MAIN SALADS

Noelle Sampson's Chicken Salad
1 cup coleslaw dressing*
1 cup mayonnaise*
2 cups uncooked shell pasta
3 cups cooked, diced chicken breasts (about 3)
1 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup green onion
1 can sliced water chestnuts, slivered
1 cup cashews
1 cup grapes, cut in half
Cook pasta.
Combine pasta with mayo and slaw dressing. Add remaining ingredients
Season with salt and pepper.

*I use a combination of mayonnaise, cannola oil, lemon juice, and garlic powder.

Lemony Tuna Garbanzo Salad

1/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1 6 oz can tuna in spring water, drained
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
15 oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed, drained
3/4 cup chopped sweet onion
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoees
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/2 head small Romaine
Whisk yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, and lemon peel in small bowl to blend.
Toss tuna with lemon juice in large bowl. Add garbanzo beans, onion, celery, tomatoes, parsley, and yogurt dressing to bowl. Toss to blend.
Remove Romaine leaves from head, wash and drain. Cut the leaves in half vertically and then slice crossiwse. Line a platter with the Romaine and spoon the tuna slad over it or toss the tuna salad with the sliced Romaine. Serve.
Serves 4 - 6

Adapted from Bon Appetite August 1999

Create Your Own Chef's Salad

VINAIGRETTE
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp minced shallot
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

SALAD
1 medium cucumber, peeled halved lengthwise, seeded, and slice crosswise 1/4-inch thick
4 quarts salad greens, (heartier types work better than spring mix)
6 oz radishes, trimmed, halved, and sliced thin
Salt and ground black pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
3 large hard-cooked eggs, each cut into 4 wedges
8 oz deli ham, sliced 1/4-inch thick and cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks
8 oz deli turkey, sliced 1/4-inch thick and cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, sliced 1/4-inch thick and cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks
1 recipe Garlic Croutons

FOR THE VINAIGRETTE: Whisk ingredients in medium bowl until combined. Add cucumber and toss; let stand 20 minutes.
FOR THE SALAD; Toss greens and radishes in serving bowl. Add cucumbers and all but 1 tablespoon dressing and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss tomatoes in remaining dressing in bowl, and then toss with greens. Serve salad along with small separate bowls of egg wedges, ham, turkey, cheese, and croutons so that diners may compose their own salads.

GARLIC CROUTONS
1 large clove garlic, minced to paste or pressed through garlic press (about 1 1/4 tsp)

1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
6 slices (6 ounces) good-quality white sandwich bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (1 1/2 cups)
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine garlic, salt and oil in small bowl; let stand 20 minutes, then pour through fine-mesh strainer into medium bowl. Add bread cubes and toss to coat. Spread bread cubes in even layer on rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 15 minutes. Cool on baking sheet to room temperature. (Can be covered and stored at room temperature up to 24 hours.)

Serves 10 - 12.

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Curried Chicken Salad

6 tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 tsp grated orange rind
1 1/2 tsp orange juice
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
2 1/2 cups diced roasted chicken
3/4 cup seedless green grapes, halved
1/4 cup diced dried apricots
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 tbsp chopped unsalted cashews
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add chicken and next 5 ingredients to mayonnaise mixture; tossing to coat.
Yield:4 servings.
Adapted from Cooking Light December 2006