Romaine

When Jamie craves salad (believe it or not, he does!), this is what he’s after: something you can chow down on. Hearty, crunchy romaine is perfect for that. We also love it with Mama’s Tasty Baked Beans and Sausage Soup (page 126) and Sautéed Ravioli with Cheese and Bread Crumbs (page 166).

Orzo, a type of pasta shaped like flat grains of rice, is perfect for use in salads because it holds its shape and texture so beautifully. For this heart-healthy meal in a bowl, Jamie was inspired to use Italian flavors like fresh basil, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives, plus Brooke’s all-time favorite salad ingredient, pine nuts.

Back in the days of The Bag Lady, when Mama was making bag lunches and we were delivering them, she would always make a chicken salad. For the fall and holiday season she would add walnuts and mandarin oranges to make a colorful, festive lunch with a delicious nutty-sweet appeal. This is Jamie’s version. It’s a hearty, packed-with-protein meal that looks as good as it tastes.

When we were traveling around the country shooting episodes of our Food Network show, Road Tasted, we ate lots of fried, barbecued, and sugary food (Hey, it’s a tough job but somebody has to do it). Wherever we were, Bobby would seek out a salad for lunch or dinner to add a little balance to his diet. The night he discovered chopped salad, it was love at first sight. He developed this easy week-night recipe as soon as we were back home. It’s a salad that accommodates almost any ingredient—feel free to add your own personal favorites into the mix.

This full and satisfying meal is Jamie’s dream salad—heavy on the sausage and spuds. What’s not to love?

Jamie is always in search of good Asian food, which is one of his favorites. We must have had this salad somewhere along the way, because it found its way into Jamie’s kitchen recently. With lime, soy sauce, cucumbers, peanuts, and rice noodles (which you can find in the Asian foods aisle of most supermarkets), it’s a whole new set of tastes that will no doubt appeal to anyone looking for something new to try. It’s also a perfect place to park your leftover steak.

You can order yourself a grilled chicken Caesar anywhere. But we figured we could jazz up that combo a little while still keeping it fairly healthful if we swapped in tender slices of grilled pork instead. The smoky, juicy pork and crunchy, tangy salad is a uniquely delicious pairing, if we do say so ourselves. We love to serve it with our Grilled Cheesy Olive Bread (page 90), but then again, we love just about anything with that bread!

This simple salad goes with many dishes. Or add some or all of the extras we suggest and make a meal of it.

A perfect balance of flavors and textures, this salad is sure to become a favorite first course to enjoy while supper cooks. Replace the pecans with Sweet Spiced Nuts (page 261) for a special touch.

Perfect for a luncheon or light supper, this nutritious salad combines the satisfying crunch of romaine lettuce with savory bites of tofu. (See photo)

The beauty of a dish like this is that you get just enough meat to feel satisfied that you’ve had a substantial meal, but you’ve actually consumed a much greater proportion of healthy greens than of red meat. Plus, it can serve four people on the budget of one steak.

Cobb salads occupy a delicious middle ground between the decadent (hello bacon and blue cheese!) and the virtuous (lean turkey, and it is a salad after all). Whichever side you land on, there is no denying how awesome the mixture of tangy blue cheese, salty bacon, creamy avocados, ripe tomatoes, and crisp romaine lettuce is. It’s not hard to imagine how good those ingredients would taste not tossed with cubes of cold roasted turkey, but atop a hot and juicy turkey burger. It makes perfect sense to me!

The classically American Caesar salad has taken on a life of its own. Forget about it as a starter—this salad has become a meal on menus across the country with the addition of chicken, steak, or shrimp. Why not take it one step further and put the salad on a burger? Refreshing romaine lettuce lends its crispness to the burger, but the zesty dressing and extra Parmesan cheese are what really make this so identifiable flavor-wise and so tasty. All of the classic components of Caesar dressing—garlic, Worcestershire sauce, anchovies (these can be your secret, but their rich saltiness is essential)—morph into a slightly spicy mayonnaise perfect for spreading all over this new way to make a meal out of Caesar salad.

These “pass arounds” will be a family favorite. You’ll like them because they utilize planned-overs from Taco-Rubbed Flank Steak (page 184), making it easy to get dinner on the table in next to no time. Your kids will like choosing their own combination of condiments and creating their own burritos. And everyone will like the taste.

Crisp, crunchy romaine leaves enclose warm chicken and brown rice for an Asian entrée that you’ll want to add to your go-to list.

With its sweet and sour crunch, this salad is sure to be a winner at your table.

Depending on the flavor and thickness of the brand of dressing you buy, you may want to consider adding a little lemon juice to it before tossing it with the salad. Lemon can really brighten the flavor and/or thin thicker dressings (thus requiring less dressing). Be careful, though—some brands are already pretty acidic, so adding lemon juice may make the dressing sour. Buy prewashed lettuces to save time.