Asian Salad

This is probably a pretty ridiculous recipe to post, since most stores sell those kits that come with (almost) everything you need for this salad. But it just sounds yummy to me right now, so there you go! Once again, I haven't listed quantities so you can decide how much you like of what.

Ingredients

lettuce (I prefer romaine)
red or orange bell pepper, julienned
sugar snap peas
can(s) of water chestnuts, drained
can(s) of mandarin oranges, drained
slivered almonds or cashew pieces
crunchy chow mein noodles
dressing (I love Girard's Chinese Chicken Salad dressing)

cooked chicken, cubed (if desired)

Directions

Mix everything together and eat it, because it's delicious! You could make it ahead of time, though keep in mind that the crunchier items will get soft, and the softer items (mandarin oranges, I'm looking in your directions) might get mushed up. It would be just as easy to have everything prepped but separate until right before serving. I like chicken in this salad, but it's definitely not essential; I bet diced steak would be good too.

Waldorf Salad

Though I'd heard of it frequently, I had never tried - much less made - Waldorf salad until I started my job as a cook almost two months ago. Ours is not the traditional recipe, but I think I like the sound (and certainly taste) of ours better. Make sure to read the "Variations" section after the recipe for some of my ever-helpful suggestions.

Ingredients

chicken, cooked and diced (no skin)
celery, diced
dried cranberries

red apples, diced
fresh lemon juice
mayonnaise

walnuts, coarsely chopped

Directions

Combine equal parts chicken, celery and cranberries.

In a separate bowl, sprinkle the apple with lemon juice to keep from discoloring. Mix the apples into the rest of the salad.

Mix one or two teaspoonfuls into desired amount of mayonnaise, and coat salad with this "dressing." Dressing should be very light. When serving, sprinkle the salad with walnuts. Serve atop lettuce if desired.

Variations

The traditional, and I suppose vegetarian, version does not include chicken, so don't include it if you don't want to. At the restaurant, we use candied walnuts, which add a nice sweet touch - I keep intending to make this at home using some of those flavored Almond Accents. If for some reason you'd prefer raisins instead of cranberries, you could do that.

I have also seen versions of this recipe where mini-marshmallows are used. That's a little bit weird for me, but whatever turns your taste buds on!

BLT Salad

Salads are healthy, right? Not this one, but it's delicious and very customizable. Please note that I haven't included any amounts for the ingredients; you can make as much or little as you like. And you could serve this either cold, or warm if the bacon is freshly cooked. Since I have a fear of getting splattered by bacon grease, I've used that pre-cooked, microwaveable bacon in this recipe, but I know the "real thing" would be so much better!

Ingredients

salad greens (I prefer a mixture of iceberg and Romaine)

cooked, crumbled bacon
tomato, diced
ranch dressing
croutons

cheddar cheese, grated (if desired)

Directions

Combine all ingredients and eat it!