Summer Salads

Every summer I spend countless amounts of time trying to come up with delicious food that doesn’t require a lot of cooking.  I certainly don’t live in the hottest part of the country, but it still reaches 90 here in the middle of July.  I don’t know about y’all, but slaving in front of a hot stove on a 90 degree day is not exactly my idea of a fun time.  Anywho, over the years I have found some amazing summer salads that require very little cooking.  Some don’t require turning the stove on at all!!  There are the classic macaroni, pasta, and potato salads as well as a few new ones I have tried and loved.  Over the next few months I will share my favorite summer recipes.  I will start with a classic – 

Topher’s Pasta Salad

1lb Tricolored Rotini

2 Large Bell Peppers (I like one red and one green)

1 large Cucumber

1 Large Head of Broccoli

Cherry or Grape Tomatoes

Pepperoni

Swiss Cheese

Cheddar Jack Cheese

Zesty Italian Dressing

Cook pasta according to directions on box.  Chop up remaining ingredients.  Toss everything together in a large bowl.  

I love this salad because it is super easy to make, my son gets to help, and it always tastes better the next day!

The brand of ingredients will change the flavor of your salad so try a bunch of different ones until you find what you like best.  The amount of dressing you use will also depend on your personal taste.  I like a nice moist, zesty pasta salad but you may prefer one that is drier or more or less spicy.  I also love to use veggies fresh from the garden or local farmers market.  Fresh vegetables taste fantastically better than produce that has flown across the continent.