Frog Eye Salad

It's a crime in the Sangster household not to have this salad for holiday meals.

1 box Acini de Pepe pasta
3 cans (11 oz) mandarin oranges
2 cans (20 oz) pineapple chunks
18 oz carton Cool Whip
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple

1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbl flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 3/4 cup pineapple juice
1 Tbl lemon juice

Combine sugar, flour, salt; gradually stir in pineapple juice and eggs. Cook over moderate heat until thickened, stirring frequently. Stir in lemon juice. Cool to room temperature.

Cook pasta with 2 tsp salt and 1 Tbl oil until done, about 8-10 minutes. Rinse. Cool to room temperature. Combine with egg mixture. Refrigerate overnight or for several hours. Add remaining ingredients. Makes a ton- double at your own risk!

Holiday Salad

When my mom was a teenager, she decided to make dinner for my grandparents for their anniversary. She found this salad and made it and it has been present at holiday meals ever since.

2 small packages of raspberry jello
3 cups boiling water
1 can jellied cranberry
1 package frozen raspberries
1 cup sour cream

Dissolve jello in water. Add cranberry jelly and raspberries. Mix, then pour half in 9x13 pan. Set. Set the rest to a jelly consistency.  Spread sour cream on firmly set jello. Top with remaining jello mixture and set.

Cookie Salad

If it's a salad, it's got to be healthy, right?

This is the original recipe:

1 pint strawberries
2 cups seedless grapes
1 small can pineapple tidbits, drained
2 bananas, sliced
1 12 oz carton Cool Whip
1 3 oz package instant vanilla pudding
1 cup buttermilk
1 pkg fudge striped cookies, broken

Combine fruit. Mix Cool Whip, buttermilk, & dry pudding mix and a separate bowl. Fold into fruit. Just before serving, fold in broken cookies. Serves 20.

You can vary the fruit. Example- use 2 lbs. strawberries, 5 bananas, 1 can pineapple chunks (drained), and 1 can mandarin oranges (drained). (That's just for the single recipe, not doubled.) Use the store brand fudge-striped cookies. Cheaper and not as waxy.

From: Melody's blog

Fiesta Chicken Pasta Salad

1 pkg Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch dip mix
½ c. oil
½ c. vinegar

1 lb cooked, shredded or cubed chicken (about 1 ½ to 2 breasts)
3/4 box garden rotini
1 can black beans
1 can black olives, halved
2 -3 tomatoes, chopped
Frozen corn

Mix dressing mix, oil, and vinegar in small bowl and set aside. Combine chicken, cooked pasta, beans, olives, and tomatoes in large bowl. Add dressing and frozen corn about 20 minutes before serving. Be sure to toss again just before serving, as the dressing will seep to the bottom.

From: sisters cafe

Ridiculously Delicious Pasta Salad

1 12 oz. pkg. bowtie pasta
1 can olives, sliced
¼ to ½ red onion, sliced
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
½ to 1 bag baby spinach
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 bunch broccoli florets
8 oz. swiss cheese, shredded
½ to 2/3 cup craisins
1 ½ cups cooked, shredded chicken breast
1 bottle poppy seed dressing or 1 recipe of poppy seed dressing

Cook pasta and drain. Run under cold water; drain again. Add remaining ingredients and toss with dressing. Chill. Makes about 15 to 20 servings.

Poppy Seed Dressing:
1 ½ tablespoons poppy seed
¾ cup red wine vinegar
1 ½ cups oil
¾ cup sugar
1 ½ tablespoons grated onion
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¾ teaspoons dry mustard

From: Amanda Wilkinson

Mom's Potato Salad

6 med sized red potatoes (2 lb)
1/4 cup green onions
1, 2-oz jar diced pimientos
1/2 cup nonfat mayo
1/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1/4 cup low fat sour cream
1 T sugar
2 T mustard
1 T apple cider vinegar
1/2 t salt
1/2 t celery seed
1/4 t pepper
1/8 t garlic powder

Cube and cook potatoes, drain. Mix in the the other stuff. Refrigerate. Yum!

From: Mom

Orzo Salad

All I can say is "Wow!"

1/2 lb box Orzo pasta, cooked (10 min.) & rinsed
1/4 C red onion, finely chopped
1 (3.5oz) bag sliced dry sun dried tomatoes (or 7oz jar sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained), chopped
2 T capers, rinsed, drained & chopped
6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (one container)
1/2 bag fresh baby spinach, stems removed, chopped small (6oz total)
4 T pine nuts, toasted lightly

Dressing:
1/2 tsp crushed garlic in jar (or 1 clove)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 C olive oil
2 limes juiced

You can use a food processor to chop onion, sun dried tomatoes & capers, then add baby spinach. Mix all of the above, then add dressing. Chill.

From: Ann Santini