Welcome to our forum. A Message To Our New and Prospective Members . Check out our Forum Rules. Lets keep this forum an enjoyable place to visit.
Private messaging is working again.
Log In
Register
Home
Topic RSS
(9 votes) 
Regulars
Offline
It's been too darn hot here in Michigan this past week and Summer is still a few weeks away (officially).
Chive blossoms are open, so today was perfect for my favorite macaroni salad!
Here's my recipe for my "Ham & Macaroni Salad":
- 1lb dry Elbow Macaroni - cooked al dente, rinsed in cold water, drained & pat dry with a few paper towels
- add enough Low Calorie Kraft Mayonnaise to generously coat all the macaroni (add more later if salad becomes dry)
- lightly sprinkle with ground Allspice & fresh ground Black Pepper
- 2 large cloves of Garlic - wrap in damp paper towel & microwave 10 seconds (careful, gets very HOT), great flavor, but harshness will be gone - mince & add
- add a 4ounce jar of diced Pimento - liquid & all
- add (optional) 1 teaspoon of Spiced Rum, or Dark Rum or ½ teaspoon of imitation Rum flavoring
- add ¾ to 1 cup of thinly sliced Celery
- add 1½lbs of your favorite Ham or smoked Turkey - small cubes or ½" squares of sliced
- add 1½ to 2 cups of cold, frozen (microwave-in-bag) or fresh cooked Green Peas
- add ¾ of a jar of Tony Packo 'Sweet Hot' Pickles - rough chop (these make the salad, so if you don't find them locally or have a 'sweet hot' substitute - I'll give a link to order direct*)
- mix all together (add more mayo if too dry)
- garnish with the separated blossoms of 4 to 6 Chive Flower heads (careful, they are beautiful AND strong) - or just sprinkle some fresh cut chives
* Max Klinger - the character in the old TV sitcom M*A*S*H, a corporal from Toledo, Ohio (who played crazy for a discharge) raved about Tony Packo's on the show, made them famous! I loved the Toledo restaurant and order some of their other products direct, but I usually find their 'Sweet Hots' locally.
This Salad is a WHOLE MEAL... hit the 'print' button & enjoy!
LOVE to try YOUR favorites!
- Emily
Regulars
Offline
I like to make red potato salad--
Characterize people by their actions and you will never be fooled by their words.
Regulars
Offline
@SharonC -
Next time Kevin's plans to make potato salad, I'll get him to try your recipe - looks GREAT!
...bet it would be fabulous with some nasturtium blossoms & leaves added - I like their peppery flavor and visual appeal.
Thanx!
Regulars
Offline
I make potato salad with new potatoes and chives grown from my allotment ! 😀
Regulars
Offline
Caprese salad. Good heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, olive oil. Keep it simple.
I also like to make a mango pasta salad. I don't really have a recipe for it; the dressing is a medium-large mango or two small mangoes blended with a few tablespoons of olive oil, a splash of orange juice, juice from one lime, a clove or two of garlic, a Fresno chile or red jalapeño, and maybe half a teaspoon of curry powder. (I'm just guessing at quantities.) Use a pasta shape with a good amount of surface area (rotini or penne works well), and add red bell pepper cut into thin strips, chopped green onions, fresh basil, and shaved parmesan. Pairs nicely with grilled chicken or seafood.
Regulars
Offline
@AndrewH -
Wonderful - Thank you!
I LOVE a simple Caprese salad with a great aged balsamic.
My Favorite International market, "Nino Salvaggio's" used to sell a wonderful, but more elaborate, freshly made version. Nino's supplied their recipe for "Tomato Mozzarella Salad", but they ALWAYS used to include fresh Asparagus slices in it and ripe Cherry/Grape Tomatoes at the market, so here's the salad they used to sell:
"Tomato, Asparagus, Fresh Mozzarella Salad"
- 1½ lbs. Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
- 1 lb. Fresh Mozzarella Balls, the baby ones - whole ciliegine
- 1 to 1½ lbs. Fresh Asparagus, cut diagonally into 1" long slices
- ½ cup Red Onion, 1" strips of separated rings
- 1 to 2 Tbsp. Fresh Garlic, diced
- ¼ to ½ cup Fresh Basil Leaves (depending on what kind), chiffonade
- 1½ Tbsp. Fresh Oregano Leaves, fine chop
- ⅓ cup Olive Oil, Extra Virgin
- 3 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
- 1½ tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper
- 1 tsp. Salt, Kosher
- Toss & refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour, before serving.
Your Mango Pasta Salad sounds GREAT - can't wait to try it!
Later in the summer, July/August, I like to substitute Fresh Nectarines or Red Haven Peaches for Mango in recipes, while they are in season.
