Heres mine: I get the Romaine lettuce with carrots and red cabbage. Add dried cranberries, blueberries, pecans (NO Almonds) croutons, about 6 ounces of cubed chicken, and here's where I go wrong: I love to use (watered down some) liberal amounts of Ken's Buttermilk Ranch. Next month im going to try using some of Newman's Own--which looks good and makes my mouth water when im near it. Oh, I also sprinkle in some Bacon pieces.

What's in yours?

Not sure I know what is a Chef's Salad (?). We make elaborate green salads, though.

One we do sometimes is a wedge salad. Quarter a head of iceberg lettuce and liberally add fried bacon (bacon bits only if you are DESPERATE!). Croutons if you choose and home-made bleu cheese dressing (recipe follows).

A variation (from Jake's Crawfish in Portland, OR) is to use a wedge, sprinkle with bleu cheese crumbles and candied walnuts and a raspberry vinaigrette.

Our "chef's salad" starts out with iceberg lettuce and a mix of other greens (your choice=I will sometimes harvest wild dandelion leaves or some edible wildflowers). I may use a salad mix if there are time constraints. Otherwise, cukes, carrots (grated or sliced), maybe some fresh basil, fresh mushrooms, maybe radishes, tomato (of course). For crunch, I may make my own croutons (herbs, stale sourdough and a touch of olive oil), use candied cashews, sunflower seeds, etc. Add a little meat (fried bacon, pepperoni, salami) and a little fresh cheese grated over the top. Serve with choice of dressings.

Home made bleu cheese dressing:

Take 1 pint of sour cream, 1 package of crumbled bleu cheese, 1/2 tsp fresh basil, 1/2 tsp of minced garlic, 1/2 tsp ground fennel seeds and 1/2 tsp ground caraway seeds. Best if you toast seeds before grinding. Mash about 1/4 of the bleu cheese into a paste. Blend all together, preferably 24 hours before use. Thin with milk. Good with salad or wings, if thinned. If you make it thicker, good with veggies or chips as a dip.

I also like the crunch of the red and white cabbage in mine, along with some crumbled goat cheese, those are pretty much staples for my salad. Usually have some carrot and radish in there too. On occasion, I'll dice up a hard boiled egg. Add a handful of toasted pine nuts or more frequently, candied walnuts. My current go-to dressing is a citrus vinaigrette by Maple Grove Farms.

If you get tired of chicken, try some fresh salmon. Cook the fish to your degree of done-ness and enjoy. Last night I had a salad and used some smoked shredded pork shoulder on it. Was tasty, but the pork actually goes better over a baked potato with a splash of BBQ sauce.

Newmans does make some darn good products though, particularly like his sockarooni spaghetti sauce.

You lost me with the Cranberry's..................

Its a salad not a turkey.

I'd rather a anti-past salad with all kinds of mixed lettuce, diced up pepperoni, salami, prosutto, ham, capagool, red cabbage, carrots, provolone cheese, onions, olive oil, red wine vinegar, croutons, and some fresh Italian bread. Grandpa would drink some homemade wine too.

Id forgot to list the hard-boiled egg. I love them with it too-just been getting home too late to boil any. I used to eat Iceberg lettuce--but once I tried Romaine--I havent intentionally had any iceberg. I also like to add a smittering of grated cheddar cheese as well. I think ill make another tonight.

Ive never tried any Newman's products--but will starting in March now that my bank loan is finally paid off. I also heard all profits they make instantly go to charities.

They add just enough sweetness to the salad without overpowering it and really go well with it. Dried cranberries do not over-take the taste of the salad-nor do pecans. I now loathe walnuts any which way-cept when I get fresh ones and shell them myself. I never liked the taste of Almonds in salad though I like almonds.

I use most of the same ingredients as Ringo.
Except I use a Conservative amount of dressing.

