Serve cool salads on hot evenings

Our family had St. Louis Cardinals baseball tickets last weekend, and the temperature was stifling hot. We sat there feeling like we were baking in the hot summer sun and yet having a great time in spite of blistering temperatures. Being packed in Busch Stadium at times I felt like we were cooking in a bowl. I decided I would share a few cool summer salad recipes with you. I hope it adds a cool flair to your family menu as you enjoy these main dish salads.

Chicken Salad

8 large chicken breast halves

Few celery leaves

1 onion, sliced

Few sprigs parsley

Juice of 1 lemon

1 cup celery hearts, chopped fine

1 cup good quality mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Durkee's dressing

1 heaping teaspoon sugar

Salt, to taste

Red and/or green grapes, halved

Sliced almonds

Wash chicken breasts and place in pot with celery leaves, sliced onion and parsley. Add water to cover and add salt. Simmer until well done. Cool and remove meat from bones and cut into small pieces with kitchen scissors or sharp knife. Squeeze juice of a large lemon over cut chicken. Mix celery, mayonnaise, Durkee's, sugar and salt. Toss gently with a fork. Chill. Serve with grapes and almonds over the top on a bed of lettuce.

As a quick and cool option, purchase a roasted chicken from the supermarket, remove meat from bones and chill. Then add ingredients to make the salad.

When you can catch shrimp on sale or find it at some of the box discount stores the are carrying shrimp now, this salad is good on a hot summer day.

Shrimp Savannah

3/4 cup oil

3 tablespoons prepared mustard

6 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon pepper

2 pounds shrimp, cooked and diced

4 green onions with tops, sliced small on the bias

3/4 cup celery, chopped small

Lettuce variety, shredded or torn into bite-sized pieces

Make a dressing using oil, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Add shrimp, onions and celery. Marinate for two hours. Drain and serve mixed with shredded lettuce or serve on a bed of lettuce.

Fruited Tuna Salad

2 (6 1/2-ounce) cans water-pack tuna, drained

1 large navel orange or small can Mandarin oranges

1 unpeeled apple, diced

1 cup seedless grapes

1 cup pineapple chunks

1/2 cup coarsely broken pecans or walnuts

1 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Flake drained tuna into medium-size pieces. Combine tuna, orange, apple, grapes and walnuts. Blend mayonnaise, lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir half of blended mayonnaise through salad ingredients lightly. Spoon salad onto crisp salad greens. Serve remaining salad dressing on side or drizzled over top.

Summer Chicken Salad

1 stick butter, melted

2 cups mayonnaise

1/4 cup minced parsley

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1/4 teaspoon minced garlic

Pinch marjoram

2 cups seedless green grapes

4 cups shredded chicken breast, cooked

Salt and white pepper, to taste

Gently pour cooled butter into mayonnaise. Stir thoroughly. Combine remaining ingredients. Chill for several hours. Arrange on lettuce leaf and sprinkle with paprika to serve.

My husband would be asking me how many different ways can you make chicken salad. Personally I love chicken and could eat it several times a week, but he grows weary of it pretty quickly. So for those of us who like chicken, here is another cold chicken salad recipe sent in from a faithful recipe column reader.

Tarragon Chicken, Wild Rice and Raspberry Salad

1 1/2 cups uncooked wild rice

4 1/2 cups water

6 cups cubed cooked chicken

3 cups diced carrots (about 6 medium)

2 cups sliced celery (about 4 medium stalks)

3/4 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon

1 (12 ounce) bottle raspberry vinaigrette dressing (1 1/3 cups)

2 cups fresh raspberries

Rinse rice with cold water. Cook rice in water as directed on package. Drain; rinse with cold water. In very large bowl, combine rice and all remaining ingredients except raspberries; toss to combine. Cover; refrigerate at least 30 minutes to chill. Just before serving, sprinkle raspberries over salad.

I hope these recipes find their way to your summer dining table. Stay cool, have a great week and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699; Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by the Southeast Missourian staff.