Ideas for birthday menu?

Question

Hi, I want to prepare a few salads for my birthday party this Saturday but I don't have any ideas... Can you suggest any, easy to make...:) xx thanks

Answer 1

Cucumber salad with soured cream & dill

2 cucumbers, deseeded and thinly sliced on the angle
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tsp caster sugar
142ml pot thick soured cream or use crème fraiche
4 spring onions, thinly sliced
small bunch chives, snipped
small bunch dill, snipped
large pinch celery seeds, (optional)
pinch paprika to serve

1. Sprinkle the cucumber with the salt, 1 tbsp vinegar and 1 tsp sugar. Leave to stand in a sieve set over a bowl for 30 mins, then gently squeeze between sheets of kitchen paper to remove excess juice.

2. Place the soured cream or crème fraiche in a bowl with the remaining vinegar and sugar, spring onions, chives, dill and celery seeds, if using. Season to taste, fold in the cucumber and serve with a dusting of paprika.

Answer 2

Here is a recipe for a pasta salad that is really yummy.
1 box ziti pasta
1 large red onion thinly sliced
1/2 cup sliced Mediterranean olives (like Kalamata)
1 package of plain goat cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch fresh Italian parsley chopped

boil the pasta in a large pot. While it is boiling mix the other ingredients in a large bowl keeping the sliced onion separate. Put the sliced onion in a strainer. Once the pasta is ready to strain, strain it over the sliced onion. The hot pasta will cook the onion a bit. mix the onion and pasta together a bit and then add it to the bowl with the remaining ingredients and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.

Answer 3

How about an Antipasta Salad? Get a bunch of cold cuts (salami, ham, pepperoni, bologna, mozarella cheese, cheddar, swiss, etc. -- whatever you want). Chunk or julienne the meats and cheeses. Chop up some lettuce -- iceberg, romaine, or whatever you like. Add some greek olives, artichoke hearts (drained), marinated vegetables (drained) (Giardiniera - available in the Italian section in a jar), cherry or grape tomatos, and mix it all up. Just before serving, dress with a little balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. You may want to add pepper, but you probably won't need any salt.

Answer 4

Try a couscous salad - buy a packet of pre-seasoned couscous (Ainsley Harriott range is quite good) and once cooked following instructions chill in fridge. Then when cooled mix with diced raw red and yellow peppers, shredded chicken, prawns(if they're your thing) and add a squeeze of lemon juice and cracked black pepper. You can serve this as a side salad or with pitta bread for people to make salad pockets with.
PS Happy Birthday - hope it goes well

Answer 5

California Salad Bowl


Ingredients

(Dressing)
1 avocado, peeled and pitted
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 head romaine lettuce- rinsed, dried and torn into bite sized pieces
3 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tomatoes, diced
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 (2.25 ounce) can pitted green olives
1 cup coarsely crushed corn chips



In a blender or food processor, mix avocado, lemon juice, mayonnaise, hot pepper sauce, olive oil, garlic, and salt. Process until smooth. In a large bowl, toss together romaine lettuce, Cheddar cheese, tomatoes, green onions, green olives, and corn chips. Toss with the avocado dressing mixture just before serving

Answer 6

In the supermarket, if you go down the dry foods/probably pasta aisle, try out "Suddenly (Pasta) Salads by General Mills." They are the same company that makes Hamburger helper, gives you everything that you need to have an instant salad. Enjoy!

Answer 7

Macaroni, potato, cold pasta salads, fruit salad, ambrosia, Chinese chicken salad, egg salad, tuna salad, shrimp salad, antipasti. I don't know what the main dish is, but here is one of my faves:

Greek-Style Picnic Salad
Serving Size : 10

For authentic Greek flavor, substitute two teaspoons chopped fresh oregano for dried.

2 cups uncooked white rice
1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
8 cups bagged prewashed spinach (about 8 ounces)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups (8 ounces) reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
10 lemon wedges (optional)

Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Cool to room temperature; set aside.

Combine boiling water and sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl; let stand 30 minutes or until soft. Drain and cut into 1-inch pieces.

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add spinach and garlic; sauté 3 minutes or until spinach wilts. Combine rice, tomatoes, spinach mixture, cheese, and next 5 ingredients (through chickpeas). Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with nuts; serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Cooking Light, JUNE 2005

Answer 8

oriental salad...you will need...
25g dried vermicelli or very fine noodles (cooked & cooled!)
1/2 head chinese leaves (cabbage)
125g bean sprouts
6 radishes
125g mange tout
1 carrot
125g sprouting beans

mix all ingrediants together in a large bowl then make this gorgewous dressing to dribble over and toss into salad.
for the dressing you need:
Juice of one orange
1tbsp sesame seeds
1tbsp honey
1 tbsp sesame oil
1tbsp hazelnut or almond oil!
put dressing ingrediants in a jar and shake so it mixes well.
serve with king prawns lightly grilled (prawns are naturally grey in colour & when cooked will go pink so you will know they are cooked!) on skewers with mushrooms & peppers! Or as an alternative..grilled chicken. Good luck!!!

Answer 9

My favorite Salad:

Mixed Greens
toasted walnuts
Mandarin Orange segments
Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese
Tossed in a poppy seed dressing

Yummy!

Answer 10

I love warm Italian chicken salad. You can buy the seasoning and sauce in one from the supermarket, Hellmans make it. It's gorgeous!