Once the snow decided to bid adieu, and we started to make plans for warmth, wouldn’t you know the cold would not depart on the same train. I know MaMa started the rotation of her winter to summer clothes only to pull out warm stuff when it actually snowed on Mother’s Day and continued to stay cold well into the new moon in early June. Summer does bring a change of pace and summer planning like the gardening, mowing lawns, flip flops, patio dining. F. Scott Fitzgerald said “And so with the sunshine and the great burst of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.” Welcome Summer, it’s about time you get here!

Without being able to go out and choose our own produce, we were I admit, suffering from withdrawals of fresh greens. Not so much canned vegetables but fresh lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, spinach and all of the good stuff we ate so often and loved. This recipe is a reader contribution, it has been served by Shirley Schrader at dinner gatherings in our home. She says; “This recipe has become a mainstay in our household. It was given to me by a dear friend, Janet Waugaman some years ago and there is always a jar of the dressing in our fridge. Janet Waugaman says she got it from Linda Caspar! Simple, refreshing and open to add ons. Enjoy!” Thank You Shirley, Janet and Linda!

Berry Salad

2 Bunches Spinach (Mixed greens, Arugula)

1-2 pints of fresh strawberries (Blueberries)

Sliced Toasted Almonds and 8 oz. Feta Cheese

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Dressing

¼ cup sugar (or less), ½ cup veg. oil

2 tbs sesame seeds, 1 tbs poppy seeds

1 ½ tsp. minced onion, ½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce

¼ tsp. Paprika, ¼ cup cider vinegar

Mix dressing ingredients in a small jar, shake well. Toss greens with Feta cheese and sliced almonds and dressing.

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Whether you’re breaking out the grill and relearning outdoor cooking, a picnic for a walk or a hike, a small summer BBQ, rediscovering your backyard or patio, or whipping up summer meals from the daily grind of winters soups and stew and crockpot, tried and true classics are a must.

Design your perfect picnic dish, This recipe cornucopia leads to thousands of combinations!

Mix and Match Pasta Salad

1. Choose a pasta

Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Cook ½ pound of any type of pastas as the labels directs; (the most different, the most memorable) drain and rinse under cold water (to prevent any further cooking, won’t get mushy). Transfer to a large bowl.

2. Pick a Protein (Optional).

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Add 1 cup of any of these ingredients.

Chicken, cooked and chopped
Steak, cooked and chopped
Ham or salami, cubed
Roast beef, chopped
Canned tuna, drained and flaked
Lump crab meat, picked over
Shrimp, cooked and chopped
Eggs, hard-boiled and chopped
Baked tofu, chopped

3. Pick your Vegetables.

Add 2 of these fresh vegetables or beans, 1 cup each, blanching the veggies in boiling water until crisp-tender and cool in ice water.

Broccoli florets, blanched
Corn kernels, blanched
Carrots, shredded
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Green beans, blanched and chopped
Frozen peas or snap peas, blanched
Celery, sliced
Cucumber, sliced
Red Onion, diced
Bell pepper, diced
Asparagus, blanched and chopped
Canned chickpeas or white beans, drained and rinsed

4. Pick a mix-in

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Add 1/3 cup of any of these ingredients.

Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
Roasted red peppers, chopped
Olives, pitted and chopped
Any type of cheese, shredded, crumbled or diced
Any nut, toasted and chopped
Bacon, cooked and diced or crumbled

5. Dress the Salad

Make one of these dressings, then pour over the pasta salad and toss. Season with salt and pepper. Chill for up to 3 hours to let the flavors blend.

Vinaigrette

Whisk 1/3 cup of olive oil, 2 tbsp. of white vinegar, 1 minced shallot, ½ tsp. Salt, and pepper to taste.

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Creamy Herb

Whisk 1/3 cup of mayonnaise, 3 tbsp. of sour cream, 1 ½ tbsp. lemon juice, ½ cup chopped mixed herbs and salt and pepper to taste.

Garlic Oil

Cook 3 thinly sliced garlic cloves and a pinch of red pepper flakes in 1/3 cup olive oil over medium heat, stirring, 3 minutes; let cool. Season with salt and pepper.

Creamy Parmesan

Mix ¼ cup each of mayonnaise and sour cream, 1 tbsp. lemon juice, ¼ tsp finely grated garlic, ¾ cup of grated Parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste.

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The potato salad is always a favorite with anyone, bring or make a different version each time. Remember to drain and cool your potatoes before adding your dressing.

50 Potato Salads Options

Classic boil

1. Peel and cube 2 pounds russet potatoes, toss 2 tbsp. cider vinegar and ½ tsp salt in the pot. Boil to just under too tender, drain and let cool.

