Not just on the side salad

By Susan McClanahan

Hot summer, dog days of August calls for a cool and refreshing salad. Whether that salad is a main course or a side dish, I find the salad is my favorite part of the meal. I enjoy trying different mixtures in all kinds of unlikely combinations. Somehow it always turns out and then I forget what I did; maybe I should start writing them down!

Today, I have put together a wide variety of entree and side salad recipes for you to add to your summer menus.

Dilly Blue Cheese Potato Salad

The fresh dill really makes this potato salad pop with flavor. It's also really tasty when you use Yukon Gold or other tiny, multicolored potatoes. Paired with a some BBQ chicken or a spicy bratwurst, this potato salad can't be beat.

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 5 ribs celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 3 pounds new redskin potatoes, quartered and cooked
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Pepper to taste

Blend together mayonnaise, sour cream and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add onions, celery and dill; fold in blue cheese and potatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill overnight. Makes 10 servings.

Garden Salad with Orange-Dijon Vinaigrette

• 2 small mandarin oranges or clementines or Cuties, sectioned
• 6 ounces white mushrooms, quartered
• 2 teaspoons olive oil (for cooking mushrooms)
• 4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
• 5 ounces fresh baby lettuces, dandelion greens, arugula, mesclun, or a mixture
• 1/3 cup sliced scallions
• 1/4 cup sliced toasted almonds

Vinaigrette:

• 1-1/2 ounces fresh orange juice
• 1-1/2 ounces white wine vinegar
• 2 ounces extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar (optional, depending how tart your oranges are)
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and black pepper

Saute mushrooms until cooked through and cool. Whisk together ingredients for vinaigrette; toss with salad.

Kansas Cornbread Salad

• 1 (8-1/2 ounce) box corn muffin mix

Additional ingredients to make muffin mix

• 10 slices bacon
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup Miracle Whip
• 1 ounce packet ranch salad dressing mix
• 3 whole large tomatoes, chopped and drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 ounce) cans corn, drained
• 1 cup chopped red pepper, or your favorite color
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, snipped, optional
• 2 cups shredded co-jack cheese

Bake cornbread mix according to package directions. Cool; crumble; set aside. An 8x8 pan works as well as muffins as you will be crumbling it.

Cook bacon until crispy; cool; crumble; set aside.

Combine sour cream, Miracle Whip and dressing mix in small bowl; set aside.

Combine tomatoes, beans, corn, peppers, onion and cilantro in large bowl; set aside.

In a 9x13 glass dish, layer half of the crumbled cornbread, half of the bean mixture, half the bacon and 1 cup of cheese. Spread with half of the dressing mixture. Next, spread remaining bean mixture, bacon, dressing, cheese and end with remaining cornbread crumbles. Cover and chill.

Sicilian Potato Salad

• 10 small russet potatoes, unpeeled
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/2 pound fresh green beans, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 medium cucumbers, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, divided
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 3 garlic cloves, minced

Place potatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a Dutch oven; add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, until tender, 12-15 minutes. Drain; rinse with cold water. Pat dry.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add beans; cook, uncovered, just until crisp-tender, 3-4 minutes. Drain; immediately drop into ice water. Drain and pat dry.

Peel and cube potatoes; sprinkle with remaining salt and the pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl. Add beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, onion and 3/4 cup basil leaves. Whisk together oil, vinegar and garlic. Drizzle over vegetables; toss to coat. Sprinkle with remaining basil.

Blackberry Cantaloupe Salad

• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon honey or sugar-free honey
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 2 cups fresh ripe cantaloupe, diced small
• 1 cup fresh blackberries
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh Thai holy basil or fresh basil
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh mint leaves

Whisk together the yogurt, lime juice, honey and cardamom. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and serve immediately.

Amish Hot Bacon Slaw

• 1 small head cabbage, chopped
• 1 cup thinly sliced carrots
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 6 slices bacon, chopped
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup Splenda or sugar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• Salt and pepper

Whisk together the vinegar, sweetener, olive oil, garlic paste, and celery seed; set aside.

Fry bacon until crisp then stir in the cabbage, carrots and onion; season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until cabbage wilts.

Stir in the vinegar mixture and continue to cook until the vegetables are crisp tender and the liquid is about gone.

