Friday, October 23, 2020

The Reimagined Seven Layer Salad


I was talking to friends the other day (at a distance), and asked them if they remembered Seven Layer Salad. Everyone answered enthusiastically in the affirmative. They all loved it; one of them said it was a major staple at every big family gathering. The only problem, another said, was that not everybody liked all of the layers. I got to thinking about that as I was making use of the excess amount of vegetables that I had in the fridge. There is no reason to stick to the rules when cooking, particularly when it comes to salad. Use what you have on hand. If somebody doesn’t like peas, replace it with something they do like. Just be mindful that seven layers is usually enough, it’s helpful to layer different colors (and make sure there are quite a few colors otherwise it will look blah and unappealing), and be certain to have lettuce on the bottom. As far as the dressing, there is a standard dressing, but any of your favorite mayonnaise-based dressings will do. Reimagine what you recall from your youth. I waxed nostalgic as I enjoyed every bite of this salad. I added seasonings, fresh chives, and Dijon mustard to a small amount of ranch that I had left over, and it was wonderful! Below is the recipe from the ‘70s that my mom used to make, but feel free to mix it up to suit you, your family, and friends.

 The Reimagined Seven Layer Salad

 5 c. chopped green leaf lettuce

2 c. halved cherry tomatoes

2 c. white corn

1 (12-ounce) pkg. frozen green peas, thawed

2 c. chopped radishes

2 c. diced cucumber

Seven-Layer Salad Dressing (see below)

Garnish: shredded Cheddar cheese, crumbled cooked bacon

In a 3 ½-quart glass bowl, layer lettuce, tomatoes, bell pepper, peas, radishes, and cucumber. Top with dressing, spreading to edges to seal. Cover, and refrigerate for 4 hours to overnight. Garnish with cheese and bacon, if desired.



4 comments:

thepaintedapron.com said...

Great idea Pattie! An oldie updated!
Jenna

Angie's Recipes said...

I have never made a 7-layer salad...it looks terrific with all the beautiful and delicious layers, esp. the Cheddar and bacon part :-)

susie @ persimmon moon cottage said...

I love 7 layer salad. I especially love the frozen peas that thaw by the time they are ready to be eaten. The last time I made the salad, I noticed that on my package of peas it had a should be cooked to (I don't remember now) x number of degrees. I really dislike cooked peas, so I left the frozen peas out of the salad, but then it didn't taste as good. I think I am just going to make it again soon with frozen peas.

Linda said...

I like your take on this salad. We used to have it at every church potluck dinner, and I loved every layer. It was served in a 9x13 dish so we could have a big portion of the mayonnaise on top - lol! Mom always sprinkled a teaspoon of sugar over the top of the mayo before she added the cheese, and it somehow worked.