One year we went out for a meal and instead of bringing along the usual chocolates or wine, I offered the hostess an array of colorful salads. After seeing how muchthey were enjoyed, I thought it would be nice to recreate them. All these salads can be made a day in advance and refrigerated until serving time, making them ideal for a hectic, busy Yom Tov time of year. Besides, it’s always nice to have something different and delicious to serve when extra guests and family come over…
Colorful Baby Corn and Pea Salad
Serves 10
Ingredients for salad
3 cans of baby corn, each chopped into small, bite sized pieces
2 cups frozen peas, thawed, NOT boiled
1 medium size Spanish or red onion, sliced into half rings
1 red pepper, diced
1 orange pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
Ingredients for dressing
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Directions
In a large bowl combine chopped baby corns and the frozen and thawed peas. (If you are pressed for time, simply rinse the peas for a minute under tap water, using an ordinary sieve. Then drain them briefly and add them in.)
Then add the peppers and red onion.
Pour the dressing ingredients over all and mix well. Place the salad in a covered container and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. Presents beautifully every time!
Red & Green Cabbage Sala
Serves 8
Ingredients for salad
1 small head red cabbage, shredded (or use a half bag prepared shredded cabbage for each color), about 2 cups of shredded cabbage
2 cups of shredded cabbage
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1 stalk celery, diced
1 small green apple, diced
1 scallion, diced
1 medium sized firm cucumber, peeled and diced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup slivered almonds, optional
Ingredients for dressing
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup light mayonnaise, optional
Place all the shredded and diced vegetables and fruits in a large bowl and toss. Chill the salad in a covered container until serving. In a separate small bowl, mix together the Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, sugar, parsley, olive oil and mayonnaise. If you prefer the dressing thicker, you can whisk it up in a blender instead of doing it by hand. Directly before serving, drizzle the dressing over the salad, toss it well and serve.
And here’s to one more simple yet different salad…
Mushroom and Pepper salad
Serves 6
I’m a real fan of mushrooms in whatever form they come. I made up this recipe years and years ago and somehow never thought to publish it before now. It couldn’t be simpler.
Ingredients for salad
1 large can of mushrooms or two smaller cans OR 2 boxes of fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 red pepper, diced
1 orange pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1-2 scallions, sliced
Ingredient for dressing
1/3 cup canola oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt (you may need more salt if you are using fresh mushrooms, the canned ones have salt already added)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried dill
Directions
Just put all the mushrooms and diced vegetables into a large bowl. Add in the dressing ingredients and toss to mix well. Leave it to marinade in the fridge, covered, for several hours or overnight. Serve in a pretty dish and watch your guests enjoy!
If there’s anything left over, you can serve it the next day over some shredded lettuce or other greens…
This last recipe is an all time favorite in my family. I got the idea from my mother-in-law, Mrs. Gloria Ansh of Teaneck, NJ. No matter what the age, from two year olds to seniors, this recipe is always a favorite. I enjoy serving it as a second main dish to the Shabbos Chol Hamoed day meal but really, it can be used any time you want a kid friendly recipe that every person at the table will reach for…
Chicken Schnitzelettes
(Well, that’s my personal name for them! Others would call them ‘nuggets’)
