Mike's End Of Summer Salad

Okay. So, here's why kids aren't stupid.Since my students were all having a picnic here in my backyard for lunch, this mornings lesson was on easy, delicious picnic ideas. With that, I charged one of my youngest 8 year olds to make any side dish she desired. So long as it was ice cold. [seriously, it's over 90° here in Albuquerque today]Anyway, while directing other students with their entrées, my tiny, imaginative student Ryder scurried off on her own out to my garden and happily helped herself. Everything listed in her recipe is fresh picked from my garden and my herb garden. Except for her bottled dressing of choice. And, all hand chopped by her. ♡Fellow Chefs? She completed this delectable tangy task so fast, I had no clue what she had actually created. [so much for diligent child supervision huh?] That is until they were out the door for school. When I looked in my fridge, I stumbled across a grand cucumber salad that had been literally drug through the freshest part of my gardens!This is an incredibly easy dish that's sure to please and impress every time! She's easy, she's fresh, she's crispy, she's flavorful, she's chilly and she's so deliciously tangy! It was definitely a hit with all the kids! Give her a try and get creative with this recipe!Be sure to use all of this salad up the first day. By the second, the vinager marinade will have broken down your vegetables and will lend an unattractive, murky sauce to it.

This is the easiest, most colourful, zesty, cheesy, chilly side salad ever made. So easy, my 6 year old culinary students made this themselves. Excellent work kiddos!

Well, this is what I get for leaving them all unattended huh? My wife and 7 year old culinary students got bored and decided to make this chilly little dish yesterday. It's 20 vegetables of zesty veritable deliciousness! Excellent work kiddos! You too Tammie!

Our neighborhood held our annual, "Picinic In February," this weekend. I was charged with making a chilled pasta salad that represented springtime.

15 minutes to fresh, chilly, delicious, crispy & healthy fabulousness!"Waste not, want not," was today's lesson plan for my tiny students! So, everybody in the pool! That's right! It was finally time to clean out those packed, overstuffed crispers o' mine! 😆Anyway, this is an easy, absolutely refreshing salad that pairs well with darn near any entrée you can imagine. It's especially appreciated in our sweltering Southern Summer months here in New Mexico! 😰She's also definitely one of those, "as needed," dishes if you ever saw one. So, feel free to get creative with this versatile and foolproof recipe! Trust me. You literally can't screw this crazy easy pre-fabed recipe up!Authors Note: Know this colorful recipe will make approximately a 10 pound bowl of flavorful chilled pasta.

In honor of our First Lady's Healthy School Lunches and Lets Move Programs - my student's Charter Schools are promoting her efforts. Here's how.All students - especially the culinary students - were charged with creating an easy, delicious, healthy lunch option. Then, they were to present and explain the nutritional benefits of their dish to their schoolmates.Needless to say, mostly chilled salads were presented by my students. Everything from seafood salads, to pasta salads, to macaroni salads, to garden salads. I'll post those easy recipes as their pictures are edited. Posted below is one of my youngest students submissions.Every vegetable in his salad was organic and pulled directly from my gardens. "Quick, easy, nutritious and farm to table," were his primary selling points. Talk about healthy! So, if you love fresh, chilly, crispy, cheesy, zesty, tangy tasting vegetables - you'll love this incredibly simple recipe! Serve same day or, at a maximum, overnight. Otherwise the vinager will soften your vegetables. Or, simply serve dressing to the side for a longer shelf life.

This is always such a deliciously chilly side dish to serve on a sweltering hot summertime day!

An excellent addition to any Summertime BBQ or picnic!

This incredibly easy, absolutely delicious and versatile colorful summertime salad pairs great with most any main dish. It's chilly, crispy, cheesy, tangy and toothy! Know that this salad is much better with several hours chill time. Or, even served the following day. It's also a perfect side dish for picnics and barbecues!

Serve this delicious chilly super crispy salad on thick toasted buttery bread, bagels or with quality crackers.

Well, it's Wednesday here in the O'Brien Shire so all y'all know what that means right? It's clean out those crispers 7 year old culinary students and make something amazing! Delicious work kiddos! Our local homeless shelter residents went bat crap crazy for these Greek Pitas! I'm. SO stinking proud of all of you guys!

First, let me say this delicious recipe is not my own. It belongs to my big brother Jase [aka grill-master on this site] Go ahead. Check him out. He's one hell of a great Chef!Additional ingredients were added from his original recipe but that's pretty much what you get when you allow ten six year old budding Chefs to run amock in your fridges crispers. Anyway, thanks Jase! My culinary students had a blast with your recipe and this is the second time they've made it in a week! Delicious!

