A dessert salad can be presented as a sundae in a cup.
A good salad is more than the sum of its raw parts. From meat-laden appetizers to fruity desserts, salads are a versatile dish that can fit into any meal. Cream salads, for example, can add a sweet or rich flavor when paired with everything from burger cookouts to pasta entrees. A crowd-pleasing cream salad can be anything from a fluffy fruit salad to a rich chocolate dessert and is usually quite easy to prepare and serve.
Fruit Salads
Fruit salads pair fresh or canned fruit with sweet cream toppings like whip creams and puddings. What separates fruit salad from fruit cocktail is that fruit salads are made with larger pieces of fruit. Pineapple, strawberries, kiwi, apples, grapes, pears and blueberries can all be mixed with plain or flavored yogurt, whipped topping or whipped cream to make sweet, refreshing fruit salads. Choose many fruits or one, like strawberries; mix a bowl of whipped topping with strawberry or vanilla jello crystals and toss it with fresh strawberries for a sweet summer salad.
Dessert Salads
Serve a dessert salad in a bowl, or in layers, rather than baked in a dish. Use whipped cream, whipped topping, puddings and jellies for a cream base in a dessert salad. Mix cookies, graham crackers and candy pieces as well as ice cream and flavored toppings for a sweet salad treat. For example, consider the classic "Cookies n' Cream" dessert salad recipe made with sandwich cookies, cream cheese, whipped cream and pudding.
Potato Salads
The taste of a potato salad varies depending on the region of the country you're in. A basic potato salad contains potatoes and mayonnaise, salad dressing or other thick creams. From there, each family and store recipe varies depending on what is added. Mix chopped red onions, broccoli, mustard, relish and fresh Russet, Idaho, small red or even sweet potatoes for a tangy and flavorful cream salad.
Macaroni Salads
If you think of "salad" as an exclusively healthy, low-fat, low-calorie dish, you'll want to steer clear from macaroni salad. Like potato salads, macaroni salads feature cream in the form of mayonnaise, salad dressing or other creamed, fatty spreads paired with pasta, spices and often cheese as well as vegetables. Other less common ingredients that can be added to a macaroni salad include ham, chicken and crab. One quick, easy and not entirely unhealthy macaroni salad recipe includes prepared mac n' cheese with light or fat-free mayonnaise or salad dressing, chopped celery, onions, sun dried tomatoes and a splash of Italian dressing.
Tags: dessert salad, macaroni salad, mayonnaise salad, mayonnaise salad dressing, salad dressing