Best Dressed Up Salad Recipes

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DRESSED-UP STEAK SALAD



Dressed-Up Steak Salad image

This sirloin gets its fresh taste from tomato, red onion and avocado. A little steak sauce in the dressing helps it complement the meat perfectly. To complete the meal, serve with soft breadsticks and lemon sherbet. -Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Lunch

Time 20m

Yield 2 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 17

1/3 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon steak sauce
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
MARINADE:
2 tablespoons steak sauce
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
SALAD:
1/2 pound boneless beef sirloin steak
3 cups torn mixed salad greens
1 medium tomato, cut into wedges
1 small ripe avocado, peeled and cubed
2 slices red onion, separated into rings

Steps:

  • In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the first 6 ingredients; shake well. Refrigerate until serving. , In a small bowl, combine marinade ingredients. Brush on both sides of steak; let stand for 30 minutes. Broil steak 4 in. from the heat until meat reaches desired doneness, 5-6 minutes on each side. , Meanwhile, on 2 plates, arrange greens, tomato, avocado and onion. Thinly slice steak; place on top of salads. Serve with dressing.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 696 calories, Fat 59g fat (9g saturated fat), Cholesterol 64mg cholesterol, Sodium 834mg sodium, Carbohydrate 19g carbohydrate (8g sugars, Fiber 7g fiber), Protein 26g protein.

" DRESSED UP" SALAD WITH SECRET DRESSING



I figured that if I had to forgo my jeans to get all dressed up for a dinner party I was giving, why should my salad get off easy? The result is beautiful to look at and impressed everyone, plus they raved about my decades-old "secret" dressing. Quantities of the vegetable toppings are based on using one large head of iceberg lettuce and standard sized bowl, but I've used iceberg and other salad greens in larger quantities by increasing amounts of vegetable toppings so top is not "half dressed"! (Quantities of fresh veggies for "rings" are fairly approximate because salad bowls vary in sizes, but rings should be uniformly shaped) DON'T BE AFRAID to try this -- it's not as complicated as it may seem! RE. SECRET DRESSING: The recipe makes a good amount, so can be enough for larger salads. It really is a closely-guarded recipe given me by my cousin, who was friends with a chef who swore her to secrecy. However, I think since my promise of secrecy was made over 30 years ago, the statute of limitations has run out! He worked at one of the first very exclusive $$ spa resorts in Southern California that still exists... the Golden Door. At that time it was the first dressing I had ever had with fresh ginger and I had to drive miles to an Asian market to find it and the rice vinegar... times have changed! Similar dressings now exist, so I'm sure the spa now has a totally different "secret" dressing!

Provided by Mareesme

Categories     Salad Dressings

Time 1h35m

Yield 8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 1/2 lbs salad greens, of choice
2 green onions (can use sliced red onion)
salt
pepper
salad seasoning, of choice
5 cups shredded carrots
4 cups fresh corn kernels or 4 cups frozen corn kernels
3 cups green peppers, diced
3 beets, peeled and shredded and or 3 diced tomatoes
6 white mushrooms, sliced
4 inches piece gingerroot
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 1/4 cups safflower oil

Steps:

  • SALAD.
  • In salad bowl, tear lettuce and add green or red onion and seasonings (for some reason, it seems to work better with the onion mixed in with salad greens, not as one of the "rings"). Toss and smooth greens so top is uniformly level.
  • FORMAL ATTIRE.
  • Proceed to "dress up" the salad by making a 1" ring (1-1/2" for wider bowls) of grated carrot around edge of bowl thick enough to cover the greens.
  • Then make rings inside this of corn, then green pepper, then beets or tomatoes then mushroom slices piled in the center circle. If using beets and tomatoes both, make it tomatoes then a ring of mushrooms then a mound of shredded beets in center.
  • Make sure rings are thick enough to cover all the "naked" greens. You can use any vegetables of your choice to make the rings, such as radishes, olives or water chestnuts, but I prefer the varying colors and blend of flavors of the above.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to place it on buffet or dinner table.
  • SECRET DRESSING.
  • Make Secret Dressing by placing cut pieces of ginger root and vinegar in a blender and blend until smooth. Press through a mesh strainer over a bowl, squeezing out pulp to get more liquid into bowl. Pour liquid back into rinsed-out blender.
  • Add honey, garlic and soy sauce. Blend well. Slowly add oil while blender is on low to mix.
  • Pour into a jar with cover, shake and refrigerate. When ready to serve salad, shake jar and pour into a cruet for guests to pour their own.
  • PRESENTATION.
  • Put salad on buffet or dinner table and after everyone oohs and aahs, toss well and serve with secret dressing in a cruet for them to pour on desired amount.

"DRESSED UP" GREEK-STYLE SALAD



This is a variation of another "dressed-up" salad I make for special occasions. This one is for my occasional "Irish Girl's Greek Night" parties, The salad makes an outstanding presentation by being totally covered with colorful vegetable rings with a circular dollop of feta cheese in the center. After everyone ooos and aaahs, toss it and serve with your favorite Greek dressing. I use a portion of Recipe #68485, the remainder of which stores nicely in frig. I hope you enjoy this very pretty twist of a green salad recipe. (NOTE -- Amounts below are realistic but not written in stone. Measurements also depend on the size of the salad bowl and amount of greens in it, since the salad's "wardrobe" has to totally cover top of greens!) I have also used thinly-sliced celery and/or small pieces of cauliflower as part of the ring wardrobe!

Provided by Mareesme

Categories     Greens

Time 30m

Yield 8-10 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 8

2 bunches romaine lettuce or 2 bunches salad greens, to fill large salad bowl
salt and pepper
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 (8 ounce) package cherry tomatoes, halved
3 cups shredded carrots
2 large green peppers, diced
2 (4 ounce) cans sliced black olives, drained
crumbled feta cheese

Steps:

  • Cut red onion in half, then slice thinly. Prepare other vegetables.
  • Place torn romaine/greens in serving bowl, keeping top as smooth a layer as possible. Salt and pepper greens to your liking.
  • Starting at edge of bowl, make circular rings of sliced onion, then tomatoes, carrots, green peppers, olives and in the center a dollop of feta cheese.
  • Cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve then present with Greek salad dressing of your choice served on the side.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 101.1, Fat 3.8, SaturatedFat 0.5, Sodium 258.8, Carbohydrate 16.5, Fiber 7.2, Sugar 6.7, Protein 3.6

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