Pasta and Bacon Salad

I recently brought this wonderful summer salad to a neighborhood barbecue, our first since moving to our new home. The salad fit in well with lots of other delicious dishes. Lots of good cooks here!

No ordinary pasta salad, this. Creamy and delicious, it can be made ahead, and leftovers—if there are any—last a good while. Serve as a side dish or a main course salad. Ingredient amounts aren't critical, so feel free to adjust them to your taste.

PASTA and BACON SALAD

½-¾ lb. bacon slices
12 oz. elbow macaroni, fusilli, or other bite-sized pasta
2 cups mayonnaise
½ cup (or more) buttermilk
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1 Tbs. sugar
1 10-16 oz. bag of frozen peas, rinsed and drained
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

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1. Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat or in microwave until crisp, turning occasionally. Transfer to paper towels and cool. Coarsely chop bacon.

2. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Rinse under cold water and drain well.

3. Make dressing by whisking the mayonnaise, ½ cup of buttermilk, lemon juice, mustard, and sugar in a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Fold pasta, peas, and bacon into dressing and serve. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Toss with more buttermilk if dry. Let stand 1 hour before continuing.)

Red Quinoa Salad with Spinach and Chickpeas

We celebrated summer tonight with Chicken Mojito, Jiddo's Hummus Bi Tahini, and a fabulous Red Quinoa Salad. By combining different recipes, I came up with this nutritious, delicious, Spanish inspired dish, which I've made several times to rave reviews. If you prefer to go vegetarian, serve this quinoa salad with mixed greens. Whether served as a main course or a side dish, this dish provides a perfect summer lunch or supper.

RED QUINOA SALAD WITH SPINACH AND CHICKPEAS

For the salad:
1¼ cups red quinoa
2½ cups water, vegetable broth, or chicken broth
1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed well and drained
1 10-oz. bag spinach, washed and roughly chopped
2 baby seedless cucumbers,
            or ½ long English seedless cucumber, peeled and diced
1 bunch of fresh mint leaves, chopped
Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and/or pistachio nuts for garnish
Salad greens, if serving as a main course salad

For the dressing:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
3 Tbs. fresh lime juice
3 tsps. honey
1 large garlic clove, minced or put through a press
Salt and fresh ground black pepper

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1. Bring broth to a boil in a large sauce pan. Add quinoa and simmer about 20 minutes (red quinoa takes a few minutes longer than white to cook), until "halo" appears around the grains. Fluff quinoa. Let sit partially covered for five minutes, then turn into a large bowl to cool. (Quinoa can be rinsed in cold water to cool faster. Drain well.)

2. Fold spinach, chickpeas, mint, and cucumber into cooled quinoa.

3. Whisk dressing ingredients together, fold into salad, and chill.

4. Serve over salad greens or as a side dish. Pass seeds and nuts at the table. Enjoy with crusty bread and a summery dry rosé or crisp white wine. Easily serves 6.

Lentil Salad with Red Beans and Chickpeas

Petite and tasty, French Puy lentils are a great ingredient for summer salads. They stay firm, they absorb dressings well, and they're good for you. If you've never tried them, do look for them. Don't be tempted to use common brown lentils. They'll mush up the salad.

This colorful concoction not only makes a great summer side dish, it's a perfect main vegan/vegetarian meal for a warm summer day. Feel free to tailor it to your own taste, and enjoy!

LENTIL SALAD with RED BEANS and CHICKPEAS
Cooking the Lentils:
1 cup dried French Puy lentils
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
½ tsp. salt
1 bay leaf

Assembling the Salad:
1 15-oz. can chick peas
1 15-oz. can small red beans
1 small bunch of scallions, white parts chopped, green tops thinly sliced
2-3 small seedless cucumbers, peeled and chopped
1 3/4 oz. package fresh dill

Making the Dressing:
1/8 cup olive oil
2 Tbs. white balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs. dry white wine
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 large garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

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1. Place lentils, garlic, salt, and bay leaf in a 2-quart saucepan with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until lentils are just tender, 15-20 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to cool, remove garlic and bay leaf, and drain again.

2. Drain and rinse red beans and chickpeas. Place in a large bowl with lentils. Stir in remaining ingredients, then fold in the dressing. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Cucumber, Mint and Yogurt Sauce

During the summer months, my late mother-in-law often made this refreshingly delicious and easy Middle Eastern sauce. I don't know exactly how she made it, but this recipe, my own version, is darn close. It's great with grilled meat, as a dip, or as a saucy side to any number of dishes. And don't be making fun of the ancient Tupperware. I have a whole set, a gift from my mother-in-law. Happy memories!

CUCUMBER, MINT and YOGURT SAUCE

1 seedless English cucumber or 3-4 small seedless cucumbers, peeled
2 cups plain low-fat yogurt
2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced
3-4 tsps. dried mint, crumbled fine
1 tsp. olive oil
½ tsp. sea salt

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1. Finely dice the cucumber.
2. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and blend well. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
3. Garnish with fresh mint or parsley, if desired.

Poire William Marinade

Summer is here, and that means salads. We make one of our favorite main course salads with spinach and baby greens, sweet red grapes, pistachios and/or pine nuts, dried blueberries, Gorgonzola cheese, and grilled marinated chicken breasts.

Last night we marinated the chicken in my version of a concoction starring a Pear Brandy known as Poire William. We used boneless chicken, but we’ve also used this versatile and delicious marinade on cut up chicken parts and pork tenderloin. The pears add just the right amount of sweetness, and the rest of the ingredients provide a perfect flavor combination for a cool meal on a warm summer day.

POIRE WILLIAM MARINADE

1/2 cup white wine
1/3 cup Poire William (Pear Brandy)
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tbs. low sodium soy sauce
3 Tbs. olive oil
1½ tsps. dried tarragon (or 1 Tbs. fresh chopped)
2 ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, and chopped
             (or a small can of unsweetened pears, drained)
Fresh garlic cloves to taste
1 large shallot
Salt and fresh ground white pepper to taste

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Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth. Marinate poultry or pork for at least one hour, and then grill as desired.

Potato Salad With Sausage and Mushrooms

A fabulous, hearty, man-pleasing dish perfect for a summer barbecue (and the ladies love it too!)

POTATO SALAD WITH SAUSAGE AND MUSHROOMS

1½ lbs. small red potatoes
1 lb. sweet Italian sausages (about 4 sausages)
1/2 cup dry red wine
2/3 cup plus 1 Tbs. olive oil
1 lb. mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup chopped scallions
1½ Tbs. Dijon mustard
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground pepper

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1. Wash potatoes and simmer in a large saucepan of boiling water until tender, 20-25 minutes. Let cool, then slice. Place potatoes in a large bowl.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 . Place sausages in a single layer in a baking dish. Prick several times with a fork, and bake for 15 minutes. Turn and bake for 15 minutes more. Pour off accumulated fat and add red wine. Turn and bake for 15 minutes more. Turn again and bake another 15 minutes. (Total baking time 1 hour.) Remove the sausages to a paper towel lined dish and let cool. Slice into rings and add to potatoes.

3. In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbs. olive oil. Add mushrooms and sauté over moderately high heat until they give up their liquid and most of it evaporates. Sprinkle on lemon juice and season lightly with salt and pepper. Add to potatoes and sausages. Add the scallions. Toss lightly to mix.

4. Place mustard, salt, pepper, white wine and stock in blender and mix well. With the machine on, slowly add remaining cup olive oil. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Serve warm or at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate overnight.