Simple Summer Salads

During the summer months and hot weather in Texas you may find that heavy meals don’t appeal to you or your family.  This is the perfect time to make Salads!  And I don’t mean the typical Garden Salad because there are so many salad options!  A salad can be made out of a variety of different ingredients including grains, vegetables, fruits, pasta, beans, and other proteins.

Recently, I ran across this article entitled “45 Refreshing Summer Salads You’ll Want To Make All Season Long” that lists 45 summer salad recipes!  So today, I’ve been inspired to share a few of my favorite salads that I eat year round.

The Cobb Salad

Let’s start with: The Cobb Salad.  It’s a meal in and of itself, and it’s very simple to make.

According to Forage Kitchen, The Cobb Salad was a happy accident.  Unlike other popular salads, it wasn’t born out a chef’s grandiose culinary vision or from careful planning, but instead, in the 1930s, Robert Cobb (owner of the famous Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood) was looking for a late night snack and grabbed what he can find, which turned out to be lettuce, avocado, leftover chicken, crumbled blue cheese, a hard-boiled egg, and bacon.  He mixed all the ingredients together with a simple dressing, and: An iconic dish is born!

One of the things that makes The Cobb Salad so special is that it’s the perfect balance of flavors and textures in one bowl!  It’s also incredibly versatile, as it adapts effortlessly to differing ingredients and dietary needs, making it a simple yet timeless well-made dish.

Here’s my favorite Cobb Salad Recipe from Natasha’s Kitchen:

The Chicken Cobb Salad Ingredients (Makes 6 Servings):

6 oz cooked bacon, (6 slices) chopped and browned

1 medium head romaine lettuce, 5 cups chopped, rinsed and dried

2 cooked chicken breasts, sliced

2 hard-boiled eggs*, sliced or chopped based on your preference

1 large avocado, sliced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled (or feta cheese or goat cheese)

2 Tbsp parsley, or chives, finely chopped, optional

The Cobb Salad Dressing:

3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, pressed or finely minced

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

Preparation Instructions

1. Bake, Air Fry, or Sautée bacon on a skillet.
2. *Cook 2 hard-boiled eggs; Chill in ice water, then peel and quarter them.
3. Chop, rinse, and spin dry romaine lettuce, then arrange on a shallow platter.
4. Arrange the remaining salad ingredients (chicken, eggs, avocado, tomatoes, onion, blue cheese, and bacon) in rows over the salad, then sprinkle the finely chopped parsley over the salad.
5. Transfer dressing ingredients to a mason jar and shake like crazy. Drizzle over salad just before serving or let guests add their own dressing to taste.

The Caesar Salad

Next, let’s talk about The Caesar Salad.  The Caesar Salad has an interesting history.  According to legend, the popular 1920s restaurateur Caesar Cardini (owner of Caesar’s Restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico) created the dish during Fourth of July weekend in 1924 after running low on other food items.  Instead of closing, he made use of the ingredients he had on hand, and once again: A classic was born!  You can read more about the History of The Caesar Salad where I found it on Bottiglia Cucina & Enoteca’s website.  But in the meantime, here’s one of my favorite Caesar Salad recipes (see recipe below).

Caesar Salad Ingredients (Makes 4 Servings)

The Caesar Salad is broken down into three (3) parts: 1) The salad (obviously), 2) The signature Caesar Salad dressing, and 3) Croutons, an optional, but delicious bonus!

Note:  You don’t have to make croutons or the dressing you can buy from your local grocery store.  Here’s the breakdown on making each:

For the Caesar Salad:

1 large romaine lettuce (or 2 small hearts of romaine)

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded or shaved

For the Caesar Salad Dressing:

2 small garlic cloves, minced (1 tsp)

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste

1/8 tsp black pepper, plus more to serve

How to Make Caesar Salad Dressing:

In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and red wine vinegar.

Slowly drizzle in extra virgin olive oil while whisking constantly.

Whisk in 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper, or season to taste.

Drizzle with Caesar dressing and toss gently until lettuce is evenly coated.

For the Croutons:

1/2 French Baguette, cut in half and thinly sliced (1/4″ thick)

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp minced garlic, 2 small cloves

2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

How to Make Croutons:

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

Cut a baguette in half lengthwise through the top, then slice diagonally into 1/4″ thick pieces.

Place the bread pieces onto a baking sheet.

In a small bowl, combine 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 1 tsp of finely minced garlic. Drizzle the garlic oil over the croutons and sprinkle the top with 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese.

Toss until evenly coated.

Spread in a single layer over the baking sheet and bake at 350˚F until light golden and crisp (about 10-12 minutes), or to desired crispness.

Caesar Salad Preparation Instructions

1. Rinse, dry, chop, or tear the romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces
2. Place in a large serving bowl and sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese and croutons.
3. Drizzle Caesar dressing over the salad just before serving.

The Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Here is another one of my favorite salads that is great for the summer as it is light, refreshing, and easy to make.  There are not a lot of ingredients and you can whip it together in a few minutes.  It’s a great side dish.

I am a big fan of cucumbers and tomatoes and when these two (2) ingredients are combined together with a few other items they are out-of-this-world refreshing!

Here is a delicious recipe for Cucumber and Tomato Salad:

Cucumber and Tomato Salad Ingredients (Makes 10 Servings)

2 large Cucumbers (peeled if you prefer)

4 large Tomatoes

¼ cup Red Wine Vinegar

¼ cup Olive Oil

1/2 teaspoon Salt, plus more to taste

¼ teaspoon Black pepper, plus more to taste

Cucumber and Tomato Salad Preparation Instructions

1. Cut the vegetables into bite sized pieces.
2. Whisk your olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl.
3. Toss the tomatoes and cucumbers together in a large bowl and then pour the dressing over them, tossing until everything is well coated.
4. Let the salad sit for at least 20 minutes to let the flavors soak in.

Note: I found this Cucumber and Tomato Salad recipe on Home. Made. Interest: https://www.homemadeinterest.com/quick-and-easy-cucumber-and-tomato-salad/

And that’s it!  Three (3) great summer salads to help you beat the Texas heat!

Speaking of Summer Meals: Would you take a few seconds and Help Me Plan This Summer’s Marvelous Meals?  https://bit.ly/3QggOWP

Michele