by Isabelle Esteves

Created on: August 28, 2008   Last Updated: September 27, 2011

Salads can be a side dish or the main course. In the summer time we often opt to have a salad as our dinner to avoid having to heat the house by turning on the oven or the stove. This is one of our favorites.

Antipasto salad

2 heads of romaine lettuce chopped
2 large local tomatoes (if possible , if not hot house will do)
1 small Vidalia onion (or other sweet onion)

1 small cucumber
1 can black olives
1/2 pound of sliced provolone cheese
1/4 pound of Genoa salami sliced
1/4 Virginia baked ham
Fresh oregano to taste.
2/3 cup Extra virgin olive oil and 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Rinse the romaine and then chop into bite size pieces. Place in the bottom of a large glass bowl. Cut the tomatoes into large wedges, about 8 per tomato. Peel and cut the onion into rings. Peel and slice the cucumber. Add all the veggies to the romaine.

Open the cans of olives and drain. Pour into salad bowl.

Unwrap the cheese and place in a pile. Slice each round into four pieces. Pull the layers apart and add to salad. Do the same with salami and Virginia ham. Toss the salad. Sprinkle the fresh oregano on the salad and continue to toss. Add the red wine vinegar and the olive oil and continue to toss.

Serve with fresh crusty Italian or French bread and a glass of ice tea and this is a perfect dinner for 2 hearty appetites or 4 smaller appetites.

Another of my favorite salads is an antipasto pasta salad.

1 pound any large fun shaped pasta or tortellini
1 jar red roasted peppers
1 bunch scallions
1 can black olives
1 can chickpeas
1 small cucumber
2 tomatoes
1/4 pound small sliced pepperoni
1 jar basil salad dressing

Cook and drain the pasta. Let cool and place in large bowl. Open the jar of peppers and chop. Wash scallions, remove roots then chop the white and the green. Open cans of olives and chickpeas and add to the pasta. Peel and slice cucumbers, chops the tomatoes and add all the veggies to the pasta. Cut the pepperoni pieces in half and add to the salad.

Toss and add the salad dressing. Any Italian type is fine I just prefer the basil and olive oil.

My last staple is my fruit salad.

1 large can pineapple chunks
1 bunch of seedless grapes
1 large piece of watermelon
1 container of blueberries
1 cantaloupe
2 large peaches or nectarines
2 kiwis
sugar to taste

Wash the grapes and put them in the freezer. Wash the blueberries and put in a large bowl. Peel the cantaloupe and cut into bite size chunks. Cut the watermelon into chunks. Open the can of pineapple and add to the bowl with the juice. Peel and slice the kiwis. peel and add the peaches or nectarines or both. Get the grapes out of the freezer, they should be frozen solid. This will keep the salad cold throughout a summer picnic. Toss and add a bit of sugar if too tart. This is always the first salad that disappears off of any buffet or picnic I bring it to.

Salad, it is an easy and healthy meal anytime and in the summer it is a lifesaver. That doesn't mean however that these recipes have to be put away for the rest of the year. Nothing adds a nicer touch to a holiday party than a salad and any of these would grace your table nicely. They also are great to take to a pot luck or to a meal at someone else's house. Year round these will become some of your favorites recipes to share.

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