# What’s your favourite salad?



## Luca Lazzari

I remember that, when I was a child some 40 years ago, you could basically have two kinds of salad: some lettuce + oil, vinegar, salt and pepper or some lettuce and tomatoes + oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. And that’s probably the main reason why we children generally loathed salads… 
But things changed! Today you can have an almost endless choice of salads, thank God, and this is one of my favourite:

– _rucola, radicchio, Tropea red onion, cherry tomato, capers, black olives_
with
– _extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper_.

Now, I wonder, what are you favourite salads?
Just oil&vinegar or some rich mayonnaise? Only vegs or meat and fish too?

Ok, now that the pills defeated my backache, I’m running to my greengrocer!


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## Steve Kroll

I like to start with a bed of baby spinach and top it with shredded radish, carrot, and beets. On top of this goes onions and sprouts. Then comes the legume layer: garbanzos, green peas, or black beans. Whatever I have on hand. I am not picky about dressing. Sometimes it is just vinegar and oil (olive or walnut). Other times I'm in the mood for something creamy. Parmigiano and black pepper is a favorite. After the dressing, I like to top the whole thing off with a handful of chopped walnuts or sunflower seeds.

I have this three or four times a week for lunch.

Now I am hungry!


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## pacanis

Probably my favorite salad is a taco salad.
I do love a nice wilted salad though. One where the Italian dressing and crumbled blue cheese have been put on your basic green salad (lettuce, tomatos, cukes) and then left to sit out at room temp for a few hours. I love the way everything comes together. I should make these more, but I never think of it early enough before supper.


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## Luca Lazzari

Steve Kroll said:


> Now I am hungry!





Exactly what I wanted to achieve...
I never considered this "layer" system, I just threw things in the bowl and then spend a lot of effort in mixing them!


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## Jedifish

*Pigeon breast, Bacon and Beetroot.*

We have beens serving this at my pub this month and it has been a great success! With babyleaf salad, Honey and wholegrain mustard dressing, with a Balsamic drizzle. TRES BIEN!


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## Kayelle

Not necessarily my favorite salad, but the simple salad I make nearly every nite to serve with our dinner is:

hearts of Romaine lettuce (*small *pieces)
*thin* sliced white onion
*thin* sliced celery
*thin *sliced English cucumber
julienne pickled beets (always)
tomato wedges (only if I have home grown)

We like Ranch Dressing


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## spork

I don't have a favorite, but I like simple combinations.  Loading a plate with two dozen ingredients at a salad buffet bar and mixing it all together in a dressing doesn't work for me.  I also have to watch my table manners, not to turn Neanderthal, when a plate of pasta salad is in front of me.


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## Aunt Bea

Cabbage salad made with mayonnaise or boiled dressing is what was considered salad in our house growing up and is still my first choice.

Most of the time in the summer we just had a dish of tomato slices, cucumber slices or green onions from the garden.

My first encounters with a tossed salad were in restaurants in my early teens.  I like everything about them but the lettuce so I leave that out.


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## Kayelle

Aunt Bea said:


> Cabbage salad made with mayonnaise or boiled dressing is what was considered salad in our house growing up and is still my first choice.
> 
> Most of the time in the summer we just had a dish of tomato slices, cucumber slices or green onions from the garden.
> 
> My first encounters with a tossed salad were in restaurants in my early teens.  I like everything about them but the lettuce so I leave that out.



As a kid, I just hated green salads Bea.  Later in life I discovered it wasn't green salads I hated, but rather I hated iceberg lettuce and still do.  I think iceberg lettuce is just nasty.


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## 4meandthem

I like just about any well constructed salad but I think what makes it a great salad is homemade dressing. There is no comparison to jarred dressings and they are simple to make.


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## spork

A wedge of iceberg with a pour of Russian on top, served with knife and fork, is one of my least favorite salads.  Nasty!


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## Timothy

I love a full meal salad. A "Cobb" salad is one of my favorites.

3 or 4 types of leafy greens, 2 or 3 types of onions, 3 or 4 types of cheeses, 2 or 3 types of meats, hard cooked eggs and a dressing made of anything that strikes my fancy at the moment.

I like to put the dressing into my food processor with a hot pepper and blend it until mixed well.

I also keep several types of hot pepper and vinegar to sprinkle on my salads. It really livens up a supper salad.

Salads should never be boring!


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## Timothy

Kayelle said:


> As a kid, I just hated green salads Bea. Later in life I discovered it wasn't green salads I hated, but rather I hated iceberg lettuce and still do. I think iceberg lettuce is just nasty.