Regulars
Offline
AndrewH said
Caprese salad. Good heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, olive oil. Keep it simple.. . .
Anything with heirloom tomatoes is good! I usual grow lots of tomatoes (not doing it this year, for the 1st time in many). I always have Mortgage Lifters (their good for sandwiches & canning), but have done San Marzano, Cherokee Purple, Black Krim, Orange Kentucky Beefsteak, and some others I'm not remember right now.
Sorry, didn't mean to hijack the salad thread
Characterize people by their actions and you will never be fooled by their words.
Regulars
Offline
Niçoise
Andrew
Verified human - the ignominy!
Regulars
Offline
@Katie L & @Gordon Shumway -
Would you both care to share what ingredients are in your salads?
Regulars
Offline
Gordon Shumway said
Niçoise
The recipe is fairly constant.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.....%C3%A7oise
Some put boiled potatoes in it, but I prefer it without. But I like green beans in it. And I prefer it to have both tuna and anchovies. I get a bottle, or a tin, of anchovies in olive oil, and I make the vinaigrette (dissolve the mustard in the vinegar, then add the oil and shake) from the anchovy oil to give it more flavour.
Andrew
Verified human - the ignominy!
Regulars
Offline
Well I don’t put a lot in my potato salad just a small amount of mayo ( has to be hellmans) some white wine vinegar and some chives. Home grown new potatoes are best !! I don’t measure things out just plonk it all in together !
Regulars
Offline
Ah, potato salad. I washed dishes in a hotel in Swabia in the 80s for a year and a half, and my gf is Bavarian.
In the hotel the potato salad was made thus: -
boil potatoes in their skins. Peel with a knife while hot, holding them in a tea towel, and roughly slice. Add a little finely diced raw onion and/or spring onion (scallion) and warm chicken stock and vinaigrette, seasoning and chopped chives and eat warm.
My gf adds mayonnaise instead of chicken stock. I prefer it without mayonnaise and with chicken stock.
Andrew
Verified human - the ignominy!
Regulars
Offline
Also Greek salads are great.
Andrew
Verified human - the ignominy!
Offline
What a great idea to post favorite recipes here.
While this is not a summer salad, it's a recipe that I make often and it can be used on or with so many different foods.
My Hummus recipe.
HUMMUS
INGREDIENTS
* 1/2 cup of roasted tahini
* 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
* 2 garlic cloves, optional
* 2 cans of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
* 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 1/2 cup water
* 1/2 teaspoon of salt
* Garnishes: A sprinkling of paprika, a swirl of olive oil, toasted pine nuts, and/or chopped parsley
I roast my own pine nuts since I haven't been able to find them pre-roasted.
Please enjoy, and let me know what you think!!!
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
Regulars
Offline
Hummus is an interesting one (I worked in a Greek restaurant in 1985).
Some like it thick like cement, and others like it thinner and gloopy. I like it thinner and gloopy. All you need to do for that is add more olive oil. If you can't be bothered to make your own, the stuff in tins is OK and very thick, and I just add the same amount again of olive oil (slowly, like stock to a roux or oil to mayo), so a tin goes quite a long way. (My mother gave me her old blender, and the first time I used it I broke it trying to make fresh hummus from chickpeas, lol)
I wasn't a fan of taramosalata, and I don't know how they made it, but you can get the basic cod-roe and dilute it with yoghurt and maybe mayo to make it very mild. Then I don't mind it so much.
Andrew
Verified human - the ignominy!
Regulars
Offline
I appreciate all the recipes - this is GREAT!
@Fiddlerman -
My Grandkids are so picky they won't touch a simple sandwich if it has Mayo on it, but darn if they don't ALL go crazy for store-bought Hummus... so, looking forward to trying your recipe!
@Katie L -
It's been awhile since I've had new potatoes THAT fresh, but I remember how good they are, so I understand why you don't add anything else. I'll have to send Kevin up to one of the Farmer's Markets!
I used to make a meal of creamed New Potatoes (small) & Fresh Green Peas - boiled fresh onions with them in just enough, slightly watered-down, chicken stock to barely cover. Then when the potatoes were tender (and the water reduced down), I'd add a little slurry of milk & flour to thicken - top off with a little butter & fresh ground pepper! Had to have buttermilk biscuits with it - THANKS FOR REMINDING ME!
My Potato Salad ends up combined with Egg Salad - I add Hard Boiled eggs and some fresh Dill, and I'll garnish with slices of green olives that are stuffed with pimento. If I had my way I'd mix the olives in, but some in the family don't like them.
@Gordon Shumway -
Sounds great!
I don't use a lot of anchovies - just in a few sauces & dressings.