Serve warm, with barbecued ribs, pork steaks, bbq chicken, or pulled pork, etc., along with other sides such as macaroni and cheese, corn on the cob or baked beans.

Buffalo Potato Salad

• 2 pounds small waxy red potatoes
• 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup sliced scallions
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons Louisiana hot pepper sauce, or to taste (Crystal or Frank's)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 4-6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
• 5 ounces crumbled Roquefort cheese, or Bleu cheese
• Paprika or smoked paprika, to taste

Boil potatoes in salted water until fork-tender, about 15-20 minutes; drain. Chop potatoes coarsely, quarter, or halve, depending on size. Drizzle with melted butter.

Place potatoes in a salad bowl with scallions, celery, crumbled bacon, and crumbled Roquefort cheese.

Whisk together the hot sauce with the mayo; and season the dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Use a Crystal or Frank's type hot sauce in this, not Tabasco. Generally you want to use the kind of hot sauce you prefer on your hot wings.

Gently stir the dressing into the potatoes to mix. Garnish with paprika.

Refrigerate for a few hours for flavors to blend; if you hold it for long periods before serving, you may need a bit more hot sauce as it tends to tone down upon sitting, but it is easy to stir in a little more to taste.

Summertime Fresh Corn Salad

• 2 fresh ears corn, shucked
• 1 medium carrot
• 1/2 bell pepper, diced (mixed colors)
• 1/2 cup sliced cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup diced zucchini
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions
• 4-5 ounces crumbled feta cheese or cotija cheese
• 1/4 cup sliced pitted black olives
• 1-2 tablespoons minced fresh jalapeno
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro or Italian parsley
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

Bring a pan of water to a boil and drop in shucked ears of corn and pared carrot. Blanch 2 minutes then run under cold water.

Slice corn kernels from the cob with a sharp knife (discard cobs) and finely dice carrot.

Mix with remaining ingredients and chill. Serve well chilled.

Green Bean and Artichoke Salad

• 12-14 ounces water-packed artichoke hearts, drained (weight varies from jars to cans)
• 2 (16 ounce) cans cut green beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (2 ounce) jar chopped pimiento, drained
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (or sugar substitute to taste)
• 2 teaspoons parsley flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt or garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed

Combine vegetables in a salad bowl. Whisk together remaining ingredients as a dressing and gently mix. Refrigerate several hours to marinate and achieve best flavor.

Chopped Pasta Salad

• 8 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
• 4 cups ditalini pasta, cooked al dente and cooled
• 4 cups red cabbage, finely chopped
• 1 cup tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup scallions, diced
• 1/2 cup bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
• 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
• 1 to 1-1/2 cups honey mustard salad dressing (Brianna's brand is wonderful)

Place all salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine. Whisk dressing ingredients in a medium size bowl and pour over salad. Toss to coat. Serve with lots of fresh cracked black pepper.

Roasted Cauliflower Mock Potato Salad

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 6 scallions, sliced
• 1/2 cup finely diced celery
• 4 large hard cooked eggs, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon coarse grain mustard
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika

Drizzle cauliflower with oil on a baking sheet. Roast cauliflower at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, then cool. Chop cauliflower into smaller pieces and mix with remaining ingredients. Chill before serving.

Fresh and Tasty Macaroni Salad

• 3 cups cooked drained macaroni pasta
• 2 free-range eggs, hard-cooked, peeled and chopped
• 1 rib celery, finely diced
• 1/2 cup diced ripe heirloom tomatoes
• 1/2 cup finely sliced scallions
• 1 (2-ounce) jar diced roasted pimiento peppers, drained
• 1/4 cup chopped dill pickle
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro or fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Chill before serving.

Cucumber Salad with Lovage and Gorgonzola

• 2 small cucumbers, sliced
• 1 small zucchini, sliced
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1/2 cup finely diced celery
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh lovage or celery leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce
• Salt and black pepper
• 2-3 ounces crumbled gorgonzola cheese (2oz mixed in/1oz garnish)

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Chill one hour before serving.

