Pasta Salad

It's a shame this salad doesn't have a name other than the generic "pasta salad" because it is a good one and perfect for summer. What makes it unique to me is the marinated artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, and the balsamic vinaigrette. I found the recipe here.

Pasta Salad

16 ounces rotini pasta, cooked and drained
3 ounces (large handful) fresh spinach, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
10 ounces grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup (or more) sun dried tomatoes, chopped
4 ounces feta cheese
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese
14 ounce can of marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
optional: thinly sliced red onion or cucumber chunks (I like adding the cucumber.)

Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil (I used less.)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, chopped
juice of half a lemon
salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, add the cooked, drained, and cooled pasta, sun dried tomatoes, grape tomatoes, spinach, basil, artichokes, feta and mozzarella cheese. Mix well.

Mix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic and lemon juice well and pour over salad.

Toss and chill before serving. Serves about eight.

Cucumber Salad with Radish and Dill

"It tastes like spring," my daughter said when we gave this salad a try. I wished I had doubled the recipe because it disappeared so quickly. It is originally from Martha Stewart and you can print it here.

Cucumber Salad with Radish and Dill

1 English cucumber or 3 kirby cucumbers, halved lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced

4 large radishes (about 6 ounces), thinly sliced

Zest of 1 lemon, plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1 lemon total)

6 ounces feta cheese, coarsely crumbled (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill, plus more, torn, for garnish

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 garlic clove, crushed with the flat side of a large knife

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Put cucumber, radishes, and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Add cheese.

2. Make the vinaigrette: Whisk together lemon juice, vinegar, dill, sugar, and garlic in another medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Whisk in the oil in a slow, steady stream until emulsified.

3. Add vinaigrette to cucumber mixture; toss well. Garnish with dill. Discard garlic clove before serving. Refrigerate salad in an airtight container (or store in a chilled cooler) up to 1 hour.

Serves 4 to 6

Tomato-Chicken Salad

This salad is perfect for late summer when all the vegetables and herbs are fresh from the garden. It was a big hit with my family--definitely a keeper. I found the recipe in Southern Living last year. You can print it here.

Tomato-Chicken Salad

Preheat grill to 400˚ to 450˚ (high) heat. Rub 6 (1-inch-thick) ciabatta or French bead baguette slices with a garlic clove; brush with extra virgin olive oil. Grill bread 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until toasted.

1 lemon
2 lb. assorted tomatoes, halved or chopped
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 large English cucumber, sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Grate zest from lemon to equal 2 tsp.; squeeze juice from lemon to equal 2 Tbsp. Combine lemon zest, juice, tomatoes, and next 8 ingredients in a large bowl. Let stand 10 minutes. Toss with crumbled feta just before serving.

Julie's Note: I toasted the ciabatta in the oven for a few minutes rather than on the grill.



  

Artichoke and Asparagus Salad

This recipe is from my local paper, the Daily Herald.

Artichoke and Asparagus Salad

2 bunches asparagus, bottoms trimmed
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup olive oil
Two 14-ounce cans artichoke hearts, drained
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Set a large bowl of ice water next to the stove.

Place the asparagus in the boiling water and blanch until bright green and just tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer the asparagus to the ice water to cool and stop the cooking. Drain well.

In a large bowl, whisk together the mustard, salt, pepper, lemon juice, vinegar, lemon zest, thyme and oil.

Gently toss the drained asparagus spears and the artichoke hearts in the dressing. Serve sprinkled with the feta cheese.

Green Bean, Walnut, & Feta Salad

This delicious green bean salad is packed with flavor. I always substitute pecans for the walnuts because I like to think that I am a southern girl at heart. I don't have the original source for this recipe, but I did preserve the fact that it is in 1996 Recipe Hall of Fame.

Green Bean, Walnut, & Feta Salad

2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed

1 small purple onion, thinly sliced

1 (4-ounce) package crumbled feta cheese

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted

3/4 cup olive oil (I use 1/2 cup.)

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cut green beans into thirds, and arrange in a steamer basket over boiling water, Cover and steam 15 minutes or until crisp-tender. Immediately plunge into cold water to stop the cooking process; drain and pat dry.

Toss together green beans, onion, cheese, and walnuts in a large bowl. Cover and chill 1 hour.

Whisk together olive oil and next 5 ingredients; cover and chill 1 hour.

Pour vinaigrette over green bean mixture, and chill 1 hour; toss just before serving.

Yield: 8 servings

Julie's Notes: I reduce the amount of oil in the vinaigrette. Also, I never seem to have enough prep time to chill the vegetables and dressing separately for an hour first, so I simply toss them all together and chill before serving.