So do you all have your Thanksgiving menu set??  We often do mostly the same thing for every holiday meal.  If you find what you like don’t mess with it… right!?!?  If you are still looking for one more kid friendly side then this is one you will want to try out.  It is so easy to make and it often finds its way into holiday or birthday meals around here.  This salad always reminds me of my Grandma and Aunt because I grew up having this at several of our family meals.  I had almost forgotten about it until about 5-6 years ago when I was at my Aunt’s house and she made it.  It became an instant favorite with my kids and I have been making it ever since.  I mean….it has marshmallows in it so what’s not to love!?!?

Here is what you need.  This is totally versatile and so easy to double or add more or less of something.  I actually never really measure anything with this as long as you have some pineapple chunks, mandarin oranges, bananas, marshmallows, and sour cream!  

Open up your cans of fruit, drain all the juice, and then dump the fruit into a bowl.  Slice up your bananas.  Add some marshmallows, maybe about a cup, seriously just go with what looks right in the bowl.  Then stir it all together.

Next to make it all creamy add a little sour cream.  Start with a small amount as I feel it is easy to overdo it.  I usually just start with a spoonful, as seen below, and mix it up.  Then add a little more if needed.  

That is it!  A simple easy side that is kid friendly and a crowd pleaser!  Serve immediately so the bananas don’t go brown.  If you need to prepare ahead just add the bananas right before serving.  

So, do you like to try new menu items for the holidays every year or do you keep it the same?  I tend to keep it mostly the same with sometimes trying out a new fun side or dessert…usually along with all the other usuals!

Here is your printable recipe!

Marshmallow Salad

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

 

This is a simple side dish that is kid friendly and a crowd pleaser.

Author: A Fireman's Wife

Recipe type: fruit salad

Ingredients

• 1 (20) ounce can pineapple chunks, drained
• 1-2 cans mandarin oranges, drained
• 2 bananas, sliced
• mini marshmallows, about 1- 1½ cups
• sour cream- 1-2 spoonfuls

Instructions

1. Drain your pineapple and mandarin oranges and put in a medium-large bowl.
2. Slice up your bananas and add to the bowl.
3. Add in your marshmallows and mix it all up.
4. Add in a spoonful of sour cream and stir. Add more if desired a little at a time. Make sure to not add too much or it will become too soupy.
5. Serve immediately so the bananas don't become brown. If you need to prepare ahead just add the bananas right before serving.

Notes

These measurements are so flexible. Just use more or less of what you want or need for the size of your group.

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I have previously posted about parts of this salad before (bacon, croutons, and the Creamy Lemon Parmesan Dressing) but I realized I never put it all together.  With fall right around the corner and all those fun seasonal recipes that love to take over the blogging world, I thought now would be the perfect time before all the apples and pumpkins!

So first we will start with the dressing.  This dressing is one of my favorites and so yummy with the hint of lemon.  The best part is you throw all the ingredients into the blender.

Next you can prep the croutons.  I always like to make these the day before I am making the salad, or earlier in the day so they are all ready.  These are so much better than store bought and I promise you won’t want to go back! You can find all the info on how to make the croutons here.  You only need about 4 slices of bread for this recipe but I always like to make more just to snack on or use in other salads throughout the week.    

Next you will want to prep your bacon.  I prefer to cook my bacon in the oven as it is so much easier and less mess!  

Once the bacon is cool chop it into pieces. 

To assemble your salad wash and chop up your lettuce and place in a large salad bowl.  Slice up your tomatoes and avocado and place them on top of the lettuce.  Then add your croutons and bacon.  

Toss the salad to combine.  You can drizzle on the dressing when you are ready to serve, or leave it on the side for everyone to add their own.  I always like to let people add their own in a big group so that in case any salad is left over it will save better when not coated in dressing.  

Here is your printable recipe!

BLT Salad

 

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I love this salad to go with a holiday meal, special dinner, or when company is coming over.

Author: A Fireman's Wife

Recipe type: Salad

Ingredients

• Dressing
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup full fat sour cream
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 cloves garlic roughly chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• Salad
• 1- 1½ cups croutons (see recipe above)
• 8 slices of bacon, chopped
• 1 large heart of romaine lettuce, chopped
• ¾ cup red cherry tomatoes, halved
• ¾ cup yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 avocado cut into cubes

Instructions

1. Add all the ingredients for your dressing to a blender and blend until smooth. Store in a mason jar in the refrigerator until you are ready to use.
2. Prepare your croutons and cook and chop up your bacon.
3. To assemble your salad wash and chop up your lettuce and place in a large salad bowl.
4. Slice up your tomatoes and avocado and place them on top of the lettuce.
5. Add your croutons and bacon.
6. Drizzle on the dressing and toss the salad to combine, or just toss the salad and let everyone add their dressing individually.

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Enjoy!!