 
I'm the other way around! I love iceberg lettuce when it's used to provide a real leafy crunch to a salad. It's only packed with vitamins when hydroponically or organically grown iceberg, but even the non-nutritional iceberg from the stores is good for a crunchy addition to other non-crunchy leafy veggies.

How boring the world would be if we all loved the same things!


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## kadesma

I love Escarole, thin sliced sweet onion, fresh tomatoes from my garden when these are not in season just the escarole and onion a nice Evoo and red wine vinegar that our late cousin put together for us. salt and pepper and a warm piece of French or Italian bread.Plain simple salad not loaded down with all sorts of things. I do make them for family but for just me Escarole .
kades


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## pacanis

spork said:


> A wedge of iceberg with a pour of Russian on top, served with knife and fork, is one of my least favorite salads. Nasty!


 
I agree! That would be so much better with French dressing!


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## Kayelle

It's hard to believe that some restaurants now try to pass off those wedges of Iceberg lettuce as some kind of a whoop-tee-do gourmet salad!!  Geeze, whata crock! 

My favorite salad to order in a restaurant is a Cobb Salad, here I can handle a *little bit* of Iceberg in with the greens.  I always ask how it's prepared, because I do *not* want it tossed.  That happened once and I sent it back.  I like everything all lined up on top of the greens, with dressing on the side.


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## qmax

Kayelle said:


> It's hard to believe that some restaurants now try to pass off those wedges of Iceberg lettuce as some kind of a whoop-tee-do gourmet salad!!  Geeze, whata crock!
> 
> My favorite salad to order in a restaurant is a Cobb Salad, here I can handle a *little bit* of Iceberg in with the greens.  I always ask how it's prepared, because I do *not* want it tossed.  That happened once and I sent it back.  I like everything all lined up on top of the greens, with dressing on the side.



I would go with a Cobb also.  But I do like mine tossed.


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## pacanis

I've got to make one of those Cobb salads one of these days. They sound nice.
I've got to admit though, even a big salad leaves me feeling hungry an hour later.


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## Aunt Bea

Kayelle said:


> It's hard to believe that some restaurants now try to pass off those wedges of Iceberg lettuce as some kind of a whoop-tee-do gourmet salad!!  Geeze, whata crock!
> 
> My favorite salad to order in a restaurant is a Cobb Salad, here I can handle a *little bit* of Iceberg in with the greens.  I always ask how it's prepared, because I do *not* want it tossed.  That happened once and I sent it back.  I like everything all lined up on top of the greens, with dressing on the side.




The Wedge is now a retro item harkening back to the sixties and seventies steak houses.  It is a high profit item and that is it's main appeal in the restaurant world.


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## jusnikki

It would be a "toss up" between taco salad and grilled chicken salad with balsamic vinaigrette..yummm!!


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## Timothy

Here's an interesting page:

The Nutritional Value of Lettuces


Of course, the vitamin content of lettuce depends on how it's grown. Lettuce that has it's leaves spread during growth, as opposed to those which grow with tight heads, have more vitamins that are sunlight dependant.

Hydroponic lettuces that are grown with maxed out nutrients and organically grown lettuces that are grown in maxed out organic soil are WAY above the rest when vitamins are in question.

With hydroponic veggies, the ratio is about 10 times of what is in commonly grown soil veggies.


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## Kayelle

Aunt Bea said:


> The Wedge is now a retro item harkening back to the sixties and seventies steak houses.  It is a high profit item and that is it's main appeal in the restaurant world.



Gosh I don't remember wedges in the 60's and 70's.......I probably blocked it out of my memory. 
Hey Bea, (and everyone) do you remember Green Goddess dressing that was so popular in that time period?  It was wonderful, and the *only *way I would eat a little bit of salad.

Woo Hoo!! Look at this!  Guess what I'm making today!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/...asil-green-goddess-dressing-recipe/index.html


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## babetoo

my all time favorite is spinach with hot bacon and vinegar dressing. i like grated hard boiled egg and sesame seeds on it as well.


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## 4meandthem

A freind of mine always asks for his salads to be tossed when he goes out.
I asked for mine the same way and what a difference it made to the ordinary salad I had been eating at that restaurant for years. It really makes a difference. You dont get a big mouth of dressing and then a big mouth of salad.


