Summertime - the living is easy - or it should be! Meals are lighter, and usually taken outdoors. Appetites are not receptive to hot, heavy food, and cooking time should be at a minimum. So what’s the solution - when you come home after a day’s work, or time out with the family at the beach or the zoo? You want something quick, tasty, cool and refreshing, but it should satisfy those hunger pangs. Summertime salads - fit right into summertime activities and fun.

TASTY TURKEY DINNER SALAD-
1-1/2 cups fresh strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced in half
1 10-1/2 ozs. can mandarin orange sections
1-1/2 cups seedless green or red grapes, or a combination of both
2 heads Belgian endive, Bibb, iceberg, or Boston lettuce, or a combination
16 ozs. sliced fully cooked smoked turkey breast (from the deli) or
honey roasted turkey
Creamy ranch or buttermilk dressing
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Prepare strawberries and drain mandarin oranges. Wash grapes and dry with paper toweling. In a mixing bowl, combine the fruit. Set aside.
Wash, separate the lettuce leaves, and pat dry. Line individual salad plates with the lettuce. Arrange the turkey slices on top of the lettuce leaves, and spoon the fruit on top of the turkey. You can also place the turkey on one side of the plate and the fruit on the other, if you prefer. Spoon your choice of dressing across both the turkey and the fruit.
Sprinkle with the almonds and serve.
Some warm rolls, ice-cold lemonade, and chocolate brownies - you have a great, quick and satisfying meal.
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IN THE ISLANDS SALAD
1 8-oz. pkg. medium noodles
1 avocado, halved, pit removed, and peeled
fresh lemon juice
1 15-1/2 oz. can pineapple chunks in real juice
1 7-oz. can crab meat, drained, flakes, and cartilage removed or
salad polluck, cut into chunks
5 ozs. salad shrimp, rinsed
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup dairy sour cream
3 tbs. sliced green onions
2 tbs. chili sauce
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
assorted lettuce leaves
1/2 cup chopped pistachio nuts
Cook the noodles until tender, drain. Rinse with cold water. Slice the avocado into lengthwise slices. Brush with the fresh lemon juice to prevent darkening. In a bowl,
combine the noodles, avocado slices, the drained pineapple, crab meat and shrimp.
For dressing - combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, sliced green onions, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and dry mustard. Spoon the dressing over the salad mixture. Gently combine so that the dressing coats the mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for
3-4 hours.
To serve, line individual salad plates with lettuce leaves, Spoon salad mixture onto the lettuce leaves and sprinkle with the nuts.
Serve with sliced French bread, iced tea or coffee, and chocolate chip cookies.
Cool and Smooth!
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Decorate your food with these simple garnishes:
Orange Chrysanthemum:
Score the peel or 3 oranges into 8 sections, cutting to but not cutting through the base of the peel.
Carefully remove the peel from the fruit, keeping the shell all in one piece. Pull the fruit sections apart and carefully remove any of the white pulp membranes.
With scissors, cut the sectioned peels into small petals by cutting to the base, but not cutting through. Place some orange sections in one peel shell. Insert this shell into another shell. And then into the third.
You have a very full and beautiful accent on any plate.
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Frosted Grapes:
Combine slightly beaten egg white with a little water. Brush the mixture over a cluster of red or green grapes, using a pastry brush. Sprinkle with granulated sugar until covered. Shake off excess. Dry on rack and you have a very beautiful color garnish.
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Serving sandwiches:
Slice pickle lengthwise almost to the stem end, but not through. Make fairly thin slices. Spread each fan and press the uncut end of the pickle gently so that the fan will hold its shape when placed next to a sandwich.
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COOK’S CHOICE SALAD -
5 ozs. each sliced turkey, ham, roast beef, Swiss cheese, and American cheese or Muenster cheese
1 cucumber, 2 tomatoes, 1 head iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, red cabbage, carrots and radishes (or buy a bag of prepared salad mix for even easier meal preparation)
Cut the meat and cheese into lengthwise slices. Slice the cucumber and the tomato.
Wash, pat dry, and chop the lettuce. Also shred the cabbage, carrots and radishes. Combine the lettuce, cabbage, carrots, and radishes together. Place in large bowl. Top with the strips of meat and cheese. Garnish with the cucumber and tomato slices.
Serve with Russian, Thousand Island, or Ranch dressing.
Great with rye bread slices, raspberry juice punch, and slices of pound cake topped with fresh berries and a dollop of whipped topping.
This will satisfy even the heartiest summertime appetite!
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Summertime and salads go together like lazy afternoons and gentle evening breezes. They keep the cook out of the kitchen and everyone satisfied.
ENJOY!
©Arleen M. Kaptur 2002 June
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