Okay, so to start you need 5 medium red potatoes.  Wash them and place them in a medium-large stock pot.  Fill the pot with water to just about an inch past the potatoes.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  

While your potatoes are boiling, in a large bowl add your mayo, parmesan cheese, green onions, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, bacon, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.  

Then mix it all up.  

When the potatoes are done remove them from the pot.  I like to let them cool a few minutes so they are not so hot to handle, but still warm.  Then cut the potatoes into cubes and add to the mayo mixture.  Stir it all up and serve immediately.

This is best when it is still served warm or at room temperature.  And try your best not to eat it all while preparing the rest of dinner.  My daughter and I decided I needed to start doubling it….I wonder why!  If you have leftovers and/or need to store it in the refrigerator I like to pop it in the microwave to warm it up again a little before serving.  

Here is your printable recipe!

Warm Dijon Potato Salad

 

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This potato salad is warm, creamy, savory, and loaded with bacon and oh so yummy! Perfect for a summer BBQ and if you prefer potato salad without eggs!

Author: A Fireman's Wife

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 5 medium red potatoes
• ½ cup mayo
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated parmesan cheese ( not the green can)- *optional- I'm dairy free now and still tastes great without it.
• 3-4 green onions, sliced
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon minced garlic
• 4-5 slices cooked bacon, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• Dash of Cayenne Pepper-optional

Instructions

1. Wash the potatoes and place them in a medium-large stock pot. Fill the pot with water to just about an inch past the potatoes. Cover and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. While your potatoes are boiling, in a large bowl add your mayo, parmesan cheese, green onions, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, bacon, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Mix it all up.
3. When the potatoes are done remove them from the pot. I like to let them cool a few minutes so they are not so hot to handle, but still warm. Then cut the potatoes into cubes and add to the mayo mixture.
4. Stir it all up and add more salt if needed. I usually do but some bacon is saltier than others and I like to taste it first so it's not too salty. Serve immediately.

Notes

This is the best when it is still served warm or at room temperature. If you have leftovers and/or need to store it in the refrigerator I like to pop it in the microwave to warm it up again a little before serving.

*I usually always double this recipe and found it doubles nicely purchasing a 3lb bag of red potatoes and doubling the rest of the ingredients. If you want it a little more creamy just add a little more than a cup of mayo.

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Here is what you need to start:

Remove chicken from bones and chunk up and put in a large bowl.

Chop up your broccoli, carrots, red apple, and cranberries and add to the bowl.  Add your mayonnaise and stir it all up.

Add some salt and pepper and taste to see if it needs more.  Then try not to stand there and keep eating out of the bowl….(because it’s not like I would ever do something like that!?!? )

Feel free to eat this just as is or you can make a sandwich out of it.

This serves 4 to 6 using 1 chicken so double for a larger group.

Fire Station Chicken Salad

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

Author: A Fireman's Wife

Recipe type: Salad

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 ready to eat whole roasted chicken
• 1 small head of broccoli (about ½ - ¾ cup) chopped small
• ½ cup carrots chopped small
• 1 red apple diced
• ½ cup dried cranberries roughly chopped
• ⅔-3/4 cup mayonnaise (amount depends on preference)
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Remove chicken from bones and chunk up and put in a large bowl.
2. Chop up your broccoli, carrots, apple, and cranberries and add to the bowl.
3. Add in your mayonnaise and stir it all up.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Serve immediately as is or make a sandwich out of it.

Notes

Double or triple for a fire station sized group!

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Today I thought I would start with Taco Salad.  This isn’t just any taco salad that you make from left over taco night, this is taco salad with a purpose!!  My fireman said that in his department on any given shift, on any given day, taco salad is probably being made in at least half or more of all the stations.  And he works for a big department!  It is kind of one of their go-to staples.  At his particular station he said they eat it most every shift for lunch.  So he will have the fun of eating it two days in a row this week because that is what I made for lunch yesterday and he also ate it at the station!  The first time I tried this it was amazing!!  My husband so graciously passed the recipe on to me and I hope you like it too!

Here is what you start with:

Add the ground turkey (or ground beef) and chorizo to a large skillet over medium high heat.  Stir it around and get it all scrambled up.

Chop up your onion and throw that on in.

Add your chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and ground cumin and get everything all stirred up.

When your meat is all cooked through, drain off the fat, and add in the diced green chilis.  At this point you can add some salt and pepper to taste and add any more seasoning if needed.  If you choose to not use chorizo and just use 2 lbs of ground turkey, or 2 lbs of ground beef, you may need to add in more of the seasonings.  The chorizo adds such good flavor on its own so without it you will probably need to compensate for it.

***Now I must make a disclaimer.  The next step for this taco salad I did not actually make.  I will add it in here so you know the true authentic fire station way to make this salad if you so choose.  The missing ingredients are beans.  As in a can of black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, and white beans.  Beans are outlawed from my house.  My husband proudly said again yesterday as I was making this, “we are a bean free house!”  Years ago, when my husband and I were high school friends, not even dating yet I don’t think???, he discovered that I also really did not like beans very much.  At that point he knew I was the girl for him!  I actually can’t think of any other foods he really dislikes besides beans and peas?  So needless to say, when this is being made at the fire station, my husband usually offers to cook the meat so he can pull out some meat mixture for himself before the beans are added to the mix.