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Lettuce, Bok Choy leafs if I have any, hard boiled eggs, one string shredded carrot, one celery leg, shredded cheddar jack cheese, onions, cut up chicken, bell pepper, thin sliced cucumber, little bit of salt, black pepper, couple tblsp extra virgin olive oil and sweet spicy hot mustard. Some veggy crackers on the side. This fills a whole big casserole bowl and is my dinner for the night.

Lettuce, tomato, boiled egg, bean sprouts, salted peanuts, chunks of chicken fried steak, celery, red onion, avocado, salad peppers (pepperoncini), dressed with raspberry walnut vinaigrette.

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Baby spinach, diced kielbasa, peppers, onions & blue cheese dressing.

OK- I did throw some Cranberries in my breakfast Granola.
Just be careful and don't add too many.
They will bog down your brain!

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Iceberg lettuce, ham chunks (or chicken or white tuna), cucumbers, celery, croutons, swiss cheese, broccoli, hard boiled egg, and...I think that's it.

Not always all ingredients as above depending on what's on hand.

Usually topped with thousand island dressing. Sometimes Caesar dressing.

Be safe.

What ever salad-in-a-bag moves me...

Some of my favorites are:

Strawberry Salad: (so refreshing in the summer)
Arugula and baby spinach
Diced chicken breast
Sliced strawberries
crumbled goat cheese
slivered almonds (ringo pecans would taste good too)
tossed with olive oil and flavored balsamic vinegar like blueberry but you can use any high quality balsamic or dressing that has a touch of sweet.

I am completely crazy for kale, either baby or leafy green. I eat it almost every day. Two favorite salads for lunch or dinner side:

One:
Kale and arugula
pickled beets (I know everyone here loves these like me )
sunflower seeds
blue cheese dressing

Two:
kale
avocado
tomato
croutons
lemon juice and olive oil

One "go to" salad dressing we love that is great for spicy cole slaw, taco salad, and any mixed veggie salad is Brianna's Chipotle Cheddar. We have used this for at least 10 years. They used to sell it at all the stores, now I can't find it anywhere.

add some sweet red onion rings and a few spinach leaves and a celery stock cut up thin, radish thinly sliced, a few water chestnuts, vine ripe tomato chunks .. with a good poppy seed dressing

For a Fast Food Salad sort of like Ringo's,
Try Wendy's Chicken Apple Pecan salad.
No almonds, yes! Crannies!
I see several of you use Kale.
I wasn't raised in a Kale household or even in a Kale County.
But after I headed out and expanded my horizons, I have eaten it.
I like it cooked. In a little hot oil with garlic.
Then I squeeze on a little lemon juice.
Hale yes! Pass the Kale!

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Same here!! Check the freshness date and I'm good to go.My preference leans more to what dressing I use than what's in the salad and it better be a thick dressing.Nothing worse than soggy salad with the dressing in the bottom of the bowl.

I wont use Paul Newman's dressing just like I wont use anything that says "LITE" on the label.Give me a nice Caesar's or Bleu Cheese with my Sriracha and I'm good.

I figure the lettuce, tomato and onion make my bacon cheeseburger a salad.

I generally use whatever dressing comes in the bag with the salad...? But if I do buy dressing I get the Olive Garden Italian or the refrigerated Marie's Blue Cheese.

I put dried cranberries in my salads, oatmeal, and cereal. Speaking of Cranberries I have some good friends from Argentina they were in the US and heard about Cranberries, they had never tried them so they bought a bag of fresh ones at the supermarket and tried some, eating them out of the bag like grapes! needless to say they didn't think much of them! I explained the situation and got them some dried like rasins, and some in jelly and they saw the light!

All of the above and bacon.

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I have never had a chef salad. I didn't realize until I read this thread that a chef salad was not made out of an actual chef. Live and learn. Your recipes sound pretty good now that I know they don't include cannibalism.

This changes my whole perspective on baby powder too.

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A Chief salad is a great salad but my favorite with the "Correct" dressing is a.........

Spinach salad.

However I do make a fabulous Caesar salad, also.

