Stone Fruit Fruit Salad in a Glass Jar

Last weekend, I was pursing Pinterest looking  for Mason Jar salad recipes.  One on of the sites, I saw a suggestion that you could do the same sort of thing with fruit minus the dressing.  I was intrigued so I decided to try it.  

I put those fruit salads together on Saturday afternoon and they were still as good on Wednesday as they were on Saturday.  

Sorry it's sideways, I tried to edit the picture but couldn't.  :(

Stone Fruit Fruit Salad

Stars of the recipe:

• 4 oz. Mason jars (I made 5 so I needed 5 jars.)
• 1 med.  plum
• 1 med.  peach
• 1 med. nectarine
• Fruit Fresh
• Opt.  You also could put apricots in it.

Steps:

1. Cut the plum, peach, and nectarine into bite size pieces.  (I wish I had a great method to cutting around the stone.)
2. Evenly place the pieces in the jars filling to the top.
3. Sprinkle some Fruit Fresh over the fruit.  (This prevents it from turning brown.)
4. Place the lid on as tight as possible.
5. Place in the fridge until you are ready to eat it.
6. Enjoy!

 

I added blueberries to this one.

 

Pesto Orzo Pasta Salad

I tried to come up with a witty blog entry about this salad.  Even though I thought and thought, I couldn't come up with anything.  So I'll just be straightforward.  This recipe is delicious and easy to put together.  You can adapt it by changing up the veggies in the salad.  

Stars of the recipe:

• 1/2 cup orzo pasta


• 1/4 Tbsp. pesto


• 1/4 c. broccoli florets


• 1/4 c. grape tomatoes, cut in half or even fourths


• 1/4 c. bell pepper, diced (I used yellow.)


• 2 Tbsp. diced black olives


• 2 Tbsp. Feta cheese

Steps:

1. Cook orzo pasta according to package directions.  Put broccoli florets in the cooking water for the last 3 minutes of the pasta cooking time.


2. Drain pasta and broccoli in a strainer.  Run cool water over the pasta and broccoli to stop the cooking process.


3. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.


4. Enjoy!

This made 3 servings for me.

A week and a half ago, I posted a recipe for Buffalo Wing Hummus.  I used the hummus to make a chicken salad full of veggies and with less fat.

Buffalo Wing Chicken Salad

Stars of the recipe:

• 1/2 c. cooked chicken, cubed or shredded


• 1 carrot, thinly sliced and diced


• 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced and diced


• 1/4 red pepper, thinly sliced and diced


• 1/2 c. Buffalo Wing hummus

Steps:

1. Mix all the ingredients together.


2. Enjoy on bread, flat bread, or on a bed of lettuce!

(2 servings)

This is an easy salad to serve on the side.  It's full of flavor!

Spinach and Pear Salad

Stars of the recipe:  (Serves 1)

• 1 c. spinach or spring mix


• 1/4 pear, diced into big pieces


• 1 Tbsp. feta cheese


• 1 Tbsp. dried cranberries, optional


• 1 Tbsp. walnut pieces, optional

Stars of the dressing: (Makes enough for 2 salads)

• 1/4 tsp. garlic


• 1/4 tsp. salt


• 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar


• 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

Steps:

1. Place spinach or spring mix on a plate or bowl.


2. Top with pear and sprinkle with dried cranberries, feta, and walnut pieces.


3. Combine the dressing with a whisk or in a blender.


4. Drizzle the dressing over each salad.


5. Enjoy!

Ranch dressing is always delicious with salad or for dipping raw veggies.  I had written this recipe down a few years ago and decided to make some to dip my celery in.

This would be a great Christmas gift. 

Homemade Ranch Dressing

Stars of the Recipe:

Mix:

• 
  
  2 Tbsp. dried parsley


• 1 tsp. dried dill


• 1 tsp. garlic powder


• 1/2 tsp. dried basil


• 1/2 tsp. pepper

Dressing:

• 1/3 c. mayo


• 1/4 c. milk

Directions:

1. Mix up all the mix ingredients.


2. For the dressing:  mix the mayo and milk with 1 Tbsp. of the mix ingredients.


3. Keeps in the fridge for 3 days.

 

Grandma’s White Salad

I have so many memories of this salad.  One of my best memories is from when I worked in Walt Disney World in 1995.  My grandma sent me various family recipes so that I could have a little bit of home while down there.  When Thanksgiving time came, I decided I would make a Thanksgiving meal for my friends and I to share.  We had a Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings except we had chicken instead of turkey.  One of the dishes I made was white salad.  For two weeks afterward, I would take portions of the Thanksgiving meal to work for my lunches.

That Thanksgiving weekend was also the weekend I almost met Rider Strong and Ben Savage from Boy Meets World.  At Disney-MGM Studios, now Hollywood Studios, they would have celebrities put their hands in cement at the Chinese Theater.  Both Rider and Ben put their hands in the cement and then went to have a talk.  I "ran" along side of their convertible as they traveled between venues and then ended up sitting behind their families.  Too bad, Fred Savage was not there.  I would have gone up and said hi to him.

My Grandma's White Salad

The stars of the recipe:

• 1 sm. lemon or lime  jello


• 2 c. hot water


• 1 - 8 oz. package of  cream cheese


• 1 - 15 oz. can of crushed pineapple drained (med. can)


• 1 and 2/3 c. mini marshmallows


• 1 and ½ c. chopped pecans or walnuts (My grandma used pecans.)


• 1 - 8 oz. container of Cool Whip

Steps:

1. Mix jello with water.  Add cream cheese and beat until smooth.


2. Put in fridge until semi solid.  Remove and then put in the rest of the ingredients.


3. Chill.

Or how my grandma made it:

1. Mix jello with water.  Add cream cheese and beat until smooth.


2. Put the rest in ingredients in a in flat pan (9 by 13 glass dish).  Put it in the fridge to chill.

This recipe is linked to Mommy's Kitchen for Potluck Sundays and Eat at Home's Ingredient spotlight!