Gourmet Caterers Orange County

Now that summer is approaching and everyone is back on the beach in their
swim suits, we need to keep ourselves trim and concentrate on salads, salads
and more salads and dump the junk food that keeps us warm for the winter. 

Strawberry Nutty Salad - serves 8

 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
 1/4 cup sugar
 1/4 cup vegetable oil
 1/4 teaspoon paprika
 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
 1 tablespoon butter
 1/2 cup slivered almonds
 1 quart strawberries
 2 romaine hearts, chopped into bite size pieces

1. In a bowl, mix the vinegar, sugar, oil, paprika, and Worcestershire
sauce. Cover, and refrigerate at least 6 hours.
2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the almonds, and cook
until golden brown. Remove from heat, and cool.
3. In a bowl, toss the strawberries, romaine, and almonds. Mix with the
dressing just before serving. 

24-hour Salad - serves 6
6 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
 1/2 cup chopped celery
 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
 1/2 cup chopped onions
 1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed and drained
 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
 2 tablespoons white sugar
 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
 1 (3 ounce) can bacon bits

1. In a large bowl, layer lettuce, celery, bell peppers, onions, peas,
mayonnaise, sugar and cheese. Sprinkle bacon bits evenly over the top of the
salad.
2. Cover bowl, and refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.

Mediterranean Barley Salad - serves 6

1 pound barley
Salt
1/2 pound rye berries
1/2 pound wheat berries or other grain
1 cup pitted, halved kalamata olives
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup 1/4-inch diced cucumber
1 cup 1/4-inch diced tomato
1/2 cup 1/4-inch diced red onion
1/2 cup chopped parsley leaves
1/2 cup chopped dill 

Dressing:
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup minced dill
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the barley and cook for 15
minutes. Using a sieve, remove barley from the water and transfer to a bowl.
Bring the water back to a boil and salt, to taste. Add the barley and rye
and wheat berries and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 30 to
40 minutes. Drain, transfer to a bowl, and cool.  When cool, combine with
the remaining ingredients. Meanwhile, make the Dressing: Whisk together the
vinegar, dill, and garlic. While whisking, drizzle in the oil to make a
smooth dressing. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Toss the salad with
the dressing and serve.