Sunday's Plate - Summer Salads

Every year people ask, "What do you do to your egg salad that makes my child crazy about it>"

Parents rarely believe that it's all about simplicity.

I use chicken eggs and real mayonnaise, and I do it in the food processor.

First you boil the egg about 20 minutes. Then you soak the un-pealed eggs in ice water. Then you peal and drop them into the food processor. Turn it on for maybe six "pops." Remove and add enough real mayonnaise to allow the egg salad to stick to bread.

Real mayonnaise has a cleaner taste than Miracle Whip or salad dressing. When you begin to "doctor" what you think is bland food with spices, vegetables, pickles or a dressing that has "real taste" to you, you lose kids. Miracle whip makes everything you use it on taste like Miracle Whip.

Eggs are a bland food. They have little taste, so when you "doctor" them you lose their taste in favor of whatever you put into your egg salad.

With other salads, it's always best to go plain with kids.

Children love pasta, so make summer salads with multi-grain pasta. Whole wheat is too heavy for kids.

To your pasta add things your child likes in large enough pieces that they can either eat the noodle or the extra. Most children like ham, bacon, hot dogs, chicken nuggets...so start your salad with one or more of those meats. Even if that's all you do, pasta and meat and mayo, it's a start.

If your child likes pickles, throw in a pickle that has pieces the size of an olive. It's the same with celery, carrots, olives, rasins...when pieces are too small, the child becomes suspicious...just like a man....so keep the pieces large enough to identify.

Keep adding new things to your salad and serve it once a week. Use it as a side dish.

Try tuna, sausage, raw zucchini, yellow squash and anything you think your child would eat. Salads are an easy evening's fare.

Happy Salading!