Crunchy Pea Salad
1 cup thawed green peas
½ cup Hidden Valley Ranch dressing
½ cup sliced celery
½ cup chopped cauliflower
1 cup torn lettuce
2 Tbsp. diced green onion
½ cup roasted cashews, macadamia nuts,
1 Tbsp. sliced pimento roasted peanuts, or sunflower seeds
¼ cup sour cream
Combine peas, lettuce, celery, cauliflower, onion, pimento and nuts. Mix together sour cream and dressing. Toss together.

Bean Fiesta
1 can (16 oz.) each: red kidney beans, yellow wax beans, green beans, garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 large red onion, sliced
1 large green pepper, sliced
½ cup vinegar
½ cup oil
1 cup sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine beans, onion and green pepper in a large bowl. Mix vinegar, oil and sugar. Pour over bean mixture and stir well. Season with salt and pepper. Marinate at least 3 hours in refrigerator.

Vegetable Salad
1 head broccoli, cut in florets
1 small red onion, sliced
1 head cauliflower, cut in florets
1 tomato, diced
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup non-fat Italian dressing
Optional: Avocado, marinated artichoke hearts, or any vegetable.
Mix all ingredients and allow to marinate in refrigerator several hours.

Macaroni Salad
3 cups cooked macaroni
1 cup (4 ounces) cubed cheese
1 celery stalk, chopped
¼ cup sweet pickle relish or chopped sweet pickle
1 Tablespoon diced onion
1 Tablespoon diced green bell pepper
¾ cup light mayonnaise or salad dressing
Salt and pepper to taste.
In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients. Chill before serving.

Cucumber Couscous Salad
1 (11-ounce package) Whole Wheat Couscous
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cucumber, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
In a medium saucepan, bring 1 3/4 cup water to a boil. Stir in couscous; cover. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, five minutes.
Cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir in cucumber, green onion, parsley, basil and Couscous. Mix well and chill for at least one hour.

Summer Squash Salad
2 yellow squash
2 zucchini
8 crimini mushrooms
3 oz Parmesan cheese, cut into thin slices
2 cloves fresh garlic (peeled and thinly sliced)
6 leaves fresh basil, julienne
3 oz extra-virgin olive oil
2 lemons, zested and juiced
2 tsp. cracked chili flakes
Kosher salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Split the squash and zucchini lengthwise and lightly oil. Season with salt and black pepper and grill over medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Turn the squash once to cook it evenly. Cut the squash into half moons. Next lightly oil and season the mushrooms and place onto the grill for 4-5 minutes. Place the cut squash and mushrooms into a mixing bowl and add the parmesan cheese, sliced garlic, basil, extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest and juice, and the cracked chili flakes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

As summer 2008 wraps up, here are some of our favorite things we enjoyed this season.

Having breakfast outside in the screen room. We had friends over that day so it made it even better.

Flowers in my favorite pot. It was left behind by the previous owners and I just fell in love with it.

Checking out the snails. Aren’t they cute?

2 cans tuna
1 pkg. tortellini pasta (filled with cheese)
4 boiled eggs, chopped
Sm. onion, chopped
1-2 tomato, chopped
1/2 c. chopped celery
Mayonnaise

Cook pasta, drain and cool. Add all other ingredients to pasta. Mix with mayonnaise to taste. You can also substitute tuna fish for chicken.
(photo credit: theogeo)