Easy Simple Summer Picnic Salads

While it seems our summer is winding down, I know it's just hiding for a few days and will come back for one more big hot performance. So today, I am focusing on some summer side dishes that go great with those late summer and early fall picnics.

Red Tater Salad

6 Cups of Small Red Potatoes, steamed, cut in half.

8-10 Slices of Lean Bacon, fried crisp, cut into ½ inch pieces

¾ Cup Celery, with leaves, cut into ¼ inch slices

1 Medium Red Onion, Chopped

½ Cup of Mayonnaise

½ Cup Ranch Dressing

Salt and Pepper to taste

Using a large bowl, pour in your mayonnaise, ranch dressing and mix. Add your warm but not hot potatoes, celery, onions and mix again. Taste the mixture and add your salt and pepper at this time, then mix again. Add the bacon just before serving so it does not become soggy and mix once more.

The mixture of the mayonnaise and ranch dressing adds another level of flavor to the salad with out having to add more ingredients.

BLT Pasta Salad

3 Cups Corkscrew Pasta, cooked

½ Cup Milk

5 Cups of Bibb Lettuce or Romaine Hearts, chopped coarse [mixture of both will work too]

1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half

8 Slices of Bacon, cut in 1 inch pieces, cooked crisp

1 Clove of Garlic, minced

½ Cup Mayonnaise

¼ Cup Sour Cream

Salt and Pepper

Add cooked pasta to a medium bowl, mix in the milk and set aside. The milk will keep the pasta from sticking together and becoming one large lump.

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream and garlic. Add the pasta with milk and stir. Add ¾ cup of the tomatoes, the lettuce and bacon. Fold together until all are coated with dressing. Taste and add the salt and pepper if needed. Pour into your serving platter or bowl and sprinkle the rest of the tomatoes on top. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.

I hope you find joy in serving either or both of these recipes to your families. They are easy to make and can be done before hand and still taste great.

I not only use these recipes for picnics but any day of the week when I am looking for something to please my family and friends. They are also good for those pot luck meal events we get invited to through out the year.

Quick, Easy and Simple is the name of my game....What's yours?

I invite you to join me at http://hassieskitchentable.com/ for more quick easy recipes. Plus ideas and tips on living better for less.

Faylee James is a Life Coach/Writer/Speaker from Northeast Tennessee, who has an above average interest in people, cooking and living life to the fullest.

http://EzineArticles.com/6512024

The Simple Dos and Don?EUR(TM)ts of a Fruit Detox Diet

As its name suggests, the fruit detox diet is meant as a short, means to an end, diet. The "end" being a detoxified you. This should mean you are several pounds lighter, that your body has let go of some nasty toxins, and you have made a decision to make healthier eating choices each day.

There are several versions of this diet. What they all have in common is that they are for a predetermined period of time, and designed to help the body eliminate its toxins and shed weight.

The vitals of the fruit detox diet

The big power behind the diet is, obviously, fruit. This wonderful gift of nature comes in so many forms, tastes, colors and textures. Each season, and every continent, has its own creation to share with us. The way the body processes fruit is also somewhat unique. They enzymes contained in fruit do much of the processing of the fruit, which gives the digestive organs reprieve from their constant digestive responsibilities.

On a fruit detox diet the digestive system does not shut down as it does with a "fasting" cleanse. This saves the body from having to slow its metabolism. The nutritional and detoxifying properties of fruit, combined with the body's continued digestive work, are what make this cleanse effective both in terms of weight loss, and detoxing. As with all cleanses, you can expect to experience a coated tongue, loose bowels and foul breath for the first day or so. Do not be alarmed, it only means that you body is letting go of toxins.

What not to do on a fruit detox diet

We usually plan to do a fruit detox diet at a time when we are particularly concerned about our health and fitness. Do remember that while undergoing any sort of cleanse or extremely restrictive diet (especially the ones that eliminate whole food groups), it is not the time to plan on a heavy fitness routine. Your body is cleansing and healing during this time. Relax and let your body do its thing. A light walk is all you need, simply to aid in circulation. Anything more than this and you risk your cleanse not being as effective as you were hoping.

Nearly every version of the fruit detox diet allows some vegetables to be included. These are to be eaten raw. Do not choose the heavy starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, yams, and turnips.
Check with your doctor to make sure your body is ready for the fruit detox diet. Remember, this eating plan is meant to be for a predetermined period of time, and not as a long term eating plan.

http://goarticles.com/article/The-Simple-Dos-and-Don-ts-of-a-Fruit-Detox-Diet/5156777/