This can go from plain to fancy – which lettuce? Romaine/spinach, baby spring mix.  Which mushrooms?  white or Enoki, shiitake, crimini (baby bellas).  What about tomatoes?  Diced Romas? or Tiny Sweet 100s , Rainbow cherry tomatoes, dead ripe home grown Heirlooms.  For a really fancy touch check out edible flowers!

Ingredients:

• 2 lb trendy lettuce
• 2 lb romaine
• 200 small to medium asparagus
• 2 – 3 lb mushrooms – Enoki, Crimini  (or several mixed varieties)
• 2+ lb cherry tomatoes
• 2 c Creamy Parsley Dressing (on the blog)

Directions:

1. Wash and dry the lettuce (paper towels or spinner)
2. Tear into bite size pieces.
3. Trim the tough ends off the asparagus.
4. Cut into 1 inch pieces.
5. Drop into boiling water (in small batches) then remove quickly. (I find using a strainer to raise and lower saves a lot of water.)
6. Drop the blanched asparagus in ice water.
7. Dry.
8. Rinse and dry mushrooms
9. Rinse and dry tomatoes (Are you getting a trend here?  No one wants a watered down salad.)
10. Place everything but the dressing in a bow.
11. Toss gently.
12. Add half the dressing.
13. Toss gently.
14. Does it need more?  Add it.
15. Toss again.
16. Serve.

Or:  for really fancy – compose the salad:  Place a serving (scant cup) lettuce on plate, top with asparagus, mushrooms, tomatoes arranged artfully.  Drizzle on dressing.  Garnish with edible flower.

Serves:   50  but you can cut it down you know.

Source:  We were playing with food.

 Caprese Salad is the perfect easy side dish for any meal! Simple, delicious, and healthy! Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil, and Balsamic Vinegar. Traditionally, tomato slices are layered on a platter with slices of Mozzarella and basil leaves, then sprinkled with oil and vinegar.  This salad is way better for a crowd!  Like pizza Margherita, it features the colors of the Italian flag: green, white, and red. 

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces cherry or cherub tomatoes chopped in half
• 8 ounces whole milk mozzarella cherry sized. Chopped in half or fourths
• 1/4 c fresh basil chopped
• 1/2 c good quality balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tabs honey (if you want to make a balsamic reduction sauce)
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Add the balsamic vinegar and honey to a small saucepan over high heat.
2. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
3. Once it’s reduced by approximately half and thickened to your liking (about 10-15 min), remove from the heat. Be careful it doesn’t get too thick, but a bit syrupy is good.
4. Toss all ingredients except for the reduction in a bowl. (Can be made ahead to this point and refrigerate – just add dressing when serving)
5. Drizzle with the reduction, adding a little at a time, tossing, tasting, and then adding more to your liking.
6. Enjoy!

Note: you can also add 1 tablespoon of olive oil if you’d like the added flavor, but it’s not necessary

Serves:   4

Source:  The Cookie Rookie

LeRuth’s,-1966-1991 (Gauche: 636 Franklin Street. New Orleans)  was the first serious chef-owned restaurant in New Orleans, and set the standard for all the ones that would follow.  This spinach salad was a standard on the menu.  Leruth  (he capitalized the “R” in the restaurant’s name, but not his own) did not like complainers. Even mild criticisms were not suffered gladly.   LeRuth’s had a strategy for real troublemakers. The chef would step up to the table as four waiters moved to each corner of it. On a signal, each one would grab his corner of the tablecloth and lift it, with all the plates, wine bottles, water glasses, food, flowers and everything falling into the center of what was now a large, leaking sack. “I’ve picked up your check,” said the chef. “Get out of my restaurant!” The usual response from the rest of the room was applause.

Ingredients:

• 2 10 oz bags fresh spinach (wash well and dry, remove heavy stems)
• 1 hard boiled egg quartered

Step One

1/3 c bacon drippings

2 Tab olive oil

1/4 c chopped shallots

Step Two

1/4 c tarragon vinegar

2 Tab Creole or Dijon Mustard

1 Tab sugar

1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 c thinly slices fresh mushrooms

2/3 c crisp bacon, chopped

Fresh ground black pepper and salt to taste

4 Tab Vodka or Brandy

Directions:

1. Sauté ingredients in step one.
2. Add all ingredients except Vodka or Brandy in step two.
3. Stir and heat.
4. Add Vodka or Brandy.
5. Flambe Vodka or Brandy and when flames lower, stir sauce into fresh spinach.
6. Turn pan upside down over spinach for 2 minutes to wit spinach slightly.
7. Toss well.
8. Serve with quartered hard boiled eggs as garnish.

Serves:  4
Source: creolecajunchef.com, Tom Fitzmorris, Extinct Restaurants

Traditionally this salad  (also known as 5-Cup salad) contains coconut, pineapple and oranges but you can add other goodies from time to time including maraschino cherries, walnuts, fruit cocktail and/or pecans!  Whatever combination you use, be sure the fruit is well drained. It’s pretty simple, not overly sweet.   And it is a do-it-before recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 c sour cream
• 1 c mini marshmallows (white or fruit flavored)
• 1 c coconut
• 1 c canned pineapple tidbits well drained
• 1 c canned mandarin orange segments drained

Directions:

1. Fold together all ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
3. Serve cold.

Serves:  8

Source:  Spend With Pennies on Pinterest – Holly