Cool salads for those hot summer days

Hot weather, fresh ingredients and cool summer salads are all featured today. I have found a few nice entree salads for sandwiches or on the plate, to side salads to go along with your favorite grilled meats. You can play around with ingredients that are available all through the year, but especially while produce is coming ripe during the summer.

Have fun, stay cool and enjoy some nice salads in the weeks ahead.

Red, White and Blue Summer Salad

Caprese and fresh fruit always remind me of summer. This salad combines traditional Caprese flavors with summer blueberries, peaches and adds prosciutto for saltiness, creating a balanced and flavor-packed popular side dish.

• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup julienned fresh basil
• 1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup julienned fresh mint leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 8 cups fresh arugula
• 1 carton (8 ounces) fresh mozzarella cheese pearls, drained
• 2 medium peaches, sliced
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, julienned

In a small bowl, whisk the first nine ingredients. Add tomatoes; let stand while preparing salad.

In a large bowl, combine arugula, mozzarella, peach slices, blueberries and prosciutto. Pour tomato mixture over top; toss to coat. Garnish with additional mint leaves. Serve immediately.

Southern Shrimp Salad Roll with Lemon and Dill Mayonnaise

• 1 1/2 pounds small shrimp
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1/3 cup red onion
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Juice from 1/2 lemon, squeezed

Add shrimp to boiling water in small stock pot. Cook shrimp for two to five minutes, just until pink. Drain and set aside to cool.

Mix together mayonnaise, herbs, and seasonings. Add in celery, red onion, and shrimp. Toss until completely covered. Squeeze 1/2 lemon over the salad. Toss again.

Chill. Serve on rolls or on a bed of lettuce with crackers.

Grilled Balsamic-Chicken Salad

• 1 3/4 cups balsamic vinaigrette dressing
• 8 boneless skinless chicken breasts (2 pounds)
• 12 cups mixed salad greens
• 4 cups halved fresh strawberries
• 1 cup honey-roasted peanuts

In a large resealable food-storage plastic bag, place 1 cup of the dressing and the chicken; turn bag to coat. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to marinate.

Heat gas or charcoal grill for medium heat.

Place chicken on grill; discard marinade. Cover grill; reduce heat to low and cook seven minutes. Turn chicken; cook seven to eight minutes more or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170 degrees). Cut chicken across grain into thin strips.

In seven-quart bowl, gently toss chicken, salad greens, strawberries and remaining 3/4 cup dressing. Sprinkle with peanuts.

Notes: Roasted soy nuts can be substituted for the peanuts. Chicken can be cooked by grilling with indirect heat, which means the food is not cooked directly over the flame. Use the guidelines in your grill manufacturer's booklet for more specific information.

Crunchy Chicken Salad

• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 package (3 ounces) Oriental-flavor ramen noodle soup mix
• 2 tablespoons sesame seed
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups cut-up cooked chicken
• 1/2 cup dry-roasted peanuts
• 4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)
• 1 bag (16 ounces) coleslaw mix

Melt butter in 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Stir in seasoning packet from noodles. Break block of noodles into bite-size pieces over skillet; stir noodles into butter mixture. Cook two minutes, stirring constantly; stir in sesame seed. Cook about two minutes more, stirring constantly, until noodles are golden brown.

Mix sugar, vinegar, oil and pepper in large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and noodle mixture; toss.

Notes: Keep your salad crunchy by tossing in the noodles just before serving.

Precooked frozen chicken from the meat department is a great thing to have on hand for ready-to-go recipes like this.

For extra flavor and color, stir in an 11-ounce can of mandarin orange slices, drained.

Summer Cobb Pasta Salad

• 2 boxes Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad BLT pasta salad
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce (8 ounces)
• 8 slices cooked bacon, chopped
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 2 medium avocados, pitted, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled, coarsely chopped

In 4-quart saucepan, cook pasta as directed on box; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain well.

In large bowl, stir together seasoning mix pouches, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Stir in cooked pasta.

Spread lettuce on large serving platter. Top with pasta mixture. Arrange remaining salad ingredients in rows over pasta.

Tuna Salad with Apples, Celery and Pecans

• 2 (12 ounce) cans chunk white albacore tuna in water, drained
• 1 1/2 Gala or Honeycrisp apples, chopped
• 3 ribs celery, diced
• 1/2 cup halved pecans
• 1 2/3 cup mayonnaise (liquid measuring cup)
• 1 tablespoon mustard
• 1/2 lemon juiced
• Cracked pepper

Mix together, using a fork, the drained tuna, chopped apples, diced celery and halved pecans in a large mixing bowl.

