This Cheese and veggie antipasto salad dish is made with easy things you can have in your pantry-refrigerator and quick to make for a before dinner appetizer or a meal in itself.

Ingredients:
8 oz fresh mozzarella, if you don’t have fresh available the Bel Gioioso brand is available in most markets and even some Wal-Marts
6 oz-8 oz jar of roasted red peppers, drained and rinsed
6 oz-8 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1/2 cup country mix pitted olives(assorted)
3-4 fresh basil leaves
extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Assorted salad greens

Directions:
Cut the mozzarella into slices and place on a plate. Arrange all the other ingredients around the cheese. Sprinkle with the oil and salt-pepper. Serve with crusty Italian bread or bread sticks.

Parmesan Mashed Potatoes is a delicious side dish that you can also make with leftover mashed.

Ingredients:
5 large red skin or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 to 5 TBLS milk
3 TBLS butter
2 TSP  dried parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese + a little more for the top
1 egg
3 TBLS Italian flavored bread crumbs
salt & pepper to taste

Directions;
Preheat oven 350.
Boil the potatoes until tender, drain them. Add enough milk to make them creamy but not too loose, add butter and blend until creamy. Add the parsley, cheese and egg and blend. Spread the potatoes in a baking dish so that its about 2″ deep. Sprinkle the top with bread crumb and a little Parmesan cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes, until top is lightly browned.

tuna tossed salad is a great salad for a meal, refreshing and satisfying.
Be sure to use a good olive oil and vinegar for best taste results.

Ingredients;
1 head red leaf lettuce, washed dried and torn into pieces
1 tomato, large diced
1 cucumber, peeled and large diced
3 thin slices red onion
6-10 olives, any kind you like
5oz-6oz can tuna, drained, any kind you like, I used Bumble Bee gold solid albacore
1/4 cup cheese, any kind you like, I used Feta
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar, any kind you enjoy; fig, balsamic, red vine, flavored
a good sprinkle of each; dried basil, oregano, parsley & black pepper

Directions;
Place all in a bowl and toss. Serve immediately or withhold dressing and serve anytime.

Candied Sweet Potatoes Ingredients:

6 medium sweet potatoes or yams
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 TSP orange zest
1/4 cup pineapple juice

4 TBLS butter
1 TSP cinnamon
1/2 TSP nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat oven 375.
Boil the potatoes-yams until just soft but not mushy. Peel them and slice into 2 inch pieces. Place the slices in a baking pan. Set aside.  Place the the remaining ingredients, except nutmeg in a sauce pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour over potatoes-yams and sprinkle with nutmeg. Cover and bake for 20 minutes.

Lots of green tomatoes still on the vines this time of year. This fried green tomatoes recipe is a southern classic!
Try them buy themselves or on Ciabatta bread with goat cheese and bacon, sounds strange but trust me it’s delicious!!

1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 medium-size green tomatoes, cut into 1/3-inch slices
Vegetable oil

Directions;
Combine egg and buttermilk; set aside.
Combine 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or pan; set aside.
Dredge tomato slices in remaining 1/4 cup flour; dip in egg mixture, and dredge in cornmeal mixture.
Pour oil to a depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch in a large cast-iron skillet; heat to 375°. Drop tomatoes, in batches, into hot oil, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels or a rack.  Eat slightly warm.

My mother made this Green Beans Marinara recipe often.
Simple and something different to do with fresh green beans.

Ingredients:
1LB fresh green beans, ends cut off and cut in half
16oz can of diced tomatoes (if you have fresh Roma use about 6 of them)
1 med onion, diced and sautéed
1 clove garlic, minced
2 TBLS extra virgin olive oil
3 Basil leaves cut up or 1 TSP dried
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Steam the green beans until tender. In a skillet place the oil and sauté the onion until soft. Add the garlic the last minute or so. Add the tomatoes and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the cooked green beans, basil, salt, pepper and toss.

Summer provides so much fresh ingredients for creative salads.
Here’s one I enjoy!

4 large garden fresh tomatoes, any kind you like, cut into large dice or wedges
1 cucumber, seeded and cubed
1/4 med red onion, sliced very thin
1/2 stalk of celery, diced fine
1/2 cup olives, halved; Kalamata, black canned or any kind you enjoy
2 TBLS fresh basil, chopped
2 TBLS fresh parsley, chopped
1 TSP dried oregano
6oz – 8oz Feta cheese, cubed OR fresh mozzarella pearls(BelGioioso is a brand I use)
2 TBLS to 1/4 cup virgin olive oil
4 TBLS red wine vinegar or any type you prefer
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions;
Toss all together and serve with a crusty bread or top the bread slices to make a garden bruschetta.

Summer is here and fresh garden tomatoes are in abundance.
This Stuffed Baked Tomatoes recipe is tasty and makes a great side dish. It’s versatile so you can add other ingredients to the stuffing if you like.