My six year old students hand picked, photographed and made this incredibly easy, fresh, delicious side dish in less than 10 minutes.Man, this dish was nothing other than crazy nuts, chilly, crispy, spicy, super tangy, spicy summertime deliciousness! Great work kiddos! I'd eat this ANY day of the week!

This fusion inspired salad is just as delicious as it is easy to make. She's a tangy yet sweet, refreshing chilled pasta salad that's heavy on the Feta Cheese and, even heavier on Artichoke Hearts!It's also great as a chilly side dish for picnics and barbecues. Also know that as this dish rests and chills in the fridge - the better this salad gets!There are also a number of varied vegetables you can add to your zesty salad. I typically add fresh zucchini, celery, carrots and cherry tomatoes to it if I have them on hand. So, go ahead. Feel free to drag this recipe through the garden! Get creative with it!

From the garden to your table! This chilly, delicious side dish pairs well with most any main dish. It's so easy to make, know that two six year olds made it in minutes. Great work again kiddos!

10 minutes fast! My crazy 7 year old students created this chilly crispy side dish on their own in 10 minute flat. What a crisp, refreshing dish to serve your guests! Excellent work students!

Such a delicious crispy refreshing tangy summertime side salad!

This isn't so much of a recipie as it is a healthy dinner idea. Anyway, it's Wednesday here in the O'Brien Shire so that means my 6 & 7 year old culinary students are charged with cleaning out the crispers and making anything their crazy little imaginations can muster. Together they made 10 different delicious versions of this salad. Everybody in the pool! Excellent work kiddos!

I was served this dish in Mexico City years ago. While I was a bit confused by some of the ingredients, it was fantastic! Since then I've tried to recreate it. Well, I finally nailed it. This salad goes great on so many dishes. Especially any Mexican dish you can think of. I love it with sturdy salty tortilla chips. Excelente trabajo estudiantes!

I forget where I got this easy recipe from but it's one yummy, fresh, crispy, healthy piece of Asian side dishy goodness! My 7 year old students quadrupled this recipe and served it with Asian Hot Wings. Great job kiddos!

It's crisper cleaner day here in the O'Brien Shire today so ya'll know what that means!Only fresh chilled tangy salads are on the roster! Easy, cheesy, delicious, chilly and ever SO healthy salads! My seven year old students both made this salad and took it to the homeless shelter super early this morning!Man did it go fast! Again, fresh, crispy, tangy and delicious! So satisfying!P.S., this easy recipe was quadrupled by my students and it made a TON of salad! 15 to 20 servings per batch with fresh homemade chips. Excelent work sweet baby girls! Just excellent! Zesty and delicious!

Everyone loves entertaining in the summer, but there may not always be time to prep a huge meal. Guests want to enjoy time with the host, not watch them slave in the kitchen. One of the easiest things to throw together is a great salad.I use this salad quite a bit when company drops by. The steps are easy to follow and it packs a lot of flavor. It pairs well with your summer chicken or fish dishes ... even burgers. The dressing, just three ingredients, is sweet, tangy and can be stored for a few days (just stir to refresh it). This recipe should serve 4 people comfortably.(Recipe correction: I originally stated to use globe tomatoes. These, while still tasty, will be too big for the plating of the salad. Please note the change to grape (cherry) tomatoes.)

This is the best Caesar Salad Dressing I've ever tasted! Minus the anchovies, of course.

You can do just about anything with this super easy recipe. I usually add fresh shrimp and scallops and adjust my ingredients to suit them. Serve this salad to the side or, serve it on lettuce for wraps. Rolls or crackers work great as well. Fresh cabbage and carrots are great additions too. Get creative with this recipe!

Having somewhat of the birthday blues, I decided to treat myself under the full Albuquerque moon at midnight with this buttery crabby samich on a fluffy blanket with a rich dusty bottle of Cabernet. What a delicious and totally enchanting picnic for one this was! Anyway, happy birthday to me! GO TEAM MIKE! Life definitely does not suck!

It’s a nice salad for salad-haters and lovers alike. Great to beat the heat of summer, or a nice snack!I miss the mountains. Why is everything so hot at sea level?!! I wanna go back to sub tundra and raise reindeer 😭

Sweet, sour, salty, spicy, tingly, piquant and slightly bitter all in the same bite! A Thai side dish you won't regret and your guests won't soon forget! Baby corn, bamboo shoots, cashews and Asian Pears all go great in this dish as well. So, get creative with this recipe!Everything made, photographed and documented by 7 year olds!

This is a great way to use leftovers. You can customize this salad to suit your taste and what you have on hand.

My 7 year old students rock! All 5 of them today wanted to give their mothers an extra special dinner consisting of all their favorite seafoods. This was their results. Delicious work, great photos and excellent presentations kiddos!

Some add 1/4 teaspoon fresh Dill for an extra kick! Excellent work students! These were crispy, chilly, creamy and so delicious!