In the past, if you wanted to serve pesto, you had to make it from scratch. Now it is available in plastic containers in the refrigerated section of many markets. Avoid the pesto sold in glass jars on store shelves, as the fresh basil flavor is lost.
First come the raspberries and raspberry gelatin layer. Then comes the sour cream layer. Then the crushed pineapple, cranberry sauce and cherry gelatin layer. Then come the raves from your eight dinner guests.
Take advantage of your local farmer's market to pick the freshest vegetables for salads such as this one. While you are there, look for fresh basil, too.
For perfect apple cubes: Stand the apple on your cutting board and cut down into four slabs; discard the core. Lay slabs, cut sides down, and cut into 1/2-inch slices, then crosswise into 1/2-inch cubes.
Very good and very Italian with its garlic, parsley olive oil and vinegar dressing. The potatoes are cooked, chopped, and bathed in this lovely dressing and then chilled overnight.
A great, fresh-tasting picnic salad, it combines avocados, cucumbers, garlic, and green onions with chopped cilantro and the bright flavors of lemon and lime juice.
Crisp-tender green beans are paired with cherry tomatoes and seasoned with onion, celery and lemon in this refreshing side dish. 'There's nothing quite like a colorful salad to perk up a gray winter day,' says Diane Hixon of Niceville, Florida.
A tasty lime dressing, with cayenne and garlic added for kick, make this salad a bit different from the one above. Avocado too. And this salad doesn't need to sit in the frig, it can be served to four hungry people immediately.
A healthy and tasty chicken salad with a fruity twist - great on a croissant or in a honey pita. Note: This salad is best if eaten the day after preparation. This allows the ingredients time to mingle, giving a fuller flavor. If desired, use nonfat mayonnaise.
