Daily Thoughts · Salads

Slips & Salads

Being responsible for lunch today for a ladies Bible study, I decided to make shrimp salad and tomato mozzarella salad. At the last minute, I decided instead of making shrimp pasta salad, I would stuff avacados with the shrimp, so ran up to Kroger to buy avacados about 9:30 this morning. Being sure that I looked around for just the perfect soft ones, not to soft, not to hard, I found just the perfect ones that would allow me to cut them in half and scoop out of the shell. I turned to go get a plastic bag to put them in when I walked across some water on the floor by the strawberries. Of course you know the rest of the story, having my cutsie little sandals on with lots of bling, I fell down on my left knee with my right leg going in the opposite direction landing on my rear. The produce guy ran over to help me up and acting like I am a senior citizen, he kept asking me if anything was broken (besides my pride) and thank goodness, he was a hefty little thing, so was able to pull me off the floor before to many people walked by snickering.

Upon arriving home and knowing that this was probably good enough to get me some sympathy from Mr. Great Bedside Manner, I came in from the garage limping and looking like I had just been in a 3 car pile up. He comes over to me, and ask if he can get me anything. I tell him, yes, I would love a tall glass of iced tea and an Advil. I proceed to go sit on the couch and wait for my precious hubby to come bring my tea and pain med. Knowing that maybe, just maybe this would get me dinner out tonight so I wouldn’t have to stand on my already swollen knee, he hands me the tea and says, “isn’t it great that you weren’t on the liquor aisle? They would have just thought you were drunk!” And that my dear friends is about all the sympathy I received. Well, along with, “maybe “we” can just make it an easy dinner tonight since your knee looks pretty swollen, what about just “fixin” meatloaf, baked potatoes and green beans with bacon. I bet there is a couple of slices of butter milk pie left over from yesterday, so just don’t feel like you have to bake something tonight.”

Is he not the greatest and most thoughtful of husbands?

I am so glad I bought a couple extra avocado so I can throw one at him.

But in the meantime, I made a salad of cherry tomatoes with mozzarella balls and put sea salt, olive oil, mashed garlic and fresh basil to go along with the shrimp salad which I will post after I see how the ladies like it.

Salads

Summer Salad

Why am I obsessed with pasta salads? While at my daughter’s house in Phoenix, babysitting the precious little darlings, I had about 2 minutes to sit down one night before I fell asleep and found this in a Better Homes & Garden. I couldn’t wait to get home to make it.

1/2 cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, sliced

1 (12 oz) package spaghetti, broken in half

3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

1 medium zucchini, ends trimmed

1 medium yellow summer squash, ends trimmed

6 sticks string cheese

4 cups cherry tomatoes, chopped

1 large purple onion (about 1 cup)

1 cup chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup walnut halves, toasted

Heat 2 Tables of the oil in a 12″ skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; stir 1 min. Add pasta; toss to combine. Add broth. Cook, uncovered over medium heat 10 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Let cool 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Meanwhile, using a spiral vegetable slicer, cut zucchini and yellow squash  into strands; snip into shorter lengths, if desired. Add to spaghetti. Let cool completely. Pull cheese into thin strands, chill until read to serve and then pour dressing over before serving. *Dressing is below*

In a small bowl, combine the rest of the olive oil, the red wine vinegar, parsley, tomatoes, onion and walnut halves. Stir to combine and pour over spaghetti right before serving.