Cucumber Salad

Good Morning my lovely readers!  I am thankful that the Lord saw a need to wake me up this morning...PURPOSE!!!  I am always grateful for his love!  Yes, I up thinking about recipes this morning.  Here's another quick and delicious salad I make often.  Sorry I didn't take a picture of this one...will do the next time I make this.  I just might make it today so I can post a picture for you guys.

*2 small cucumbers
*1/2 small red onions, sliced
*1 large tomato, sliced
*3 Tbsps Mayo
*1 Tbsp white vinegar
*1/4 tsp salt
*1/2 tsp pepper

In a small bowl, toss together cucumbers, onions and tomato.  Gently stir in mayo, vinegar, salt and pepper until coated.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Sometimes I like to add a splash of fresh orange, lime or lemon juice to give it a little zesty flavor.  When I do I sometime add a pinch of sugar to balance the flavor.

Enjoy!

Jill's Comfort Zone

Crisp Confetti Salad

Hi my faithful readers and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!! Yes I know, it's been a while since I've blogged about anything. I'm was going through some things and busy, busy, busy but I'm back now. I have so many tasty recipes to share with you guys which will take me sometime to get around to blogging about them. So please be patient with me. Anyway, I had such a Blessed Thanksgiving! My mom came to PA to visit us for two weeks and I enjoyed every moment! She stuck to her word and didn't cook a thing for Thanksgiving! LOL! We she did help me master her famous cornbread stuffing!

This recipes that I made last night was truly delicious!!! I believe I found this in either Rachael Ray's or Kraft magazine. I'm not sure because it's been so long since I've had it. The recipe called for some Planters Dry Roasted Peanuts but I forgot to buy them when I went food shopping yesterday so I just proceeded without them. I also added cucumbers because what's a salad without them? As you can see it's very colorful!!! I served this delish treat with Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Almonds and Honey, Hot Spicy Chicken Wings, and Coconut Cluster Pie! We don't really like Brussels Sprouts but after last night...this will become a frequent side dish in our house from now on. I just have to find tasty ways to make them. The last time I steamed with and added salt n pepper. And there was another time where I just sauteed them in some butter with onions and peppers. We didn't like it at all so I never made them again and that was like 2 to 3 years ago. Recipes for last night dinner soon to follow.

Ingredients:

4 cups coleslaw blend
2 cups sugar snap peas
2 large red peppers, cut into-strips (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup green onions slices
1/4 cup Planters Dry Roasted peanuts
1 can (15.25 oz) tropical fruit salad, drained
1/2 cup Kraft Zesty Italian dressing
1 cucumber, sliced

Combine all ingredients except dressing in large bowl. Add dressing to coat. Serve immediately.

Makes 10 servings, 1 cup each.

Enjoy!!!!



Jill's Comfort Zone

Jill's Famous Summer Yogurt Fruit Salad

Now this right here is the bomb!!! I truly love this fruit salad. Especially on those hot Summer days! The first time I made this was about at my Housewarming Party in NYC...about 5 years ago and I've been making it ever since! I switch the fruit flavor yogurt and the fruits from time to time depending on the season. I make this all year around! Truly delicious my friends!

You just peel and cut up some cantaloupe, honeydew, strawberries, oranges, grapefruit, seedless red and green grapes, watermelon, red and green apples, and peaches. Pour 1 juice or 2 of a lemon in the bowl; add 2 to 3 cups of fruit yogurt (here I used peach); and mix it all together! Yummy! I want some right now!  As you can see I got a little fruit happy besides myself with the fruit and had to transfer to another bowl.  LOL!  Oh well, it was worth it and not a drop was left over! 

Enjoy!


Jill's Comfort Zone

Family Reunion Macaroni Salad

Kraft's Food Magazine

I'm more of a mayo type of chick and it must be Hellmann's Mayonnaise!!!  You know there are certain condiments that you just have to stick to one brand and can't substitute those no name brands to take it's place.  Like with ketchup...it must be Heinz!!!  Nothing else just won't do!  I've never grew up on Miracle Whip dressing so didn't know much about it until I moved out on my on at the age of 18.  When I first tried Miracle Whip it grossed me out.  I just couldn't bare the sweetness of it so I never brought it again.  Well as I started to expand my cooking skills and I began to come across a lot of recipes that used Miracle Whip dressing.  As I was flipping through Kraft's Food magazine, I came across this macaroni salad recipe.  So I thought since my taste buds are much more different than it was when I was younger, let me give this a try.  When I was younger I was a picky eater...never stepped out of the box.  Well after trying this recipe I came to the conclusion that Miracle Whip dressing is just not my friend.  Another thing is I don't care for boxed macaroni and cheese.  Yuck!  I thought I'd post this recipe for all those Miracle Whip dressing lovers.  I do from time to time add a little Miracle Whip along with mayo to my macaroni salad.  I don't know it just adds a little ahhhh....I don't know but it taste good!  LOL!  Despite me not liking this particular recipe my girls and friends truly loved it so that's another reason why I'm sharing this recipe with you.  Just because I didn't like it doesn't mean you won't.  I guess you can still say I'm a somewhat picky eater.  haha  I wonder if I add some bacon to it would I like it then.  LOL!  Bacon seems to make everything taste good!  ;)  Today I try to explore more...anyway, let's get to the recipe. 

