Caramel Apple Crunch Salad

• 1 – 3 oz. package instant butterscotch pudding
• 1 cup crushed pineapple with juice
• 1 cup miniature marshmallows
• 3 cups chopped apples, with peelings
• 1 cup dry roasted peanuts

Mix the pudding and pineapple juice together. Stir in remaining ingredients. Chill at least one hour before serving. Vicki says, "This is a great tasting, long-lasting salad."

Frozen Cranberry Banana Salad

• 1 can (20 oz) pineapple tidbits – drain juice into a medium bowl and set aside
• 4 medium firm bananas – cut in half lengthwise twice so you have four long strips to cube into small pieces. Add banana chunks to the pineapple juice.
• 1 can (16 oz.) whole-berry cranberry sauce
• one-half cup sugar
• 1 carton (12 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
• one-half cup chopped walnuts (optional)

In a large bowl, combine the cranberry sauce and sugar. Remove the bananas from the juice and discard the juice. Add the bananas to the mixture. Stir in pineapple, whipped topping and nuts. Pour into a 9" x 13" pan and freeze until solid. Remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving. This is enough for 12 – 16 servings. It’s pretty and delicious!  I have also been known to add some miniature marshmellows which is really delicious too.

Jello Salad

• 4 small boxes raspberry or cherry Jello
• 1 can raspberry or cherry pie filling
• 4 cups boiling water
• 1 cup cold water

Empty 4 small boxes Jello into a pretty serving bowl

Boil 4 cups of water and pour into the Jello mixture. Wisk for 1 minute until dissolved. Add one cup cold water and mix well. Pour one can of pie filling into the Jello. Mix well. Refrigerate until set, stirring 3-4 times as it sets to make sure the fruit doesn’t all settle on the bottom. Serve with whipped cream. You’ll get rave reviews!

Mary Ann’s Fruity Lettuce Salad

• 1 bag Romaine lettuce pieces
• 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
• 1 cup cashew halves
• one-half cup craisins (cranberry raisins)
• 1 apple, cut up with skin on
• 1 pear, cut up with skin on

(cut and add fruit right before serving to prevent browning)

Dressing:

• One-half cup sugar
• 2 tsp. minced onion
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• two-thirds cup vegetable oil
• one-third cup lemon juice
• 1 Tbls. Poppy seeds

Pour over salad and toss right before serving

Oriental Cabbage Salad

• One-half head cabbage, chopped (or pre-chopped cabbage in a bag)
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 3 Tablespoons sesame seeds
• one-half cup slivered almonds
• one-half to one cup cooked, chopped chicken
• 1 package Ramen noodles, Oriental, crushed (remove the seasoning packet first)

Mix the first 5 ingredients together and set aside.

Dressing:

• One-half cup salad oil
• 3 Tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 package seasonings from the Ramen soup package
• one and one-half Tablespoon white sugar

Mix the dressing ingredients together and heat until the sugar and seasonings are melted and blended well. Cool.

When the dressing is cooled, toss with the first five ingredients in the salad. Add the noodles right before you serve because you want them to be crisp.

For variation, add bacon bits, Craisons, or sunflower seeds – be creative!

Chicken Salad

(yield 10-12 servings)

• 1 (20 oz) can pineapple tidbits or chunks, drained
• 8 cups bite-size cooked chicken
• 1 (20 oz) can water chestnuts, sliced and drained
• 2 pounds green or red grapes
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 2 cups slivered almonds
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped

DRESSING:

• 3 cups mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon curry (optional)
• 1 and one-half Tablespoon soy sauce
• one-half teaspoon salt
• one-fourth teaspoon pepper

Mix all ingredients together and chill. One-half hour before serving, fold in the dressing mixture.