Okay back to taco salad.  If you so choose to add in the beans, go ahead and rinse and drain them, and then add them into the skillet and stir them up.

Next, go ahead and prep all your salad fixin’s.  Chop up your lettuce, cilantro, green onions, dice your tomatoes and avocado, and shred your cheese.  Put them in their own bowls for assembly.

Open up these babies!  You can use regular, ranch, or my favorite the chili cheese!

Get all the ingredients for the dressing together which includes, Ranch, sour cream, Cholula, and El Pato- or duck sauce, as my husband calls it!

Now, fire station style for serving is to line everything down the table so they can start at one end and work their way down.  Of course putting everything out on your counter at home would work fine too!

Start with Fritos.

Add your meat and then your cheese.

Add your lettuce and all the other fixings.  For the dressing I just put a little sour cream on the side and the squirted on a little ranch and then drizzled on a little of the Cholula and El Pato.  They don’t add much heat when you add a little, just really good flavor.

Mix it on up and get ready to dive into salad yumminess!

Fire Station Taco Salad

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey or beef  (*I usually use the ground turkey from Costco that come in a 4 pack and they are each just over a pound)

1 pound chorizo

1/2 of a white onion chopped

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 (7 oz can) diced green chilis

Salt and pepper to taste

1 can black beans rinsed and drained

1 can kidney beans rinsed and drained

1 can pinto beans rinsed and drained

1 can white beans rinsed and drained

Toppings and Dressing

1-2 heads of green leaf lettuce – washed and chopped

Fritos – regular, ranch, or chili cheese

1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 avocado – diced

3-4 tomatoes – diced

1  bunch of green onions – chopped

1 bunch of cilantro – chopped

Ranch Dressing

Sour Cream

1 can El Pato

Cholula

*toppings and dressing amounts can vary with personal preference and size of group

Instructions

1. Add the ground turkey (or ground beef) and chorizo to a large skillet and cook over medium high heat. Stir it around and get it all scrambled up.  Chop up your onion and throw that on in.  Add in your chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and ground cumin and get everything all stirred up.  When your meat is all cooked through, drain off your fat, and return skillet to burner and turn down the heat and then add in the diced green chilis and beans if you choose to add them.  Add some salt and pepper to taste, and any more seasonings if needed. If you choose to not use chorizo and just use 2 lbs of ground turkey, or 2 lbs of ground beef, you may need to add in more of the seasonings. The chorizo adds such good flavor on its own so without it you will probably need to compensate for it.
2. Chop up your lettuce, cilantro, green onions, dice your tomatoes and avocado, and shred your cheese. Put them in their own bowls for assembly.
3. For assembly start with Fritos, then meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, green onions, and cilantro.  For the dressing put on a dollop of sour cream, squirt on a little ranch dressing, and then drizzle a little El Pato and Cholula on top.

Taco Salad

 

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Author: A Fireman's Wife

Cuisine: Salads

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey or beef (*I usually use the ground turkey from Costco that come in a 4 pack and they are each just over a pound)
• 1 pound chorizo
• ½ of a white onion chopped
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 (7 oz can) diced green chilis
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 can black beans rinsed and drained
• 1 can kidney beans rinsed and drained
• 1 can pinto beans rinsed and drained
• 1 can white beans rinsed and drained
• 1-2 heads of green leaf lettuce – washed and chopped
• Fritos – regular, ranch, or chili cheese
• 1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 avocado – diced
• 3-4 tomatoes – diced
• 1 bunch of green onions – chopped
• 1 bunch of cilantro – chopped
• Ranch Dressing
• Sour Cream
• 1 can El Pato
• Cholula

Instructions

1. Add the ground turkey (or ground beef) and chorizo to a large skillet and cook over medium high heat. Stir it around and get it all scrambled up.
2. Chop up your onion and throw that on in.
3. Add in your chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and ground cumin and get everything all stirred up.
4. When your meat is all cooked through, drain off your fat, and return skillet to burner and turn down the heat and then add in the diced green chilis and beans if you choose to add them.
5. Add some salt and pepper to taste, and any more seasonings if needed. If you choose to not use chorizo and just use 2 lbs of ground turkey, or 2 lbs of ground beef, you may need to add in more of the seasonings. The chorizo adds such good flavor on its own so without it you will probably need to compensate for it.
6. Chop up your lettuce, cilantro, green onions, dice your tomatoes and avocado, and shred your cheese. Put them in their own bowls for assembly.
7. For assembly start with Fritos, then meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, green onions, and cilantro.
8. For the dressing put on a dollop of sour cream, squirt on a little ranch dressing, and then drizzle a little El Pato and Cholula on top.

Notes

*toppings and dressing amounts can vary with personal preference and size of group

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