Super Simple Mother's Day Salads

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

06 May 2009 07:30 AM

Mother's Day is one of the busiest days of the years for the restaurant industry, and for good reason. Most spouses either think they are not competent enough to produce a proper Mother's Day spread for the woman in their lives, or they simply don't want to deal with the work involved in preparing a multi-course meal.

If you fall into either category, take note. The following recipes require little to no culinary expertise. What's more, they yield delicious dishes that can be served at brunch, lunch or dinner.

EASY EIGHT LAYER SALAD

Ingredients:

2 cups mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

2 heads iceberg lettuce

1 cup finely diced celery

2 cups frozen peas

1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained

1/2 cup chopped scallions, plus extra for garnish

1 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled

4 hard boiled eggs, chopped

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

In a bowl mix together first 5 ingredients until smooth.

In a large glass bowl layer large chunks of lettuce, then celery, onions, peas, water chestnuts, bacon, and eggs.

Next, carefully spread dressing on top.

Top salad with extra Parmesan cheese and scallions plus the Cheddar cheese.

Chill until ready to serve.

MIXED BERRY SALAD

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh raspberries, divided

3/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons honey

Salt and pepper to taste

2 bags of mixed salad greens

One pint each of blackberries, strawberries and blueberries

1/2 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese

1/2 cup toasted almonds, pecans or walnuts

Directions:

To prepare dressing in a blender, combine 3/4-cup raspberries, oil, vinegar, water, mustard, honey, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.

Just before serving, place greens in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over the greens and toss to coat.

Sprinkle remaining raspberries and other assorted berries, cheese, and nuts over the salad and serve.

Related Articles:

Decadent Mother's Day Desserts

Mother's Day Potluck: Chinese Shrimp and Noodle Salad

Another Easy Mother's Day Meal---Perfectly Simple Pasta

Easy Mother's Day Meals--Steak Stir Fry and Berry Parfaits

Rounding Out Your Mother's Day Feast---Tropical Shrimp Salad

Grilling Up a Mother's Day Feast

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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