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Salads: Dress ‘em up and take ‘em out

Perfection Salad has been around since 1905. The reason for its longevity is that it’s delicious and addictive.
The Watergate Salad came into being during Nixon’s presidency for obvious reasons but it really is good and easy to whip up.
I’ve been making the blueberry congealed salad for more than 30 years and we enjoy it as much now as we did then.
The Millionaire Fruit Salad is another old favorite. It’s great to have an old standby like one of the four featured this week.
You can almost make them in your sleep and they never fail.
They also look pretty on the table, and appearance is 50 percent of everything. I believe everybody will like at least one of these. Enjoy.

Watergate Salad
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant pistachio pudding mix
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained

In a large bowl, combine pudding mix and pineapple; mix well. Add marshmallows and 3/4 of the container of dessert topping (add more to get a creamier consistency). Toss in the coconut; mix well. Transfer to a serving dish and top with halved cherries and any extra coconut. Chill for at least an hour before serving. Will be good the next day.

Millionaire Fruit Salad
1 small package (3 ounces) cream cheese
3 tablespoons half-and-half
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
dash salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 can (about 11 oz.) mandarin orange sections, drained
1 cup diced pineapple
1/2 cup halved maraschino cherries
1/2 cup green or red seedless grapes, halved
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup whipping cream, whipped

Combine cream cheese and three tablespoons whipping cream; add mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and sugar. Combine cream cheese mixture with fruit, pecans, and marshmallows. Fold whipped cream into fruit salad. Freeze this fruit salad in an eight-inch square pan.

Congealed Blueberry Salad
1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple in juice
2 packages (3 oz. each) blackberry or black raspberry Jello
1 can (15 oz.) blueberries, drained
3 cups boiling water
8 ounces sour cream (1 cup)
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
Chopped nuts

Drain pineapple; reserve juice. Dissolve Jello in boiling water; stir in reserved pineapple juice. Chill until slightly set, about the consistency of unbeaten egg white. Stir in pineapple and blueberries.
Pour into a 9 1/2 x 6 x 2-inch pan; chill until firm. Combine sour cream, cream cheese, and sugar; mix well until smooth and well blended.
Spread over blueberry Jello salad and top with chopped pecans or walnuts.

Old-fashioned Perfection Salad
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
11/2 cups boiling water
1 ½ cups cold water
½ cup vinegar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 cups finely shredded cabbage
1 cup chopped celery
¼ cup chopped green pepper
¼ cup diced pimiento
1/3 cup stuffed green olive slices

Thoroughly mix 2 envelopes (2 tablespoons) unflavored gelatin, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add 1 1/2 cups boiling water and stir to dissolve gelatin. Then add 1 1/2 cups cold water, 1/2 cup vinegar, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Chill till partially set.
Now add 2 cups finely shredded cabbage — for easy shredding, have cabbage refrigerator-cold. Also add 1 cup chopped celery, 1/4 cup chopped green pepper, 1/4 cup diced pimiento, and 1/3 cup stuffed green-olive slices. Pour into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan.
Chill the salad mold until firm.