Best Salad Recipes

Strawberry Pesto Pasta Salad

This recipe came from Genevieve, an English teacher at Lancaster Country Day School. Another teacher told Genevieve she simply must share this recipe for the Summer Salad Challenge conducted by The Lancaster Sunday News and me.  The recipe came from Genevieve’s sister and, conceptually, it caught my attention right away.  Beyond offering a novel, seasonal…

Sesame Peanut Noodles

I have two favorite preparations for noodles in a peanut sauce so, before I chose one for this space, I made them both for dinner recently.  My family declared a tie in the side-by-side comparison.  They were no help!  It almost came down to a coin toss, but ultimately, I chose this recipe because I…

Spring Millet Salad

This springy salad is equally delicious served warm, chilled, or room temperature. And though you could replace the millet with couscous or quinoa, the tiny grain has a mild, corn-like flavor that offers a great way to mix things up.   As I continue to experiment with recipes using millet, I have made variations of…

Spiced Pecans

These crisp, sweet nuts are easy to prepare and make a delightful hostess or holiday gift. Sprinkle in salads or enjoy by the handful!   My aunt, who grew up in the original Fountain Avenue kitchen, shared this simple recipe with me years ago, and it has been a favorite in our house ever since.…

Turkey Cobb Salad with Honey Orange Poppy Seed Dressing

Do you ever eat a meal at a restaurant and want to replicate it at home?  Do you often think that salads you eat at a restaurant taste better than what you make at home?  My friends and I have joked many times that food always tastes better when someone else makes it for you!…

Spring Flowers and a Summer Salad Recipe Challenge

Do you have any special spring traditions?  Each year as the weather starts to warm, we pay a visit to a particular field on my in-laws’ farm to pick from a massive expanse of bluebells. Even as my sons grow older, they love to do this.  As we pick, we separate out big bunches for…

Apple Pecan Spring Greens with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

Apples, pecans, and blue cheese are the base of this versatile salad, and the speedy maple-Dijon-cider vinaigrette makes it a keeper.   As I was walking my boys home from school one day last spring, a friend of mine drove by and yelled a funny thing out her car window.  “I love your maple Dijon vinaigrette…

Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

This dressing began as an effort to replicate a much-loved restaurant salad a couple of years ago and has turned into a favorite of family and friends alike.  Given its versatility and ease of preparation–as well as the fact that it is light, full of flavor, and will last for weeks in your fridge–I thought…

BBQ Chicken Salad with Better-for-You Buttermilk Ranch

This is a frequent occurrence in our house.  A hearty salad, thrown together at the last minute.  For me, the trick to a speedy dinner that tastes great often lies in a simple homemade dressing.  I have many that I like to make.  (See the Dip, Dressings, Sauces & Salsas section on the right-hand side…

Better-for-You Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Update:  As I made a fresh batch of this tasty dressing for the big game tonight, I thought it worth linking in a few more ways I like to use this beyond the typical dressing or dip (links provided below).  Also, my friend, Carrie, kindly figured out the nutritional information which I have included below.…

Prosciutto Wrapped Halibut Salad with Balsamic Tomato Sauce

A few nights ago, I pan seared some wild caught Halibut, wrapped simply in prosciutto. Though I buy fish regularly, I tend not to buy much Halibut.  It is a meaty fish, and I tend toward the flaky.  (Somehow, that sounds sort of funny, but you know what I mean!) These wild caught pieces of…

Spinach Salad with Citrus, Avocado and Balsamic Reduction

A few weeks ago, a friend emailed me, saying that grapefruit is one of his favorite fruits, and wondered if I had any recipes using this fruit.  On one of those aforementioned evenings, when the refrigerator was looking rather bare, I did happen to have a bag of baby spinach, a grapefruit, and a red…

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