Broccoli Salad

BROCCOLI SALAD

2 bunches broccoli
½ cup mayonnaise
1 cup cheese, shredded
¼ cup white sugar
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp vinegar
½ lb bacon

Cook bacon crisply and crumble into pieces. Chop broccoli finely into bowl then add shredded cheese and onions. Mix mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar. Add to broccoli mixture; mix well. Add bacon. Chill & serve.

Coleslaw Dressing

COLESLAW DRESSING

¼ cup granulated sugar
½ tsp celery seed
¼ cup vinegar
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp prepared mustard
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 – 2 cloves fresh garlic minced

Place all ingredients, except the oil, in a pot and bring to a boil. Add oil and bring back to a boil for 30 - 40 seconds. Cool then pour over coleslaw mix of shredded cabbage, carrot and onion. Refrigerate.

Veggie & Pasta Salad

This is one of many recipes passed to me by Colleen Crook, my sister-in-law.

Cut firm tomatoes into bite size pieces and toss with chunky pieces of cucumber and green pepper.
Toss with cooked penne and drizzle with bottled sun-dried tomato and oregano dressing.
Sprinkle with grated mozzarella cheese.

Can great flavour get any easier?

HERB VINAIGRETTE

A fast and easy way to boost any salad. Choose from any herb listed or mix and match flavours, makes about ½ cup.

In a bottle or jar mix and shake:

3 tbsp oil 1 tbsp wine vinegar
¼ tsp mustard salt & pepper to taste
½ tbsp garlic chives or 1 clove crushed garlic
3 tbsp fresh chopped herb,
Basil, chives, marjoram, rosemary, tarragon, thyme, lemon balm, dill seed.
Experiment with favourite flavours and blends.

EASY HERB VINEGAR

Start with cider or wine vinegar. Pick enough fresh herbs to loosely fill a jar. Bruise the leaves to aid in the release of flavours and oils and place in your jar. Warm enough vinegar to fill the jar, be sure not to have the vinegar hot, just warm to touch. Seal jar with an acid proof lid, preserving jars and lids are perfect for this and the variety of sized allow for any amount you want to make. Place the sealed jar in a sunny window and each day for two weeks shake it up. After two weeks taste and check for the flavour you want, if you prefer a stronger taste, strain the herbs and repeat process with fresh herbs to infuse with more flavour. After process completed to desired strength the blend can be stored as is or strained through cheesecloth and poured into a nice bottle. Label the bottle or place a fresh sprig of the herb used in the bottle for visual appeal and identification.
If you have friends or relative who appreciate the fine development of fresh vinegars and vinaigrettes these make a great gift with little effort.
Depending on your choice of herb, sliced garlic can be added to the steeping vinegar blend for the first day then removed and 2 cloves can be placed in for the remaining 13 days.

Vinegars For Fruit Salads:
Floral vinegars are an intriguing addition to fruit salads on a hot summer day. Processed the same way as the herb vinegars above some to consider are: rosemary flowers, thyme flowers, clover, elderflowers, nasturtiums, rose petals, primroses, sweet violets. When preparing flowers, remove stems, and all green and white heels from the ends of the petals.

MELON, TOMATO AND BASIL SALAD

2 cups melon cubed or in balls, cantaloupe or honeydew
2 cups firm tomatoes, cubed or thin sliced (whole grape tomatoes are a nice choice for this recipe)
1 cup cucumber, peeled and grated or diced
½ cup chopped basil
1 cup plain yogurt

Salt & black pepper to taste
Toss melon, tomato and cucumber in a large bowl. In small bowl lightly stir basil into yogurt and blend well, season to taste. Pour over salad and enjoy.