The first time I ever had a Spinach Salad I could not believe how good it was!
I just knew it must have some exotic ingredients.
When I saw da recipe, I realized that the most exotic thing in it was Dijon Mustard.
And you can always borrow some Dijon from a Rolls Royce Owner.

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I've been known to put on beets, hard boiled eggs, feta or bleu cheese, cherry tomato's, red onion, spinach, bacon bits, various nuts, dried fruits, broiled chicken and smoked salmon. Oil and vinegar for me.

Mixed greens (lettuces, cabbage, endive, radicchio, frisee, etc.) with plenty of spinach, tomato, chopped boiled egg, chopped crispy bacon, grated sharp cheddar, onion, chopped carrot, croutons, and a dressing.

My preferred dressing is balsamic vinaigrette, but I will switch out to Italian, Catalina or Thousand Island now and then.

I don't get too outlandish on mine.
Romaine Lettuce tore to fork size.
Fresh hard boiled Eggs
Cherry Tomatos
Thick cut Bacon cut up to small pieces after frying
A fresh sweet onion or Vadalia
Shredded cheese.

Give me a pack of townhouse crackers and some Thousand Island
and it's all Good.


Chuck

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...diced ham and cheese...and lots of it...

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Romaine, ham, deli smoked turkey, tomato, sliced hard boiled eggs, croutons, red french salad dressing, white blue cheese salad dressing.

Summertime salads rock when we get fresh veggies from the garden.

Hard boiled eggs are great, organo, basil, black pepper, hot cherry peppers, banana peppers, I'm hungry

...what I DON'T put on my 'Everything Salad'.

tomatoes, onion, peanuts. I don't care for the tomatoes but I'm allergic to all three. No capers. Minumum bell peppers


Gotta have:

three bean salad, cucumbers, chopped lettuce and spinach, baby corn, olives, mushrooms, eggs, croutons, carrots. I go REAL light on the bacon bits because they are mostly crud. Those pimentoish kind of peppers. Smoked turkey, sprouts, celery, sesame, walnuts/pecansc

French around the outside, Thousand island in the middle, not too much of either.

If greek, add lots of feta and use greek dressing.

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1. I see someone mentioned Catalina Dressing==my favorite store-bought since I was a kid (50+ years).
2. Anything is fair game==I use salmon, pine nuts, fresh dill, fresh basil, walnuts, pecans, etc, etc.
3. A different but GOOD salad is a mix of home-grown (or vine-ripened) tomatoes, whole basil leaves (no stems) and fresh dill with a splash of Balsamic vinegar.
3. Add cilantro, black olives, some peppers, red onion, corn (?), kidney beans (?), cheese and some chili==add hot sauce or dressing and make your self a 10,000 calorie salad==-good for weight loss! Put it on some fry bread or a warmed Boboli and you have an Indian taco.

Man, I'm on a short day today and didn't bring lunch!!!!!!

I don't care for carrots in my salad as a rule but use several of what you mentioned. Blue cheese crumbles makes a nice addition and there is another similar cheese which is a bit more creamy. No chicken in my salad but bacon bits along with cucumbers works for me as well.. I have been known to switch off and use 'butter lettuce' as well. For dressing it is vinegar & oil only, due to my self imposed diet restrictions. JMHO

Which reminds me, I need another bottle of Ken's Buttermilk Ranch.

Id add some cucumber, celery but, ive almost no space to go that fancy. Im hoping to be in another and apt with a larger kitchen--in about 4-5 months.

I forgot, I like to add fresh Spinach too.

Might make you climb the walls too-because of the sugar content.

Which aint much which is why im adding the other stuff. I even tried a combination mixed with both Romaine and Iceberg--not bad but the iceberg flavor does over-power the Romaine a bit.

I never thought about adding Sunflower seeds but--I will tonight thanks to your mentioning it.

Ill check but, I have seen but never tried Brianna's salad dressing. Ill check where I know ive seen it and will try to remember to let you know either way.

