Cold Salad Days

 let's face it .August is hot. That means easy and simple dishes. That means salads of any sort and any kind. They don;t have to be the green lettuce and tomato kind.They could be created from other ingredients.

I feel that way during these sticky humid days. It's hot prepping. It's hot cooking. it;s hot washing up a ton of dishes. This is why salads come in handy. One of my favorites is the Neopolitan bread salad made super easy by using croutons and just tomatoes chopped and marinated in oil.

Scallions were added for a bit of color too. I added a handful of  Fresh Gourmet garlic and butter croutons. The company also has other flavors like Texas toast and Caesar Parmesan. Add what you want and have fun with it.

It makes for a yummy salad. You could add onions like the original or even pepperoni slices to give it more depth.

This was a sweet and savory crunchy blend that was just perfect for a sweltering day like today. If you want protein then go for a three bean salad. You can add peppers if you want or onions. 

This is a mix if canellini beans, chickpeas and red kidney beans. It's a great source of protein for vegetarians and vegans. You could add corn , avocado slices and sliced cherry tomatoes for a spin on cowboy caviar. 

Keep in mind you only need four extra ingredients for a successful salad.

Use a good olive oil like Lidl's. It;s light and lets the other ingredients shine. The same goes for vinegar. I prefer Acme's Signature red wine. As for salt  - you don't need the fancy sea salt to flavor. It should be a supporting player .I used Stop and Shop's but you can use any brand. Fresh ground pepper ,like Lidl's give some bite and is better than already ground. Other good salad ingredients are onion and garlic powder a long with paprika for mayo based potato salads.

It's August. It's hot. Make a filling salad for dinner. It's an easy and tasty fix.