It's silly, but while in the Air Force together, Kevin & I would come in from a long, hot day out on the flightline & hangar - to sit in the office were it was cool (back then, it was normal to kick back & have a couple beers before heading to the barracks)... sometimes Kevin would open up a can of Kipper Snacks & start eating them. Pretty soon the whole room smelled terrible & I'd have to leave! I love fresh & smoked fish, but some canned in oil is a bit much for me. (lol)
I HAVE made a similar Potato Salad to yours!
Instead of the vinaigrette, I used a little lemon juice & white truffle oil - very good.
Regulars
Offline
Incidentally, when I say Greek salads, I mean these, not dips like hummus and taramosalata and tsatsiki.
Also my gf and I often eat Mozzarella and tomatoes. Often people put balsamic vinegar on this, but the gf prefers it without, and I think she may be right.
Also eat halloumi with tomatoes to balance the salt - I've seen people eat halloumi with raw onion, not what I'd go for!
Fiddlerman said
I roast my own pine nuts since I haven't been able to find them pre-roasted.
Pre-roasted stuff can get stale, and re-roasting freshens it up. But roasting your own is the best of both worlds.
I don't often do this, but I must practise it (i.e. make sure I know how not to burn them!). I once got raw cashews and toasted them and ate them hot with salt. They were fabulous, but nowadays I'm intolerant to the FODMAPs, so I can't eat cashews anymore.
Andrew
Verified human - the ignominy!
Offline
Gordon Shumway said
Hummus is an interesting one (I worked in a Greek restaurant in 1985).Some like it thick like cement, and others like it thinner and gloopy. I like it thinner and gloopy. All you need to do for that is add more olive oil. If you can't be bothered to make your own, the stuff in tins is OK and very thick, and I just add the same amount again of olive oil (slowly, like stock to a roux or oil to mayo), so a tin goes quite a long way. (My mother gave me her old blender, and the first time I used it I broke it trying to make fresh hummus from chickpeas, lol)
I wasn't a fan of taramosalata, and I don't know how they made it, but you can get the basic cod-roe and dilute it with yoghurt and maybe mayo to make it very mild. Then I don't mind it so much.
Exactly, and adding olive oil really only improves the taste. Maybe not overdo it though. 😁
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
Regulars
Offline
I'm the same with porridge/oatmeal. My brother likes it so thick you need a knife and fork to eat it. I like it thin enough to drink - if I have to chew it, I get bored with it long before I've finished it.
But Back to salads, I regret that my gf's recipes are all secret, even from me. When she's cooking I'm banished from the kitchen until washing up needs doing. Her salad dressing is typically German - a very light vinaigrette with water (diluting the vinegar) and sugar, herbs and also sometimes condensed milk (or it might be evaporated milk - I don't know what the difference is). For the herbs, she uses bottled dressing and modifies it
Andrew
Verified human - the ignominy!
Regulars
Offline
Taking a break after practicing several tunes from the Fourth of July - Independence Day! Thread - thought I'd offer up a last salad that always disappeared when I'd take it to Summer BBQ's.
I usually measure by handfuls, so adjust to your liking. 😊
Michigan Cherry Salad
Toss together:
5oz bag of Mixed Spring Greens
(Home grown fresh baby greens are best!)
5oz bag of Baby Spinach
½ cup Dried Cherries
(Michigan Dried Cherries are the best! 😉)
¼ cup Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese
½ cup Candied Pecan Halves or Walnut Pieces*
Add some thin-sliced Red Onion Rings - to taste
thin-sliced Mushrooms are great, but optional
Raspberry Vinegrette**
* You can use plain or toasted nuts, but here's an easy stove-top recipe for up to a 1lb of nuts (3 to 4 cups) that make this SPECIAL... don't mistakenly think you're making too much - they mysteriously vanish!
** I usually buy a bottled Raspberry Vinagrette or Dressing, but you can take your favorite Vinagrette and add a couple tablespoons of Raspberry Preserves!
You can add fresh berries or fruit to this salad - try different cheeses or nuts, also! Also try other spices for the nuts!
Candied Nuts
(use Pecan Halves or Walnut pieces for this salad recipe)
Have a non-stick cookie sheet next to your cooking surface!
In a skillet or sauce pan, add:
½ cup Brown Sugar (firm-pack)
½ teaspoon of Cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup Water
Bring the syrup mixture to a boil.
Then, stir in 3 to 4 cups of Pecan Halves or Walnut pieces, until well coated.
Quickly spread the nuts out over the non-stick surface, to cool.
DO NOT TOUCH THESE WITH BARE SKIN UNTIL COOL!
1 Guest(s)
Fiddlerman
Mouse
ELCBK
Jols
Strabo
