Side Dish Ideas

Chopped Salad... think California Pizza Kitchen....

use lettuce and chop it up, rotisserie chicken that is store bought & chop it up, add in chopped tomatoes, cheese, chopped cucumbers, corn, and for 'dressing' use Ranch Dressing with a bit of BBQ sauce, toss it all together... its real good.
That is how I make my "copy cat" California Pizza Kitchen Chopped Salad.

Good luck,
Susan

A couple of huge bowls of Caesar Salad and wait to add the dressing until serving time. If you bring unopened dressing it will not have to be refrigerated.

Garlic bread or cheesy bread already cooked wrapped in foil; it will not spoil and if gets warm or cool it will taste yummy.

My kids don’t like pizza so whenever I’m asked to bring a side dish to a pizza party, I’ll make a salad but I’ll also bring chicken fingers/strips or soy nuggets as a side. With it, I’ll bring honey mustard and BBQ sauce for dipping. They have always been a big hit and get gobbled down as fast as the pizza! Just a thought =-)

I combine black bean and corn salsa with rice pilaf. Here is a recipe for the salsa and I bought two boxes of a packaged rice pilaf mix.

1 (15 oz.) can black beans (drained)
1 14 oz can diced itallian tomatoes (drained)
1 can white shoepeg corn kernels
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons lime juice ( I used true lime pkgs)
8 small green onions - chopped
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cook the rice as directed on package. I ususally wait unitl I'm ready to serve to mix the rice and salsa together. This can be served at room temperature.

Salad. I did one for a Cub Scout banquet that was outside. I did it like a salad bar. I put everything in separate containers (plastic) - tomatoes, olives, red onions, croutons, banana peppers etc. and of course salad dressings (I took Ranch and a Vinaigrette). It was a big hit!

Tortelloni greek salad: Cheese tortelloni slightly undercooked, purple onion finely chopped, cherry tomatoes quartered, black olives or kalamata olives and garbanzo beans (optional), feta (optional). Toss all together, season with salt, pepper and oregano. Toss with favorite greek dressing

This can sit out and is easy to make

I like kristy's salad idea. or if you dont want to be as healthy (since there seems to already people with healthy assigned) have about mozzerella sticks

Here are two salads - the Sweet Potato salad can be served warm or at room temp (though I do refrigerate the leftovers and they are really good!). The Pecan Chicken Salad holds up well at picnics - at least it has for me. I have also substituted mushrooms for the chicken to make it a vegetarian version.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Black Beans and Chili Lime Dressing

4 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large onion, preferably red, chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided use
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh hot chili, such as jalapeno
1 clove garlic, peeled
Juice of 2 limes
2 cups cooked black beans, drained (canned are fine)
1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Put sweet potatoes and onions on a large baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil, toss to coat and spread out in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast, turning occasionally, until potatoes begin to brown on the corners and are just tender inside, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven; keep on pan until ready to mix with dressing.
Put chilies in a blender or mini food processor along with garlic, lime juice, the remaining olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Process until blended.
Put warm vegetables in a large bowl with beans and bell pepper; toss with dressing and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve warm or at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to a day.
Serves 4

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Pecan Chicken and Wild Rice Salad

INGREDIENTS for Dressing:
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar

INGREDIENTS for Salad:
1 cup wild rice
4 cups chicken stock
Juice of 1 lemon
2 whole chicken breasts, cooked
1 bunch green onions, minced
6 to 8 ounces snow peas, trimmed
2 ripe avocados, chopped
1 cup pecan pieces, toasted

TO PREPARE:
For the dressing, combine the vinegar, oil, garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and sugar in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake to mix.

For the salad, combine the wild rice, stock and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour or until tender; drain. Chop the chicken into bite-size pieces, discarding the skin and bones. Combine the dressing, rice, chicken, green onions and snow peas in a bowl 2 hours prior to serving and mix well. Chill, covered, in the refrigerator. Add the avocados and pecans just before serving and mix gently.

