What’s your favorite summer salad?
BLT’s are always a favorite summer meal when the garden tomatoes are sun-ripened to perfection, but wait until you try easy BLT summer salads! Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Salad takes dinner to a whole new level of healthy summer goodness. Chop up some fresh lettuce and summer tomatoes. Add some perfectly cooked bacon (whatever your definition of perfect is) and top with homemade ranch dressing made with plain Greek yogurt and spices. If you need a side, Texas toast or potato chips are a good addition.
I have a recipe for ranch seasoning that you just stir into plain yogurt or sour cream for a quick dressing or dip. This is literally one of those quick meals that comes together with the items you have on hand!
Adding avocado kicks it up a notch in sophistication that leaves you wondering if you need to change the title or not. Like country farm cousin meets Manhattan city cousin in the summer.
Ranch Seasoning Mix
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
1 t salt
½ t pepper
½ t dried parsley
½ t dried dill
Use this base recipe to double, triple, or make any size batch and store in an airtight jar in the pantry. Try a few spoonfuls mixed with 1 c Greek yogurt to make ranch dip. You can thin the dip with some milk or buttermilk to make a dressing. Store the dip or dressing in the fridge in a jar with a lid. The best part is that you can vary the amount of seasoning to your taste.
My other favorite summer salad is Big Mac Salad. You know the old song… “Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, all on a sesame seed bun”? Just cook up some ground beef, drain and season with salt and pepper. In a pretty bowl, layer lettuce, grated cheddar cheese, the cooked ground beef, hamburger pickles, tomatoes, and diced onions. Top with Thousand Island dressing and toasted sesame seeds. YUM!
Thousand Island Simple Dressing
1/2 c mayonnaise
1-2 T minced onion
2-3 T ketchup
2-3 T pickle relish (sweet, unless you prefer dill)
1 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar
1/2 tsp paprika (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
Mix by hand or blender. Store in a jar with a lid in the fridge for up to a week. Can use right away, but tastes a bit better if it’s made a few hours ahead.
It truly is “special sauce” because there are so many easy variations available on the internet, and personal preferences. Or grab a bottle of Thousand Island dressing when you pick up the salad ingredients from the grocery store. Just like any specialty burger, make this burger salad with any of your favorite burger toppings and sauces.
This recipe looks great in a clear glass trifle bowl when you need to bring a dish to a potluck or layered in a mason jar for a picnic. You can serve it with fries, potato chips, or veggie straws.
There you have it. Two easy summer salads that you need to make soon are BLT salad and Burger salad. The taste of fresh summer lettuce and tasty garden-ripened tomatoes won’t be available in a few months. If you have an abundance of garden tomatoes right now, share this blog post and a bag of tomatoes with a friend.
Hint: my porch is available for delivery!
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Table Talk: What’s your best memory of BLTs? What summer salad will you add to your menu this week? What’s on your ideal burger?
