Are you planning on having a party or two this summer?
The night before your event you can make ahead all or any of these great 3 Salads for the Summer, which will make serving your meal a breeze. I like to prepare as much as I can the night before my guests arrive to make things go smoother when the party gets started. All 3 classic salads for the summer are perfect for a picnic at the lake, a backyard barbecue, or even a fancy meal indoors. All of these recipes are definitely great choices for their make-ahead-of-time options too, which I think takes much of the stress out of serving a delicious meal.
Your guests will enjoy all 3 of these recipes!
Healthy Macaroni Salad is a fine example of how adding a few fresh veggies will brighten up the scene and deliver added nutrition to this summer classic.
3 Herb Potato salad is also a delicious standard for any picnic, barbecue or other summer festivity. The spices used make it a little different than most, but delivers excellent taste and
Finally, third on the list, Classic coleslaw is another good way to round out any meal, delivering even more excellent flavor and high nutrition value to your menu.
Healthy Macaroni Salad
Who doesn’t love a good mac salad? Your guests will find this fun recipe to be a nutritious, delicious and filling way to enhance the meal you’ve prepared. It is inexpensive to make and the colors of nutrition shine through in this updated classic.
INGREDIENTS 20 Servings
8 ounces elbow macaroni (2 cups)
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (2 cups)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Black Pepper, Ground
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
1 1/4 cups cubed Cheddar cheese,
(5 ounces)
1 cup fresh spinach leaves
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
(1 cup)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon snipped fresh tarragon or 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Tarragon Leaves, crumbled
Cook macaroni according to package directions. Add green beans for last 5 minutes of cooking. Drain. Rinse with cold water; drain well.
Whisk together lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk in oil until thickened. Whisk in yogurt (or sour cream).
Add cheese, spinach, tomato, green onions and tarragon to macaroni. Add dressing; toss. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
3 Herb Potato Salad
This classic salad, is the last of our 3 classic salads for the summer. It’s flavor stands out for its 3 herbs, parsley, dill and tarragon. It looks and tastes delicious and is another filling salad that your guests will enjoy. 3 Herb potato salad delivers a scrumptious blend of flavors for good taste and nutrition in a creamy presentation that includes mayonnaise and yogurt. A few simple ingredients transform into this 3 Herb Potato Salad. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS (Serves 10)
2 1/2 pounds yellow or red potatoes, scrubbed and diced (1/2- to 1-inch pieces)
3/4 teaspoon salt divided
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Black Pepper, Ground
1 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as parsley,
dill and tarragon
2 scallions, , sliced
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
Bring 1 to 2 inches of water to a boil in a large saucepan (or pot) fitted with a steamer basket. Add potatoes, cover and cook until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt; let cool 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, onion, mustard, pepper and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add the potatoes, herbs, scallions and capers; stir well to coat. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate until cold.
Classic Coleslaw
This simple Classic Coleslaw salad is a standard take on classic coleslaw and is last on our list of 3 Classic Salads for the Summer. Packed with nutrition in the red and green cabbage, and shredded carrots, this salad depends on mayonnaise and sour cream for its creamy texture. This one doesn’t miss any marks on flavor either. Your family and/or your guests will like the mild sweetness of this great salad and you will enjoy the ease of prepping this easy side dish for your meal. You can make this side dish ahead of time or even the night before. Just give it a final stir before serving to redistribute the flavors and wow your guests.
INGREDIENTS (11 cups) 22 Servings
1 medium head green cabbage, cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch-wide strips (about 9 cups)
1/2 small head red cabbage, cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch-wide strips (about 3 cups)
2 medium carrots, shredded (1 cup)
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Black Pepper, Ground
In a very large bowl, combine green cabbage, red cabbage and carrots. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper; stir into cabbage mixture. Cover and chill for 2 hours before serving.
Recipes Courtesy of McCormick.com – May 2017