What goes into a good salad?

[hegsag]

My friends daughter babsits my son every Monday at her house. My husband doesn't pick my son up until after dinner. My friend feeds my son dinner when he is there. I would like to contribute since she is being so nice. I was thinking of making a salad and bringing it when I drop my son off on Monday. What goes into making a good salad?

 

[BillSears]

Bacon. Any salad with bacon is a good salad.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

I would ask her what she likes first but...

I would make the salad part and put all other in little containers to that is can be customized.

Our favorite salad items are:

Cherry tomatoes
Cuccumbers
Bacon Bits
Cheese
Croutons
Hard boiled eggs
green pepper
sweet onion

If you want more of a meal type, cube and brown chicken in Mrs. Dash. She would use it cold on the salad or just pop it in the microwave to heat it up.

 

[suejai]

My general all-purpose salad uses mixed greens, or green leaf lettuce, carrots, red or orange pepper, celery, tomatoes, green onion, grated cheddar and toasted pine nuts with either a balsamic or red wine vinaigrette.

Another extremely popular salad in my house is a BLT Salad, which has romaine lettuce, bacon and lots of tomatoes and grated cheddar with a red wine vinaigrette. You could also add a little bit of mayo to the dressing.

My personal favourite is an apple salad with mixed greens, thinly sliced apples, grated cheddar, toasted walnuts and lots of celery with a honey apple cider dressing.

Can you tell that I like cheese in my salad?

 

[nskjerven]

A starbucks gift card

I'm a pickey salad eater, so I'd rather have what I like it them rather than a random dropped off salad

 

[JerseyJanice]

Can you tell that I like cheese in my salad?

With an avatar like yours, I wouldn't expect anything different!

Please don't be offended, I don't like the idea of contributing only a salad as a gesture of gratitude. It just doesn't sound like much of a treat to me.

What I've done a few times over the years to thank people who've helped me out with babysitting is bring them a bouquet of roses from Costco. It's around $15 and you get 2 dozen. They're gorgeous; I'm partial to the white ones, but I really like the apricot color too.

 

[mjkacmom]

I like a nice salad with either romaine or field greens, a fruit (dried cranberries, cut up grapes, crazins), a nut (pine nuts, sliced almonds, walnuts), and a cheese (blue, feta, goat), and either balsamic vinegar or red vinegar (depending upon the salad's ingredients) and olive oil.

Cesaer salad is always popular, too.

 

[alexandria674]

Croutains (sp)

 

[Piglet843]

I love to experiment with the different cheeses in my salad - when a regular "shredded cheddar" salad is getting old.
This week - I put crumbled goat cheese in my salad with bacon bits and cherry tomatoes.
The flavor combination was delish!!!

Also - experiment with other veggies - I love bell peppers in a salad (steam them for a nice surprise).
Last weeks salad had roasted butternut squash in it... mmmm...

And finally - I only go with baby greens... that hard iceburg stuff is for the birds!

 

[The Princess]

Cranberries and feta cheese

 

[Darcy03231]

Whenever I make it this salad always gets rave reviews:


SALAD

(1) Head of Romaine Lettuce
(1) Apple
(1) Pear
(1) Cup Dried Cranberries
(1/2) Cup Shredded Swiss Cheese
(1) Cup Cashews

Core and cube apple and pear (I put lemon juice on them to keep them from turning brown). Mix all ingredients together.

Dressing
1/3 cup white vinegar
2/3 cup canola oil (or other light oil)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. minced onion (optional)
2-3 tsp. poppyseed

Mix well.

 

[Robinrs]

I think salad bars are so popular because people are so particular in what they like in a salad. I doubt if two people agree with all of the ingredients OR the toppings.

I would take something that is not that variable. There are so many other choices, why a salad?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I think salad bars are so popular because people are so particular in what they like in a salad. I doubt if two people agree with all of the ingredients OR the toppings.

I would take something that is not that variable. There are so many other choices, why a salad?

I agree. Salads are "personal". I would probably come up with an alternative.

 

[N.Bailey]

I've always put lots in mine to get the kids to eat veggies.

Iceberg lettuce (goes over better if I add some since it's crunchier)
Romaine lettuce
fresh spinach
carrots (shredded)
cauliflower (shredded)
broccoli (shredded)
radishes (shredded)
celery (shredded)

Toppings:
croutons
chow mein noodles (excellent on salad)
cheddar cheese (shredded)
almonds

Just for hubby no one else touches them:
tomatoes

Sometimes:
ham (cubed very small)
hard boiled egg slices

 

[MinnieTink]

Here's my salad, which has gotten many requests...

Spring mix lettuce (a mix of baby lettuce)
Dried cranberries
Thin sliced pear
Toasted walnuts (or pecans)
Crumbled bleu (I use maytag)
Sliced strawberries (optional)

I LOVE homemade dressing but Brianna's (the brand) Zinfandel dressing works well with this salad.

Or....
One clove of garlic put thru a press or minced very fine
A few chives, chopped
About 2 TBS of red wine vinegar
About the same amount of fresh lemon juice
About 1 TBS of honey
About 1 TBS of Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Put all of the above in a bowl and give it a stir then start drizzling in
About 3/4 cup of olive oil.

 

[MinnieTink]

Also on the subject of salads... The only salad that makes my whole family happy is a taco salad. More of a main dish than a side but I make it a lot. It gets my two "veggie-phobic" DDs to eat some salad.

 

[DVC Sadie]

Salads are "personal". I would probably come up with an alternative.

Me too!

I love all different types of salads but it all depends on what my taste buds feel like for that day and I eat some type of salad or two everyday.

 

[alexandria674]

What about a wedge salad? Always perfect no matter how you cut it

 

[JerseyJanice]

What about a wedge salad? Always perfect no matter how you cut it

 

[ReneeA]

Everyone I know likes pasta salad!

I make mine with tricolored twists, cherry tomatoes, wedges of peppers, seeded and chopped cucumbers and bite sized pieces of swiss cheese. Mix 2 T of McCormick's salad seasoning and your favorite italian dressing. Let ist for 4 hours before serving.