Add mayo, mustard, lemon juice and cracked pepper. Mix well, making sure all tuna is shredded.

Serve on croissants or with crackers.

Crunchy Sesame Chicken Salad

Stop in the deli for a rotisserie chicken, and grab a few convenience items from the produce section, and you can have this tasty Asian salad mixed 15 minutes after you get home.

• 4 cups shredded deli rotisserie chicken (from 2-pound chicken)
• 1 bag (16 ounce) coleslaw mix (about 8 cups)
• 2 cups chow mein noodles (from 6-ounce bag)
• 1 bag (8 ounce) fresh sugar snap peas, strings removed (about 2 cups)
• 1 cup shredded carrots (from 10-ounce bag)
• 1 1/4 cups Asian toasted sesame dressing (from 16-ounce bottle)
• 3 medium green onions, sliced (3 tablespoons)

In large serving bowl, toss all ingredients except onions until evenly coated. Sprinkle with onions.

Notes: For a tasty topping, try chopped wasabi and soy sauce-flavored almonds. Look for them in the snack section of the supermarket.

Tasty Lemon Chicken Salad

Not your average chicken salad recipe, this tasty and hearty recipe is made with bright lemon chicken, red bell pepper, chopped black olives, and celery seed.

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, boiled, diced/shredded
• 1 medium-large red bell pepper, diced
• 1 (4.25 ounce) can chopped olives
• 1 cup real mayonnaise (generous)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Serve immediately or chilled.

Watermelon Salad with Feta Cheese, Blueberries, Cucumbers, and Lime Vinaigrette

Watermelon salad is the light summer side you've been looking for. With feta cheese, blueberries, cucumber, and a lime vinaigrette, the flavors are out of this world.

• 1 watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 pints fresh blueberries
• 2 cucumbers peeled, halved lengthwise, then cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 8 ounces feta cheese crumbled
• 2 limes, zested and juiced
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, combine lime juice, half the lime zest, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Set aside.

Toss watermelon, blueberries, and cucumber together in a large bowl. Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese over fruit. Drizzle with dressing and top with remaining lime zest.

Summer Corn Salad

Add this delicious Summer Corn Salad to your BBQ menus. With bacon, cheese, spices, and fresh corn, you'll love this simple side dish for barbecues.

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 4 cups corn (approximately 8 ears)
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup green onions, sliced
• 1/2 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled

In a bowl combine: mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, and seasonings. Stir to combine.

Add to bowl: corn, cheese, and green onions. Stir to combine.

Stir in bacon.

Refrigerate at least one hour prior to serving. Add additional cheese and green onions prior to serving if desired.

Southwest Pasta Salad

Southwest Pasta Salad is the perfect side dish for a back yard barbeque gathering. With loads of great flavors in one dish, it's fantastic with burgers and hot dogs. If you can't find the Farmer's Pantry cornbread crisps in the store, look online or at Trader Joe's. They are worth finding, as they add so much to this and other salads.

• 1/2 pound seashell pasta
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 cup green onions, sliced
• 1 cup black beans, rinsed
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons BBQ sauce
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• Farmer's Pantry brand Jalapeño Cornbread Crisps, broken into large pieces
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook and drain pasta according to package directions. Allow to completely cool.

In a mixing bowl along with cooled pasta add: grape tomatoes, green onions, black beans and cheddar cheese.

In small bowl whisk together: mayonnaise, BBQ sauce, Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Add sauce to other ingredients, mix together. Spoon into serving bowl. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Stir prior to serving and top with pieces of Farmer's Pantry Jalapeño Cornbread Crisps.

Summer Vegetable Tortellini Salad

• 1 pound frozen or refrigerated-fresh cheese tortellini {tri-color or regular}
• 4 cups zucchini and summer squash, cut into thick matchsticks or cubed
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 4 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, very finely minced
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add zucchini and summer squash and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes to blanch. (Don't wait for the water to return to a boil to begin timing the 3 minutes ~ begin timing as soon as the squash is in the pot.) Working quickly, use a large slotted spoon to scoop squash from the pot into a colander. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain completely. Place in a large serving bowl.

Return water to a boil. Add tortellini and cook according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water; drain well. Add to the bowl with the squash. Add tomatoes and gently toss to combine.

Combine vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, dill weed, thyme, salt, and pepper; whisk until well blended. Pour dressing over tortellini mixture and gently toss to coat.

Chill at least 2 hours before serving to allow flavors to meld.

