My "Summer Salad Splash" Party

So, if you are anything like me you love a good tasty salad in the summer, but you get sick of the same old ones you always make. So to help me with this problem I invited a few neighborhood friends over for a salad party.
It was so fun. The kids just played (and did well I might add) while we women just talked, laughed, and ate our hearts out. Their were some AMAZING salads. I am so grateful to those who came and shared.
The idea was that you were to bring a normal sized salad with recipes to share. We each then got a big plate and tasted each and grabbed recipes. It worked out so well.
I only remembered to take pictures too late, so here are two of the many that were there.


At first I wasn't sure that people would be into the idea, but I was glad that they liked it as much as I did.
As usual I over planned, but that just made it less stressful as I was definately prepared for the party and was therefore able to just enjoy being with neighbors and friends.











Here are some pictures of the party favors I made. I got the "taffy stick" idea off my cousin's blog. Gotta love the blogging!



Here are the recipes we collected:
Summer Salad
Karen M.
2 lbs. Elbow Noodles
1 pkg. Diced Ham
½ lb. Cheddar Cheese
1 Cucumber
¼- ½ Head of Lettuce chopped
Dressing:
1-2 C Mayo
Salt, Pepper, & Onion Salt to taste


5 Cup Salad
Lisa G.
1 C Coconut
1 C Mini-Marshmellows
1 C Mandarin Oranges
1 C Drained Pineapple Chunks
1 C Sour Cream
Mix well, chill and ENJOY!!!


Harvest Salad
Laci S.
Spinach
Romaine Lettuce
½ C Toasted Walnuts chopped
½ C Dried Cranberries
½ C Crumbled Blue Cheese
2 Tomatoes chopped
1 Avocado Diced
½ Onion, thinly sliced
Dressing:
Raspberry or Blush Wine Vinaigrette

Tortellini Pasta Salad
Audrey S.
1 lg. pkg. of Buitoni Three Cheese Tortellini
1 pkg. Cherry Tomatoes
1 Fresh Zuccini cut up
½ C Fresh Parmesan Cheese
1 can Sliced Olives
1 bottle of Bernsteins Cheese Fantastico Dressing
Boil pasta, add cut up veggies and cheese, add dressing to taste

Spinach, Chicken, and Bow Tie Pasta
Holly R.
1-10oz. pkg. Baby Spinach
2/3 C Dried Cranberries
3 sm. can mandarin Oranges
2 can Water Chestnuts
½ C Parsley, chopped
1 bunch Green Onions, chopped
¼ C Toasted Sesame Seeds
6 oz. Honey Roasted Peanuts
2 C cooked, diced Chicken
Dressing:
1 C Vegetable Oil
2/3 C Bottled Teriyaki Sauce
2/3 C White Wine Vinegar
6 Tbls. Sugar
½ tsp. Kosher Salt
½ tsp. Pepper
Salad
16 oz. cooked bow tie pasta al dente
Blend dressing in food processor. Add pasta 2 hours before serving. Combine remaining salad ingredients in large bowl, and add pasta with dressing just beforeserving. (Serves 8)


Broccoli Salad
Amanda F.
1 lg. bunch Broccoli cut in to small pieces
½ Red Onion, thinly sliced
1 C Cran-raisins
½ lb. Crispy Bacon crumbled (Cool before added)
2 C finely sliced Mozzarella Cheese
¼ oz. pkg. Sunflower seeds
Dressing:
1 C mayo
2 Tbls. Cider Vinegar
½ C Sugar
Best if served cold.


Mediterranean Pesto-Pasta Salad
Nikki S.
1 13.25 oz. box Whole Grain Penne Pasta
1 6 oz. bag Spinach Leaves
1 9.6 oz. jar Pesto Sauce
1 4 oz. container Feta Cheese
1 4 oz. pkg. Pine Nuts
1 can Blake Olives, cut in half length wise
½ sm purple onion, chopped small
1 12 oz. container Cherub Tomatoes, cut in half
2 6 oz. jars Artichoke Hearts, cut in strips
¾ C Juice from Artichoke Hearts
Cook pasta, rinse. Coat pasta with pesto sauce. Add olives, tomatoes, onions and artichoke hearts; stir together. Add spinach leaves; stir all together. Slowly stir in juice from artichoke hearts. Stir in pine nuts and feta cheese just before serving.

Anaika H. (my favorite of them all)
1 bunch baby leaf spinach
1 bunch Romaine lettuce
1 bunch Green leaf lettuce
2 fuji apples ( or others if preferred)
2 green onions
Grapes
cranraisians
parmesan cheese

Add as much or as little of the fruit as you want to the lettuce.

Carmelized almonds:
3/4 c. slivered almonds
3 T. sugar
2 T. brown sugar

Combine all 3 ingredients in a small non-stick frying pan and cook on medium-high heat stirring constantly. Stir until sugar melts and coats the nuts. (They are done just when you think they are burning) Spread onto a cookie sheet until they are cooled. Break apart and add to salad greens.

Dressing:
1 1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. cider vinegar
2 T. poppy seeds
2 tsp. dry mustard
2 c. salad oil
2 tsp. salt
2 T. onion flakes

Mix all ingredients together. Makes 1 quart of dressing. Only use about 1/4 to 1/3 of this amount for the salad. Add to salad just before serving.


And check the post later, as I am still waiting for 2 more recipes that were forgotten, one of which was the BEST!