When I see the first local strawberries in the farmers market, I automatically think about making a gigantic fruit salad.  You can actually mix up the fruit and berries a bit to your liking, but I would stick with this dressing recipe.  That little bit of ginger makes a big impact.  Enjoy!

Salad:
3 bananas, peeled and sliced
1 pound red and green seedless grapes
1 pound strawberries, hulled and sliced
5 peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped
3 kiwis, peeled and chopped
½ cup of sugar (or less if preferred)

Dressing:
1/2 cup pineapple juice
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp ground ginger (may substitute freshly ground ginger root – use 1/2 Tblsp, more or less to taste)

In a large serving bowl, combine the sliced and chopped fruit, sprinkle with the sugar and toss gently.

In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the dressing and whisk together.

Pour the dressing over the fruit mixture and mix gently. Cover lightly and chill until the fruit salad is being served.

Tucking into a nice cold slice of watermelon is a real summertime treat, but when topped with a pear and apple juice glaze, it’s more than a treat… it’s a fabulous dessert!  Be sure to top with blackberries to turn this cool dessert even “cooler”!

4 slices watermelon (3/4 inch thick)
3 medium pears, peeled
1/3 cup  apple juice
2 cups fresh blackberries

Chill the watermelon slices.  While watermelon is chilling, peel and slice pears into chunks for blender.  Be sure to remove the cores.

In a blender, pour the apple juice and add pears. Blend until pureed.

Remove watermelon slices and cut each slice into quarters.  Remove the seeds and rind. Place watermelon quarters on large plate. Pour pear sauce over the watermelon slices.  Arrange the berries decoratively on top.  Serve cold.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my salads in the summer, but when the weather is a bit stormy, a nice hot plate of spicy ribs and beans is just the ticket.  There are plenty of hot days left to return to my salads!

4 pounds country style ribs, cut in serving size pieces
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (10.5 ounce) jar red pepper jelly
1 (18 ounce) bottle hickory barbecue sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
2 (16 ounce) cans pinto beans, drained

Line a broiler pan with aluminum foil.  Place the ribs in a single layer in the pan.  Sprinkle with the garlic powder and pepper.  Broil for 10 minutes per side or until rib meat has browned.

Remove from the oven and place in the bottom of a crock pot.  Place the jelly and barbecue sauce together in a mixing bowl.  Whisk until completely blended together.  Add the onion and stir to combine.

Pour mixture over the ribs.  Cover the crock pot and cook for 5 hours on LOW.

After 5 hours, add the beans to the crock pot.  Recover and cook on LOW for 1 hour more.

Total cooking time is 6 hours on LOW.

Like the taste of barbecue chicken but don’t have time to fire up the grill?  This is a great quick recipe to create that barbecued taste to any plain, leftover chicken.  Serve with some good, crisp pickles on the side for an authentic barbecue feel.

1 1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 c white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Creole mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons horseradish
1/4 cup water
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
hard rolls, buns, or bread, your choice
Lettuce
Tomato slices

Place the mayonnaise, vinegar, black pepper, mustard, garlic and horseradish into a large mixing bowl.  Slowly add the water and whisk gently until completely combined.  Gently fold in the chicken.  Take your bun or bread, place lettuce leaf and tomato slice on, then add the chicken mixture.

This is a very filling breakfast, indeed!  If you have hungry house guests or just a hungry family, this is a great, flavorful way to fix a traditional Texas Toast and eggs breakfast.

4 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon Creole seasoning, any kind
4 Texas Toast slices
4 slices Monterey Jack cheese, Pepper Jack if you can get it

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Scramble the eggs as usual except add the Creole seasoning before scrambling.  Top each piece of Texas toast with a slice of cheese.  Place the toast slices on a baking sheet and bake about 3 minutes.  The cheese should be completely melted.  Remove and top with the scrambled egg mixture.  Serve immediately.

When summer days are hot, a nice, cool salad is usually a good idea for dinnertime.  But, even if the salad is cool, the dressing doesn’t have to be!  Spice your salad up a notch or two with this incredible combination of savory ingredients.  Just the idea of curry and chili powder together should peak your interest… it sure does mine!