Green Bean, Walnut, and Feta Salad

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into about 2-inch pieces
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 3/4 cup diced red onion
• 1 cup crumbled Feta cheese
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add green beans and cook for only 3 minutes. Drain well and immediately plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain again and pat dry with paper towels.

Place green beans in a large bowl. Add walnuts, red onion, and Feta; gently stir to combine.

Combine olive oil, white wine vinegar, mint, garlic, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor; pulse a few times to blend. Pour dressing over the bean mixture and toss. Chill for about an hour before serving.

Pineapple Shrimp Macaroni Salad

• 1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks (plus 3/4 cup of the juice)
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 2 1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (or small pasta shells)
• 1 pound cooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper (about 1/2 of a pepper)
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions (about 3 or 4 green onions)

Drain pineapple chunks, reserving 3/4 cup juice.

Place pineapple juice in a small saucepan. Add cornstarch, curry powder, salt, and pepper; whisk to remove any cornstarch lumps. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and boil until thickened. Cool. Once cooled, stir in mayonnaise and sour cream.

Cook macaroni in salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain well and place in a large bowl.

Add pineapple, shrimp, chopped red pepper, and chopped green onions to the macaroni; toss gently to combine. Add pineapple dressing and toss gently to coat.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to allow flavors combine together.

At serving time, taste and adjust salt and pepper to taste. I typically add about another 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt to brighten the flavor.

Antipasto Pasta Salad

Salad:

• 3 cups uncooked rotini (corkscrew) or penne pasta
• 1 (6 ounce) package sliced turkey or regular pepperoni, cut into quarters
• 1/3 pound thick-sliced hard salami, cubed
• 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup green olives, halved
• 1/2 of a medium red or Vidalia onion, finely chopped or grated
• 1 red, yellow, or orange sweet bell pepper, chopped
• 1 (1 pound) block mozzarella cheese, cubed
• 1 cup marinated artichoke hearts

Dressing:

• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Cook pasta in boiling salted water, according to package directions. Drain. Rinse under cold water, and drain thoroughly.

Combine the quartered pepperoni slices, cubed salami, cubed mozzarella cheese, halved tomatoes, chopped onion, chopped bell pepper, halved olives, and artichoke hearts in a large bowl. Add the cooked pasta and stir to combine.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar and granulated sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add the olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and Italian seasoning and whisk to combine. Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture; toss to coat.

Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Note: This recipe makes a big salad, so if desired, cut the recipe in 1/2 if you don't want to make a lot. Also, substitute bottled Italian salad dressing if you'd like.

Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette

A savory vinaigrette filled with lemon, garlic and just a hint of Parmesan cheese.

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 small lemon, juiced
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, powdered
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Add all ingredients into a food processor and emulsify. Serve immediately. If not serving immediately and dressing settles and separates, simply shake before serving.

Salad with Peaches, Blackberries and Basil Vinaigrette

All the fresh flavors of summer are together in one beautiful salad.

For the basil vinaigrette:

• 3/4 cup olive oil extra virgin
• 1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 1 lemon juiced
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste

For the salad with peaches, blackberries and pecans:

• 10 ounces salad greens
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese, use any blue cheese, if preferred
• 1/2 cup pecans, halves or pieces
• 1/2 pint fresh blackberries
• 3 peaches sliced and tossed with a citrus/water mixture

For the dressing:

Shake all ingredients in tightly closed jar, or whisk in bowl until emulsified.

For the salad:

Peel peaches, if desired. Slice peaches and let sit in a bowl with water and about 2 tablespoons of any type citrus juice (lemon, orange, etc.) while preparing the rest of the salad.

Toss greens, blackberries, and pecans together. Top with peach slices and cheese.

Pour dressing over salad and toss gently.

Notes: Recipe makes 10 side salads. For entree salads top with grilled chicken, shrimp or fish and divide into 5 salads.

Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

This is a delicious salad that is easily adjustable to seasonal ingredients. If strawberries aren't available, substitute mandarin oranges and dried cranberries.

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds
• 1 bunch romaine, torn (about 8 cups)
• 1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 cups halved fresh strawberries

For the dressing:

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon sour cream
• 1 tablespoon 2% milk
• 2-1/4 teaspoons cider vinegar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds

Place sugar in a small heavy skillet; cook and stir over medium-low heat until melted and caramel-colored, about 10 minutes. Stir in almonds until coated. Spread on foil to cool.

Place romaine, onion and strawberries in a large bowl. Whisk together dressing ingredients; toss with salad. Break candied almonds into pieces; sprinkle over salad. Serve immediately.

And until next time, happy cooking.