Summer is the perfect time for salads and one of my favorites is Corn Salad. I made cooler corn for dinner last night as my parents and my sister joined us for a meal. Much to my surprise we had three ears of corn left over. So I made salad for tonight’s dinner!

The best part about Corn Salad is that you can make it whatever you want, add any vegetables you like or have on hand. Add a simple vinaigrette and you have a winner! Today’s version is three ears of corn, half a red onion, orange cherry tomatoes and chives.

I got this recipe from my friend Ziva, it is so delicious! It is best if made ahead and let sit for several hours. It also keeps well so don’t be afraid to make a whole batch.

Cole Slaw

1 small green cabbage

2-3 carrots, peeled

2 bunches of scallions, cut into thin rings

2-4 Tbs mayonnaise

3 Tbs lemon juice

salt and pepper

Shred cabbage and carrots (use a food processor and it will go so fast!). Place in a large bowl and add the scallions. In a small bowl mix the mayo and lemon juice (use the larger amount of mayo for a more dressed salad). Season generously with salt and pepper. Pour over cabbage in bowl and toss to dress.

I love summer salads, and one of my favorites is a bread salad or panzanella. I served this one with Corn Chowder, yum!

Summer Panzanella

about 8oz of crusty bread (I especially like sour dough) sliced into thick slices

1/2 cup olive oil, divided

salt and pepper

3 Tbs red wine vinegar

I clove garlic, minced

1 shallot, sliced into rings

2 large tomatoes, chopped

1 cucumber (or 2-3 persian cukes), chopped

2 Tbs capers

1 cob corn, cooked on the grill and removed from cob

heat grill. Use 1/2 of olive oil and brush bread slices. Grill the corn and bread until toasted. Slice the bread into chunks.

Mix remaining olive oil, salt and pepper, red wine vinegar and garlic together to make a vinegrette. Place remaining ingredients in a large salad bowl along with the chopped bread. Pour dressing over and toss. Serve immediately.

I made a yummy cole salw for our taco night yesterday. It was even better when I layered it with all the leftovers last night in a container and put it in the fridge. I heated the container (bottom layer- cole slaw, then guacamole, chick peas and chopped tomatoes) as it was in the microwave and had the BEST lunch!

Red Cabbage Slaw

1/2 head of cabbage, very thinly sliced

6 Tbs olive or vegetable oil

3 Tbs lime juice

1/2 tsp lime zest

1 cube frozen cilantro (or chopped fresh if you have it)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1 Tbs mayo

Put all dressing ingredients into a blender (I used the mini attachment from my immersion blender) and blend until smooth (you could also just put it in a covered jar and shake a lot!). Pour over the shredded cabbage, toss to coat. Enjoy!

My oldest friend (we have know each other since birth) came for dinner tonight with her two daugthers. My husband was out so we were on our own with 6 kids. I wanted to make sure we had a good meal but I did not want to sacrifice time to talk with my friend. So we decided to grill hot dogs and hamburgers and serve a summer garden salad. I am not overly concerned about hot dogs (though many people are) I make sure that they are all beef and that we do not have them all the time. They should be a treat, just like anything else that has a lot of preservatives!

So while the kids played outside, my friend made a lovely salad of items from her father-in-law’s garden: tomatoes, cucumbers and a purple pepper. Add lettuce and avocado and you have a fantastic salad!

We had fun chatting while I made hamburger patties and the kids had a blast playing in the yard. Everyone ate well and the salad was devoured. We spent less than 30 minutes preparing dinner and everyone got a great visit and also a great dinner. Yippie!