Christmas Festive Salad Recipe
© Duchess O’Blunt, 2010; all rights reserved.
An acquired Taste
Some traditions, like some foods are an acquired taste. Christmas family traditions vary with each family. Some traditions we love, some we tolerate but still manage to do while keeping that smile in place. But we do them because we are family and because it's tradition.
Family and Food
Christmas is such a great time of the year. Never mind the crowds, the shopping, the cooking, the decorating, and the incessant Christmas music. Once Christmas morning arrives, if you have your strategy all worked out, you can pretty much ensure you will be able to enjoy your family time and the sharing of gifts.
But then (sigh), you must start the rushing around. You must ensure that preparations are properly underway for your perfectly golden Christmas turkey, awesome, melt-in-your-mouth, only-you-can-make stuffing, smooth and tasty gravy, mashed potatoes (with garlic and sour cream), various vegetables, cranberries, warm apple pie and other less important deserts (because your favorite is warm apple pie).
Now, you must prepare for the endless round of visits (all welcomed of course) that family and friends will make to your house, and those you must prepare for when you visit their house. By preparation, I mean food.
Family Get Togethers
You know what it's like when you get together with family over the holidays. First you have to fight for the best dates because you have his side, her side and the kids significant others sides you have to try and work in throughout the 3 days you have off between Christmas and New Years.
There will always be some "discussion" on whose turn it is to host and who is going to bring what. Fun times! If you are anything like me, then you will of course leave shopping until the very last possible minute just because there is not enough pressure at this time of the year, and you feel the need to add that extra punch to an already crazy holiday season.
But! The food makes it all worth it. We like to make a day of it with my side of the family. And that's a pretty large family. Every year we are each asked to prepare our special dishes, because it is "tradition". One must bring her prize winning cheese cake and her meatballs, while our eldest is always asked to bring his chicken legs. I know that sounds horrid, but mmm mmm mmm they are good! I am asked every year to bring what we call St. Patrick's Salad. No matter it's not St. Paddy's day at Christmas time, his salad must come! And because it is green and can be decorated with red cherries as a garnish, it passes nicely on the Christmas dinner table.
I must warn you though. It is an acquired taste. All you need to do is take a look at the ingredients to understand why I say that. Because this is the Christmas Season, and because it is one of our must have's at our Family Christmas celebrations, I am passing it on to you as a "festive salad" as opposed to our name for it - which is St. Patrick's Salad.
- Favorite Christmas Foods in the Philippines
Christmas is the time when we get to eat foods especially made for this season. Whether these are for Christmas parties or for Christmas reunions or for the Noche Buena (celebrated on Christmas Eve), we look...
Festive Salad Recipe
Combine
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup carnation milk
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
Mix till smooth
Combine
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped nuts
½ cup cottage cheese
½ cup crushed drained pineapple
Add to milk and mayonnaise mixture
Mix together
1 small package of lime Jell-O
1 cup boiling water
Stir till crystals all dissolve
Add to the above mixture and pour into your favourite mould
Refrigerate until Jell-O is set
Decorate with whole slices of pineapple and a cherry in the centre with sprigs of something green.
What's your tradition?
I have shared a secret family recipe that fits in well with Christmas AND St. Patrick's Day.
Well . . . we are not sure where it came from really, but it's been in our family for years.
So, what's yours? Does your family have a favorite or traditional dish served at each family function? Perhaps not what most would consider a traditional Christmas recipe, but one that is a must have at Christmas anyway?
Join HubPages
Interested in sharing your stories, your point of view, or your talents?
I invite you to join us, it's one of the best social websites I have seen and offers opportunity to generate revenue. Sign up here.
I look forward to meeting you and doing what I can to help you
Christmas Recipes
- Holiday Rompope Drink
Rompope Christmas A lovely creamy drink similar to egg-nog. Rum flavors this wonderful holiday drink. INGREDIENTS: 6 cups milk 1 1/2 cups sugar 8 egg yolks 1/3 cup blanched almonds 1/2 cinnamon stick... - 2 years ago
- Christmas Pumpkin Roll
Christmas Pumpkin Roll Ingredients: 3 eggs 1 cup sugar 2/3 cup pumpkin 1 cup chopped nuts 3/4 cup flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. ginger 1/2 tsp. nutmug 1/2 tsp. salt Filling: 1... - 2 years ago
- Holiday Cinnamon Sugar Knots
Holiday Cinnamon Sugar Knots Ingredients 2 tbsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 11 oz. refigerated breadstick dough 1 serving cooking spray, butter flavored Directions Preheat oven to 375° F. Coat a... - 2 years ago
Christmas Recipe Blog
- Mango Slaw
I suppose I’m on a bit of a mango- kick since my last post involved mangos too. Oh heck, who am I kidding? I’m always on a mango- kick. Mangos... - 2 days ago
- Balsamic- Mango Marinated Grilled Chicken
Hey, it’s summer! Well, not really… but close enough, right? The berries are starting to show up in the market, fresh tomatoes are a little sweeter, the sun is shining... - 4 days ago
- Cookies and Cream Frosting
My little boy turns 11 today! It’s totally crazy. He was just a baby… like yesterday! The scariest part about having an 11 year old is to think that in... - 6 days ago
Comments
Your salad looks delicious. I copied the recipe.
