Quick salad ideas for shower?

[tigercat]

I have to go to a family baby shower. I really don't want to go but one of us from the family has to show up. Anyway, I am suppose to bring some kind of salad. I prefer not to bring a pasta salad because I have wheat allergies so is there another kind of cold salad I could bring that doesn't take a lot of time to prepare. I am rushed for time on Sat. I am a good cook and baker but my own family really doesn't like out of the ordinary food so I never make anything different.
Thanks
tigercat

 

[SoonerKate]

I like this salad a lot -- I've brought it to a few bridal showers and everyone seems to like it. It's a green salad, I just keep the dressing in a separate container until I get to the shower.

2 bags pre-washed mixed field greens
3 pears - peeled, cored and chopped
5 ounces Roquefort or any blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions, or chopped red onion
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup pecans
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 clove garlic, chopped
salt and pepper

Over medium heat in a non-stick skillet, stir 1/4 cup of sugar together with the pecans. Stir gently until sugar has melted and caramelized the pecans. Carefully transfer nuts onto waxed paper. Allow to cool, and break into pieces.

For the dressing, blend oil, vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, mustard, chopped garlic, salt, and pepper.

In a large serving bowl, layer lettuce, pears, blue cheese, and green onions. Pour dressing over salad, sprinkle with pecans, and serve.

A fruity salad might be good, too -- like the Strawberry Poppyseed one at Panera. Just take romaine lettuce, and top with fresh fruit, whatever you can find Strawberry quarters, mandarin oranges, pineapple, blueberries and raspberries are all in good, and you can use canned mandarin oranges and pineapple. Toss in either some blue cheese or goat cheese and pecans, and serve with bottled poppyseed dressing. (I like Brianna's, but the jarred, refrigerated salad dressings are good, too. Callender's brand, maybe?)

 

[piratesmate]

Three things came to mind as soon as I saw "no pasta". Fruit salad is really easy. Use whatever is fresh & add some frozen blueberries and/or raspberries. I usually skip the jarried grapefruit & oranges, although I might use canned mandarin oranges.

This one can be made ahead & would be good served with tortilla chips.

Mexican Salad
15 oz black beans
2 c corn
½ red pepper, diced
½ green pepper, diced
¼ c olive oil
2 Tbl lime juice
2 Tbl lemon juice
¼ c red wine vinegar
½ tsp honey
½ Tbl cumin
1 tsp pepper
2 Tbl cilantro, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 dash hot sauce
½ tsp chili powder
1 clove garlic
Combine beans, peppers & corn. Whisk together remaining ingredients. Pour over vegetables & mix well. Chill thoroughly.

I had another version of this recipe that called for bacon & no craisins which is also very good. However, cooking bacon takes more time than this would, but I've already made it as written below & added crumbled bacon. (Mmmmm!) Also, I don't chop the stuff "fine" - bite-size broccoli is fine.

Broccoli Cranberry Salad
from Cape May Buffet at the Beach Club

4 cups broccoli flowerettes (chopped fine)
¼ cup diced celery
8 oz. dried cranberries
¼ c shelled sunflower seeds

Dressing:
1 c mayonnaise
¼ c sugar
¼ c vinegar

In a large bowl, combine broccoli, cranberries, sunflower seeds and celery. Pour dressing over and toss. Keep refrigerated.

 

[tigercat]

I think I'm going to try soonerkates receipy for the fruit salad. I am going to use mandarine orange slices and pecans. I forgot the cheese but I was thinking of getting some (oh shoot my brain is dead, the cheese you use for greek salad what is it called ????????) and using it. The only poppyseed dressing I could find is a creamy one so I hope that it works. I hope it is okay some of the family are really picky and fussy.
tigercat