“Simple salad” is an understatement for this healthy summer delight

How could a five-ingredient salad be such a scene-stealer? I pondered this after church this past Sunday when I needed to throw together a little something to accompany some Crunchy Salmon Cakes (more on this tomorrow) we had enjoyed the previous evening and had some left over for Sunday lunch.

I had bought some squash to make the recipes in Southern Living’s July 2011 issue featuring three different “lightened” ways with squash. After I prepared this Yellow Squash Salad, I was “enlightened” as well by this recipe. We can’t remember when we enjoyed a simple salad more.

All you do is thinly slice up three medium-sized yellow squash, add frozen peas (which we always have on hand because our grandmunchkin loves them), chopped fresh basil (I can’t emphasize enough using the fresh variety), and feta cheese. (I also added a dash of pepper.) The recipe suggests using your favorite vinaigrette; I chose Maple Grove Farms of Vermont’s Citrus Vinaigrette Dressing.

Letting this marinate in the fridge for a few hours, of course, made it even more scrumptious, but for our first batch to go along with the Salmon Cakes, we brought it to the table immediately on preparation. Delicious even fresh from the chopping block! And I can’t emphasize enough what a perfect side it was with tomorrow’s recipe, so stay tuned.

Yellow Squash Salad

Three medium-sized yellow squash, thinly sliced

1/2 cup frozen green peas, blanched

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

your favorite vinaigrette dressing

Combine all ingredients, toss, and serve. Refrigerate any leftovers.

A peach of a salad—great mixture of the salty and sweet

They’re ba-a-a-a-ck! More ways with peaches—remember, we still have trees #5 and #6 yet to produce. I’m finishing up the yield of tree #4 with two more producers to harvest before the summer ends. I’ve been eyeballing this recipe forever and wondering . . . cinnamony peaches with spinach and feta cheese? As my mother used to say, could this actually taste decent?

Not only did Grilled Spiced Peach Salad work, we promised ourselves to repeat it first before we go to the other recipes on our wish-list after the remaining two trees produce. That’s before Peach Enchiladas, French Crumb Peach Pie, Chilly Peach Soup, and a host of other to-drool-over peach goodies we want to try.

This salad was terrific warmed but also could be served with the peaches cold. Peaches and feta provided just the right sweet-salty blend over the spinach bed. Thanks to “Celebrating a Healthy Harvest” for inspiring us . . . and for convincing us yet again that seemingly odd-couple combinations produce truly amazing dishes.

Grilled Peach Salad

4 firm but ripe medium peaches

1 tablespoon cinnamon

cooking oil spray

1/4 cup feta cheese

8 cups spinach leaves

Peel peaches; cut peaches in half to remove the pit. Cut each half in half. Dust peach quarters with spice mixture. Set aside for 20 minutes. Spray peaches lightly with cooking oil on each side. Grill or broil until lightly browned; turn often. Peaches should be only slightly softened. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Slice and place on a bed of lettuce. Sprinkle with cheese; serve. Makes 4 servings.

With every bite Pickled Okra and Shrimp Salad with Gouda Grits says "Southern"

For the next round of Hubby’s birthday “season” (we’ve finally arrived at THE day, by the way. Happy Birthday today, sweet Hubby), I wanted to make something distinctly Southern.

Besides his being a card-carrying (literally. His card hangs framed on our wall.) citizen of the Chickasaw Nation through his paternal heritage, Hubby has roots in the Deep South. His maternal forebears evacuated Georgia after Sherman’s destructive march to the sea at the end of the Civil War. (Think all those carriages stampeding away from burning Atlanta in Gone with the Wind.)

So for this Southern gentleman, who’s 65-years young today, I borrowed from the pages of Southern Living magazine and prepared Pickled Okra and Shrimp Salad, which I served alongside Gouda Grits (mentioned in an earlier blog). Now if okra, shrimp, and grits don’t bespeak of the South, I don’t know what does. Pickled okra, by the way, will be something fun to make from our okra crop once it materializes in the garden; for now I used a jar from the condiment shelves at the grocery store.

The recipe combines red onion, sliced pickled okra, pimiento, and shrimp that has been boiled in a purchased, packaged boil. Tossed with a mixture of mayonnaise, lime juice, and lime zest, the salad is chilled for a few hours before serving. The recipe suggests accompanying this with sliced avocado, which I did as a presentation for the above photo before I dished up the warmed Gouda Grits as an accompaniment.

If I were making this dish over, I would have chosen a less spicy shrimp-and-crab boil for the shrimp. The package I inadvertently picked would have raised the hair on a dog (speaking of Southern sayings). Spicy, spicy—so you tended to get overwhelmed by the seasoning on the shrimp and lose the flavor of this unique salad mixture.

Southern Living touted this dish in its “What’s for Supper? Quick-Fix Meals” section. I agree with the tout: it was quick to prepare and most unusual. After Hubby paused from putting the fire out (spicy shrimp!) long enough to speak, he extolled the dish. I wanted to make sure this would be a birthday he’d not be forgetting for a long time; even with advancing age (just had to get my 65-rib in somewhere). I feel certain he’ll be remembering this one.

Pickled Okra and Shrimp Salad

1 (3-ounce) package boil-in-bag shrimp-and-crab boil

1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined, medium-size raw shrimp (31/40 count)

1/2 cup sliced sweet-hot pickled okra

1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimiento, drained

1/3 cup lite mayonnaise

3 tablespoons minced red onion

1/2 teaspoon lime zest

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt (or salt substitute)

3 large avocados, sliced

Bring 8 cups water to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan; add crab boil and cook 5 minutes. Add shrimp; cover, remove from heat, and let stand 10 minutes or just until shrimp turns pink. Drain and cool 10 minutes. Meanwhile combine pickled okra, diced pimiento, and next 6 ingredients. Add shrimp; chill and serve with avocado slices. Makes 6 servings.