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## Uncle Bob

*Lets see....Chicken, Tuna, Rabbit, Olive, Egg, Pasta, Shrimp, Fruit, Congealed, Carrot, Potato, ... to name a few....There are so many. ~~ However since it seems everyone is talking about "Green" salad in some form or another...I usually keep it pretty simple..a couple or so lettuces, spinach, tomato (in season) or cherry (grape) tomatoes otherwise...Maybe a radish....I like cukes, but they don't like me. Hard boiled eggs...and either Grilled Chicken or "Boiled"Shrimp with either the 'Mother Sauce of Mississippi' or this Olive oil, garlic, caper, anchovy concoction that I brew up as a dressing. 

Fun!*


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## pacanis

babetoo said:


> my all time favorite is spinach with hot bacon and vinegar dressing. i like grated hard boiled egg and sesame seeds on it as well.


 
That's a goodun. I never had it with the sesame seeds. Next time.


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## PattY1

Timothy said:


> I'm the other way around! I love iceberg lettuce when it's used to provide a real leafy crunch to a salad. It's only packed with vitamins when hydroponically or organically grown iceberg, but even the non-nutritional *iceberg from the stores is good for a crunchy addition to other non-crunchy leafy veggies.*
> 
> How boring the world would be if we all loved the same things!



^^This


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## Luca Lazzari

Kayelle said:


> …
> Woo Hoo!! Look at this!  Guess what I'm making today!
> Bibb Salad with Basil Green Goddess Dressing Recipe : Ina Garten : Food Network



This looks like a wonderful sauce, with lots of my favorite ingredients: scallion, basil, garlic, anchovy paste (I don't buy this one anymore, because I suck it directly from the tube instead of using it in my recipes), mayonnaise...
I'm gonna try it, but I will eat directly with some bread, just to enjoy it!

Thanks Kayelle


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## cffairy

*Cajun chicken and avocado*

I love avocado... so the combination with spicy cajun chicken, fresh lettuce, tomato, sprouts, feta and perhaps some peppadews makes a perfect salad for me.


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## JGDean

pacanis said:


> I agree! That would be so much better with French dressing!


Crisp fresh iceburg quarter with Blue cheese dressing is pretty good.


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## simonbaker

I like a good waldorf salad made with crisp apples, celery, grapes, walnuts & a sour cream/whip dressing. Especially around the holidays.

Another favorite for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday:  Cinnamon jello with red hot candies melted in it with applesauce.


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## CWS4322

Salad is a "no brainer" for me. I like zucchini grated with lemon and EVVO, fresh tarragon. S&P. I like fresh greens with EVOO, vinegar, S&P and herbs. I don't "make" salads based on a recipe--I make them based on fresh ingredients and taste. I don't have a favorite salad recipe, but I would say I like the zucchini slaw.


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## david123

My favorite salad is in a big bowl with baby leaves, apple and raisin. squeezed lemon and olive oil


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## david123

david123 said:


> My favorite salad is in a big bowl with baby leaves, apple and raisin. squeezed lemon and olive oil


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## AeroGal619

I love  a simple mesclun greens salad with a lemon thyme vinaigrette or a goat cheese salad.  Mmmmm


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## PrincessFiona60

I like baby spinach with dried cranberries, radish sprouts, green onion, grape tomatoes, chopped pecans and a sesame-ginger dressing.  If I have them, and I usually do, I like to add drained mandarin oranges.


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## no mayonnaise

Taco Salad


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## justplainbill

Frutta di mare.


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## simonbaker

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I like baby spinach with dried cranberries, radish sprouts, green onion, grape tomatoes, chopped pecans and a sesame-ginger dressing. If I have them, and I usually do, I like to add drained mandarin oranges.


 
Sounds like a great special for work.


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## PrincessFiona60

simonbaker said:


> Sounds like a great special for work.



Too make it a good special, toss in some diced white meat chicken.


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## Robo410

tri colore  (endive, radicchio, arugala) with a simple vinaigrette, or a classic Caesar


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## Fabiabi

babetoo said:


> my all time favorite is spinach with hot bacon and vinegar dressing. i like grated hard boiled egg and sesame seeds on it as well.



This sounds very interesting. Will have to make this for myself sometime.


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## Fabiabi

I also love thai papaya salad- som tam, its hot and sweet and sour with shrimp and peanut s, really lovely and one of my favourites


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## Rob Babcock

I suppose that in general terms my favorite is the simple Caesar salad.  You can do so much with it.  It makes a good starter or accompaniment to a meal or add a protein and it's a meal itself.

Taco salad, defined somewhat loosely, is another favorite.  Sometimes I use taco meat while other times I use fajita-style meats.  For sauce I usually mix sour cream & salsa, then add cheese, onions, black olives, etc.  This is one time I prefer shredded iceberg.

