Summer’s high heat days are the time for cold salads that are filling and satisfying, but easy to prepare and to eat. I haven’t reinvented any wheels with this recipe, just taken the classic combination of tomatoes, basil and mozzarella to create a refreshing, simple summer meal. Because when the ingredients are at the peak of freshness, simple is best. I return to this flavor … [Read more...] about Orzo Caprese Pasta Salad with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette
Salads
Autumn Celebration Salad with Port Poached Pears, Maple Pepper Walnuts, Stilton Croutons
I’ll be honest, I am not a big salad eater. Because I feel like, for the most part, salad is often just an afterthought. Sure, I like a restaurant salad with nice add-ins that I am not going to get at home, but I find most home salads come from a bag and use processed, packaged toppings and bottled dressing. People seem to volunteer to bring the salad to a party because it’s … [Read more...] about Autumn Celebration Salad with Port Poached Pears, Maple Pepper Walnuts, Stilton Croutons
Lyonnaise Style Platter Salad
On the calendar, summer is moving into fall. On the thermometer, not so much. Theoretically, we are all ready for soups and stews and pumpkin everything. But really? It’s still over 90 degrees outside here. So a hearty cold meal is still very much welcome, but one with some substance and depth. I turn here to my new favorite easy entertaining option – the platter salad. With … [Read more...] about Lyonnaise Style Platter Salad
Honey Mustard Potato Salad
I am generally a planner – I like to think about menu ideas and recipes for a while before I entertain. But I am getting better at loosening things up and learning to go with the flow. Case in point, I ran into a friend on the Friday of a holiday weekend and we realized we had not major plans so decided to get together to cook burgers and hot dogs. A trip to the farmers … [Read more...] about Honey Mustard Potato Salad
Summer Caprese Chicken Salad
The tomato-mozzarella-basil caprese salad is a true summer staple. When tomatoes are at their juiciest best, it is a joy to serve them with as little fuss as possible. The pairing of tomatoes and mozzarella is deliciously simple, creamy and fresh classic. I’ve taken the idea of the caprese in a lot of directions to maximize this lovely flavor combination, so it’s no wonder I … [Read more...] about Summer Caprese Chicken Salad