Sounds delicious, even though I don't usually associate salad with Christmas. I will give the recipe a try sometime!
dohn, I'd like to see that! Your annual Christmas hullablaoo sounds amazing. Like a smorgasbord for the taste-buds.
Thanks as always dohn for stopping in
Wife Who Saves and CMHypno. Thanks I hope you like it. One of my contacts on Facebook read this. Their name for it is "dump salad". Seems appropriate.
I will have to try this...grandma used to make something like this. Brings back some good memories.
If you grandma used to make it, I guess I can't claim it as our family's secret recipe can I? Dang! Here I thought I was on to something LOL
I've been looking for a great holiday salad recipe, I'll definitely give this a try.
Great hub, thanks for sharing.
My Pleasure martycraigs. Hope you enjoy
Hi Duchess. Thanks for linking my hub to yours. Your recipe for salad looks great. Hhhhmmmmmmmm :).
Hi emievil. My pleasure!
Sounds good, Duchess. I have to bring a salad to a family get-together and was thinking a pasta salad but I'm gonna print this out and try it. It doesn't sound beyond my capabilities in the kitchen! Thanks, and Happy Holidays!
Hey Paradise7. Hope you like it. As I say, it's an acquired taste. Happy Holidays to you to my friend.
This is lovely - a change too. I will try it out about a week before Xmas, so I can confidently prepare and show off how good my Salad is on Xmas day.... Thanks to you. :)
Thank Lady_E - I hope you like it.
Another fantastic easy and economical recipe. Thanks Duchess. My recipe file is looking good after visiting your hubs! Always nice to share a good recipe that you know is tried and tested.
Hello-thank you for the excellent tips. Will try them on our next wheelchair party held just before christmas. Thank you for inspiration.
Great hub. We have to have homemade caramel rolls at every function, not just Christmas,thankfully my 2 sisters can make it.
@ Laura Hi Laura, I can say it is excellent, not so sure about the economical. It certainly is tasty (but not to everyone) If you try it, I certainly hope you like it.
@LizzyBoo Your next party sounds like a blast! Hope you all like it.
@fishtiger58 mmmmmmm homemade caramel rolls sound delightful. Do you have a hub with the recipe?
stopit all of you your making me hungrey!
sytor - LOL that's the point no?
This looks fantastic-definitely giving it a go.Thank you.
It is quite good. I printed it off and made it from here (just to make sure I got everything right). Took it to our work pot luck Christmas dinner. I made a double batch, and brought home an empty bowl. So I'm guess they liked it too. :)
You fill in every writing space in your hub as deliciously as your family salad. No wonder many best hubbers drop your name. That's how I found you here. Thanks for the sharing.
Wow, Lita what a wonderful compliment. Thank you :)
It's so nice to know that others like my work, and it's wonderful that you shared that with me.
Your traditional salad sounds interesting. As a transplant to America--I'm Chinese and so, Christmas gathering is not complete without traditional Chinese food. For my family, the turkey is not the main dish--it's an accessory.
Thanks for sharing.
Hi anginwu and thanks for stopping by. I'm intrigued. What is your main dish?
I love your festive salad recipe and I've saved a copy. I know what you mean about the acquired taste...our family makes a Jell-O salad for Easter (cottage cheese, pineapple, lemon Jell-O), even though only 5 of us out of 30 will eat it. Interestingly, if for some reason no one makes the salad, the 25 are the loudest complainers. They don't want to eat it, but they don't like the idea that it isn't there on the table either. Go figure. LOL
Family dynamics and dramas! Gotta love them don't you?
I hope you enjoy! I only allow myself this treat a couple times a year, otherwise, its no longer a treat.
Thanks as always for dropping in. Always appreciated.
That recipe sounds interesting!
Yes, it's not your usual salad bat115, but then you look like you might try anything! cool avatar
Sounds good to me! I might leave out the celery, though. Holle no like!
Never tried to make it without celery - I'm sure it'd be just as tasty. It's not your usual "salad"
Very interesting, thank you for sharing. It makes me think back to the times when we had family get togethers and someone always brought a well loved, (or well known lol) salad of some kind. We need to keep doing this, and not get away from family get togethers.
Perfect timing oceansnsunsets. I was just thinking it's time for a family get together!
Great links, photos (salivating profusely) and recipes here Duchess, thank you for such wonderful hubs!
I hope you enjoy the links AND the salad brightforyou. It's not for everyone mind you, so don't be surprised if some turn up their noses.
The salad is a little worrying I have to say! I was slightly perturbed at the idea of mixing Carnation Milk with Mayonnaise (Yikes) and then (along with other things) Jello ~ and Lime Jello specifically (more Yikes)~ I can imagine my family (who are already hoping I don't get too experimental in the kitchen) if I produce a bright green, savory-sweet salad along with the other Thanksgiving fair... Hmmm, maybe I will! Seriously though, with Cherries on top?? LOL
An honest answer brightforyou! I was expecting many more comments like that one.
I know the combination sounds horrid. I remember asking my mother what was in this (soooo many years ago) and almost choking when she told me.
Somehow it works for me. No one else likes it in my immediately family, but that's ok. More for me.
dohn121 2 years ago
I'd love to invite you to my families mixed cultural annual Christmas hullabaloo! Talk about a mixing of traditions! It's like the Chinese Buffet and the Home Town Buffet got into a brawl with no clear victor, lol.
Thanks for a great hub and recipe, Duchess. I'm all over that salad :D Bookmarked!