1 whole cob white corn, kernels removed (about 1 1/3 cups kernels)
Sautéed shrimp
Dressing, divided
1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese
16 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, as a garnish

In a large bowl, toss the chopped romaine with the cucumber,
avocado, corn kernels and shrimp. Add half the dressing and gently
toss to coat. Add additional dressing, a couple of tablespoons at
a time, to coat as desired.

Divide the salad among 4 plates and top each with 1 tablespoon
cheese, 4 halved tomatoes and 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro. Serve
immediately.

Serves: 4 persons

Source: LA Times

Cole's Bacon Potato Salad

Ingredients:
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes
3 strips bacon, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, or more to taste
1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard, or more to taste
1 heaping tablespoon cider vinegar, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon smoked salt
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 green onions, chopped
1 heaping tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 heaping tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Procedures:
In a medium saucepan, add the potatoes and enough water to cover the potatoes by 1 inch. Bring the pan to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender (a paring knife should easily pierce the potato), about 25 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain the potatoes and set aside until cool enough to handle.

While the potatoes are cooking, fry the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain the bacon onto a paper towel-lined plate. Save 1 tablespoon
bacon grease and set aside in a warm place (discard the rest, or save for another use).

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, cider vinegar, smoked salt, kosher salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the dressing as desired. Set aside.

Dice the potatoes into half-inch cubes and place in a large bowl. Stir in the warm bacon fat until combined. Fold in the dressing, bacon, green onions, thyme and parsley. Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning if desired. Cover and chill the potato salad before serving.

Serves: 4-6 person

Source: LA Times

Antipasto Salad

Ingredients:
2 romaine lettuce hearts, chopped
1/2 lb Genoa salami, diced
2 cups pickled hot vegetable salad, Giardiniera, coarsely chopped
12 pitted black olives, coarsely chopped
12 jumbo green olives, pitted, and coarsely chopped
1 small jar roasted red peppers - (8 oz), drained, diced
1 small jar marinated artichoke hearts - (6 oz), drained
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 lb Provolone cheese, cut into bite size pieces
2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt, to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Procedures:
Combine lettuce, salami, chopped hot pickled vegetables, olives, red peppers, tomatoes, provolone cheese and artichoke hearts.

Drizzle vinegar and oil over the salad. Toss salad and season with salt and pepper, to your taste.

Serves: 4 person

Source: The Best Salads

Golden Corral Asian Salad

Ingredients:
8 cups (approx. 1 or 2 heads) Romaine Lettuce, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup Asian Ginger Dressing
1 cup red grapes, fresh
1 cup mandarin oranges, from canned, drained
1/4 cup La Choy Rice Noodles

Prepping Lettuce, Oranges and Grapes:

Cut the core off two heads of Romaine lettuce. Remove any soiled or damaged leaves. Wash. Shake lettuce to remove excess water. Use a knife to cut leaves into 1 inch x 1 inch pieces. Measure 8 cups of cut lettuce.

Drain mandarin oranges.

Wash grapes. Remove grapes from stems.

Mixing Salad:

Just before serving, combine Asian Ginger Dressing and Romaine lettuce in large mixing bowl.  Lightly toss until Asian Ginger Dressing covers Romaine lettuce.

Top salad evenly with red grapes and mandarin oranges.

Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 cup of rice noodles.

Serves 2-4

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Asian Ginger Dressing

1 small clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
4 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon honey
1 Tablespoon water

In a small jar or container with a tight fitting lid, combine the garlic, ginger, olive oil, sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, and water. Cover container and shake well before serving.

Makes about 1/2 cup dressing.

The Loews Madison Hotel Seafood Salad

Lemon Anise Dressing:

1 lemon
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Pernod
3 tablespoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup oil (vegetable, canola or grape seed)
Salt and pepper

Zest and juice the lemon, combining both in a measuring cup. Measure out 1 ounce, discarding the rest or reserving it for another use.

To the combined lemon zest and juice, add the honey, Pernod, shallots and mustard, whisking together. Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper. This makes about three-fourths cup dressing, more than is needed for the remainder of the recipe; cover and refrigerate the leftover dressing up to 3 days.

