Hot Days Cool Salads

 These days are unbearable to live in  let alone cook in. yet there's still a need to make a decent and filling meal. What to do? Turn to salads. they're quick, easy and coolly delicious.

Cathy Lo, a recent addition to The New York Times Food section created an excellent salad guide for today's section. She enlisted fellow food writers, Melissa Clark , David Tanis,Eric Kim , Ali Slagle , Genevieve Ko and Yewande Komolafe to contribute tasty and blissfully cold recipes to combat this hellish time. The twenty  salads are categorized into leafy, sturdy, pasta grain and bean based along with sweet and savory fruit.Any  would be perfect as a main meal or as a side to either grilled or air fried main courses. Those who appreciate a good green salad should look into making Ali Slagle's arugula salad with just a squeeze of lemon and a shave of Parmesan cheese.ERic KIm gives his crunchy greens with carrot ginger dressing. Fresh ginger gives it bite as it's drizzled over Romaine lettuce.A heartier dish is Yewande Komolafe's chicken with herb salad and nuoc cham. Shredded roasted chicken is mixed with shredded cabbage , cucumber and bell pepper and dresed with a sweet savory lime based vinaigrette.If you want a sturdier salad then think a shrimp salad with chopped red onions and a lemony mayo,. You could also make Genevieve Ko's  tofu and green bean salad with peanut dressing. made with hoisin sauce and peanut butter.

Pasta beans and grains add depth and heft to any salad. A blistering day could end with Melissa Clark's  pasta salad that has the classic ingredients of mozzarella and fresh sliced tomatoes. Cucumber and salami ribbons are also added to make it heartier. Want a more Middle Eastern vibe? Then try Dave Tanis rice salad that laced with almonds, pistacchios and currents, The dressing is a mix of tahini and lemon juice and zest.Add classic Middle Eastern herbs like parsley and mint Of course there is three bean salad.  Celery is also added for crunch ad the dressing has the spiky taste of Dijon mustard.  There is also Yewande Komolafe's millet salad along with Erik Kim's  chickpea one, the last enhanced with seaweed and mayo. It's summer and that means a good fruit salad to be served anytime from breakfast to dessert. Ali Slagle's stone fruit Caprese fits into all these . Cut up any stone fruit , from nectarines to cherries and marinate in  a mix of lemon juice, flaky sea  salt and sugar Drizzle olive oil over this when it's time to serve and spike with freshly ground pepper. There's also mango slaw and the classic watermelon and feta mix. You could also try Eric Kim's tropical taste pleaser of bananas, pineapple and mango Just season with lemon and sea salt.

Beat this hellish heat with a good salad. Try any of these recipes for a cool meal, side or even dessert.  It's a nice way to abide these wildly high temps.

The Perfect Graduation Party

With May comes college graduations and with them come parties. The best are the old fashioned kind done in the backyard. They can go a number of ways , from elegant to super casual. The bottom line is to celebrate the graduate and honor what he or she wants.

If your grad likes an elegant affair, then think casual formal  with some catering involved.Many restaurants can offer a wide range of dishes, from shrimp scampi  to bruschetta. Some also offer carving tables with roasts like London Broil and turkey. Cheese and cold cut tables can be set up if the grad thinks that hot dishes may be too much for guests.Favorite restaurants also can figure in as well, as the honoree picks out beloved dishes. If money is tight then think maybe just champagne and hot hors d'oeuvres. Luckily there are less expensive brands of sparkling wine such as Asti Spumente if a large crowd is expected. Sparkling non-alcoholic cider can be served to those who can't have alcohol along with the littlest guests. The nibbles can be anything from toasted Brie and apple slices to shrimp pate on toasted baguette rounds. Desserts can be petit fours iced and decorated in the university's colors or small plates of miniature pastries. You can also buy a chocolate fountain for the event. This may seem like an extravagant but it can be used for other gatherings like showers and holiday parties. They can also be rented too for a cheaper deal.If this is too messy then consider making homemade truffles to serve. It's an easy recipe using a simple chocolate and cream ganache.

Most college graduation parties are usually backyard affairs.Again consider what the graduate wants and likes.It could even be a pot luck kind of deal where friends and relatives bring the grad's favorite dishes.Mom and Dad can be in charge of the hamburgers and hot dogs while grans and aunts along with godmothers can bring the chili or potato and macaroni salads.This is the time for celebration so you can even go whole hog - literally - with a pig roast.Some rib joints can roast it for you or it can be roasted at home in the back yard, however remember that the set up is labor intensive and dealing with an entire animal is not for the faint of heart. Consider buying a few racks of ribs instead These are easy to handle and dole out to guests.Fried turkey is another outdoor party favorite. Serve it with a cranberry chutney  and grill roasted sweet potato halves along with grilled veggies. If your grad has eschewed all meat, then think of vegetarian or vegan barbecue.Morningstar Farms has some excellent sub ins such as soy dogs and black bean burgers along with chicken patties and even nuggets. Soy bacon and soy cheese can be added for a healthier , more humane bacon cheese burger. Salads can be made with a non egg mayo called Nayonaise that can do the same trick as the real deal. It can be used for salads and dressings. There are vegan bakeries that can make a dairy and egg free cake as well.

Let the college graduation parties begin. Celebrate that degree with a party that the grad will remember for decades. he or she deserves it.

Cooking With Herbs

This is the season for herbs. They're everywhere and one of the best things about summer cooking. They amp up the flavor from salads to even desserts. Many home chefs are somewhat afraid of using them . There are some tips to handling herbs and in creating successful dishes.

One of the first steps in cooking herbs is preparing them. Cut what you need to from your garden and wash thoroughly. There may be some dirt or bugs still on them. If you're picking them early in the day, place the newly washed ones on a damp paper towel and store in your fridge until you're ready to cook with them.Herbs can also be frozen for future use too,This required a brief bath in boiling hot water  until the leaves turn a bright green,.Cool by holding them under cold running water and blot dry with paper towels. Freeze either in freezer bags or in empty ice cube trays.

There's a certain order to cooking with herbs as well.Some stronger herbs such as basil and sage should be added in the beginning of the cooking process so that their flavors will mellow with cooking. Milder tasting ones such as dill should be added in the last minutes of cooking because their flavor will fade during the entire heating process. Different herbs will give different spins to dishes. If you want a flavorful tomato sauce for example use rosemary and oregano. If you want it to zing, then think about bay leaves. A light sauce will be delicate with dill and powerful with sage. Experiment , if you're new to the herb scene. Find out what you and your family like.

Cooking with herbs is a great way to amp up any dish. Know what you're cooking with to get great flavor and new tastes. It's easy and fun.