Southwestern Tossed Salad Recipe

Creating salads is one of my favorite and easiest meals (or sides) to create. Here is a salad I recently recreated from a meal that I enjoyed at a restaurant in Colorado…I am calling it a Southwestern Tossed Salad! Enjoy!

Southwestern Tossed Salad Recipe

Ingredients & Directions: 2 Romaine lettuce heads  (chopped), 2 plum tomatoes (seeded and chopped), 1 can sliced black olives, 2 avocados (diced), 1 can of black beans (rinsed and drained), 1 package of pre-cooked bacon (chopped),    shredded Mexican blend cheese, 1can/small bag frozen corn (canned or frozen, defrost/drain, drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, add to grill pan, toss until grilled/blackened, refrigerate until ready to add to salad). Optional : add sliced grilled chicken and/or crumbled tortilla chips.

Tomatoes…tomatoes…tomatoes…What do you do with all of those garden tomatoes?

As the summer comes to an end, so do the fresh vegetables from my father’s garden! I recently received a basket of tomatoes and made a few great recipes. I wanted to share them on my blog in case you find yourself digging for recipes to use up all of those ripe garden tomatoes! Three recipes were previously posted on my blog, and I am sharing two new recipes today (compliments of growing up with my Mom’s Italian cooking!)

Tomato Eggplant Ravioli (or with pasta of your choice):

https://homesweetmamamia.wordpress.com/2015/05/14/eggplant-tomato-ravioli/

Tomato Cucumber Salad: 

https://homesweetmamamia.wordpress.com/2015/07/13/summer-salads-tomato-cucumber-salad/

Prosciutto, Mozzarella, Tomato and Arugula Panini:

https://homesweetmamamia.wordpress.com/2015/07/22/proscuitto-mozzarella-tomato-and-arugula-panini/

And my favorite, two simplest tomato recipes of all…

Caprese Salad 

Ingredients : fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella balls, fresh basil, salt and pepper (to taste), olive oil, balsamic glaze (optional)

Directions: Cut tomato and mozzarella into thick round slices. On a long platter, arrange the Caprese Salad as follows : tomato slice, then mozzarella slice, then whole basil leaf. Repeat into rows. Sprinkle completed platter with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil (and balsamic glaze, optional). Serve cold along side crunchy Italian bread.

Pasta al Marinara (Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce)

Ingredients: tomatoes, olive oil, minced garlic, fresh basil, salt snd pepper(to taste), pasta (of choice)

Directions: In a small pot, boil pasta (of choice) per box instructions. In a sauté pan, heat olive oil and add minced garlic. After about 1 minute, add fresh tomato chunks. Sauté for about 3-5 minutes. Add fresh basil (chopped or sliced). Set aside. Once pasta is done, drain and add pasta to fresh tomato sauce. Serve immediately with Italian Bread.

Summer Salads : Orzo Spinach Salad

Over the next couple of weeks, I will share three of my go-to salads for summertime dinners, parties, or BBQs! They include Orzo Spinach Salad, Tri-Colored Pasta Salad, and Tomato Cucumber Salad.

Orzo Spinach Salad

This Orzo Spinach Salad recipe is compliments of a friend who served it to my family about 5 years ago when she invited us over for a BBQ. She mailed the recipe to me and I refer to her recipe card quite often! A great side salad for your next meal or event. I even pack a small container for my lunch at the beach every summer!

Ingredients:

• 10 oz. Fresh baby spinach (rinsed and drained)
• 16 oz. Orzo pasta
• 1 pt. Grape or Cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup Feta cheese (crumbled)
• 1/2 cup Red onion (chopped)
• 1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup Olive oil
• Basil (to taste)

Directions: Cook orzo as directed on package. When finished cooking, drain and rinse with cold water. Chop baby spinach. Add feta, tomatoes, red onion, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and basil. Mix all ingredients together. Refrigerate until ready to serve.