Ingredients:
2 pkg (14 oz. each) Kraft Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese dinner
1 cup Miracle Whip dressing
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1 small red pepper, finely chopped
4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled, chopped
1/2 cup sliced green onions

Prepare mac & cheese dinner as directed on package.  Add dressing, eggs, celery and peppers; mix well.  Sprinkle with onions.

Serve immediately.  Or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Jill's Comfort Zone

Macaroni Salad

4/12/2009

There are many ways to make macaroni salad. I switch up from time to time with my macaroni salads. I'm just going to list my basic one that I use most of the time. Remember I usually eye ball my measurements and I'm heavy handed so I usually make large portions. I couldn't find a picture where I place the sliced eggs on top. :(

Ingredients:

1 box elbow macaroni, cooked, drained

1 can tuna, drained, flaked

1 can salmon, drained, bones removed, flaked

1 cup celery, finely chopped

1 cup Mayo (add more if needed)

4 boiled eggs, peeled, chopped (save one egg to slice to place on top of salad)

1/2 cup onions

2 to 3 tsps sweet relish

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 to 2 drops of hot sauce

1 small red pepper, finely chopped

Salt & pepper, to taste

paprika to sprinkle on top

Place the cooked/drained macaroni in a large bowl. Remove the cooked egg yolks for three of the boiled eggs and place in a small bowl; use a fork to mash up the egg yolks and set aside. Take the egg whites and chop them up then add to the bowl of macaroni.

In a separate med. size mixing bowl add all the remaining ingredients including the egg yolks you mashed except for the tuna, salmon, salt, paprika, and pepper; and mix well. (This is where I do my taste test to make sure my mayo dressing is the way that I like it.) Add the tuna and salmon to the bowl of macaroni and egg white and mix well.

Now pour mayo dressing in the bowl of macaroni mixture and blend together. Now add your salt and pepper to taste. Place mixture in a bowl or glass dish; garnish with sliced eggs; and sprinkle paprika on top for color.

Enjoy!

Jill's Comfort Zone

Spinach Salad

I love spinach and so do my kids! They don't care for raw spinach so I pre-cook them a little but still leave them semi crispy.

2 bunches of fresh spinach
1/2 red onion sliced
1 cucumber, sliced
1 can of chick peas, rinsed & drained
1 tomatoes, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced

Rinse veggies thoroughly. Place spinach in a pot of boiling water, remove and place in a strainer to drain. Once you have sliced up the other ingredients, place in a bowl and toss with Semi Italian Dressing.

I served with Spicy Mexican Lamb Kababs and Grilled Zucchini.


Enjoy!

Jill's Comfort Zone

Spicy Cucumber Blend

I really wanted a toss salad but didn't have any lettuce on hand and didn't feel like going to get any either. haha I usually make this in the summer...great way to cool you down on those hot summer days or evening. I normally just eye ball the measurements of ingredients when I'm cooking and taste as I go. Since I'm blogging this recipe, I'm trying to give you the closest measurements as possible. Sometimes I forget to write the amounts down when I'm making something which I'm working on! So please by all means...TASTE TEST as you go!


Ingredients:

1 cucumber, sliced
1 tomato, diced
1 green pepper, sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
pinch of sugar
1 1/2 tsps chili garlic sauce
pinch of cayenne
Salt & Pepper (S&P), to taste
About a cap full of vinegar
1 1/2 cap full of lemon juice or 1 juice of a lemon
About 2 to 3 Tbsps Italian Herb dipping oil

In a bowl add cucumbers, tomato, green peppers, and red onions. In a seperate bowl, whisk together sugar, chili garlic sauce, cayenne, S&P, vinegar, lemon juice and Italian Herb dipping oil until well blend! I like my dressing thick...

Pour dressing over cucumber mixture and toss.

Enjoy!

I served this with fried haddock, fried shrimps and roasted potatoes & broccoli.




Jill's Comfort Zone