Salad and Assembly:

6 cups combined lettuces (watercress, frisée and mesclun)
1 cup shaved fennel, divided
Lemon anise dressing, to taste
6 cooked shrimp (16 to 20 count per pound), peeled and deveined
1/3 cup (2 ounces) jumbo lump crab meat
1/3 cup (2 ounces) smoked trout
10 Belgian endive leaves
Cracked black pepper
Fleur de sel

Procedures:
In a large bowl, combine mixed lettuce and two-thirds cup shaved fennel. Toss with a very light coating of dressing (enough to coat the leaves, 4 to 5 tablespoons).

Divide the salad between 2 plates or bowls, and top each portion with equal amounts of arranged shrimp, crab, trout, endive and remaining shaved fennel. Drizzle a little more dressing over the seafood on each salad and sprinkle over fresh cracked black pepper and fleur de sel to taste. Serve immediately.

Servings: 2

Lunch's Green Apple Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cooked boneless and skinless chicken breasts,  diced (a generous 2 cups)
2 small celery stalks, cut into small dice
1/2 red onion, cut into very small dice
1/2 green apple, cored and cut into medium dice
1/3 cup currants (raisins may be substituted)
Salt and pepper, if desired

Procedures:
In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, cider vinegar and Dijon mustard to form a dressing.

To the bowl, add the chicken, celery, onion, apple and currants. Toss everything together, taste and adjust the seasoning if desired. Chill before serving. This makes about 1 quart chicken salad.

Serves 4 to 6

BLD's Fresh Vegetable Salad

Salad dressing:

1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely chopped shallot
1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons sweet rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup canola oil

In a blender, grind the ginger, shallots and rosemary to a paste.

Add the soy sauce, honey, vinegar, lemon juice to the ginger mixture and blend until fairly smooth.

With the blender running, slowly add the oil. This makes about three-fourths cup dressing, more than is needed for the remainder of the recipe. The dressing will keep, up to 3 days, covered and refrigerated.

Fresh vegetable salad:

2 cups shelled edamame beans
1 cup raw fresh yellow corn
2/3 cup diced avocado
2/3 cup toasted and salted cashews
1/2 cup sliced or diced roasted and peeled red bell peppers
1 1/2 cups French green beans (haricot vert), blanched, shocked and chopped
2 cups diced jicama
1/2 cup salad dressing, more as desired
1 cup daikon sprouts
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons hemp seeds

In a large bowl, combine the edamame, corn, avocado, cashews, peppers, green beans and jicama. Add one-half cup of the dressing and toss to coat. Taste, and add additional dressing if desired. Divide the salad among 4 plates and garnish with the daikon sprouts and hemp seeds. This makes about 8 cups of salad. Serve immediately.

Servings: 4 to 6

LeBron James Grilled Mahi Mahi Mango Salad

Ingredients:
3 lbs fresh Mahi Fillets skinned and portioned into 6-8 oz pieces.
1 T salt
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1 t Cracked black pepper
Fresh chopped cilantro
2 cloves minced garlic
3 T lemon juice

Procedures:
Preheat grill medium to high heat, clean grates and oil with towel.

Let fish stand in seasoning for at least 20 min before grilling.

Spray fish lightly with natural vegetable spray. Grill fish 2-3 minutes each side being delicate when turning. Reserve in pan for service.

Salad Ingredients:

1 bunch fresh spinach
1 head Romain lettuce
1 bunch watercress
1 ea mango peeled sliced thin
1 yellow bell pepper julienne cut
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1 cup chopped roasted almonds

Dressing Ingredients:

1/2 C champagne vinegar
1/2 C grape seed oil
1 C canola oil

1 peeled shallot

1 clove garlic
1 T sugar
1 t cracked black pepper
1/2 t salt
1 T lime juice
few sprigs fresh parsley

Dressing Prep Instructions:

Blend together with hand mixer or blender.

To serve:

Toss together the salad ingredients with the dressing.  Divide among 6 plates.  Place the grilled mahi mahi on top and serve.

