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Feel good summer salads

I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend. Here at the homestead, fresh out of quarantine, we got busy planting flowers, sealing decks and cleaning patio furniture. In our spare time we cleaned up the grill and had our first al fresco meal of the season. Shaded under our new umbrella we feasted on hamburgers, grilled potato salad, corn-on-the-cob with home-made strawberry-rhubarb pie for dessert. It was a meal to make a body feel good after being cooped up for so long.

One good thing came of my time inside, I made a lot of the recipes I’d been meaning to try, many with an eye towards summer, hoping to add a delicious variety of dishes to the rotation, prepared salads included.

Though I usually serve a mayonnaise-based potato salad, I came across one with grilled potatoes and bacon with a vinaigrette dressing that is mighty tasty served warm or chilled.

Fans of rice will enjoy a chilled roasted corn and Basmati rice salad with tomatoes and onion. Dressed with a light basil vinaigrette this yummy salad is summer in a bowl and goes well with most grilled meats.

And when I want a salad that has some substance, one I could make a meal of, Tuna Pasta Salad is it. The easy salad combines shell macaroni, canned tuna, celery, onion, carrots and pickles with a creamy mayo-based dressing (I use salad dressing for zip.) It’s like tuna salad on steroids. Yum!

I won’t lie. I miss doing things with my friends and family but for now, armed with a few new recipes, as we hang out waiting for life’s new normal, spending time at home feels good, more like a lovely staycation than an isolation.

Grilled Potato Salad

6 medium potatoes (skin on)

Olive oil

6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/2 sweet onion, cut into slices, then quartered

Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil

2 T. balsamic vinegar

1 T. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. crushed garlic

Freshly ground black pepper

Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Directions: Bake potatoes in 400-degree oven or in microwave till softened. Cool, then cube. Add to bowl with sliced onions and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in grilling pan or an aluminum foil pan and grill over medium heat till brown.

Meanwhile, prepare dressing by whisking together oil, vinegar, mustard and garlic until well mixed and slightly thick.

In large bowl place potatoes, onions and crumbled bacon. Pour dressing over and toss gently. Grind some pepper over top and add chopped parsley. Toss again, adjust seasoning as desired. May be served warm or cold. Serves 6.

Roasted Corn and Basmati Rice Salad

2 cups uncooked basmati rice

4 cups water

8 ears fresh corn, kernels cut from cob, or frozen corn, thawed

3 T. corn oil or light olive oil

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup corn oil or light olive oil

1 T. white sugar

1/2 cup minced fresh basil

Salt and pepper to taste

3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced

1 large red onion, diced

6 green onions, chopped

Directions: In a medium pot, bring rice and 1-quart water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, toss the corn kernels with 3 tablespoons corn oil. Spread the corn on a large baking sheet and bake 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool.

For dressing, mix the lemon juice, red wine vinegar, 1/2 cup corn oil, sugar, basil, salt and pepper.

In large bowl, toss together the cooked rice, roasted corn, tomatoes, dressing, red onion and green onions. Cover and chill at least 1 hour before serving. Serves 12.

Tuna Pasta Salad

4 cups small shell macaroni, cooked and drained according to package directions.

1 or 2 small cans tuna, drained (I use oil-packed tuna for the most flavor)

1 cup salad dressing (preferred) or mayonnaise

1 cup celery, sliced

1/2 cup sweet pickles, sliced or about 1/4 cup pickle relish

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1/3 cup chopped carrots

1 T. milk

1 T. pickle juice

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped (optional)

Directions: Combine all ingredients except shells, stirring well. Pour over shells and toss lightly to mix. Chill. Serves 8 to 10.

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