I do like spinach salads too but only with sweet dressings, which I normally try to avoid.  I don't eat any sugar when I can help it and I'm starting to suspect that it's best to limit consumption of artificial sweeteners as well.  That's a challenge since I really like the flavor of Splenda.  Overall I don't have much of a sweet tooth, which is good, but I drink Powerade Zero a couple times a week.  A little off topic, I realize, but the long and the short of it is I'm trying to embrace a diet of more whole and natural foods.  As I get older I'm starting to realize I can't eat just anything and stay healthy anymore!


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## kathrynb23

If i feel like filling salad, chicken ceasar with loads of dressing or potatoe salad with bacon and egg.
But if its just a side salad, then fresh tossed greens(mainly baby spinach and ice berg, or cos lettuce) plain and easy!


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## kadesma

I like  red potatos boiled then smashed a little then add mayo  that has chopped fresh dill, capers and smoked salmon pieces added add a little Dijon to color the mayo mixture add a little evoo to make it spreadable mix all together add salt and pepper place on a bed of freeze after fist tasting and then adding some fresh lemon juice to brighten the salad.
kades


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## Addie

I take some (about one or two large tablespoons) freshly grated Parmasan or Romano cheese and sprinkle it in a non-stick sautee' pan until it melts. I immediately remove it when it has melted and shape over a large custard bowl allowing it to cool and form a bowl. These become individual salad bowls. Everyone gets one. They are always a big hit. For holiday salads I make a chefs salad like no other. It has everything cut to bite size. That big salad bowl is empty by the time it makes it around the table.


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## simonbaker

Addie said:


> I take some (about one or two large tablespoons) freshly grated Parmasan or Romano cheese and sprinkle it in a non-stick sautee' pan until it melts. I immediately remove it when it has melted and shape over a large custard bowl allowing it to cool and form a bowl. These become individual salad bowls. Everyone gets one. They are always a big hit. For holiday salads I make a chefs salad like no other. It has everything cut to bite size. That big salad bowl is empty by the time it makes it around the table.


 
What a great idea!  Thanks for the great tip.


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## PattY1

Aunt Bea said:


> Cabbage salad made with mayonnaise or boiled dressing is what was considered salad in our house growing up and is still my first choice.
> 
> Most of the time in the summer we just had a dish of tomato slices, cucumber slices or green onions from the garden.
> 
> *My first encounters with a tossed salad were in restaurants in my early teens.  I like everything about them but the lettuce so I leave that out*.



I am trying to picture a tossed salad with out lettuce.........


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## PattY1

Kayelle said:


> It's hard to believe that some restaurants now try to pass off those wedges of Iceberg lettuce as some kind of a whoop-tee-do gourmet salad!!  Geeze, whata crock!
> 
> Classic Iceburg Wedge


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## simonbaker

PattY1 said:


> Kayelle said:
> 
> 
> 
> It's hard to believe that some restaurants now try to pass off those wedges of Iceberg lettuce as some kind of a whoop-tee-do gourmet salad!! Geeze, whata crock!
> 
> Classic Iceburg Wedge
> 
> 
> 
> Agree with the exception of...
> A large banquet hall I worked & I used that salad for a served party of 700.  Shredded purple cabbage, shredded carrot, cucmber & tomato make a nice contrast. A hot bacon dressing over it served held up much nicer.  It was faster to put together too.
Click to expand...


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## Addie

simonbaker said:


> What a great idea! Thanks for the great tip.


 
Glad to be of help. It is a fun way to serve salad and is often the talk of the table.


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## Dawgluver

Addie said:
			
		

> Glad to be of help. It is a fun way to serve salad and is often the talk of the table.



I'm going to try this!  Thanks, Addie!


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## Addie

Dawgluver said:


> I'm going to try this! Thanks, Addie!


 
Make sure you use enough cheese so that there aren't to many holes. And when you fold it over the bowl, it will develop ruffles. The main part is to make it conform to the shape of the bottom of the bowl and part way up the sides.


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## babetoo

i have found a second favorite. chinese salad, calls for cabbage, can't do that anymore. almost as good with  finely shredded lettuce. i think it is the dressing i love.


