What better way to begin a holiday feast than with a fresh and vibrant starter salad? A good salad, with a mix of different flavors, colors, and textures, will wake up your palate for the meal to come. Plus, when you start a meal with a salad, you begin to feel full sooner, so you'll be less likely to overeat those richer courses to come. Some of my favorite starter salads are my Toasted Pita & Herb Salad; my Snow Pea, Scallion, and Radish Salad; and my Arugula Salad with Artichoke Hearts and Pesto Vinaigrette.
That's why I'm challenging you to put together a delicious, beautiful starter salad for your holiday menus. You can use our Create Your Own Salad tool, or just start creating your own. I'll choose the five most creative and delectable entries as finalists, and leave it up to all of you to vote on the winner. May the best salad win!
Need more ways to win? Post your update on a classic recipe for a chance to win $200 from MetroKitchen.com, and share your holiday cookie recipes for a shot at winning Fine Cooking's 2009 Archive DVD, worth $149.
Good luck!
