grilled sandwich tip

did you know that if you put a light layer of mayo on the outside of your bread slices when making a grilled cheese (or other kind of grilled sandwich) you will end up with a more deliciously crispy and less greasy sandwich?!?! it's better than using butter because you don't have to wait for it to soften, and maybe it's healthier. it tastes real good, though. and the crispiness factor is upped at least 10 points.

Picnic hero

I can't find Suddenly Salad anywhere these days. Last summer I was able to find only the Italian flavor at the Sur-Save. Now there's nothing. What am I to do without it?! Nothing says summer like "suddenly salad"! Those succulent shells with their hidden treasure of seasoned mayo...and maybe even a fake piece of bacon! Well, here's what you do. You don't start a petition. You google it and steal from people who have already done the thinking.


Ingredients
2 cups uncooked shell pasta
4-5 peeled baby carrot, shredded or 1 large regular carrot
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
3/4 cup mayonnaise, more if desired (but NOT miracle whip)
1/2 (1 ounce) packet hidden valley ranch dressing mix
1/4 cup bacon bit (I use Hormel REAL bacon bits or pieces)
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Directions

1. In large bowl, mix mayo, dressing mix, bacon bits, shredded carrots and onion powder. Chill while making the rest.
2. Cook pasta according to pkg. directions for pasta using the shortest alotted time. (Or cook al dente.).
3. Drain and cool.
4. Fold in pasta well. Fold in peas last, carefully.
5. Chill for several hours.
6. If needed, refresh salad with a tiny bit of mayo before serving.
7. and garnish top with more bacon bits/pieces.

Some unusual fruit salads

Easy but weird - - - - - - - -

Pink fruit salad

2 small cans of mandarin oranges, drained
1 16-oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
1 small jar maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup shredded coconut (optional)
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1 container of Cool Whip
1/3 cup of mayonnaise
1 large package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
Combine Cool Whip, mayonnaise, cream cheese, and sugar in a large bowl. Beat until thoroughly blended. Stir in other ingredients. Chill at least two hours before serving. Serve on a bed of lettuce with tea biscuits (or some other salty cookie). Or pack in tupperware for a summer picnic.


Delicious but complicated - - - - - -

Asian Pear and Avocado Salad with Garam Masala Syrup

For garam masala syrup
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1 (2-inch-long) piece cinnamon stick
2 (1- by 1/4-inch) pieces fresh ginger, smashed
2 teaspoons green or white cardamom pods, crushed
2 teaspoons coriander seeds, crushed
10 whole black peppercorns, crushed
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

For salad

2 large avocados
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 Asian pears (or another kind of firm pear, not the gushy kind)

Make syrup:
Bring all syrup ingredients to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat and simmer until syrup is reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep, covered, 1 hour. Pour syrup through a sieve into a bowl, throw out the solids.

Prepare salad:
Thinly slice the avocado lengthwise. Toss slices with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Toss it with half of the syrup.

Core the pear and then thinly slice lengthwise. Toss pear slices with remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Toss it with the rest of the syrup

Drain pears and avocados, saving the syrup, and arrange the slices on plates. You can use the syrup as a dressing for a lettuce/spinach salad on the side.

Killer Artichoke Dip

I dedicate this recipe to the New York Giants.

2/3 c. mayo
12 oz. Havarti cheese, coarsely grated (or use Monterey Jack)
one 14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained well and coarsely chopped. or, if you splurge for the kind that come in glass jars, packed in olive oil, it's extra delicious.
2 bunches of scallions (about 10), white & light green parts only, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients together. Transfer to an oven-proof ceramic dish just large enough to hold the dip (but a glass baking pan that's actually larger than the dip works too.) Bake until heated through and bubbly, about 20 min. The dip will be very hot and tastes best when it has a little time to cool - 5-10 minutes. Serves 4-6.

Infamous Cheesy Ranch Bread

Cut a loaf of french or italian bread in half, lengthwise, and lay the halves side by side (with the non-crust part facing up).

Mix together 1 stick melted margarine, 1 tsp powdered buttermilk ranch dressing mix, and 2 tbsp. mayonnaise. Spread on both halves of bread. Top with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until melted, about 5-10 min.

Cut loaves into slices and serve.

elaine's famous potato salad

i'm a little hesitant posting this recipe, because i haven't explicitly received permission from the creator. in fact i haven't even really even discussed the exact "recipe" with the chef, but i'm pretty confident in my ability to accurately deduce it, so here goes:

elaine's famous potato salad

potatoes
apples
pineapple chunks (fresh, not canned)
mayonnaise

to put this recipe in the proper context, i guess i should explain that in hong kong almost everybody seems to love mayonnaise. it is especially popular to make "fruit salads" with mayonnaise. and apparently potatoes are considered a fruit. the school canteen makes a pretty good fruit/potato salad involving what i think is canned fruit cocktail, but its nothing compared to the salad elaine, the security guard from the dorm next door, made for some of the other kids in my program that live in her building. fortunately for me, none of the other americans seemed to feel the same way, which scored me an impromtu invitation since they figured i would be the only one capable of eating enough not to offend her. i do have to admit that even i was a little shocked at first, but the pineapple/mayo combo really does grow on you.

Reprise: awesomeness from my mayo jar.

UPDATE: I made this last night and it was AWESOME! First of all, it is totally meatloaf-kind-of-fun to smear a mixture of mayo and parmesan onto raw chicken and then roll it in bread crumbs. Secondly, that's basically the only effort this recipe requires, other than remembering to take it out of the oven. Thirdly, that was some effin' moist bird flesh. So tender and delicious! Highly recommended, and so perfect for those who believe in mayonnaise.



PARMESAN CRUSTED CHICKEN

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10 Minute(s)
Cook Time: 20 Minute(s)


1/2 cup Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/4 lbs.)
4 tsp. Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs


Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. In medium bowl, combine Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise and cheese. On baking sheet, arrange chicken. Evenly top with mayonnaise mixture, then sprinkle with bread crumbs.
3. Bake 20 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

If this tastes good, I think it might just be the easiest baked chicken recipe EVER.

this dessert is realer than ypsi

two pear halves served on a lettuce leaf with a dollop of miracle whip and a sprinkling of grated cheese


i cannot personally vouch for this recipe (given to me by one of my aunts during a discussion of the food blog with various extended family members), as i have never actually tried it, and probably never will. my love of mayonnaise runs pretty deep, but i think i'd eat a tuna fish/olives and lime jello salad before i'd make this dessert

I like to keep my menu depression-era.

"This rich, spicy cheese spread appeared in some fashion in JofC from 1931 until the 1960s. The 1936 edition declared it 'a grand cheese spread for hot or cold sandwiches.'

Combine in a medium bowl:

One 4 oz. jar chopped pimientos, drained
1 cup mayonaisse
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp ground red pepper

Beat with a wooden spoon or an electric mixer at medium speed until blended. Add:
2 cups grated Cheddar (8 oz.)
2 cups grated Colby (8 oz.)
Beat until the consistency of cottage cheese.

Taking my cue from the 1936 edition of JofC, I served this cheese spread on a sandwich with roast beef, after frying all of it up, grilled cheese style, in a frying pan. An excellent use for those pimientos leftover from making "Build-a-Mountain".