1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 Tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
Pepper to taste

In large mixing bowl whisk together the olive oil and vinegar.  Add the honey and continue whisking until blended well.  Stir in the curry powder, chili powder and pepper.  Cover and refrigerate at least one hour or until chilled to your liking.  Serve over a mixed greens salad with chopped cucumber and tomato for a real taste explosion.

These tortilla wraps are just the perfect size for little hungry appetites.  The cold filling and warm cheesy tortillas make a very delicious lunch or even dinner on a hot, summer night.

3 cup chicken, cooked and chopped
1 1/2 cup shredded coleslaw mix with carrots
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1 1/2 cup (6 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup Ranch Style dressing
8 (8 inch) tortillas, any kind

Place the chicken and coleslaw mix in a large bowl.  Add the beans and green onions and mix together. Gently fold in the dressing and coat well. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place four tortillas on a baking sheet in a single layer.  Cover with half of the shredded cheese.  Bake 3 minutes or until the cheese has melted but not begun to brown. Fix the other four tortillas the same way.  After the tortillas come out of the oven top them with the chicken and slaw mixture.  Start at the edge and roll them up tightly.  Serve right away.

Every family has their favorite Summertime potato salad, the one you think of when you think “picnic.”  But, when you want to surprise your family with something new, this is a good one to try.  The added cilantro adds a real “kick” to the dressing, and the lime juice adds a nice flavor that may go unidentified, at first.

3 1/2 pounds red potatoes
1 cup real mayonnaise
1 (4.5 ounce) can of green chilies, chopped
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Cover scrubbed red potatoes with cold water, put on stove and bring to a boil, cover loosely with lid, turn burner down, and simmer for 15 minutes or until just fork tender, not too soft.  Drain well, put in big bowl as is and place in refrigerator to cool.  When completely cool, cut up, quartering each potato or into bite sized pieces.  You do not remove the skins.

In a separate large salad bowl place the green chilies, cilantro and green onions.  Add the lime juice and garlic.  Stir well.  Fold in the mayonnaise.

Add the potatoes to the dressing, being sure to carefully mix potatoes in until completely covered by the mayonnaise mixture.  Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 1 hour.  Sprinkle the top with the bacon just before serving.

If you are lucky enough to grow your own tomatoes or have a farm nearby, this little salad is the perfect dish to make with your first big juicy tomatoes of the season.  If you can’t get fresh shrimp, frozen shrimp are available at most larger grocery stores.  Just thaw them and cook according to the package directions.  This is a very festive luncheon salad for a special occasion.

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, packed loosely
1/4 teaspoon lemon rind, grated
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 pounds fresh large shrimp, peeled, deveined and cooked
1/2 cup celery, chopped fine
1/4 cup green onions, chopped fine
4 large tomatoes, washed and cored

Place the mayonnaise, basil leaves, lemon rind and lemon juice together in the blender or food processor.  Blend until smooth being sure to scrape the sides often.  Place the shrimp, celery and green onions in large mixing bowl.  Add the mayonnaise mixture.  Mix well being sure to coat well.  Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate at least 1 hour before ready to serve. Just before serving prepare tomatoes.  Fill each tomato to the top with the shrimp mixture.  Serve immediately garnished with lemon slices and basil sprigs.

There are a lot of good flavors going on in this simple to make chicken, fruit, and greens salad.  Be sure to buy good spring greens to liven up your salad.  The blueberry and cantaloupe flavors really stand up nicely against the spring mix, and the toasted crunchy almonds are a real bonus.

1/2 cup slivered almonds
8 oz. cooked chicken cut into thin strips
1 Tablespoon Canola oil
1 (5 ounce) package spring lettuce mix
1 container of fresh blueberries
1/2 cantaloupe, sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lay the slivered almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 5 to 7 minutes or until toasted the way you like. Place the Canola oil in a skillet over medium high heat.  Heat the chicken strips until heated through about 4 minutes, being sure to turn once. Place the lettuce mixture into 4 separate salad bowls.  Layer the chicken strips on top of the lettuce.  Add the blueberries and cantaloupe.  Top with favorite salad dressing then sprinkle with the roasted almond slivers.