🍅 Fresh Tomato Salad with Basil & Balsamic Glaze

I made this for our 4th of July party last week. I used our fresh garden tomatoes and fresh basil leaves. It was so delicious! I highly recommend it as a fresh, bright summer side! 

🍅 Fresh Tomato Salad with Basil & Balsamic Glaze

 🧄 Ingredients

 6–8 large tomatoes, sliced or chopped 

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped

Crumbled feta 

 2 tbsp olive oil 1–2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 

Salt & pepper to taste 

 🥣 Instructions

Chop or slice your tomatoes and place in a big bowl. Add sliced onion,basil and feta cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss gently and let sit for 10–15 minutes before serving to let the flavors develop.

My favorite lunch salad

Mixed greens with chipotle ranch dressing topped with roasted pepitas, cranberries, flax crackers, corn, grated cheese, crispy tortilla strips, and chopped crispy chicken. Yum!

Colorful Bean Salad

I have been making this for years, and it's always so good!  I love this salad!!

3 tablespoons olive oil

 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

 1/4 teaspoon salt

 1/4 teaspoon pepper

 1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained

 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

 1 can (11 ounces) Mexicorn, drained

 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Add the beans, corn and onions; stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Serve with a slotted spoon. Yield: 6 servings.

From Taste of Home 

Elissa's Garden Salad

My friend Elissa made this for a potluck, and I loved it so much I asked her for the recipe.  It's one of those "non-recipe recipes" in that she just eyeballed everything.  I made it for a church potluck and did the same thing, and it turned out great.  Here's the basic "recipe."

Elissa's Garden Salad

Stir the following into one pound cooked wheat macaroni:

Olive oil
Clove of garlic (minced)
salt and pepper
onion powder
Costco No Salt Seasoning
1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar 

 Chopped Tomatoes
Chopped Green Peppers
Choped Green onion
Chopped celery 

Finely chopped basil

Mom's Taco Salad

Mom's Taco Salad

For Salad:

1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained
1 can pinto beans, drained
3/4 head of iceberg lettuce, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped

can of corn, drained
1 avocado, sliced small
2-3 big handfuls of shredded mozzarella cheese
Crushed tortilla chips (as many as desired)

Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 bottle of Del Monte cocktail sauce
1/2 cup of La Victoria Thick n Chunky Salsa Verde (medium)

Combine the salad ingredients together thoroughly.  In a shaker type container combine the dressing ingredients and shake to mix well.  Top salad with desired amount of dressing.  (Note:  You can make this ahead, just wait to add the chips until just prior to eating, then top with the dressing.)

We generally eat this with grilled chicken and fresh fruit on the side.  It is a perfect summer meal!