5 california platter Recipes

heads fresh cauliflower, washed and cut into bite-size pieces (or 1 head cauliflower and 1 head broccoli, if desired), grape tomatoes or 1 pint cherry tomatoes, washed, button mushrooms, drained, baby carrots, washed (and scraped , if necessary), pitted california black olives (kalamata olives can also be used) (optional), red onion, sliced, italian salad dressing (or your favourite bottled vinaigrette salad dressing), cooked shrimp, peeled but with tails left on, hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved, fresh ground black pepper , to taste

acorn squash, halved, seeded and cut into thick slices, broccoli florets and sliced stems, cauliflower florets, sliced carrots, orange walnut sauce, butter, orange juice concentrate, dijon mustard, minced green onion, red pepper flakes, chopped california walnuts

boiling potatoes, salt, fresh lemon juice, drained bottled capers, rinsed and finely chopped , plus additional whole capers for sprinkling, dijon mustard, sugar, extra-virgin olive oil, red onion , halved lengthwise, then very thinly sliced crosswise, firm-ripe california avocado, seedless cucumber (usually plastic-wrapped), thinly sliced crosswise, sliced smoked salmon, sliced pumpernickel bread , cut into triangles

bacon, ripe avocados, sliced, lemon juice, cooked chicken, diced, chopped celery, creamy bleu cheese salad dressing, minced chives, head romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cut in wedges, pitted black olives