Our Red Hat chapter met today. We had a pot luck luncheon at a member's home. It always astonishes me how a potluck meal turns out. Today we had shrimp, salads and dessert. To the best of my knowledge, there was no attempt to avoid duplications. There were three jello salads, but each was very different. Only one pasta salad showed up, which really surprised me. There was one tuna salad, a spreadable salmon something, watermelon, mixed fruit, and I brought Waldorf Salad.
Elegante Mother loves Waldorf Salad, so we've made it a couple of times this winter. I expected to be short on time this morning, so I chose the Waldorf as a quick way to make a salad for a ladies' meal. I used Granny Smith and Red Delicious apples (with their skins left on), celery, chunks of walnuts, and dried cranberries. It was bound together with just enough mayonnaise to coat. I set out roasted sunflower seeds and Chinese Noodles for those who wanted a little crunch.. I was relieved to see that two-thirds of it was gone by the end of the meal.
Dear Husband feels that Waldorf Salad would be improved if one used Miracle Whip in place of the mayo. YUCK!! I COULD do the chopping and set some aside in a bowl for him, and let him add the Miracle Whip.
I thought today that dried cherries would be a good addition, and it seems to me that I've seen it made with miniature marshmallows. That's not to my taste, but I can see that it might be fun to play around with the recipe and make it my own.
The ladies talked through lunch and then swapped gifts. While we were seated, the "Queen" instructed us to get to know the lady seated next to us. Since EM was to my right, I turned to the lady on the left. After we had chatted we were to introduce our new friend. I thought I knew the woman to my left, but it was a lot of fun asking her 20 questions.
The meeting ended shortly after a discussion of places to meet in February.. One woman said she had eaten at the new tapas bar, and the room instantly quieted because they had all thought she had said "topless" bar. *G*
Give me a ba-boom! on the drum and I'm outta here! *G*
Comments (7)
Let's all go to the bar! I usually use a low-fat version of (high quality) commercially available slaw dressing in Waldorf salads. Hunky Husband enjoys the salads and the dressing is so much easier coat the fruit and nuts--the slaw dressing's being thinner than mayonnaise or Miracle Whip (which I admit to liking better than mayonnaise--you can tell who grew up poor!)
Posted by Cop Car | January 12, 2008 5:43 PM
Posted on January 12, 2008 17:43
Are we still celebrating, Cop Car?? *G*
I hadn't thought of using slaw dressing, but I think I might like that better than mayonnaise, which is too bland. I added the dried cranberries to the salad today to try to punch it up, but the slaw dressing would have worked even better.
Are you telling me that DH eats Miracle Whip because he was raised poor? What an excuse!
Posted by Registered User
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January 12, 2008 9:39 PM
Posted on January 12, 2008 21:39
I can't speak for DH, but I can tell you that we didn't even know mayonnaise existed WIWAK.
No, we stopped celebrating when Bogie and her WS left town. I have been working at the Red Cross office every week day, since--and, have put in 4 or 5 hours of Red Cross work, here on the computer, this weekend. Thought I would check blogs before taking a break! It looks like HH will be sent out to Illinois (around Peoria) to mentor the Red Cross's Disastor Director on the flooding. He's sitting around waiting to get the "go".
Posted by Cop Car | January 13, 2008 11:34 AM
Posted on January 13, 2008 11:34
I never make Waldorf salad except when my Grandaughter is visiting -- its one of our special traditions when we're together and so busy stitching. I'm with you. It's got to be mayo -- Miracle Whip? Yuck!
We usually add a sprinkle of coconut and knock the mayo up a notch with a tablespoon of sugar and a couple teaspoons of apple cider vinegar. She likes mini-marshmallows in it, but more often then not, there's none to be found in my cupboards.
Our other luncheon tradition for GD and I when we're so busy is Swiss eggs. Eggs cracked in a buttered pan, then drizzled with a bit of heavy cream, salt and pepper, a generous sprinkle of cheese, then baked in the oven till set and eaten with toast.
Posted by Roberta S | January 13, 2008 12:06 PM
Posted on January 13, 2008 12:06
What surprises me about that, Cop Car, is that mayonnaise can be made at home. I would have assumed that if you knew mayo or Miracle Whip, it would have been the one you could make yourself.
I was pretty sure that you would be helping those who were either hit by the storm as it came over the Rockies, or the flooding as it hit our area. I'm glad that you stopped by, when you are so busy. I hope everyone is safe, at home. Tell HH we welcome him to Illinois!
Posted by buffy | January 13, 2008 8:33 PM
Posted on January 13, 2008 20:33
ROberta,
The funny thing is, I wondered if I was supposed to add lemon juice to the Waldorf salad to keep the apples from turning brown. The apple cider vinegar would do that, and keep it from being so bland, too. I'll have to tell DH about the coconut. He'd think that was a wonderful addition!
Swiss Eggs sound like the ultimate in comfort food. I could see craving them, swathed in a terrycloth robe, trying to get over a bad cold. I'll have to remember this the next time I need a little babying!
And....do you stitch (quilt) at a frame, or sew at the sewing machine, together???
Posted by Registered User
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January 13, 2008 8:39 PM
Posted on January 13, 2008 20:39
Hi again, Buffy. The stitching Grandaughter and I do together is counted cross-stitch - each with our own project.
I'd love to have a social circle with her around an old-fashioned quilting frame, but Hub will have no part of that sort of thing hanging from the ceiling. He knows that once it went up, it would become a permanent fixture, as it was in the farm house where I lived as a child.
Posted by Roberta S | January 14, 2008 10:36 AM
Posted on January 14, 2008 10:36