Spring is the perfect time for salads. When I am planning a spring lunch, I like something light yet filling, so I usually think salads.

Once a year, the ladies’ group at our church has a salad supper. Each member brings her favorite salad, and it is surprising the variety on the table. We often have fruit salads, vegetable salads, meat salads, green salads, cornbread salad and even salads that double as dessert.

One of my favorites is Walnut Chicken Salad with a fresh dill mayonnaise. Served on a bed of curly leaf lettuce, this is actually a meal in one salad.

When I want a “dessert” salad, I pull out my recipe for Hawaiian Ambrosia Salad. Another interesting sweet salad is Sunshine Fluff Salad, made with orange gelatin, fruit and buttermilk.

The first time I made this salad, I thought about using sour cream, but then opted instead for buttermilk. I can’t remember why I made this choice, but it was probably because I didn’t find any sour cream in the refrigerator. This substitution worked so great I decided to forget about the sour cream as a possible ingredient.

Walnut Chicken Salad

5 cups coarsely chopped cooked chicken
2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins
1 cup coarsely chopped celery
1 large red apple, coarsely chopped unpeeled)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 cup mayonnaise
Curly leaf lettuce, to serve

Combine the chicken, walnuts, raisins, celery and apple. Toss to mix. Combine the dill and mayonnaise and mix well. Stir just enough of this dill mayonnaise into the salad to coat the mixture. Just before serving, spoon onto curly leaf lettuce. Serve with assorted crackers or melba toast. Serves 8 to 10.

Sunshine Fluff Salad

1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple
1 (3 ounce) box orange gelatin
1 (11 ounce) can Mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup buttermilk
8 ouncees frozen non-dairy dessert topping, thawed

Combine the undrained pineapple with the gelatin. Heat until the gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat and add Mandarin oranges and buttermilk. Refrigerate until cool but not congealed. Stir in topping and chill. Makes about 8 servings.

Hawaiian Ambrosia Salad

1 (15 ounce) can crushed pineapple, well drained (reserve juice)
3 large bananas, sliced
2 large apples, chopped (unpeeled)
12 maraschino cherries, chopped
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Dressing (recipe follows)

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour cooled dressing (amount according to personal preference) over all and stir well. Refrigerate.

Dressing:

1 egg, beaten slightly
1/4 cup reserved pineapple juice
1/2 cup honey
3 tablespoons milk
1 cup cottage cheese
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Combine egg, juice and honey in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool. Beat milk and cottage cheese until smooth. Add salt and ginger. Stir. Combine the cottage cheese mixture with the pineapple honey mixture. Mix well.

Contact Prudence Hilburn at prudencehilburn463@att.net