Autumn Salads

The end of summer brings cool evenings and crisp falling leaves. Summer's produce begins to disappear and we all begin to turn to hot and satisfying comfort food. But there is still room on our tables for autumn salads.

Wild Rice Salad

The nutty flavor of wild rice is featured in this main dish salad. Switch the shrimp for chicken if you want a different twist.

1 c. wild rice

1 c. chopped cauliflower

1 c. chopped broccoli

10-12 oz. package frozen cooked shrimp, thawed

½ c. chopped onion

Dressing:

1 ½ c. ranch dressing

½ c. mayonnaise

1 t. lemon juice

1 T. sugar

1 T. pickle relish, sweet

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine cooked rice with other salad ingredients. Toss to mix. In a small bowl, combine all salad dressing ingredients. Pour over salad and toss.

Waldorf Salad

Experiment with your favorite orchard fresh apples in this classic recipe. Use a mix of green and red for better color presentation.

2 c. apples, diced and unpared

1 c. celery, chopped

½ c. pecans, chopped

½ c. mayonnaise

Combine all ingredients and toss. Serve on a chilled plate on top of a lettuce slice and enjoy!

Chicken and Snow Pea Wild Rice Salad

Serve this main dish salad for wedding shower luncheons or keep in the fridge for a light and delicious dinner!

Dressing:

2 large cloves of garlic, minced

1 T. Dijon mustard

¼ t. sugar

¼ t. fresh ground pepper

¼ c. rice wine vinegar

1/3 c. canola oil

Salad:

4 c. cooked wild rice

Juice of ½ lemon

2 whole chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

3 green onions, sliced

½ c. red pepper, diced

2 oz snow pea pods, cut into one inch pieces

2 ripe avocados, cut into medium sized pieces

1 c. toasted pecan halves

Combine dressing ingredients and blend well. Toss rice with lemon juice; add the chicken, onions, pepper and pea pods. Mix well and toss with dressing. Just before serving add avocados and pecans.

Caramel Apple Salad

Another choice for enjoying autumn's orchard apples! Honey Crisp, Connell Reds and any other firm and slightly tart apple would be delicious!

1 small package instant butterscotch pudding

8 oz. carton Cool Whip, thawed

8 oz. crushed pineapple with juice

1 c. mini marshmallows

3 c. chopped apples, unpared

1 c. dry roasted peanuts

In a large bowl, mix together the dry pudding mix, whipped topping, pineapple and juice until well blended. Stir in the apples, marshmallows and peanuts until thoroughly mixed. Refrigerate 1-2 hours before serving.

Say good bye to summer and hello to autumn with the flavors of fall. Salads can be a mainstay for meals all year long!