Summer Salads

As summer arrives, I thought I would share some of my favorite summer recipes...


STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD

This is a favorite summer recipe at cookouts, I first tried it at Ariana’s 7th birthday, and even my Uncle Albert liked it. My mom actually took the recipe home!

2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 cup white sugar (should cut back sugar)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced onion
10 ounces fresh spinach - rinsed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
1 quart strawberries - cleaned, hulled and sliced
1/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Cover, and chill for one hour.
In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries and almonds. Pour dressing over salad, and toss. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes before serving.



Avacado Feta Salsa

Great for summer get togethers.


2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 ripe avocado - peeled, pitted and chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

In a bowl, gently stir together tomatoes, avocados, onion, and garlic. Mix in parsley and oregano. Gently stir in olive oil and vinegar. Then stir in feta. Cover, and chill for 2 to 6 hours.