Though I like a bit of radish--I cant use it because im allergic to it. Water Chestnuts are good--never thought of using them this way--I always have them the rare times I eat Chinese food.

Marie's is good but, I havent seen it for sale around here in quite awhile.

Another "by accidents" thing I found works great in a salad--are those small cheese crackers. I used some last night as I was out of cheddar.

Try one bag of Italian blend mixed with one bag of chopped (which come in many flavors). I have to admit I usually add some tomato and broccoli and whatever else I have leftover in the fridge ... like zucchini and whatever color pepper I have. So I'm not quite the incompetent gourmand I made myself out to be.

Top that with some baked / grilled salmon and you have one of our regular dinner rotation items.

I will do just that. I noticed last night when buying more greens-that there were several other varieties ive not seen for sale before. Reminds me I need some more fresh Spinach.

Don't forget black olives, collosal stuffed green olives, pacos sweet/hot pickles, ect

Good suggestion, but im allergic to those items listed. Been so since I was about 10???

[/QUOTE]I never thought about adding Sunflower seeds but--I will tonight thanks to your mentioning it.

Ill check but, I have seen but never tried Brianna's salad dressing. Ill check where I know ive seen it and will try to remember to let you know either way.[/QUOTE]

Brianna's has the BEST vinagrette I've ever had that is off the shelf. It is their French Vinagrette (artichoke on the label). It is a powerhouse of flavor, perfect in every way.

They sell Brianna's at Walmart, Target and every chain grocery store here. About 10 years ago when they were not as popular, the store I used to buy it from D/C'd it so I sent Brianna's an email asking who carried it. To my surprise they sent me a whole case free! The only problem was UPS played football with the box. You should have seen how bad the box looked, it was completely rediculous, and most of the bottles were broken.

The Chipotle Cheddar makes a delicious spicy slaw - red cabbage, shredded carrot, either shredded diakon radish or Jimica and sometimes sliced red peppers for more color. I add extra chopped cilantro too. It is always a hit at BBQ parties i bring it to, but go light on the dressing since vegetables emit liquid when dressed and you don't want to over do it. You can also add peanuts to this too for something different.

I never thought about adding Sunflower seeds but--I will tonight thanks to your mentioning it.

Ill check but, I have seen but never tried Brianna's salad dressing. Ill check where I know ive seen it and will try to remember to let you know either way.[/QUOTE]

Brianna's has the BEST vinagrette I've ever had that is off the shelf. It is their French Vinagrette (artichoke on the label). It is a powerhouse of flavor, perfect in every way.

They sell Brianna's at Walmart, Target and every chain grocery store here. About 10 years ago when they were not as popular, the store I used to buy it from D/C'd it so I sent Brianna's an email asking who carried it. To my surprise they sent me a whole case free! The only problem was UPS played football with the box. You should have seen how bad the box looked, it was completely rediculous, and most of the bottles were broken.

The Chipotle Cheddar makes a delicious spicy slaw - red cabbage, shredded carrot, either shredded diakon radish or Jimica and sometimes sliced red peppers for more color. I add extra chopped cilantro too. It is always a hit at BBQ parties i bring it to, but go light on the dressing since vegetables emit liquid when dressed and you don't want to over do it. You can also add peanuts to this too for something different.[/QUOTE]

If I can find some? would you like to do a swap? I love DelMonte ketchup--but nobody around here still sells it. Ive 1 & 1/2 bottles left out of what I managed to buy several months ago. I think I had 7-8 bottles-got them cheap too as wally world had a 50% off sale going on just to get rid of them-and I loaded up with every bottle left.

Ok, I'm drifting!
Another Cole Slaw version to consider is Sweet Chile Sauce.
Cut your cabbage in large pieces, like 1 inch or so.
Blend in the Chili Sauce!
Careful, not too much, a little dab will do you!
This is great with most meats, especially wild game.
You can get this in most all Oriental Markets and in many supermarkets.

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