What Are Your Favorite Summer Salad/side Dish Recipes?

I love pasta salad. So I get the box of Suddenly Salad Classic version, then do the add ins of pepperoni, mozzarella, and black olives.

I found this when i googled the salad.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/search/searchresults.aspx?ter...

This has become a new favorite in our house:

STRAWBERRY PRETZEL SALAD

1 c. white sugar
3/4 c. butter
2 2/3 c. coarsely chopped pretzels
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 (4 oz.) pkg. Cool Whip
1 (6 oz.) pkg. strawberry Jello
1 (16-20 oz.) pkg. frozen strawberries

Cream butter with 3 tablespoons of the sugar. Add pretzels. Press into 9"x13" pan. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool.

Mix cheese, Cool Whip and remainder of sugar until blended. Pour over cooled pretzel crust.

Make Jello with 2 cups boiling water. Add frozen berries. Chill until thickened (about 4 minutes, its sets up fast). Pour over salad and refrigerate.

I have a document I've put together with all the recipes I either plan on making or made. It's a word document and has a whole lot of recipes.

If interested, please e-mail me (privately) with your e-mail address and I can forward you (or anyone the document).

But, when I don't have time to sit down and cook a meal, I have to admit, I order from Schwans and everyone is satisfied. The best thing about them is either you can microwave the food or pop it in the oven and you are set to go. It's very little prep time. you can see if Schwans delivers to your area by checking out www.schwans.com

A friend of mine always makes Jello with apple sauce. It's so easy... instead of the cold water, use the exact same measurement for apple sauce instead. The consistency is thicker, different. It's always a hit! Cherry Jello is my favorite, but lime and any berry flavor is good, too.

I just stumbled onto a really great veggie dip. It has a kick, so substituting sour cream instead of plain yogurt may work better for everyone.
1 tbls tahini
3 tbls lemon juice
1 large garlic clove
2 tsp chopped parsley or cilantro
3 tbls plain yogurt
salt and pepper to taste

Little cherry tomatoes with freshe mozzarella balls/cubes and oil is always a yummy combo.

My friend got this recipe from the Kraft magazine a few summers back. It doesn't sound good, but it's awesome! Always a big hit at parties. I bring it to any summer party I go to!

Watermelon Salad:

1/2 seedless watermelon
2 medium YELLOW tomato (don't use red)
1 large seedless cucumber
2 jallapeno's
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 cup cilantro.

cut up watermelon into 1" cubes, cut everything else. Toss well, refridgerate for several hours.

This is so easy:

elbow macaroni or mostocolli noodles (cooked al dente and cooled)
cherry tomatoes or chunks of tomatoes
fresh mozzarella balls or pieces cut up
basil

Mis together and top with your favorite Italian dressing. If you want to you could add broccoli or small pieces of sausage or pepperoni cut up. Or you could add some lettuce and make it more of a salad.

I do baked beans because I did them once and now I am REQUIRED to bring them. Even though they have to be cooked they are still a good BBQ item. I have a nice insulated carrier to bring them in so they stay warm until we eat.
My recipe is SUPER casual!!!!

I take a 9/12 casserole dish and add three cans of Bush Beans then I put in a handful of brown sugar, squirt in some mustard, dash in some Worstershire, layer in some BBQ sauce and then add a half pound of bacon (you can always buy the beans with bacon so you don't have to add, but it does taste better with fresh).

Then I cook for an hour covered and a half hour uncovered.

I never bring any home.

I make a crab tortellini salad, and love it. I found it online at Mr. Food - Channel 7 news. If you can't find it, I will email you a copy.

I love to bring either a fruit salad - minus cantaloupe because it makes everything else taste like cantaloupe! Or I love to just cut up watermellon, OR I do a tray, like a veggie tray, but with all different fruits (cherries, blue berries, strawberries, raspberries, watermellon, whatever is available!) that is always a hit!

I make a sort of cheater's salsa that is always a huge hit. You can use fresh tomatoes or in a pinch, drained canned tomatoes, toss in a can of drained & rinsed black beans, a can of drained corn, diced onion, diced avocado, dash of tobasco, chopped cilantro, dash of pepper, dash of lime juice, whatever else you like for some heat (green chiles are great for this too). Add a bag of tortilla chips and you're set. I like the hint o' lime ones for a little more sizzle. It could be eaten like a salad, it's so yummy and good for you.

Another treat is tomato salad - chopped tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh mozzarella or feta whatever you like better, diced onion, dash of balalmic vinegar, Italian seasonings, garlic salt. Can't go wrong!

For home, one of my most favorite side dishes is grilled veggies - chop up a vidalia onion (or red), a red pepper, zucchini, summer squash, and whatever else you've got, put it in a baggie and drizzle in some olive oil & seasonings any basic mix is good like Emeril's, or mix your own, and put your grill pan on the grill and dump it on while on the heat - you'll lose the oil through the pan if you put it on the tray before hand my husband didn't catch that when I prepped for him so be clear with your grillmaster, too.