4 large whole fresh tomatoes
2 cups dry cubed bread; white, wheat or whatever you like
1/4 cup virgin olive oil
2 TBLS parsley, chopped
2 TBLS fresh basil, chopped
1 TSP dried oregano
1/2 cup grated Parmesano cheese
2 TBLS onion, chopped fine
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400.
Cut the tops of the tomatoes off leaving enough to form a cup shape.
Scoop out the flesh into a strainer with a bowl beneath. Leaving enough of the sides so it will hold up when stuffed. Mash the tomato flesh so the juice drains into the bowl. Add half of the cheese and all the other ingredients to the juice and toss. Divide the stuffing into the 4 tomatoes and place in a baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake for 15 mins covered. Uncover and bake another 5 mins so the top dries a little. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This Mediterranean Pasta Salad recipe is so easy and tasty too. Best of all its not heat sensitive so its perfect for summer cook outs.

1 box (12oz) Tri-Color Pasta, such as Barilla’s Rotini
1/2 cup virgin oil oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar or white champagne vinegar
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 red bell pepper chopped, any color will do
1/2 a red onion sliced very thin
2 TBLS capers
1/2 can black olives or any kind of olive you like, sliced or halved
2 TBLS chopped parsley, fresh is best but dried is ok too
1 TBLS chopped basil, fresh is best but dried is ok too
a hand full of grape tomatoes
14oz can plain artichoke hearts, quartered

Directions:
Cook pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain and run cold water over the pasta in a strainer. Be sure to remove all excess water. In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mix. Best if made a few hours before serving, allowing the flavors to marinate.

My Aunt Chris gave me this German potato salad recipe and she is from Germany!

4 large Red potatoes, boiled until fork tender
up to 1/3 cup chicken stock
1 TBLS white or Champagne vinegar
1/2 TSP sugar
1/2 a large onion, chopped and sauteed
4 slices of bacon, cooked, chopped and 1 TBLS of the grease saved
1/2 TSP parsley
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook and cool the potatoes so they are just warm. Slice into med pieces. Slowly pour the chicken stock over them and toss until they are wet. Mix all ingredients and add to potatoes. Add more stock if still too dry.

This Classic Pesto (Genoese Basil) sauce recipe can be used many ways; over pasta served hot or as a dressing for a summer salad. Brush it on fish or chicken for grilling or baking or spread on crusty bread.

If the pure basil taste is too strong for you replace up to 1/3 of the basil with fresh parsley. Make extra as it also freezes well.

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh basil leaves (packed down)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 TBLS Pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 TSP salt
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 TBLS grated Romano Pecorino cheese
3 TBLS butter at room temperature

Directions:

Put all ingredients except the cheese and butter in a food processor and blend thoroughly. Fold in by hand the cheese and butter until blended well.
This will cover about 1LB of cooked warm pasta.

**OPTIONS**  Health Friendly omit the butter.
If you are serving as a salad you can add cooked cut green beans or cherry tomatoes cut in half.

This is great to take along to a cook out or as a side item with a meal.

Recipe Ingredients:

One 14-15 oz can of each:
Yellow Wax Beans
Cut Green Beans
Cannellini Beans OR Chick Peas

Drain beans and rinse with cold water in a colander.

1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar OR Champagne Vinegar
1/2 Medium Red Onion, sliced very thin
1 Tablespoon Minced Parsley
1/2 Tablespoon Minced Basil
Dash of dried oregano
Dash of garlic powder (not salt)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Mix together in a bowl and add to beans. Serve at room temperature.
Can be stored in refrigerator for up to a week.

There is nothing like homemade salad dressing, these are a few of my favorite recipes.
Green Goddess:
1 Cup mayo
1 Cup chopped scallions (full scallion about 6-7)
1/2 Cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 Cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
2 Teaspoons chopped garlic
2 Teaspoons anchovy paste (comes in a tube)
2 Teaspoons kosher salt
1 Teaspoon ground black pepper
1 Cup sour cream

Place all the ingredients except the sour cream in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the sour cream and blend just until the sour cream is mixed in.

Plain or Fig Balsamic:
1/3 good balsamic vinegar to 2/3 extra virgin olive oil.
add a dash of dried basil leaves & oregano. Salt & pepper to taste.

Dijon Vinaigrette:
1 level tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup white wine champagne vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon minced/mashed garlic
dash of dried basil & pepper to taste

Caesar (non raw egg version) pictured
1 teaspoon minced/mashed garlic
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 TBLS  lemon juice
2 TSP anchovy paste(comes in a tube)
4 TBLS of mayo
2 TBLS grated parmesan and some to sprinkle
pepper to taste

Mix together and toss with romaine lettuce. Sprinkle the cheese on top before serving.

What’s nice about this version of Italian potato salad is it’s not heat sensitive, no mayo to worry about in the summer heat.

Recipe Ingredients:
5 large red potatoes, skin left on
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 TBLS chopped parsley
1 TSP Basil cut thin
1/4 of a red onion sliced thin
2-3 TBLS white champagne vinegar
salt & pepper to taste

Recipe Directions:
Boil potatoes until fork tender but not mushy. Cool and cut into slices or 1 inch cubes. Add all other ingredients and mix. Serve at room temperature.

Recipe Ingredients:
4 cups raw broccoli florets, cut very small
1 cup grapes, halved or raisins
1/2 cup minced celery
¼ cup minced red onion
4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1/4 cup light mayo
1/2 cup non fat plain Greek yogurt
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar, Stevia or Splenda
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Recipe Directions:
Mix together the first five ingredients. Combine mayo, yogurt, sugar & vinegar and pour over the broccoli mix.