Although salads are delicious all year long, I find myself making more of them during the spring months. There are so many different options and combinations that you never have to create the same salad twice.
First, I usually start with a pasta. The type of pasta I use depends on the rest of the ingredients I intend to add. Sometimes I'll use elbows, while other times rotini fits better. Of course, if I need to add color to the salad, I'll use tri-colored pasta.
Second, I decide if I am going to add a protein, or just veggies. Whether I use protein or not, I always add vegetables. Celery, onions, carrots, green peppers and olives often make their way into my side salads. Options for protein include chicken, tuna, kielbasa, turkey, ham, bacon and egg slices.
Third, I create a dressing for the side salad. Whether I use a mayonnaise based dressing, or an oil based salad dressing is once again based on the ingredients I created the side salad with. If I'm making a tuna salad, for example, I'll typically always use mayonnaise. If I use kielbasa or ham, however, I'll stick with an oil and vinegar type dressing.
Finally, I often top the side salad with a bit of cheese. I tend to use Swiss cheese with ham, but switch up the other cheeses with the rest of my salads. Sometimes I use cheddar or Monterey Jack, but other times I'll stick with blue cheese or Parmesan cheese.
As you can see, there are countless combinations that can be made from a wide variety of ingredients. Start experimenting and keep track of the side salads that your family raves about. Then you will easily be able to duplicate them in the future.