Salad

* Item: Whole Foods Salad Dressings* What you get: 10 ounces* Cost: About $2.40* Preparation time: Pour straight from bottle* Review: Armed with recipes from the Whole Foods Web site, I made a trip to Fresh Fields in Mount Washington to find these salad dressings. It was worth the effort. I have found few products as versatile as these -- all of which taste as if you whisked them up yourself. The Roasted Garlic Ranch tasted great over a salad that included portobello mushrooms, olives and mozzarella.

President Barack Obama had a dinner date last week with a dozen of his worst enemies, thus proving that the governmental stalemate in Washington, D.C., is driving him to unusual acts of political creativity -- or desperation. The president personally picked up the tab for the private dinner at the Jefferson Hotel, and the guests were all Republican senators, including John McCain (Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Tom Coburn (Okla.), Bob Corker (Tenn.), Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), Dan Coats (Ind.)

Try this delicious salad when you want a quick, refreshing meal. The recipe is courtesy of the California Apricot Advisory Board.Apricot Thai Salad 2 cups sliced fresh or dried apricots2 cups diced cooked chicken1 cup sliced cucumber, peeled1 cup bean sprouts, rinsed1/4 cup rice vinegar1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro2 teaspoons sugar1/4 cup vegetable oil1/2 teaspoon chili oil2 tablespoons coarsley chopped peanuts1 lime, cut into wedgesIn a large bowl,...

Can't wait for the email from The Sun's finance department asking me why I went to the grocery store every day for three weeks. No big mystery there. I've turned over a new leaf - literally - and open each day here at spring training by picking up a bag of fresh lettuce for my lunch. Never have been one for rabbit food, but I'm studying for my upcoming physical and need to drop a few pounds before I get back to Baltimore in early March. So far, so good. I'm not the only one who is trying to get healthier this spring.

Consider this a warning before adding this main-course salad to your warm-weather repertoire. The lightly fried, flat nuts from Spain, known as marcona almonds, are completely addictive. And one of the delicious reasons this salad has become a weekly routine this summer at my house. Look for marcona nuts at gourmet markets. If you can't find marcona almonds, regular roasted almonds can be substituted. Tip: Save time and buy a bag of washed mesclun salad greens or pick up lettuce at a salad bar or pick up a roasted bird at the deli.

Bernadette Stone from Columbus, Miss., was looking for a recipe for a wilted lettuce salad. Denise Trent from North Canton, Ohio, sent in a recipe that she says has been in her family for more than 50 years. It was her late father's specialty and he always made it for family gatherings. When I tested the recipe, I used tender Boston lettuce and good-quality balsamic vinegar and substituted shallots for the regular onion. I also decided to cut the sugar from 1 cup to 1/2 cup, and the dressing had just the right balance of sweet and tart for my taste.

Apricots, the first of California's summer fruit, are now in stores. The majority of apricots come about eight to 12 to the pound, depending on variety and the year. Color varies from deep yellow to golden orange. Try out this season's fruit with an apricot Thai salad recipe: In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of sliced fresh apricots, 2 cups of diced cooked chicken, 1 cup of sliced cucumber and 1 cup of bean sprouts. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1/4 cup vegetable oil and 1/2 teaspoon chili oil. Toss salad with vinaigrette and arrange on plates lined with leafy salad greens.

This easy main-dish salad starts with a bag of frozen scallops, which we're seeing more of in supermarket freezer cases. This recipe also takes advantage of in-season produce to enjoy in the waning days of the farmers' market but, obviously, vegetables from your grocer's produce section can be substituted. The salad also calls for a bit of white wine. If you don't typically have open bottles of wine around, and/or don't want to uncork a new bottle for such a small amount, consider stocking your pantry with one or two mini bottles, or boxed wines, which have a shelf life of five weeks to six weeks after opening.

A salad dressing with a nutty flavor and a sauerkraut appetizer were requests that brought a ready response.Mary Lou Thompson of Longmont, Colo., asked for a "sweet poppy seed dressing, without onions, which is for fruit."Nancy McGilvray of Redmond, Ore., responded.McGilvray's Fruit Salad Dressing1/4 cup pineapple juice1/4 cup salad oil1 tablespoon honey1/4 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon curry1 teaspoon lemon peel1/4 teaspoon coriander1 teaspoon poppy seeds2 tablespoons wine vinegarCombine all in a jar and shake well.

Should you decide to forgo the bread in this shrimp-salad sandwich, you'll be just as satisfied with this recipe as a main-course salad. I know this because I've become addicted to the salad since I first happened on the combination of sweet shrimp, spicy sausage and soft bitter greens about two months ago. The sandwich idea came about recently, after my friend began to reminiscence about France's Provence region and our first introduction to the delicious...

Baltimore County Restaurant Week starts Friday and runs through Jan. 27. Chefs and owners from some of the 44 participating restaurants were expected to join Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz and Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce President Keith Scott on Thursday morning at Patrick's of Cockeysville for a Restaurant Week kick-off event. The county's version, unlike the city's, allows restaurants to set the fixed-price for their menus anywhere from $10 to $35 for anywhere from one to four courses.