Crunchy Tossed Spinach Salad

• 1 (8 ounce) bag green leaf spinach
• 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 6 strips bacon fried and crumbled
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 2 green onions, chopped -or- 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion

Crunchy Topping:

• 1 package chicken flavored ramen noodles (Crush the ramen noodles. The seasoning packet is used 1/2 for toasting with noodles, 1/2 for dressing)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Dressing:

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 package chicken seasoning
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

In a saute pan, toast the crushed ramen noodles and pecans with the butter and 1/2 package of the chicken seasoning included in the ramen noodles. Save the remainder of the chicken seasoning for the dressing.

For the dressing: Combine all dressing ingredients. Shake well and add to salad just before serving.

In a large serving bowl, toss the dressed spinach and romaine with the toasted ramen mixture. Top with bacon, cranberries and green onions. Toss lightly and serve.

Summertime Cottage Cheese Salad

• 2 cups large curd cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup tomato, finely diced tomato
• 1/2 cup finely diced fresh small zucchini
• 1/4 cup scallion, sliced
• 1/4 cup carrots, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup diced bell peppers, sweet bell peppers
• 1/4 cup radishes, finely diced radishes
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 tablespoons fresh dill weed or 1-2 teaspoons dried dill weed
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Stir all ingredients together. You can serve at once or refrigerate for a few hours if you like.

Mad Dog Salad

• 3 medium tortillas, cut into triangles (chip size)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 2 cups fresh arugula
• 4 cups mixed lettuce
• 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons light olive oil
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 red chili, chopped
• 1 green chili, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Arrange the tortilla triangles on the baking sheet, sprinkle over the salt, pine nuts and pumpkin seeds. Bake 5 minutes or until the tortillas are crispy and light golden on the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Toss together in a large bowl the arugula, lettuce, bell pepper, coriander and onion.

Add the cooled tortilla/nut/seeds mixture and gently mix. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Combine the lime juice, olive oil and salt and pepper. Drizzle over the salad.

Sprinkle the cheddar and the chilies over all. Serve.

Strawberry Arugula Salad

Strawberry Arugula Salad is a delicious and refreshing sweet and salty salad combination and perfect not only as a side dish, but is great to serve for lunch as well.

• 1-1/2 cups fresh strawberries hulled and quartered
• 1/3 cup red onion finely chopped
• 5 cups arugula baby leaves
• 1 low-fat feta cheese round crumbled or cubed
• 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1-1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Arrange the strawberries, onion, arugula and feta on a large salad serving plate. Mix together the balsamic vinegar, honey. olive oil, salt and black pepper, drizzle over the salad. Serve.

Nectarine, Chicken and Prosciutto Salad

Nectarine Chicken and Prosciutto Salad is a filling, refreshing salad with a light honey dressing, perfect for lunch or as a light dinner.

For the dressing:

• 1/3 cup olive oil extra virgin
• 2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

For the salad:

• 8 slices prosciutto
• 1 1/2 cups raspberries
• 1-1/4 cups cooked chicken fillets, shredded
• 6 nectarines, pits removed, quartered (best, but use peaches if unavailable)
• 1 1/2 handfuls arugula
• 4 ounces buffalo mozzarella torn, plain and cubed
• Black pepper, to taste

For the dressing: Combine all the ingredients for the dressing well. Keep chilled until ready to serve the Salad.

For the salad: Arrange all the salad ingredients on a large serving plate. Drizzle with the dressing just before serving and season with black pepper.

Salad Irooni

A Persian version of tossed salad. It's a bit like Greek salad but it has its own character, much more herbal, and definitely lemony instead of vinegary.

• 4 cups chopped lettuce (romaine, leaf lettuce, etc.)
• 1/2 cup shredded or chopped radicchio or red cabbage
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1/2 English cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 6 radishes, trimmed and chopped
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 2 roma tomatoes, cored and chopped
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (marinated feta)
• 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives (marinated ones)
• 1/4 cup toasted pistachios
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
• 2 tablespoons dried sweetened pomegranate arils or fresh arils

For the dressing:

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sumac spice or grated lemon zest
• Pinch sugar

Toss together salad ingredients. Whisk together dressing and serve over salad.

Candied Walnut and Grape Salad

• 5 cups mixed baby greens
• 1/2 cup red seedless grapes, halved
• 3-1/2 ounces crumbled gorgonzola cheese
• 1/2 cup candied walnuts
• 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Arrange greens on a salad plate, covered loosely with grapes, walnuts, and gorgonzola.

