I love homemade chef salads. What you put in yours?

[the ringo kid]

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?

 

[BearBio]

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.

 

[chopshopcop]

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.

 

[Nevada Ed]

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

Its a salad not a turkey.

 

[BigBill]

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.

 

[the ringo kid]

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.

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.

 

[the ringo kid]

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

Its a salad not a turkey.

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.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

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

 

[gman51]

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.

 

[walkin jack]

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.

 

[djt17]

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

 

[THE PILGRIM]

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!

 

[The Big D]

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.

 

[glenwolde]

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

 

[Grip_Maker's_Wife]

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.

 

[Whitwabit]

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?

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

 

[THE PILGRIM]

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!

 

[coltle6920]

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

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.

 

[JohnRippert]

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

 

[glenwolde]

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 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.