Blog Hop: Summer Salad Recipes

Regarding cooking, I have very few Martha Stewart moments.  I mean, I’m a cook of sorts.  It’s an activity I do daily, even doing it willingly and triumphantly 94% of the time.  But I cook with one purpose: to eat.  Period.  End of story.  No further discussion needed. 

Moving on. 

Therefore, taking photos of my food and posting them on this silly little blog of mine is not a practice that I regularly engage in.  For the exact same reason that I don’t post pictures of my abs. . .it just doesn’t paint me in the best light.

Honestly though, I used to think I was a pretty good cook.  Then my eyes were opened to the world of gourmet food bloggers and I realized that I was mediocre, at best.  But I try not to let it bother me.  And luckily my family is easy please - we get a kick out of Costco samples – so it doesn’t take a Pioneer Women to keep them feed. 

{P.S.  My husband is mostly clueless to the world of food blogs + their cookbook worthy photos of tonight’s gourmet dinner so he is still under the assumption that he married a good cook.  Please don’t inform him otherwise. Thankyouverymuch.}

Anyway, this blog post is not supposed to be an All-About-Kim’s-Cooking post, this post is labeled Blog Hop: Summer Salad Recipes.  So I guess I should ‘hop’ to it {sorry, I couldn’t resist}.

Miranda does a monthly Blog Hop on her blog and has asked me to take part this month.  The topic: Favorite Summer Salads.  To me summer salads mean family parties so I decided to post a salad that reminded me of each of my sisters.  Because I’m cool like that.  Err. . . something.  

Jessica//Strawberry Spinach Salad

Tidbit: Jessica makes this Strawberry Spinach Salad for a lot of our family get-togethers.  Well, this salad and about 100 other salads.  Jessica’s the oldest child, therefore always and forever the most responsible.  Plus, she’s a pleaser.  If I were hosting a family party at my house and asked Jessica to bring the entire meal, she would.  Without hesitation.  If ever there is a family party where we are all asked to bring a salad, Jeccica shows up with three.  Because she’s the big sister.  Plus, she’s a Home EC teacher.  So, duh.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Dressing:

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tbs. white wine vinegar

1/4 cup white sugar

1/8 tsp. paprika

1 tbs. sesame seeds

1/2 tbs. Poppy seeds  

Salad:

1 bunch spinach

2 cups sliced strawberries

1/2 cup almonds

Directions: In a large bowl, toss together the spinach, strawberries and almonds. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, paprika, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds. Pour over the spinach and strawberries, and toss to coat.

Jami//Grandma Marilyn’s Baked Beans

Tidbit:  Jami’s a country cook, and a dang good one at that.  Comfort foods are her specialty.  And I think Paula Deen is her cooking idol. { Chime in, Jami.  Is that right?}  She lives by the cooking motto if it ain’t tasting right add more butter.  This baked bean recipe is my Grandma Marilyn’s and I can honestly say I don’t remember a summer family party where Grandma’s beans weren’t served.  Jami has become the unofficial baked bean maker in our immediate family.  And honestly, she’s a pro; they taste just like Grandma Marilyn’s.

photo via

Grandma Marilyn’s Baked Beans

Ingredients:

4 cans pork and beans

1 can of tomato soup

2 lbs ground beef

1 diced onion

1 cup chopped celery

2 tbs. vinegar

1/4 to 1/2 cup brown sugar

Garlic salt to taste

Directions: Brown hamburger, celery, onion and garlic salt.  Add pork and beans and tomato soup.  Mix in vinegar and brown sugar, to taste.  Pour into a crock pot and simmer on low for several hours.  Serve.

Katie//Italian Pasta Salad

Tidbit:  Last December my sisters and I were in charge of Katie’s after wedding luncheon.  We decided on serving soups, salads and sandwich and when we ran the idea by Kate she had only one request: that I make this Italian Pasta Salad.  A bridezilla she was not.  I’d made the salad several years ago for a family party and had forgotten about it.  But since her request it has become my go to summer potluck salad.  It’s quick, travels well, and doesn’t wilt in the sun.  It’s easy to fancy up with some halved cherry tomatoes, red or green peppers or artichoke hearts, but since I was making this salad in honor of Kate I left it as minimal as possible.  She’s the kind of girl what orders her Subway sandwich with meat, cheese and a tiny bit of mayo.

Italian Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 pound tri-color rotini pasta, cooked and drained

1 cup cheddar cheese, cubed

1 cup pepperoni, cubed

1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 cup black olives, cut in half

Salt and pepper to taste

Italian style salad dressing

Optional: red or green pepper, artichoke hearts, green onions

Directions:  In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, pepperoni, cheese, olives, tomatoes, salt and pepper.  Pour dressing over pasta mixture to coat and toss.  Store, covered, in refrigerator.

Marie//Watermelon

Tidbit:  Marie’s my baby sister.  She’s nine.  Summer salads don’t really appeal to her.  I think fresh fruits and veggies are by far the best summer side dish and trump salads at any summer potluck.  Plus, it’s a way to make sure the pint size guests get fed.  Marie’s summer favorite is watermelon.  But really, whose isn’t?

  

Also blog hopping:

Miranda

Lee

Stephanie

Sara

Christina