Recipe: Oh So Tasty Bean Salad



Sometimes I think my girls only love me because I make this bean salad for them.  I am not exaggerating when I say that they LOVE this salad.  They have been eating this since they were toddlers.  And that is how their love of feta cheese came about.  While I am making this dish, my girls like to "taste test" it to make sure it is good.  By the time the taste testing is over, there is not a lot left. 

I decided to surprise the girls and make this for the lunch.  This will be the first time that they have had it in their lunch so I know they will be excited.  When I make this for dinner, I add herbed cream cheese stuffed pitas that are grilled...another of their favorites. 

I hope you enjoy this as much as our family does.

Oh So Tasty Bean Salad

2 cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

2 cucumbers, seeded and diced

1/4 cup red onion, finely diced

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup to 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1 small can chopped olives (optional)

1/4 to 1/2 cup Italian dressing

1/2 lemon, juiced

salt and pepper to taste

Combine garbanzo beans, cucumbers, red onion and tomatoes in large bowl.  Mix in feta cheese and olives.  In a small bowl, mix dressing, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Pour over bean mixture and toss gently. 

This is best served when chilled and taste even better the next day once the flavors have melded.

Linked To:

  * Breastfeeding Moms Unite: Vegeterian Foodie Fridays #22

  * My Sweet and Savory:  My Meatless Mondays

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Recipe: Tomato and Bacon Pasta Salad

It has been so hot here for the past two weeks.  I don't think we have left the house unless we need to.  With it being so hot, I don't like to heat the kitchen up, but this pasta is well worth it.  We had it as a main dish with some bread, but it could be a great side dish.  I added parmesan cheese the first night and some feta cheese the next day.  Both were equally good.  I served this at room temperature for dinner and cold for lunch.  I preferred it cold and so did my family.

Tomato and Bacon Pasta Salad

1 box penne pasta, cooked and drained

1/2 cup milk

3 tbsps olive oil

12 ounces bacon, cooked

3 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

4 tbsps green onions, chopped

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, feta or the cheese of your choice

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Toss the cooked pasta with 1/2 cup milk; set aside.  Put olive oil in a pan; add tomatoes and garlic.  Toss until warmed through and remove from heat; season with salt and pepper.  Crumble the bacon into bite-sized pieces; set aside 1/4 cup for garnish.  Add tomato mixture and bacon to pasta and toss.  Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream and 3 tablespoons green onions.  Add to pasta mixture and toss until evenly combined.  Garnish with reserved bacon and green onion.  This may be served room temperature or chilled.

Enjoy!

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Recipe: Creamy Grape Salad

First off, let me say, this picture does not do this dish any favors.  But let me tell you, this salad is wonderful and creamy and so perfectly cold and delicious on a hot summer day.  My family recently got together to celebrate some June birthdays and I wanted to make a dish that we have not had before.  I am so glad that I made this salad as I will be making it often in the future especially during these hot Texas summer months.  The recipe calls for whole grapes, but I think the next time I make it, I will halve the grapes.

I hope you enjoy this as much as we did!

Creamy Grape Salad

1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened

1 cup sour cream

1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup chopped walnuts

4 lbs seedless grapes, washed and dry

In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla until smooth.  Add grapes and stir gently making sure to coat all the grapes.  Refrigerate at least two hours before serving.  Right before serving, add chopped walnuts.

Linked to:

   * And Baby Makes Five, Colleen's Kitchen Recipe Swap

   * Blessed with Grace, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

   * Crazy Daisy, Tuesday Taste Party

   * Tidy Mom, I'm Lovin' It

   * Simply Sweet Home, Friday Favorites

   * It's A Blog Party:  Delicious Dishes

 

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