Salad and summer go together like corn on the cob and butter and hot dogs and beans.
For one thing, the summer produce is fresh, available and can be reasonably priced. Plus it tastes delicious!
Here are a few of my favorite salad combinations with several recipes for dressings, as well:
My favorite all-time: arugula, gorgonzola cheese, walnuts and dried cranberries. Add sliced pears or apples, if desired and a simple oil and vinegar dressing.
My mother's favorite: red leaf lettuce, mandarin oranges, crumbled bacon and sugared almonds (heat slivered or sliced almonds with a tablespoon of sugar in a hot, dry pan until the sugar melts and coats the almonds)
My sister's favorite: baby spinach and field greens, sliced hearts of palm, toasted corn kernels, grated cheddar cheese, red onion and toasted pine nuts.
Enjoyed recently at a restaurant in Litchfield: shredded Napa cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, red onion, cilantro and mango in a dressing of lime juice, oil, hot sauce and grated fresh ginger.
Beyond easy and cool for the summer: any type of greens, chunks of avocado and sliced fresh orange wedges.
Broccoli salad: broccoli, crisp bacon pieces, raisins, red onion and cashews. Dressing of mayo, sugar and vinegar.
Strawberries and spinach: baby spinach, sliced strawberries, walnuts or other nuts.
Missy's Rocky Mountain salad: mixed greens, artichoke hearts, avocado, bacon, scallions and Parmesan cheese
Georgia's Sweet & Sour Spinach Salad: spinach, red cabbage, raisins and walnuts or pecans.
The list is endless!
Dressings:
For Salads With Fruit: 2 T sugar, 2 T wine vinegar, 1/2 cup safflower oil, dash Tabasco sauce and 1 T fresh or dried parsley
Strawberry Salad Dressing: 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cider vinegar, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp. paprika, 1 T poppy seeds
A Light Dressing: 2 T rice wine vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 T fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper
Basil Mayo: 2 cloves garlic, 4 cups loosely packed basil leaves, 2 cups mayonnaise - puree in food processor. This is awesome on chicken salad.
Rocky Mountain Dressing: 1/4 cup chopped onion, 1 clove garlic, 3 T cider vinegar, 2 T spicy brown mustard, 1/2 tsp. sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, 3/4 cup olive oil - process in food processor or blender.
Sweet & Sour Spinach Dressing: 1 tsp. dry mustard, 1 tsp. salt, 2 T grated onion, 1 1/2 tsp. celery seed, 1 cup vegetable oil, 1/3 cup white vinegar, 6 T sugar - process in food processor or blender.