Amiccis turns 22 on Wednesday. To celebrate, the Little Italy restaurant is turning back the prices on its menu all month long. Through Jan. 31, Amiccis will offer more than a dozen entrees for $7.99, $8.99 and $9.99. We're talking things like eggplant Parmesan, fettuccine Alfredo with chicken and linguine with clam sauce. Diners can add a salad and soft drink for $3 more or a salad and glass of wine for $5 more. Scott Panian and Roland Keh opened Amiccis on Jan. 2, 1991, in what was part of the old Roma restaurant.

Now that we have gorged ourselves on holiday meals, it's time to get back to healthy eating. The latest healthy recipe comes from Jay Wilson, senior program director at the Dancel Family Center Y in Ellicott City. It is butternut squash chicken salad. Wilson said he has been cooking since age 12 and you can often find him in the kitchen experimenting with new recipes. He loves to share his creations with colleagues. His duties at the Y include coordinating sports and fitness activities and teaching boot camp classes.

This potato salad recipe bucks the usual drenched-in-mayo stereotype — and that's a good thing. It's vegan (and gluten-free), but don't let that steer you away. You can't beat the flavor, thanks to a dressing with a base of apple cider vinegar, olive oil, red onion, herbs and more. My husband's cousin Coco, who blogs at http://www.operagirlcooks.com , developed the recipe to be served warm, which is outstanding. But the few times we've had leftovers, we've enjoyed it chilled, too. The flavors intensify as it sits, so if you make it ahead for a tailgate party or other event and chill it overnight, it's just as good.

Paul Newman thought it should be eaten with a spoon. Baltimore restaurant owner Sascha Wolhandler calls it "a fabulous amalgam of flavor in every bite. " It's the chopped salad, and it's having a field day in Baltimore. A chopped salad featured on the summer restaurant week menu at Heavy Seas Alehouse proved so popular that it's been put on the permanent dinner menu. Sergio Vitale, co-owner of Chazz: A Bronx Original, is considering making the lunch menu's steakhouse salad a dinner item, too. "It's definitely the No. 1 most popular lunch item and people ask for at dinner, too," Vitale said about the salad, which he says is an homage to a version served at Ruth's Chris Steak House.

Verde Pizza Napoletana is open in Canton. The South Montford Avenue location was the home for years of Birches, and before that, the Wild Mushroom. The dining room and bar, which formerly had a woodsy New England appearance, have been thoroughly remodeled. The redone interior, a sleek hybrid of European brasserie fixtures and midcentury American furnishings, is ready for its shelter magazine close-up. The specialty at Verde is Neapolitan pizza, with toppings like prosciutto di Parma, imported buffalo mozzarella and wild mushrooms.

Add fiesta flavor to your next salad. Buy greens from the local salad bar to save even more time.This recipe is from Pace Picante Sauces.Fast Fiesta Ensalada6 cups packed, assorted torn salad greens1 1/2 cups cherry tomato halves1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1x 1/4 -inch strips1/2 cup frozen, fresh or canned whole kernel corn, thawed and drained if necessary1 2 1/4 -ounce can sliced ripe olives, drained1/3 cup sliced green onions with tops1/3 cup...

Not everybody wants the same thing at suppertime. You may want a salad, your dining partner may want a sandwich. Maybe you want mostly veggies, and he wants meat to star. So here, we strike a compromise. This can be a main-dish salad or it can be a pita. If you leave out the bacon and roast beef, it's vegetarian-friendly, too. Renee Enna writes for the Chicago Tribune, which provided the recipe analysis. Me Salad, You Pita Makes 2 servings -- Total time: 30 minutes HONEY-MUSTARD SAUCE: 1 tablespoon each: Dijon mustard, extra-virgin olive oil, chopped cilantro 1 teaspoon honey freshly ground pepper SALAD/PITA: 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 2 slices bacon 1 sweet onion, halved, sliced 10 grape or cherry tomatoes, halved 4 slices deli roast beef, cut into strips 1/2 teaspoon salt freshly ground pepper 1 pita half, opened 2 cups baby spinach or assorted baby greens 3 tablespoons shredded Monterey Jack cheese For sauce, whisk the mustard, oil, cilantro, honey and pepper to taste in a small bowl; set aside.

Martha Socolar from Baltimore was looking for a recipe for a pasta salad with turkey that she said was printed on a box of Mueller's shell pasta in the mid-1990s. She said the recipe was on the box for a long time, but she never copied it down. Sue Housel from Eldersburg shared a recipe for a mandarin turkey pasta salad that she cut from a box of Mueller's shells many years ago that she hoped might be the one that Socolar was in search of. Even if this is not the exact recipe that Socolar remembers, it is one that she and her family are likely to enjoy.

Summer is almost over, which means summer produce will also soon be gone. But there are still a few weeks left to get our fill of zucchini, tomatoes, peppers and other summer staples. The latest healthy recipe, cherry tomato salad with basil buttermilk dressing, allows us to take advantage of some of that produce. It comes from The Food Network Healthy Recipes.   Ingredients 6 cups red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved if large Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 2/3 cup buttermilk 1/4 cup sour cream 3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves 1 shallot, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced Directions Put the cherry tomatoes in a large serving bowl.