Whisk together remaining ingredients until dressing emulsifies. Drizzle over salad before serving. Yield: 4 servings

Tomato and Cucumber Orzo Salad

• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 cups orzo
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups baby heirloom tomatoes, halved
• 1-1/2 cups baby cucumbers, halved and sliced
• Salt and pepper as desired

In a medium saucepan, cook the orzo in the vegetable broth according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.

In a blender or food processor, combine olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, honey, basil and garlic until mixed well.

In a bowl, combine pasta, sauce mixture, tomatoes, cucumbers, salt and pepper. Refrigerate until serving.

Summer Quinoa Salad

Not only is quinoa a superfood but so are the black beans. You can add in all kinds of other things as well, such as strawberries, blueberries, leftover meat, and veggies that you like. If you want to boost your superfood blend, try adding a bit of turmeric to the dressing. It will turn the dish a beautiful yellow color, similar to saffron, and add an earthiness reminiscent of a good curry. No matter how you make Summer Quinoa Salad, you'll love the flavor and how it keeps you cool on a hot summer's day.

Salad:

• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 tomato, seeded and diced
• 1 yellow sweet pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (4 ounce) package feta cheese
• 1 cup leftover rotisserie chicken, diced

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced

In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the quinoa, cover, and reduce to low. Simmer 12 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit 5 minutes to absorb any remaining liquid.

Place the remaining salad ingredients into a large bowl. Add the quinoa and stir well.

Add the dressing ingredients and stir to coat. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Serve chilled.

Chili Frito Corn Salad

• 2 (15 ounce) cans whole kernel corn, drained
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup green pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
• 1 (10-1/2 ounce) bag coarsely crushed Fritos chili cheese corn chips

Mix first 5 ingredients and chill. Stir in corn chips just before serving.

Hot Bacon Dressing Spinach Salad

For the dressing:

• 1/2 pound bacon, sliced and cooked in 1/4 cup vegetable oil (reserve bacon pieces and bacon fat drippings)
• 1/2 cup minced onions plus 1 pinch salt
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar, or to taste
• 1-1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• Cracked pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup of the bacon fat drippings
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 teaspoons cold water

For the salad:

• 1 bag cleaned spinach salad
• Mushrooms, sliced

Slice the bacon into small pieces. Cook in the vegetable oil over medium heat until crispy. Strain the oil from the bacon, reserving the bacon oil it for the dressing. Set both aside.

In the same pan, saute the minced onions with a pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon of the bacon oil for about 5 minutes, until golden brown. Add the garlic, saute for 1 minute.

Add the apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, water, and sugar. Stir. Add Dijon mustard and whisk.

Raise heat to medium high and bring to a simmer. Add in the cornstarch slurry (cornstarch that has been mixed with 2 teaspoons cold water), whisking continuously. Simmer for 1 minute until thickened. Reduce heat to low and drizzle in the 1/3 cup of bacon oil. Stir well. Toss in cooked bacon. Taste for seasoning.

Toss with the spinach and sliced mushrooms and serve.

Doritos Taco Salad with Homemade French Dressing

For the French dressing:

• 1â„2 cup mayonnaise
• 1â„2 cup ketchup
• 1â„4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1â„4 to 1â„2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1â„2 teaspoon salt
• 1â„4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup olive oil

For the salad:

• Several cups chopped lettuce (1-2 cups per person)
• 1-2 medium ripened on the vine tomatoes, diced
• Shredded cheddar or Colby jack cheese
• Crushed Doritos chips
• Ground beef, cooked with a few tablespoons finely chopped onion, cooked and drained
• Taco seasoning, added to the ground beef while cooking
• Diced cucumber
• Chopped green onions

In a blender, place the mayonnaise, ketchup, vinegar, sugar, onion powder, salt and pepper; cover and process until smooth.

While processing, gradually add oil in a steady slow stream. (If you make this by hand, whisk vigorously and add the oil one drop at a time. Go very slow.) Let chill in fridge until ready to use.

To prepare the salad: Combine the lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, crushed chips, warm ground beef, cucumber and green onions. Drizzle with French dressing. Toss lightly to combine and serve.

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.