By Andy Bedwell
You know, there’s just a hard-to-express “goodness” that everybody loves about well-made salads. Take the classic Caesar salad – the dressing is made with different ingredients, which by themselves usually are not on anyone’s list of top treats. But whip them into a sauce, and presto – you have a delicious dressing.
Andy’s Southern Chicken Salad
4 chicken breasts,
cooked and chopped fine
4 eggs, boiled and chopped
4 tablespoons sweet pickle cubes or sweet pickle relish
½ teaspoon mustard
(more for a little color)
1 cup mayonnaise or more
¾ cup sliced red grapes
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup pecans, chopped
Chill chicken before you begin to chop, then add all other ingredients. Refrigerate several hours before serving.
Andy’s Note: One of the prettiest wedding receptions that I ever attend ha silver trays of chicken salad, ham salad and shrimp salad served with assorted crackers. The other day, I saw chicken salad in a bread bowl.
Broccoli Salad
4 cups chopped
fresh broccoli
½ onion, chopped
½ pound grated cheese
1 cup red raisins
or dried cranberries
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
½ pound bacon
Cook bacon and crumble. Mix chopped broccoli, crumbled bacon and grated cheese in a bowl. Mix onion, mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar. Pour over broccoli mixture. Refrigerate several hours before serving.
Andy’s Note: I love this salad. Purple onion rings are really attractive in this salad.
Apple Snicker Salad
6-8 Granny Smith apples, cut into chunks
(peel or not)
6 large snicker bars,
cut into bite size pieces
1 jar marshmallow crème
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 ounces Cool Whip
Mix marshmallow crème, Cool Whip and cream cheese with a mixer. Add apples and snicker pieces. Mix well and refrigerate.
Andy’s Note: This is a real good, fun type recipe that is also a little different. I always decorate the top with red cherries and a few pe-cans during the holidays.
Pink “Stuff” Salad
1 can cherry pie filling
1 can Eagle Brand Milk
1 medium size can
crushed pineapple, drained
1 (8 ounce sour cream)
1 large Cool Whip
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup chopped pecans
Mix and chill!
Andy’s Note: This salad is delicious!
Happy cooking, Andy
“Southern Cooking with Andy Bedwell” may be purchased at The Messenger at 1957 Rainbow Drive.