2. Mix 2 cups of mayonnaise, 2 chopped scallions, 1 chopped celery stalk, 1 tbsp. each of Dijon mustard and vinegar, 1 tsp. sugar, and salt. Toss with cooked potatoes, chill.

Classic Red

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1. Make classic potato as listed above but use red potatoes instead of russets.

Waldorf

1. Make classic recipe without mustard, double celery and add 1 chopped apple and ½ cup of chopped walnuts.

Egg and Pickle

1. Make classic potato salad, substitute pickle juice for the vinegar in the dressing. Add 3 chopped boiled eggs, ½ cup of chopped bell peppers and ¼ cup of chopped dill pickles.

Sweet Relish

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1. Using classic recipe above, toss in 2 tbs. Of white vinegar. Mix 1 cup of mayonnaise, ½ cup relish, 2 tbs. yellow mustard and 1 chopped scallion: toss all together, chill.

Crab boil Potato Salad

1. Mix ½ cup each of corn and chopped celery, 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 tbsp. lemon juice and 1 ½ tsp. Old Bay seasoning.

2. Toss with 2 pounds red boiled diced potatoes and 1 cup of crab meat.

Lobster Potato Salad

1. Mix ¼ cup of mayonnaise and crème fraiche, 2 tsp. Each of truffle oil and chopped tarragon, and salt.

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2. Toss with 1 pound diced, boiled red potatoes.

3. Add 1 cup of lobster meat.

Curry Potato Salad

1. Heat 1/3 cup each of olive oil and golden raisins in a skillet on medium heat. Add 2 tsp. Curry powder and stir for 30 seconds.

2. Mix 1 cup Greek yogurt, 2 cups cooked green beans. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.

3. Add 2 pounds, boiled, diced potatoes. Season with salt.

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Ranch Potato Salad

1. Mix 2/3 cups mayo, ¼ cup buttermilk, 2 tbsp white vinegar, 1 minced garlic, ½ cup celery, 2 chopped scallions, 1 tsp sugar, S&P to taste.

2. Toss with 2 pounds, boiled, cubed red potatoes.

 

Bacon-Ranch

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1. Make Ranch Potato salad above, Toss in 6 slices of crumbled bacon.

 

Chipotle-Ranch

1. Make Ranch Potato salad above. Add 2 tbs. Chipotle hot sauce, 2 tbs. Of orange zest and ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro.

Garden Boil

1. Add 2 sliced carrots during last minute of cooking 2 pounds of sliced red potatoes.

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2. After cooling, add 1 cup sliced radishes, 1 medium chopped cucumber, 3 chopped scallions and half cup each of parsley and chives.

3. Mix 1/2 cup mayo, ¼ cup white wine vinegar, S&P to taste. Add all to cooled potatoes.

Ham and Cheese Potato Salad

1. Using Classic recipe with Yukon Gold potatoes, add 2 tbs. mustard, 8 oz. diced/cubed ham, 6 oz. shredded cheddar, ½ cup diced red onion, 2 tbs. chopped pickled green chiles.

Green Goddess

1. Cook 2 pounds halved fingerlings, drain and cool.

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2. Blend 1 cup mayo, ¼ cup mixed parsley, tarragon and basil, 1 scallion chopped, 1 tsp. sugar and lemon juice. S&P to taste.

Avocado-Shrimp Potato Salad

1. Make Green Goddess salad.

2. Add 1 whole chopped avocado and 1 cup halved cooked shrimp.

As you can see, there are many different versions;

Slaw by adding coleslaw mix

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Dill by adding ¼ chopped dill and scallions

Beet-Dill by adding 1 cup roasted beets

Nordic by adding to Beet-Dill, 2 tbsp. horseradish

Dutch by adding to that 2 tsp. Caraway seeds and 2 chopped cucumbers

Peruvian by adding aji Amarillo paste

Chicken by adding champagne vinegar, ¼ cornichons, 1 ½ cup diced grilled chicken

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also in the 50 plus recipes are:

Herb and vinegar, Nicoise, Provencal. Pesto-pea, Patriotic, Pico de Gallo, Salsa Verde,

Tomato, French, Sichuan, Carrot-Sesame, Salt Cod, Thai, Indian, Greek, Sweets and Beets, (using

sweet potatoes), Caviar, Smoked Salmon, Bagna Cauda, Kimchi, Smoky Sweet Potatoes, German,

Kraut, Smashed, Broccoli-Cheddar, Roasted, Grilled and Grilled Vegetables. If your interested in any of these drop me an E-Mail: scrappychef@ yahoo.com and I’ll get it out to you. So many possibilities.

Happy fooding! Happy salading!~and the last words~Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what’s for lunch~Orson Welles.
 

 

 

 


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