SERVES: 6 - 8

You could do an appetizer type side such as turkey and spinach rolled in a flour tortilla spread with cream cheese or pesto and cut into small rounds.
Easy to make and transport, kid friendly and no mess! :)

Hi C.---I think a nice tossed or ceasars salad is the perfect compliment to a pizza. You could also bring an assortment of cut up veggies.

Have fun! D.

I would do a salad. Tossed, fruit or pasta.

The only thing that comes to mind is a garden salad. Or since pizza is a "finger food", go with veggies and dip.

salads are a great side dish to pizza, as simple as a ceasar or fruit salad.

chips, pita aren't too unhealthy, sun chips are ok (not the worst)

I always make wing dip with tortilla chips and celery. Look up franks red hot sauce link:http://www.grouprecipes.com/62382/franks-redhot-buffalo-c... Since this is for kids though, I would maybe use more mozz and bbq instead of franks.... I also normally make it in a crock pot. How about veggie pizza.... it's made on cresent rolls, lay in pan and bake, top with a cream cheese/ranch dressing mix, add diced up veggies (I use brocoli, cauliflower, carrot, celery.... use what you like, maybe peppers, tomatoes) and then top with shredded cheese. I also like the ckn tender idea. From your post, you mention people are already signed up for healthy.... if I had healthy, I would probably bring salad, so I don't know if I would do that as a "side". Enjoy the picnic!!

You could make a pasta salad. Inexpensive to make and it won't spoil quickly if left without refrigeration. Bowties and wheels are my kids' favorites and I like to use Good Seasons Italian dressing (you mix it from a packet). Just toss in some diced tomato and sliced black olives for color and you're all set. Breadsticks, garlic bread, or toasted focaccia bread could be an option or if you'll have a warmer, you could bring minestrone soup. I hope this helps! :)

A salad or pasta salad.

Pizza Pasta Salad!

pasta (cooked al dente; l prefer whole wheat...it seems to hold up better)
sliced black olives
pepperoni nubs (the little sticks that come in little pieces or mini slices)
cubed mozzarella cheese (or fresh mozzarella)
carrot matchstix/shreds (blanch by putting in colander and draining pasta over the top; let hot pasta sit on top for 10 minutes; don't rinse)
halved cherry tomatoes
Creamy Italian Dressing (or I REALLY like Girard's Light Champagne Vinaigrette)
If you like a little crunch, add some toasted pine nuts or almonds just before serving.

Sorry, I don't measure anything! I just use the whole thing of each ingredient that comes in a package and eyeball the rest. This is a flavorful and it can be stretched.

Make it the night before and add more dressing before serving if it is too dry.

you could cut up some red potatoes and put them in a glass baking pan, sprinkle them with itallian seasoning and drizzle with olive oil, a little salt and pepper and bake them until done?

Garlic knots or cold pasta salad (bow tie mac, olive oil, grape tomatoes, shredded mozzarella, parmesan grated cheese).

My idea is more of a dessert but it would certainly compliment the pizza. Make a fruit pizza.

Use sugar cookie dough for the crust (read directions on it to see how long to cook it for, but typically take it out when it starts to brown),

vanilia frosting (or to make it healthy I use, coolwhip, fat free (optional for the fat free you can use regular) cream cheese-plain, a little bit of milk and powdered sugar

top it with fruit in any pattern that you want. I will tell you NOT to use bananas because they will brown and then no one will want to eat it.

You can make a garden salad, that always goes well with pizza, in my opinion. You can take 2 bowls of different sizes. You the largest bowl to fill with ice and the smaller bowl for the salad and place the smaller bowl inside the larger bowl with ice to keep it cold and wrap saran wrap or/and foil over top to keep bugs out and help keep it colder longer.

I would get a couple big bags of green and red seedless grapes. cut them into bunches of 10 grapes or so. kids love grapes. they will be fine sitting on a table and you won't have any leftovers.

Offer to get a few orders of bread sticks with the pizza. Then you don't have to worry about bringing any food and it will be a big hit. If you know where they are ordering the pizza, just call in and see if you can attach it with the order.