Summer vegetables and fruits are out in full force and the eating couldn't be better.  I can't even begin to list all of the wonderful foods we have enjoyed lately - there are just too many of them.  But with the summer heat upon us as well, I have learned to simplify in the kitchen and eat more foods which require minimal cooking.  There's nothing worse than heating up the house with my oven, while cooling the house with my air conditioning.  Salads to the rescue!  In our family, everyone has their favorite type of salad and their favorite toppings and dressings.  Luckily, I don't have to be a short-order cook to accommodate everyone.  Many nights, I simply place all of the salad toppings on the counter and have everyone file through with their bowl of lettuce.  Everyone gets to create their own masterpiece, and there's no complaining or whining when it comes time to eat.  I am sometimes amazed at the combinations my kids and my husband will select, but it's wonderful to watch their creativity flow.  I've added some new salad recipes to the website, and you will find one of each of our favorites below.

 
We all love bean salads and this is one of our favorites.  If you like things spicy, make sure to add a fresh jalapeno or habanero pepper. My kids prefer more mild dishes, so we will add the hot pepper sauce at the table. Click here for Mexican Bean Salad recipe.

This makes my mouth water even thinking about how great this tastes. We like to vary the type of vegetables and the type of pasta we use to keep things different. This is such an easy salad and can be enjoyed warm or cold. Click here for Easy Pasta Salad recipe.

My husband's favorite green is spinach and this is one of his favorite salads.  Somehow the combination of flavors is just wonderful at pleasing the pallette and satisfying both the sweet and salt cravings.  The honey roasted almonds add a very unique flavor that you won't want to miss. Click here for Spinach Salad with Strawberry and Almonds recipe.

This is my son's favorite salad this year.  I was used to potato salad with a lot of mayonnaise, sweet relish and onions so this was a real change for us - but we all love it now.  With the pressure cooker, I can cook the potatoes in less than 5 minutes without heating up my kitchen.  We normally aren't left with any leftovers when I serve this salad. Click here for Not Your Ordinary Potato Salad recipe.

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Here's an interesting video that helps to explain why America seems to get fatter and fatter - and who helps but none other than the U.S. Government. Click here to watch this short video.

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Check out our latest Step-by-Step picture recipe here on
how to make Sweet Skillet Turnips.

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I now have available My First Cookbook. It will be available at my cooking demonstrations or order online here.

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