Serves 6

Townhouse Wedge Salad

Ingredients:
2 heads of baby iceberg lettuce, cut in half
1/2 cup of bacon lardons
28 baby shrimp
4 slices of red onions
1 corn off the cob
2 tablespoons of cranberries
16 pieces of marcona almonds
3 cherry tomatoes cut in half
1 teaspoon olive oil
Russian dressing (recipe below)

Procedures:
Place 2 tablespoons of dressing on bottom of plate to hold wedge in place.

Place 1/2 of an iceberg on top of dressing.

Toss 1 teaspoon olive oil, corn, red onion, cherry tomatoes, almonds, cranberries and season with salt and pepper to taste, dress on top of lettuce.

Sautee shrimp on medium heat for 2 minutes until cooked through and add bacon lardons until warm, place warm on top of wedge

Serves 4

Panera Bread Grilled Steak Salad with Giant Croutons

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds 1" thick beef tenderloin steaks
1 Panera Sourdough baguette
extra-virgin olive oil
blue cheese sprinkles (optional)
1 10oz bag baby spinach leaves
1 head red leaf lettuce
1 16oz can mandarin oranges
1 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 4 ounces)
3/4 cup sliced almonds (about 3 ounces)
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced into rings
Your favorite Poppy-seed salad dressing

Procedures:
For the grilled steak, rub both sides of each steak lightly with vegetable oil, and then season with salt and pepper. Grill steaks on one side, turn and finish grilling to desired doneness. (About 5 minutes on each side for medium rare.) Transfer steaks to platter to stand until cool, about 15 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled. Just before serving, slice each steak diagonally into thin pieces.

If you prefer, coat the bottom of a large, heavy skillet with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and place over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the steaks and cook on both
sides to desired doneness. (About 5 minutes on each side for medium rare.) Prepare the steaks for serving as above.

For the giant croutons, cut bread into slices 3/4" to 1" thick. Place the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake slowly in a 300° F oven until they are lightly browned and crisp (approximately 25-30 minutes). For extra flavor, lightly brush each slice with olive oil after they have baked for 15 minutes. If you wish, sprinkle blue cheese crumbles over the slices for the last
minute or so of baking, just until the cheese softens.

For the salad, mix all the salad ingredients in a large salad bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat. Divide salad equally and arrange on six plates. Top with slices of grilled beef. Add a giant crouton to
the side of each plate and serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings

Benihana's Ginger Salad Dressing

Ingredients:
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup peanut oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons minced celery
2 tablespoons ketchup
4 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper


Procedures:
1. Place all ingredients in blender; blend on high speed for 30 seconds or until the ginger is well-pureed and mixture is well blended.

2. Store in covered container in refrigerator.

PizzaVino's Caesar Salad with Crunchy Croutons

Crunchy croutons:
5 cups fresh focaccia bread, cubed
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste


Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the cubed focaccia with the olive oil until evenly coated, then toss with the salt. Spread the bread on a large, rimmed baking sheet and toast until golden and crunchy, 15 to 20 minutes.
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Caesar salad dressing:
2 cloves garlic
3 anchovies, or to taste
Zest and juice of ½ lemon, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
1 cup olive oil, more as desired
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Using a mortar and pestle, or in a food processor, grind the garlic and anchovy into a paste.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the garlic-anchovy paste with the lemon zest, red wine vinegar, 1 to 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce and egg. Whisk to combine, then whisk in the lemon juice.

3. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to thicken and emulsify the dressing. Season and adjust the flavoring as desired. This makes about 1 cup dressing, more than is needed for the remainder of the recipe. The dressing will keep, covered and refrigerated, for 2 to 3 days.
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Caesar salad assembly:
12 cups tender romaine leaves (such as baby romaine), washed and drained
1/3 to ½ cup Caesar salad dressing, more as desired
2 to 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Croutons

In a large bowl, toss the romaine leaves with dressing just to coat. Plate the salad on a serving platter or on individual plates. Sprinkle the Parmigiano-Reggiano evenly over the salad, and top with the croutons. Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6

Weight Watchers Chili Parmesan Popcorn Recipe

Ingredients:
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp table salt
12 cups light microwave-popped popcorn




Procedures:
Combine cheese, sugar, chili powder, pepper and salt in a small
bowl; toss with popcorn.

Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving. Serves 8.