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## taxlady

Uncle Bob said:


> *Lets see....Chicken, Tuna, Rabbit, Olive, Egg, Pasta, Shrimp, Fruit, Congealed, Carrot, Potato, ... to name a few....There are so many. ~~ However since it seems everyone is talking about "Green" salad in some form or another...I usually keep it pretty simple..a couple or so lettuces, spinach, tomato (in season) or cherry (grape) tomatoes otherwise...Maybe a radish....I like cukes, but they don't like me. Hard boiled eggs...and either Grilled Chicken or "Boiled"Shrimp with either the 'Mother Sauce of Mississippi' or this Olive oil, garlic, caper, anchovy concoction that I brew up as a dressing.
> 
> Fun!*



What is the 'Mother Sauce of Mississippi'?


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## PrincessFiona60

Does anyone else like Bleu Cheese Vinaigrette?


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## CharlieD

Thank G-d there was no lettuce when I was a child. My favorite salad is probably tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, bell peppers (not green), green onion, a little bit of dill and a little bit of shredded cabbage, sour cream or mayo and lemon juice. It works well with Italian dressing too, or simply oil and vinegar and seasoning of course. And if not that simple cucumber – tomato salad is good enough for me.


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## taxlady

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Does anyone else like Bleu Cheese Vinaigrette?



That's the only way I make blue cheese dressing. By the time the blue cheese has dissolved, my vinaigrette is nice and creamy 

But, I don't like it too often.


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## PrincessFiona60

taxlady said:


> That's the only way I make blue cheese dressing. By the time the blue cheese has dissolved, my vinaigrette is nice and creamy
> 
> But, I don't like it too often.



I started making it without adding sour cream or mayo, which is how I had learned in the restaurant, I like the non-creamy better.


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## Dawgluver

PrincessFiona60 said:
			
		

> I started making it without adding sour cream or mayo, which is how I had learned in the restaurant, I like the non-creamy better.



So is it just a standard vinagrette, with the addition of bleu cheese?


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## PrincessFiona60

Dawgluver said:


> So is it just a standard vinagrette, with the addition of bleu cheese?



Yes, it's really good.


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## Dawgluver

taxlady said:
			
		

> What is the 'Mother Sauce of Mississippi'?



Is that UB's Comeback Sauce?  He posted it awhile back.

Thanks, PF!  I have a nice little chunk of bleu.  Will give it a try!


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## Whiskadoodle

One of my favorite salads I make often is Cabbage salad with Blue Cheese dressing.   It can have something added like sliced apple or radish or a slice of onion,  or just snipped green onion tops.   Sliced tomato in season.  Not all of these at any time,  and Usually, it's just dressed cabbage.   I add the dressing to the shredded cabbage just before serving.  It doesn't marinate and the dressing doesn't draw the water from the cabbage as happens with cole slaw.    I like cole slaw too as a salad.


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## luv2cook35

My favorite is baby spinach with peeled and sectioned clementines, sliced strawberries and sunflower seeds.   with a dressing made from oil, cider vinegar, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, Worcestershire sauce and chopped onion.  Tastes good and feels like you're eating healthy.


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## Kristin DeMatti

*Strawberry & Goat Cheese Salad*

*Here is my favorite salad.
*

*Strawberry & Goat Cheese Salad*
 8 cups greens
 2 cups sliced strawberries
 2 green onions, sliced
 2 oz goat cheese
 1/4 cup salted Marcona almonds (Spanish, unpeeled almonds)
 Juice of 1 lemon
 3 Tbsp olive oil
 1 tsp Dijon mustard
 2 Tbsp honey


 Spread lettuce over a large platter.  Top with strawberries, green  onions, and almonds, then crumble the goat cheese over the salad.  In a  small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, honey, and olive  oil.  Sprinkle salad with a pinch of salt & pepper then drizzle on  the dressing and toss.  Serve immediately.  Makes 6 servings.


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## Addie

Bib lettuce in rice vinegar. Something very simple and not filling.


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## simonbaker

A favorite around the table for the holidays is a traditional waldorf salad made ith diced granny smith & red apples, diced/unpeeled, celery, walnuts, grapes & lightly tossed with whipped heavy whipping cream & a touch of sour cream & honey.


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## Claire

There used to be a chain when I lived in Hawaii called something like Monterrey Bay Cannery that made the best crab cobb salad.  But, in fact, I just love salads, period and these all sound so good.  I'm going to have to try to remember some of them.  I cannot say I have a favorite.  But that's pretty much me about almost everything.  To much to love.  I love a good salad nicoise, one thing I make often for dinner in the summer.  I like my baby greens from the garden, but also like iceberg when I want some crunch, all kinds of cabbage, and spinach.  In the winter I often use canned and/or pickled vegetables for some zest.  I agree that there are some basic recipes that do well for changing seasonally.


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