Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup orange juice
4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless and thawed
2 cup pasta, any kind
1 cantaloupe, diced

Instructions:

Place the mayonnaise into a large mixing bowl.  Add the orange juice and mix together well being sure that the mixture becomes very smooth.  Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.  Set the oven on 375 degrees.  Place the chicken breast in a shallow baking pan.  Bake 25 minutes.  Chicken will be done when juices run clear when pierced with a fork.  Remove from the oven and allow cooling.  Once the chicken has cooled enough to work with, use a sharp knife to dice it into small chunks.  Cook the pasta as directed on the package.  Rinse with cool water and drain well.  Place the pasta into a large serving bowl.  Add the diced chicken and blend well.  Remove the orange juice mixture from the refrigerator and pour over the top of the pasta and chicken.  Use a rubber spatula to stir the ingredients together.  Add the cantaloupe and stir to incorporate.  Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 hours.  Salad should be cold when served. 

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Cool and crisp is what most people are looking for during the heat of summer.  They want something that will not be heavy to eat.  To ensure everyone’s safety, remember that if you’re taking cold salads they must be kept cold, especially if they contain mayonnaise.  This is easily accomplished by placing the bowl with the salad into a larger bowl and place ice between them.  If you want to be fancy, place the two bowls together, carefully pour water between the bowls and place flowers, shells, or any item that will fit and put the bowls into the freezer.  When you are ready to leave for your outing, put the salad into the inner bowl.

Nothing is better on a hot summer’s day than a huge bowl of fresh fruit salad.  It’s not hard to make, either.  It may be time-consuming, but the effort will be so worth it.  Purchase your favorite fruits, cut them up, and place them in a large bowl.  You don’t have to use a dressing for fruit salad, but you probably want to squeeze lemon juice over it to keep the fruits from discoloring.

If you do choose to put a dressing on a summer fruit salad, consider adding one package of vanilla pudding to the fruit.  This option also works well for those with diabetes as they can add sugar-free pudding.  You may also choose to use yogurt or whipped cream.

People are used to having potato salad, especially during summer barbecues.  Recipes for potato salad vary according to region and family.  Some families use mustard, others use a vinegar base, and some add sour cream to theirs.  No matter what you add, potato salad is something that families across the country will enjoy.

Cole slaw is another quick summer salad, and again it’s something that each family makes differently.  The major ingredient, of course, is cabbage; what you add to it is what makes it different.   Many people use a cider vinegar in their cole slaw, but you may prefer to leave it out.

Are you looking for something different to take to a summer party?  Are you tired of tossed salad with lettuce, tomatoes, and dressing?  Are you sick of potato salad or cole slaw?  Consider taking a broccoli salad instead.  It’s very easy to make.

Broccoli Salad

2 lbs. chopped broccoli 
2/3 cup mayonnaise
½ cup grated cheese 
¼ cup sugar
4 strips crumbled bacon 
4 tsp. vinegar
1 diced red onion

Fry the bacon until crispy; drain well and then crumble.  Add the bacon to the broccoli, onion, and cheese.  Mix the mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar together in a small bowl and then pour that over the salad.  Toss well to evenly coat the broccoli.  Chill well before serving.

Warm weather is a great time to make summer salads for any occasion.  They’re healthy, quick to fix, and won’t heat up your kitchen.  All in all, they’re the perfect summer fare for any event you need to attend.

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Ingredients:

½ C. honey
¼ C. frozen, limeade concentrate, thawed
2 tsp. poppy seeds
1 C. strawberries cut into chunks
1 C. kiwi, cut into chunks
1 C. melon (cantaloupe, watermelon, or honeydew) cut into chunks
1 C. grapes, whole or cut in half
¼ C. slivered almonds, toasted

1.  In a medium bowl, mix honey, limeade concentrate, and poppy seeds.

2.  Add fruit and toss gently, so as not to bruise the tender fruit chunks. Sprinkle the top with almonds.

3.  Serve in individual dessert bowls or in one large bowl and allow self-serving.

This dish appeals to everyone. Kids love it and it is nice as a dessert after a romantic meal.

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There are very few items in this recipe that everyone doesn’t like.  This is a great recipe for the kids to learn to cook with.  They can nibble on items as they are making it.

Ingredients:

1 pan of cornbread, baked and cooled
7 to 9 slices bacon, cooked until crispy, drained and crumbled
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 to 1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 to 2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

In a large serving bowl crumble cornbread into small chunks.  Place bacon, onion, peppers, tomatoes and eggs into bowl and blend together.  Gently fold in enough mayonnaise to moisten for your taste.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss gently to mix together.

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